Explore our groups
Join the UVA Women's Club's diverse interest groups to connect, learn, and have fun. Whether it's books, gardening, or crafting, you'll find a welcoming community. Enjoy casual meetups and structured activities that foster hobbies and lasting connections.
Antique Group
Are you passionate about antiques and local history? Our Antiquing Group is the perfect place for you! We offer engaging activities, including expert speakers, guided tours of local historical homes, and professional antique appraisals. One of the highlights is our unique auctions, where members buy and sell antiques to support our activities.
We meet on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 9:30 a.m., with occasional exceptions. Annual dues are $10.00, which can be waived by contributing to or purchasing an item at our fall auction. Join us and connect with fellow antique enthusiasts!
Contact: Lainie Rainwater or Martha Weiss
Activities for Fall 2026 and Spring 2027:
Wednesday, September 23 -- Annual Antiques Auction, Ashcroft Clubhouse
Always a fun time, this important meeting not only kicks off our year, but raises those important funds to support our year’s activities! We all love seeing and purchasing the treasures our fellow members bring! We are especially pleased that Gale McCartney, our favorite and very patient auctioneer, will be taking our bids again this year!
Wednesday, October 21 – “Frankenstein” at the American Shakespeare Center, Staunton
A carpool trip. Members of Book Group will be joining us for this special outing! Just in time for Halloween, we’ll visit the historic Blackfriars Playhouse of the American Shakespeare Center, the world’s only re-creation of William Shakespeare’s indoor theatre! While experiencing this unique authentic repertory theatre, we will enjoy the chills and thrills of their production of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”.
2nd week, December –
Special holiday event being planned.
Wednesday, January 27 –
Special guest speaker being arranged.
Wednesday, February 24 – “Sharing Personal Treasures and Their Stories”, home of Michelle Adams
Back by popular demand! All of us really enjoy learning about each other’s heritages, family backgrounds and the wonderful stories behind each treasure we bring. In addition to sharing with each other we will be able to tour Michelle’s lovely home and learn about her special treasurers.
Wednesday, March 24 – “Antiques Roadshow”, Ashcroft Clubhouse
Expect the unexpected and a lot of fun! We will once again enjoy our own “Antiques Roadshow”--Appraisals will be provided by our favorite professional appraiser and auctioneer, Amory LeCuyer. Join the fun and bring that special item you would like to have appraised!
Wednesday, April 28 – Woolen Mills Chapel tour
We are very excited to offer our members a tour of the Woolen Mills Chapel and the opportunity to learn about the wonderful work of the Preservation Piedmont, the organization responsible for the work to “repair, preserve, restore and stabilize this special little chapel”.
Book Group
We are looking forward to a great year in Book Group, with a wonderful selection of books to discuss!
We meet the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 1pm in the Northside Library for book discussions and light, delicious snacks. We take turns leading discussions and bringing our snacks.
Dues are $10 this year - due at or before our September meeting.
We would love to have you join us! If you are interested, please email Palmer Gard for details.
Happy Reading!!
Books for 2026 – 2027
September The Correspondent, by Virginia Evans
October The Black Angels: The Untold Story of the Nurses Who Helped Cure Tuberculosis, by Maria Smilios
November What We Can Know, by Ian McEwan
December (Holiday Gathering) Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver
January The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post, by Allison Pataki
February The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, by James McBride
March The Lion Women of Tehran, by Marjan Kamali
April Buckeye, by Patrick Ryan
May The Confidante: The Untold Story of the Woman Who Helped Win WWII and Shape Modern America, by Christopher Gorham
Contact: Palmer Gard
Crafty Ladies
The Crafty Ladies meet on an unstructured schedule for fun, creative activities whenever a member has an idea she'd like to share in her home, supplying the necessary materials for her project. No cost, no obligation, no artistic "talent" needed! If you have an idea or a question , let Marjie know and we'll figure it out!
If you're interested in hosting an activity, simply choose a date and time, and send an email to the sign-up list with the details of your craft. Hosts may need to limit the number of participants based on the available materials. Join us to discover the extent of your creative energy and enjoy fun, engaging projects with fellow crafters!
Contact: Marjie Giuliano
Culinary Queens
Out and About
If you enjoy exploring culture through food, trying new healthy recipes, and connecting with others over a shared love of cooking, Culinary Queens is the group for you!
We meet casually once a month from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM in my home kitchen. Each session includes hands-on cooking, learning new techniques, and of course—eating the delicious dishes we create together. Yummy!
There is no fee to join the group, but a $10 participation fee is collected at each meeting to help cover the cost of ingredients.
Come cook, connect, and create something delicious!
We will start up this group again in September.
Contact: Dalia Osman
Garden Group
Garden Group generally meets the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 10:00 (new time), except for our October Luncheon and a few other exceptions.
Our schedule is filled with interesting speakers, field trips, social gatherings, flower arranging and more. If you are interested in gardening, flower arranging/demonstrations, birds, trees and more, consider joining our group!
The Chair is Mary Jean Thiele, with much help from a board comprised of Grace Giras, Ramona Shugart, Tracy Scharer, Tina Cromwell, Sherry Lambert, Linda Noble and Carolyn Adams (Chair-Emeritus).
Current and new members can sign up by contacting Mary Jean Thiele for information. Dues are $20 per year, made payable to UVA Women’s Garden Group, and should be mailed to Tina Cromwell. They can also be paid at the “UVA Women’s Group Fall Signup Meeting.”.
Activities for Fall 2026 and Spring 2027:
October 14th 11:00 a.m. Annual luncheon at the Ashcroft Clubhouse
Our annual luncheon will include tea sandwiches, salad, beverages & dessert. Dues must be paid prior to or at the luncheon.
November 11th “Birds and their habits” at the Ashcroft Clubhouse
A lecture by Scott Karr, owner of Wild Birds Unlimited
December 9th - 10:00 am - 12:30pm Annual holiday gathering at the home of Tina Cromwell
Social/Gift Exchange Coffee, light brunch, goodies and gag gift exchange. M-Z to bring sweet goodies (finger foods)
January 13th “The Best Trees for Wildlife and You” at the Ashcroft Clubhouse
A lecture by the Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards
February 10th “Sharing” meeting at the Ashcroft Clubhouse
Members share info on a topic
March 10th Flower arranging at the Ashcroft Clubhouse
A Demonstration by Carolyn Adams
April 15th (Thursday) Botanical Garden of the Piedmont - 950 Melbourne Rd.
Snacks followed by talk & tour
May 12th Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden - 1800 Lakeside Ave., Richmond, Va. 23228
Field trip - leave C’ville 9:00 a.m.
Contact: Mary Jean Thiele
Mah Jongg Group
Are you interested in learning and playing Mah Jongg in a fun and competitive environment? Our Mah Jongg Group, inspired by the generous and foresightful Caroline Colvin, is the perfect place for you! We meet every Thursday at 1:30 p.m. at the Ashcroft Clubhouse to play Japanese Mah Jongg.
Our group is active, fun-loving, and welcomes new players year-round. We love teaching new members this fascinating tile game, providing a joyful and mentally stimulating experience each week. Please join us to honor Caroline's legacy and enjoy the camaraderie and excitement of Mah Jongg!
Contact: Lisa Huffman
2026-2027 DATES
Sept. 22
Oct. 27
Dec. 15 (special date due to holidays)
Feb. 23
March 23
April 27
Sing & Sip
"SING AND SIP" 🎹🎶🎶1:00-3:00 4th Tuesday of the month
6 times a year, Sept. Oct. Dec. Feb. March and April (15-20 women)
Enjoy an afternoon of singing with a group of ladies who JUST LOVE to sing.
No expertise is needed, just a love for singing. We may sing to the sounds of a piano, guitar or a bluetooth speaker that puts out a beautiful sound. All kinds of music have been sung from "Purple People Eater" to "Thank God I’m a Country Boy”to “The First Noel” to “Let It Be” to “Shenandoah” to “The Monster Mash”.
Make a request for your favorite song and we will do our best to find the lyrics.
And midway through a sip and a snack to keep us going strong.
Contact: Carolyn Adams
Walking Group
The Walking group (previously Hiking group 🙂) has a loosely planned schedule to meet on the 3rd Tuesdays of Sept., Oct., Nov., March and April. Weather etc. can determine plan changes.
Sept. 15 - the 1st walk will be led by a friend of UVAWC in the Belmont area of town where we'll learn about some of the history and interesting architecture. Coffee or brunch is always an option afterward!
Contact: Marjie Giuliano and Monica Adams
Writing Group
The Women’s Club Writers (WCW) group is for those passionate about prose or poetry, whether you’re an experienced writer or just starting out. Meetings are informal — we share our work aloud, offer constructive feedback, and occasionally try prompts or different writing forms.
We meet every third Wednesday of each month, 2:45–4:00 PM, Northside Library (Conference Room #4 if available). This is right after the book club meets, in the same room, i.e. the big meeting room at Northside Library. Monica Adams reserves the room and sends reminders but is not a “teacher.” We learn from one another. Please bring something to share — your own work or a piece by a published writer.
Join us to rekindle your writing practice or explore it for the first time. New members welcome! Contact Monica with questions (leave a detailed message if calling).
Contact: Monica Adams
Visual Highlights
Our photo gallery showcases the vibrant life and activities of the UVA Women's Club. Here, you can browse through images capturing the essence of our gatherings, events, and interest group activities.
Visit our gallery to view the latest photos and get a glimpse into what happens at the UVA Women's Club. Enjoy exploring the highlights of our engaging and dynamic community!
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