A group of women have been sharing family news, discussing current events and having lots of laughs every month for the past seven decades – and they’re looking forward to carrying on the tradition for many more years.
After attending various elementary and junior high schools, the women met at T.J. Trapp Technical High School in New West. Upon graduation in June 1947, they decided to continue their bond of friendship and have met on a monthly basis ever since.
“The bonding of their friendship is special and it is based on mutual respect for each other and their own personal management of lifestyles. Envy and criticism has never been part of this longstanding friendship,” said a write-up submitted to the Record. “The girls look forward to seeing each other at the monthly luncheon, which is filled with family news, current events, lots of chatter and plenty of laughter.”
On June 13, the women celebrated their 70th anniversary of friendship with a lunch at the Waffle House. Ivileen Bridges (Hogben), Mable Moran (Anderson), Olivette Abraham (Jerome), Kay Edwards (Hendersen), Ruth Scott (Wood), Betty Sparks (Graham), Beverly Lauer (Jones) and Audrey Law (Hutton) attended the celebratory luncheon, while Elvie Morrison (Mikkelson), who lives at Buchannan Lodge, was unable to attend but was there in spirit.
“There are still nine of us,” Edwards said. “There were originally 16 of us that got together, but now we have only got nine. Some of them have passed away and one gal is in a nursing home.”
In the early years, the women worked around career commitments and met at their homes for their monthly evening gatherings. Seventy years later, the group meets for lunch at a restaurant in New Westminster, with each of the friends taking her turn to decide where to meet.
