Neptunian Women Celebrate the Season

The Neptunian Woman’s Club House, packed with members and guests, was a wonderland of holiday décor as the group celebrated the season with its annual Christmas luncheon in Manhattan Beach on Tuesday.

The oldest organization [it was formed in 1909 and is older than the city, which celebrates its 100th year in 2012] in MB with more than 100 years to its credit, the Neptunians had much to celebrate. 

This year, the group adopted 22 families from Cheer for Children, the Redondo Beach organization that provides gifts to families in need who have an acutely ill child, and are referred by UCLA Harbor Hospital. Small groups of Neptunians each adopted a family, and donated a total of $8,000 worth of goods, delivering them unwrapped so the parents could wrap them for their children. It was a fun and meaningful opportunity to give to others, made even more fun when a Neptunian would met another coming and going at Target while shopping for the requested items. 

The Neptunian knitting club told those gathered about the 500 caps donated for newborns to Little Company of Mary Hospital, red ones this time of year. 

And the Neptunian women's annual gift wrap station is ready and waiting at Manhattan Village for shoppers to bring their gifts to be wrapped by Neptunian volunteers. Proceeds from the gift wrapping will go to scholarships for Mira Costa High graduates. 

The highlight of the luncheon was the annual concert performed by members of Mira Costa’s Advanced Women’s Chorale Group and their Vocal Ensemble. From 16th century chorale music to popular carols, it was a sample of what will be performed at the school auditorium, free of charge, Wednesday, December 14th at 7 p.m.

In March, Mira Costa students are going to Carnegie Hall to perform as part of a 450-member student group from 25 high schools nationwide. One hundred and twenty members from their four chorale groups, The Ensemble, the Concert Choir, Multi-Cultural Group, and Women’s Advanced Chorale Group, will participate. The Mira Costa Ensemble was chosen to be the featured chorale group, both opening and closing the show in New York. Between their rendition of "The First Noel," and their signature version of "Silent Night," ending in sign language, in silence, there was hardly a dry eye among the Neptunians. 

Dining tables at the Christmas luncheon were individually decorated with colorful Mexican tinsel and treasured antiques. One table was enhanced by a tree of stacked Campbell's Soup cans wrapped in red cellophane, bows, greenery, and ornaments. After the event, the soup was added to the other hundreds of canned goods collected that day to be donated to His House in Torrance.