Hilton Head Plantation Women’s Club:
A 40-Year History  

Getting Started: The Hilton Head Plantation Women’s Club was founded in the summer of 1986. Six women answered the call to organize the Club: Dorothy DeTorre, Jo Ann Dikeos, Louise Gault, Olive Sue Linkletter, Laura Turner, and Anne Werner. The first meeting, an elegant tea, was held on September 9, 1986, with 250 people in attendance. By the end of its first year, the Club had grown to 328 members.

 The Big Picture: The Women’s Club has always had one purpose: to bring women in this community together in a spirit of friendship, fellowship, and fun. Membership remained steady over the years; however, after COVID-19, an influx of new residents led to a surge in membership as the Club became known as a welcoming way to meet new friends and build community connections. Today the club has grown to almost 700 Women!

Monthly Meetings: Our monthly meetings are central to the Club. Each month, women gather to connect, socialize, and hear from a guest speaker. Over the years, many engaging people from our community, county, and state have generously shared their expertise, wisdom, and humor on a wide range of topics. They have informed and entertained us with insights into our lowcountry environment, local history, the arts, and their own personal stories. We are always grateful—and often amazed—that so many interesting speakers are eager to share their time and talents with our Club.

During the 2025–2026 season, the Club introduced a new offering: evening socials. Designed especially for working members, these gatherings provide another opportunity to meet, mingle, and connect with fellow members. They have been well received and, once again, have showcased talented performers who entertain and engage our members.

Something for Everyone: Few things have shaped our Club as much as its Activity Groups. In 1986, there were 2; today, members can choose from more than 20 activities and special interest groups. Today’s groups focus on exercise, books, cards, cooking, social activities, theatre, gardening, Bible study, knitting and philanthropy.

Two of the first groups started back in the ’80s were book clubs and card groups.  Today those two initial book clubs have grown to more than 20!   The card groups have also remained popular with bridge and canasta leading the pack.  

Gardening clubs have remained a lasting part of the Women’s Club. In 1987, the first group, Avid Gardeners, was formed. It was very active and became an independent group in 1990; it continues to thrive in the community today. Following in its footsteps, a new group, Green Thumbers, was created. Its members enjoy learning opportunities, outings, engaging speakers, and demonstrations.

Social clubs have long been popular. The Out to Lunch Bunch, begun in 1991, remains active today. Happy Hour Gals, a monthly happy hour at local venues, often draws more than 100 members, while groups such as Drama Queens and Chick Flicks enjoy local theatre performances and movies. Culinary clubs began in 1999 and continue to thrive with Mangia Con Noi (Eat with me), Cookbook Club, and Plant Forward. Members learn from one another, share their talents, and enjoy the delicious results.

Our members are active, and opportunities for exercise and adventure are among the Club’s most popular offerings. In the early years, activity groups were tried but discontinued because of limited interest—a reminder of how times change. Today, Beach Walkers, HHP Walkers, S-low Country Hikers, Biking Buddies, and the Pickleball Club keep members moving and continue to thrive.

In 1989, then-Vice President Joan Israel founded the travel club, Island Hoppers, which offered day and overnight trips. Members traveled by bus to destinations such as The Biltmore in Asheville, NC; Epcot Center in Florida; Callaway Gardens in Georgia; and Charlotte, North Carolina, for “Windows of Christmas” and the musical “Chicago”. Today, the Club carries on that spirit of adventure through Roadshow Adventures, organized by Jean Conroy, who plans enjoyable outings both nearby and farther afield. The Road Rally, a scavenger hunt in HHP, remains a favorite.

Adapting and Growing: Special events remain a beloved tradition throughout the season. The New Member Welcome, Jingle and Mingle holiday celebration, and Spring Luncheon bring members together for even more fellowship and fun. While these traditions continue, some formats had to change during COVID -19 and the Women’s Club knew how to pivot.  In spring 2020, meetings and activities were canceled, and the incoming board met that summer to find ways to keep the Women’s Club connected. Like much of the world, we turned to Zoom, scheduling a full slate of monthly speakers for our members. The Ice Cream Social moved outdoors to the Plantation House porch, the New Member Welcome became an outdoor happy hour instead of a luncheon, and Jingle and Mingle was held at a venue with outdoor access. It worked: membership remained strong and continued to grow and we continued to explore technology solutions.  We kicked off the 2021–2022 season with a new dedicated website to support club administration and offer a better vehicle for communicating with membership.    We also sported a new logo, many new activities, and strong demand. Today, we are 700 women strong!

Giving Back: Finally, no history of the HHP Women’s Club would be complete without recognizing its long-standing commitment to community support. Food and toy drives for Deep Well have become a cherished tradition, with community generosity that is truly remarkable. Today, in addition to supporting Deep Well, each monthly meeting features a Community Spotlight, where a representative from a local charity shares the organization’s mission and needs. This helps inform our members about important needs in the community. We also share this information on our website, and once again, our members respond generously through donations and volunteer service. At year’s end, the Club makes annual donations based on the treasury balance, supporting many local and national organizations.

Looking Ahead:  We are proud of our organization and deeply grateful to the dedicated women who have served the Club as officers, directors, activity leaders, and meeting volunteers. Their contributions have helped make this a truly outstanding Women’s Club. Our first 40 years have been remarkable, and we look forward to many more rewarding years ahead.

For more about our Club’s history—including past presidents, donation recipients, activities, and photos—please visit hhpwc.org/about.