Janice Pell
The general meeting of TWOQC will be held January 25 at 10:00 a.m. in the Madera Ballroom. The program for the morning will be The Story of Pearl Hart. Pearl will be portrayed by Shirley Pinkerton, historian, speaker, reenactor and President of the Docent Council of the Arizona Historical Council Southern Division. Shirley’s reenactments of historical figures are known to truly transport audiences into her characters’ lives.
Dubbed “The Lady Bandit” by the press, Pearl Hart is one of Arizona’s legendary figures. Her story is a fascinating one. In 1899, long after the Old West was no more, Pearl and her partner gained notoriety as the last western bandits ever to rob a stage coach. She was the only woman ever recorded as having committed that crime.
Raised in a middle-class respectable family, at age 17 Pearl was seduced by the gambler Fred Hart consequently eloping with him. Theirs was a troubled marriage besot with one hardship after another. At one point when Fred worked at Wild West Shows, Pearl became enamored of the myths of the Old West. After the breakup of her marriage she took up with a carefree miner and the two hatched a plan to rob a stagecoach as a solution to their money problems. She was captured, escaped, recaptured and sentenced to Yuma Territorial Prison—the only woman there at the time. Overnight she became a celebrity—even had a dime novel and play written about her. Pearl loved the limelight and playing the part of a desperado. Shirley Pinkerton will bring Pearl and her story to life for the audience.
Prior to the meeting at 9:00 a.m., tickets will be sold for the February 12 Luncheon and Fashion Show to benefit cancer research. Tickets are $25 per person. Checks should be made out TWOQC Charity Account. Friends wishing to sit together should purchase tickets together. Donations for raffle gift baskets can be brought to the meeting.
Tickets will also be sold for the March 28 field trip to Reid Park Zoo. Tickets cost $40 each. Ticket price includes: bus travel to the zoo, entrance fee, behind the scenes tour and lunch. Trip is limited to 108. At this time it is open only to TWOQC members.
The meeting is open to all TWOQC members and guests. Ladies interested in the organization who have not previously attended a TWOQC function are also invited to attend. Members that have not yet renewed dues for 2016 should be aware that the roster will be revised on January 30 to include only paid-up members.
Additional information about the club and its activities may be found on TWOQC’s website at womenqc.com or by contacting Carol Mutter at [email protected] or 907-440-2082 or Diane Quinn at [email protected] or 591-7935.