Ramona’s clubs and organizations have numerous items planned for May and took care of some notable activities during April.

The Ramona Women’s Connection will feature Yellow-stone National Park volunteer Gerda Post at the group’s luncheon May 19. Post lives in Westminster most of the year but spends summer at Yellowstone, where she and her husband are volunteers. She will speak on her experiences and demonstrate how to make greeting cards with fabric. The luncheon will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at the Sizzler restaurant on Main Street.

The Ramona Woman’s Club is a separate organization from the Ramona Women’s Connection, and it will continue a hefty schedule of activities. April activities included a fashion show, literary review and a visit to the Green Thumb Nursery in San Marcos. The first May event for the Ramona Woman’s Club will be a presentation May 6 from Roxanne Thompson of the Vista affiliate of Special Olympics. Thompson will speak on efforts to establishing a Special Olympics organization in Ramona.

The literary review for May 10 will be a mystery, and on May 13 the Ramona Woman’s Club will have a luncheon and card party. The final scheduled May event will take place on May 27, when the Ladybugs will visit the Cactus and Succulent Connection in Valley Center, followed by lunch.

The San Vicente Valley Club will have its monthly meeting May 26 and will present scholarship awards to students from local schools. Most of the award recipients are graduating seniors from Ramona and Montecito high schools, although some are past graduates now in college. The club will raise money for the scholarships through its annual Home Tour, which will be held May 8.

The club’s May 26 meeting, which will begin at 11 a.m. at the San Vicente Inn, also will include the installation of the 2004-’05 officers. Kaaren Thiem will serve as president; Charlene Foot, first vice-president; Pat Barker, second-vice president; Joan Wayman, recording secretary; Roberta McIntosh, corresponding secretary, and Annette Hagar, treasurer.

During April the Kiwanis Club made its decision on the recipients of approximately $4,000 of scholarships, which will be awarded to Ramona High School and Montecito High School students in June graduation ceremonies.

The Ramona Trails Association held a work party April 10 at the Mount Woodson Trail, but their April trail ride was rained out. On May 8, the trails group will have a scavenger hunt for Hoot and Holler Days from 10 a.m. to noon at Ramona Community Park. The equestrian group will take advantage of the Ramona Round-Up Rodeo, earning money by handling the parking duties for the May 14-16 rodeo and riding in the rodeo parade May 15. The Ramona Trails Association is also taking reservations for the poker ride for National Trails Day, which will be held June 5 and begin at the Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve in Rancho Penasquitos.

Ramona’s Soroptimist chapter took home a prestigious award during the district convention April 16-18. Soroptimist International of Ramona received the District Governor’s Service Award for members’ service in 2003-2004, most notably after the October fires. The Soroptimist chapter set up a donation center and provided hot food, drinks, blankets, jackets and other needs to fire victims and volunteers.

Chapter president Kathy Brumfield coordinated efforts between other service organizations and agencies to help meet the needs of victims and volunteers. Soroptimist International of Ramona is continuing to provide funds for victims and their families on an as-needed basis.

The Southwest Desert Post Region conference also saw Sally McKee named Ramona District II Club Soroptimist of the Year for her support and service to the Ramona community.

Brumfield will become the chapter’s director of awards for the 2004-’05 year. New officers were elected April 9, and Pam Heintzleman will be the new president. Judy Endeman and Lila Peterka will share the office of vice president for programs and protocol, Becky Daves will be the vice president for service, Dee Martz will serve as vice president for ways and means, Liz Judy and Joy Childers will split the duties of treasurer, Gayle Sojourner will be both the recording secretary and the correspondence secretary, and Cindy Price will be the membership officer.

The Soroptimists are reviewing scholarship applications from high school seniors and will award the scholarships in June. Other Soroptimist activities for May include a garage sale May 22 at the home of member Gail Ball.

The Ramona Garden Club sold plants during Pioneer Day April 24 in an effort to raise money to cultivate a pioneer herb garden at the Guy D. Woodward Museum. On May 11, the Ramona Garden Club will meet at the museum at 10:30 a.m. to hear guest speaker and organic gardener Connie Beck.