It all started with lunch….

Written by Margaret Manasse, President Palm Springs Pathfinders 1956-1961

"The need to help children in the Palm Springs area was very real in

the year of 1956...Realizing this need, I spent the entire summer of 1956

trying to put an organization together for the purpose of helping

local children. I finally i nvited ten girls to attend our first

meeting, which was a Luncheon at Barraclough's Restaurant on Third

Street in Los Angeles. Pearl McManus, who had served on the Board

of the "Playhouse Guild" with me for two years... was most enthused about our new group and hired

a driver to bring her from Palm Springs to Los Angeles to attend the

first meeting of Pathfinders. Helen Braunschweiger and Kay Obergfel

also attended the meeting...Our purpose was to assist needy children

in and around the desert area…

Palm Springs Pathfinders was officially recognized in the State of California as a Charitable Organization on Thursday, February 28th, 1957.

Pathfinder Members commit to annual dues of $50, one ticket [minimum] to the annual Gala $350 and a Pathfinder Ranch Scholarship or Campership of either $275 or $550 to help one child to attend camp at The Pathfinder Ranch in the summer.

Lunch has remained one of our core traditions, but we are SO much more than just ‘ladies who lunch’. Pathfinders is a group of mothers, even great-grandmothers, professionals, volunteers, artists, entrepreneurs, builders, movers and shakers - Women who know the value of confidence for young people. Learning to swim, to complete homework assignments after school in a safe environment, to explore in nature, know respect for small and large creatures alike and the knowledge you can climb any mountain are not opportunities provided to all children. Pathfinders works tirelessly to provide those opportunities for our Valley’s children. Who will tomorrow’s leaders be?

Find YOUR Path at Palm Springs Pathfinders