THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 21, 1996 TAG: 9604190221
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Eric Feber
LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
A courageous group of Chesapeake women have broken through a new barrier to their gender. They have been admitted to membership in the Great Bridge Ruritan Club.
The club's members voted in February to to drop its restrictions on female members.
``For many years the Great Bridge Ruritans have recognized that the ladies who are friends of our club have been responsible in many ways for the success we all have experienced,'' explained club director and former president Bill Lewter.
The five pioneering women admitted to membership are all wives of current members. They are Patricia Tarpley, Carolyn Salesky, Phyllis Lewter, Pat Whitehurst and Kathy Wright.
An official induction ceremony was held April 9 at the Great Bridge United Methodist Church.
In keeping with the finest tradition of most clubs, the Ruritans bestowed nicknames on its new members.
Salesky is ``Bread Lady;'' Tarpley is ``Steno Lady;'' Lewter is ``School Marm;'' Whitehurst is ``Tin Lizzie;'' and Wright has been dubbed ``Little Star.'' A family affair
When Indian River High School drama department puts on its spring production of the weird and fun Broadway musical ``Little Shop of Horrors'' next weekend, it will be a family affair and offer a bit of community goodwill.
The production will be directed by Jeannette W. Schuler, the school's drama teacher and director of theater arts. She will use the talents of students both behind the scenes and on the stage.
But when it comes to moral support and technical expertise she turns to her family.
``Without my husband's support I don't know what I'd do,'' Schuler said about her husband Paul. ``He's here all time helping build sets.''
Hubby acts as the production's technical coordinator, working on his own or with students to help make the horror shop come alive on the Indian River stage.
But the family help doesn't end there.
``My daughter Erica, is in the show, in a small part,'' Schuler said. ``And my son helped build some of the sets. It's a real family endeavor.'' by CNB