The Petaluma Woman’s Club Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)3 California Non-profit Public Benefit Corporation provides funding for the Petaluma Woman’s Club (PWC) to support charitable programs. The Foundation’s objectives are to:
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- Support education by awarding scholarships to local students.
- Promote community service programs by providing funding for charitable activities and community beautification and safety improvements.
Support Education through High School Scholarships
Each spring the Petaluma Woman’s Club, through the Petaluma Woman’s Club Foundation, Inc. raises funds to award $1,000 scholarships to select outstanding individuals from Petaluma who are graduating from Petaluma high schools – including public, private, and continuation high schools.
The Scholarship Committee uses a rubric that rates the candidates objectively on their desire to give back or make a contribution to the community, country, and/or world. They are also evaluated on their track record of community involvement, their need, and their career goals.
These scholarships make such a difference helping these students realize their dreams. Help us make their dreams come true! Donate now.
“Some students won’t make it to graduation, not for lack of good grades or hard work, but because of the high costs of higher education. Many of our students are unable to afford healthy meals and stable housing, let alone the textbooks and technology needed to complete their classes. You can help students realize their graduation.” – Teresa Norton from Santa Rosa Junior College sharing how PWC Scholarships help.
Support Beautify Petaluma – A Community Improvement Initiative
When Ida McNear founded the Petaluma Woman’s Club in 1896 she set this as our creed:
We desire to do all in our power to make Petaluma an ideal town, that will be known as a town of good citizenship.
In the effort for clean streets, good water, pure food and better sanitation, we will constantly be on the alert to aid our street and city officials.
In the spirit of the founding mothers, the Petaluma Woman’s Club Foundation (PWCF) is active in aiding the City of Petaluma in safety and beautification projects, implementing our own PWCF community projects, and offering assistance to community organizations.. Join us in making Petaluma clean, safe beautiful, and neighborly.
Our current Beautify Petaluma Project is to install double hanging flower baskets on the light poles along Kentucky Street. We want quality brackets and baskets, so we are asking for donations to help fund half of this project.
Donated funds will be designated for this beautification project and are tax deductible.
Support Charitable Organizations
The Petaluma Woman’s Club Foundation is focusing it’s future giving on the future – young people’s education. In 2025, we donated to scholarships for kids with Friends of the River, to the high school students in the United Anglers of Casa Grande, and in the Petaluma High School Wildlife Museum.
Please send in your donations. The Foundation, in partnership with PWC, will annually designate qualified 501(c)3 organizations to be the beneficiary of your donations to PWCF at a regular lunch and dinner meeting of the PWC membership. The number of charities and amount of the donations will be determined annually by the PWCF Board, contingent on the availability of civic engagement funds and other commitments to community improvement projects.
Donations are tax deductible.
Petaluma Woman’s Club Foundation, Inc.
Board of Directors
Colleen Mahoney – PWCF Board President
Colleen Mahoney is a fourth generation Petaluman. While focused on a career as an architect, Colleen has served on many boards of directors over the years including the Petaluma Area Chamber of Commerce, the City of Petaluma Board of Building Review and the Petaluma Woman’s Club (PWC). The PWC is near and dear to her heart as her grandmother Pearl Mahoney, mother Connie Mahoney and sister Kerry Mahoney Davison have each been active members. For generations the Mahoney family have been dedicated to community service with a focus on children, education and local agriculture. When not serving to support local causes in the community, Colleen can be found working as a steward of the family ranch.
Cheryl Coldiron – PWCF Board Vice President
Cheryl Coldiron is a Petaluma native and fourth generation PWC member (her great-grandmother Ritha Elzi, her grandmother Lillian Ramatici, and her mother Ethel Matteri were all members along with her sisters). She has served as Secretary, Liaison, Vice-President, and President. Although she holds an MBA (previously she was an executive in the software industry), her current career is a public-school teacher. She is an appointed member of the Petaluma Public Art Committee; served on the Budget Committee for SVUSD; is the co-Chair of Creative Bridges; and is on the Board of the Sonoma Plein Air Foundation. In her spare time, she loves to garden, walk her dog, paint, go to the coast, and be with her family.
Lori A. Enochs – PWCF Chief Financial Officer
Lori A. Enochs, CPA, CFE, CVA, brings more than 30 years in diverse tax, financial, and business accounting experience to her role as partner and self-described chief planner at the firm of Torkelson & Associates. Her clients know they can rely on her personal and proactive approach to help them plan any and all aspects of their financial life, whether that includes starting a business, selling a business, buying a house or getting ready to retire.
Lori maintains the highest standards as a practicing CPA. Her specialties include individual, partnership and corporate tax preparation across all types of industries and CFO services.
Lori’s wisdom and the value she places on providing proactive planning to her clients helps them successfully reach their business and personal financial goals. When you engage the Torkelson firm for your accounting needs, you can count on her to return calls, follow through with your needs, and offer solid advice based on years of taxation expertise.
When Lori is not helping clients, she serves on the board of some local non profit organizations. Lori is a life long Petaluma resident. She enjoys family get-togethers with her grandchildren, preparing for her next reading group, playing tennis and traveling to the next baseball game.
Nancy Fraser – PWCF Board Secretary
Nancy Fraser, Director and Secretary of the Petaluma Woman’s Club Foundation, Inc., has been a member of the Petaluma Woman’s Club (PWC) since 2017. She has served on the PWC Board of Directors for two terms as Co-Chair of House and Grounds and one term as Internal Auditor. Nancy retired as a Vice President and Assistant Corporate Secretary of a publicly traded company where she attended board and committee meetings, recorded the minutes and handled many corporate governance compliance matters. She managed the relationship with the NYSE, handled all shareholder matters including those related to proxy season. She further created and managed over 40 domestic and international subsidiaries. She also sat on several Advisory Boards of publicly traded companies.
PWC Foundation Annual Report
