“Do you want to transform society? Have a Girls Club!” said Jean Beatty when The Spark caught up with her last week. Jean was first sold on the idea when her friend, Laura Porres, explained how girls’ Clubs can form young girls into virtuous women. Laura explained the importance of catching girls at the right time, when their hearts and minds are open. A club is a fun and effective way of giving formation to young people. “Women are the cultural influencers,” says Jean, “so it made sense that a girls club would have a powerful impact.” Soon after that conversation with Laura, Jean read an article about how Don Bosco used clubs to form and teach; that sealed the deal! Jean felt a calling – though she didn’t have a daughter at the time.
Prior to starting her first Girl’s club in 1995, Jean and a friend had a mom’s group called “Career Homemakers Enrichment Club” since the early 1990’s. She decided to ask her friends in this group about getting a girls club started with their daughters. The response was great. Jean was able to put together a “tandem club” (two groups who met simultaneously) of elementary school and middle school girls. The format was simple: fun activity, virtue talk, snack. She enlisted another Mom to serve as host for the club, who provided the location and the snack. They asked two older girls (sisters, Monica and Teresa Kolf) to serve as “counselors.” The counselors prepared and delivered the virtue talk at the club. Jean’s role as coordinator was recruit other moms each month to help come up with the activity; typically a craft, learning a new skill or game. The activity can serve as an introduction to sanctifying work with opportunities to improve at little things: perseverance, order, not getting discouraged if it doesn’t come out well, teamwork and cleaning up afterwards. The snack is also a chance to practice virtue: manners, health, nourishing food, serving one another, passing not grabbing – all in the context of friendship and fun. It’s living the virtues, weaving faith and growth into ordinary life – Being encouraged by friends in a positive atmosphere. “A great resource is a book called ‘Starting a Leadership Club for Girls’ by the Bay Area Leadership club,” asserts Jean. This helpful book was borrowed from the Opus Dei center.
Since then, Jean has coordinated numerous successful clubs for girls using this same easy program: fun activity, virtue talk, snack. In fact, Camp Kittimaquundi grew as a fruit of these clubs! Supported and inspired by the formation she, herself receives, Jean now has a club for both mothers and daughters. These girls are classmates of her youngest daughter, Emma who is currently in 8th grade. The current club has two components: a class for the mothers of 8th graders which is taught by Oakcrest teacher Holly Salls; who shares aspects of her Philosophy lectures at Oakcrest School. The 8th grade girls get to hang out and do something fun with a virtue talk from Jean’s 10th grade daughter, Monica.
“Starting a girls club is not hard and it is so worthwhile! Step one is to pick a venue, then look around for someone who has a gift to share. This talent could be cooking, baking, arts and crafts, sewing, hiking, or biking. The possibilities are endless!” Jean had a hiking club during the recent shutdown. “The next step is to find someone (preferably a girl a few years older than the club girls) who would be willing to give talks. Clubs are formative for the older girls who give the talks too. Set the dates and you are ready to transform society!”
Married to her husband, Dan, for 33 years, Jean Beatty is the mother of 11 children, and grandmother to 12 (with a new one on the way.) The family resides in Vienna, VA, where Jean is actively pursuing her second career (after professional homemaking) as an award-winning Realtor. Jean is an esteemed supporter of Stonecrest Center. Recently, a generous donation was made to Stonecrest in Jean’s honor, in appreciation for her amazing example as a businesswoman, friend and mentor.
