Tea and Sympathy

Much of the sympathy which the recent Catholic Women’s Club tea held at the residence of Bea Zobel de Ayala may be gauged from the speech which the energetic cwc President Alice R. Briones gave after the resoundingly successful event.

Funds raised were for the poorest of the poor children, some of them sick and handicapped, physically and mentally. Alice identified three particular beneficiaries: the Buklod Bahayan in Silang, Cavite, the Makabata Foundation in Pasig City which, with the former beneficiary, provides children with housing, nourishment, clothing and education–an education that prevents the children from loitering or begging in the streets, from cultivating bad habits such as smoking, drinking, drug addiction and petty stealing.

The third beneficiary is the Gaches Village which the cwc members and their friends know quite well. Most of the residents of the Village are children, and many of these are sick and disabled who, having no hope of being cured, need constant, tender care and attention.

The tea drew sympathy likewise from Bea Zobel, Jr. whom Alice described as "our fantastic, hard-working chairman of this Hapon ng Pamana tea party", as well as from the members of Bea’s committee for "an orderly and enjoyable fashion show". This featured mothers, their daughters and grand-daughters modelling the terno.

The tea also garnered considerable sympathy from celebrated painter Betsy Westendorp, and here we quote from Alice’s speech: "May I thank the world-famous artist who donated a Mother and Child oil painting so cwc can raise more funds for its three projects mentioned earlier."

Finally, Alice paid tribute to Bea Zobel, Sr. "the most valuable cwc member who is always ready to give her heart and soul to the needy. Thank you very much for hosting this fund-raising tea, for all the merienda served during the rehearsals, and most of all, for allowing us to make use of your beautiful home and garden for this special occasion."

Last but not the least, Alice thanked those who volunteered to help: Tessie Luz who researched on the artist and spoke about her works, emcee R.J. Ledesma and Meldy Cojuangco, philanthropist and adviser.