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 as a Charitable Organization in the State of California on Thursday, February 28, 1957.

Pathfinder members proudly commit to annual dues of $50, the purchase of at least one ticket to the annual Gala, and the sponsorship of a Pathfinder Ranch Scholarship or Campership (covering a half or full week) to help a child attend camp at Pathfinder Ranch during the summer.

While lunching together remains one of our cherished traditions, Pathfinders is so much more than just a group of “ladies who lunch.” We are a dynamic community of mothers, grandmothers, professionals, volunteers, artists, entrepreneurs, and trailblazers—women who understand the transformative power of confidence for young people.

From learning to swim, completing homework in a safe environment, and exploring the wonders of nature, to respecting all living creatures and realizing the strength to climb any mountain, these are opportunities not available to every child. Pathfinders works tirelessly to ensure these life-changing experiences are accessible to the youth of our Valley.

Together, we are shaping tomorrow’s leaders. Who will they be?

Find YOUR Path at Palm Springs Pathfinders