The women commonly referred to as the “Patagonia Coffee Ladies” form a variable group that gathers informally on Wednesday mornings at the Patagonia Senior Center. No coffee is served, although some bring their own, and food is rarely available. The group is not an organization, collects no dues and turns no one away. M en are welcome, but they usually opt to sit on the far side of the room where a few husbands gather while their wives chat.
Some 20 years ago, it was a group of men who met up most weekday mornings for breakfast at The Home Plate or Mercedes’ Restaurant, establishments that are no longer open. Some wives felt that a daily gathering would strain their schedules, but a once-weekly get-together for women sounded like a good idea.
From the original group of half a dozen, Phyllis Klosterman and Darlene Hilgeman continue to attend regularly along with 10 to 20 others who have joined up over the years. “We grew organically, by word of mouth,” one woman remarked.
Some are snowbirds, who blow in once or twice, while others become mainstays. Although they have always met in Patagonia, women often come from Sonoita, Elgin and even Whetstone. Clearly, the group has something to offer despite the lack of refreshments.
“We talk and talk,” said Jerri Boling. “But no politics, no religion. It’s wonderful and refreshing!”
“We are here for each other in laughter and tears,” said another. “We exchange news, both good and bad. But no gossip.”
Over time, the Wednesday gatherings have migrated from Gathering Grounds to the Stage Stop Inn to the Wagon Wheel Saloon. Several attendees praised cook Mike Slenk’s breakfasts at the latter. When morning hours were cut after Mike retired, the Senior Center opened its doors, providing less food but plenty of space.
In addition to mutual support in the form of greeting cards, meal trains and nursing home visits, the group has undertaken many volunteer activities over the years. Individuals serve on various committees, and they inform the group when fundraisers or special events are upcoming, such as those benefiting the Friends of Patagonia Library, the Patagonia Youth Enrichment Center and the Patagonia Regional Aquatic Center. Donations to yard sales and worthy causes flow in, as well as helping hands.
For example, before Christmas in 2019, the group learned that the humanitarian organization Voices from the Border was seeking ways to extend holiday cheer to migrants in Nogales, Sonora. Families with young children may spend months in limbo with limited resources, awaiting asylum hearings or permission to enter the United States. The Coffee Ladies exercised their “craftiness,” sewing dozens of drawstring bags that they filled with toys, crayons and helpful items for adults. Augmented by numerous donated backpacks, 140 gift bags were distributed in this “Christmas Across the Border” project.
In 2025, Cassina Farley of the Patagonia Creative Arts Center approached the Coffee Ladies for help packing lunches for area children who would be missing meals due to the lack of summer school programs. The group joined a communitywide effort to collect food items and met daily to prepare sack lunches. Approximately 600 lunches were provided to local children over a two-month period.
Currently, the ladies are sponsoring two Mayan children to attend the Na’atik Language and Culture Institute in Felipe Carillo Puerto, Quintana Roo, Mexico. The children, one boy and one girl, receive basic schooling as well as English language instruction for a promising future. Abbie Zeltzer, retired director of the Patagonia Public Library, spearheaded this effort, which also supports the children’s families by providing clothing and related costs of school attendance. The Coffee Ladies hope to continue their support for another year of education for these children.
Of course, it’s not all fundraisers and good deeds. The group also finds many ways to have fun in our small towns, where outsiders may imagine there’s nothing to do. For many years, the ladies and their husbands met up every Friday for dinner at area restaurants; now, evening gatherings take place once each month to honor those with recent birthdays. The annual Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas potlucks have become cherished traditions. The group organized transportation for a field trip to the renowned Wittner Museum in Nogales, followed by lunch at Wisdom’s Cafe in Carmen. The group’s members share updates on local goings-on so they seldom miss out on concerts, lectures and theater performances.
“We promote friendship and community. We learn new things together,” said one woman who has frequented the group, off and on, for seven years. “We support our town and each other.”