Celebrating The Ladies of WOW

Governor’s Volunteer Service Award Winner for Orange County: The WOW Volunteer Meal Team at SECU Family House

The WOW Girls (Women on Wine) began their volunteer journey around 2009, inspired by a personal experience. After Kim Duval, the group’s leader, experienced a serious health scare involving her father, she sought a meaningful way to give back. Drawing together two existing friend groups and a shared love of food, wine, and fellowship, Kim helped form what would become the WOW Girls—turning gratitude into service to those in health crisis.

Since their founding, the WOW Girls have provided monthly dinner service without major interruption. What began as a response to one family’s medical crisis has grown into one of the most consistent and dependable volunteer groups in the history of SECU Family House.

Early in their service, the WOW Girls recognized that, in order to sustain this service, it would require strategy. Comprised of only nine women, most of whom are full-time professionals, they simplified their approach by serving the same meal each month. This decision allowed responsibilities to rotate, food to be prepared ahead of time, and members to contribute even if they could not serve in person. As a result, the WOW Girls have never missed a month of service—not during organizational growth, not during operational changes, and not during the COVID-19 pandemic!

Over more than 15 years of continuous service, the WOW ladies have provided an estimated:

• 180 monthly dinner services
• Serving an average of 60 guests per dinner
• More than 10,800 individual meals
• Approximately $180,000 in food and meal preparation costs, fully funded by group members
• Over 5,400 volunteer hours dedicated to planning, preparation, delivery, serving, and cleanup

As SECU Family House expanded from a smaller facility to a larger one serving significantly more families in 2022, many volunteer groups struggled to maintain the increased demand. The WOW Girls did not. They adapted seamlessly, understanding that while capacity grew, families’ needs remained the same: nourishment, kindness, and reliability.

What makes the WOW Girls stand out among many generous volunteer groups is not only their longevity but also their quiet excellence. They are known by staff as a self-sustaining, highly organized group that requires minimal oversight and consistently delivers a warm, comforting dining experience. They serve guests directly, greet families personally, assist those in need, and remain present in the dining room—creating moments of connection that go far beyond a meal.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, when most volunteer services paused, the WOW Girls adapted and stayed with us. They pooled personal funds and coordinated meal preparation to ensure families continued to receive dinner each month. Their service during this time provided stability and comfort to families experiencing heightened isolation and uncertainty.

The WOW ladies will be honored at a ceremony on July 8 at DPAC.