March 29, 2024

Club news

Afton Federated Garden Club

Members of Afton Federated Garden Club met 1:30 p.m. Aug. 12 at Afton Community Center. President Shirley Wallace called the meeting to order with members repeating the Pledge of Allegiance and Club Collect. Roll call was answered by 12 members.

There were no minutes read as the secretary wasn’t present. Treasurer’s report was given by Bev Rowe. Income included a “thank you” monetary gift from the Winterset Garden Club for the Afton club’s help with the annual district meeting. Wallace will send them a “thank you” card in acknowledgement. Donna Thomas made the motion to accept the treasurer’s report and Audrey McDowell seconded it.

Thomas sent birthday cards to Vicky Reese, Monica Huddleson and Rowe.

Iris gave a report of the members that exhibited at the Union County Fair floriculture show and what ribbons they were awarded. There were 99 entries with 25 being from our club and four youth entries.

The date for the fall luncheon was changed to Oct. 14 at Lorimor Community Center. Wallace is still trying to get in contact with the Apron Lady. All members and guests will wear aprons and have a fashion show with prizes for the best and the ugliest.

Wallace awarded Judy Weese with the Circle of Roses award. The “flower of the month” for September is the zinnia. Wallace will email everyone when the club can go to Jane Nichols home to dig up plants she is giving away.

September is the annual picnic lunch in the Afton City Park, weather permitting. If not, lunch will be at Afton Community Center with the regular meeting afterwards. Everyone is to bring a salad and place setting.

The meeting was adjourned with everyone repeating the Conservation Pledge.

Weese gave a presentation on repurposed junk into garden art. Weese gave examples of things she had around home, and using spray paint in colors that she liked, created a focal point in her garden, with an old feeder that she painted and put on the fence. Weese handed out ideas that she found on Pinterest. She has a love of frogs and found an example using tires that she is working on. Weese encouraged everyone to come up with an idea and share it with our group at the upcoming meeting.

The next meeting will be 11 a.m. Sept. 9. We will meet at Afton City Park for the annual picnic, then have the regular meeting at the Afton Community Center at 1:30 p.m. Gwen Sandeman and Marilyn Larimore will be hostesses. Joan Johnson will have the program on land conservation.

DAR

Fifteen members and one guest attended the Sept. 10 meeting of the Nancy McKay Harsh Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, at the extension office in Mount Ayr.  Hostesses were Darlene Morgan, Dorothy Hughes and Florence Lawhead, all of Mount Ayr.

Regent Jane Briley of Creston conducted the meeting. Pam Marvin of Chariton gave the program on American Indian schools that are sponsored by DAR.  She focused on Tamassee School in South Carolina, Chemawa School in Forest Grove, Oregon, and Bacone College in Muskogee, Oklahoma.

Members were reminded membership dues should be paid by Nov. 1.  There are currently 51 members in the group from area counties, other towns in Iowa, seven states, as well as Nova Scotia and Australia.

A district DAR meeting will be held Sept. 21 in Clarinda and members are encouraged to attend. Marjorie Kinkade of Creston urged members to celebrate Constitution Week, Sept. 17-24, by putting up displays in their respective towns, submitting letters to the editor in local newspapers and putting announcements in church bulletins. Members were encouraged to ring a bell at 3 p.m. Sept. 17 to acknowledge the signing of the U.S. Constitution.

A memorial service was held for DAR member Jo Walter of Mount Ayr who died Aug. 30. DAR chaplain Connie Kinkade of Creston led the service followed by members sharing their memories of Walter.

The next meeting will be 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 8, at Summit House in Creston.  Jan Morgan will give the program on diabetes.  Roll call will be “Have you ever been tested for diabetes?” Any woman, 18 years of age or older, who is interested in joining DAR contact Marjorie Kinkade at marjkinkade@gmail.com.

Kent Dinner Club

Kent Dinner Club met Sept. 8 with 17 attending.

Next meeting will be 5:30 p.m. Oct. 13 at Pizza Ranch.

Ladies Lakeshore Auxiliary

Ladies Lakeshore Auxiliary met Sept 14.

Canasta winners were Wanda Nash, first; Sherri Parrott, second; and Barb Veitz, third.

Barb Bills won the door prize.

Linda and Joan will host cards and chatter Wednesday, Sept 21.

Alpha Sigma Master

Alpha Sigma Master chapter of Beta Sigma Phi met Sept. 8 at the home of Martha McAuley, with all members present. Cheryl McClure presided. She read from the Book of Beta Sigma Phi regarding membership degrees. Routine business was conducted. Pat Fils thanked the group for a rose and cards she received recently.

McAuley gave the program on tourist locations she had recently visited.

She was assisted by Marilyn Larimore. Interesting locations included the Christ of the Ozarks statue, the glass Thorn Crown Chapel and other places in the Eureka Springs, Arkansas, area. The Little Brown Church at Nashua was another favorite, telling that the song was written before the church was built. McAuley also showed photos of the Berlin Wall, which she visited several years ago, once before and once again after it was dismantled.

Fils will be the Sept. 22 hostess.

Kiwanis

The weekly Kiwanis meeting was held 12:05 p.m. Tuesday, Sept 13, at the Windrow meeting room with 24 members and two guests. President Craig Mittag presided, the Rev. Jim Morris gave the prayer and Drew Henderson was finemaster.

The club will do its annual winter coat distribution Monday, Oct. 24, this year with more details coming in future weeks.

The other activity for the month is a food drive for the area’s two food banks, MATURA and the O’Riley Center. The club will place shopping carts at area banks to take food donations that will be distributed at the end of Septemper to the two food banks. Hy-Vee is providing the shopping carts.

The annual pork chop dinner fundraiser at McKinley Park was held from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15. Members were out selling all their tickets before the dinner.

The program was given by Dr. Barb Crittenden, president of Southwestern Community College (SWCC). She discussed the history of Iowa Community Colleges and SWCC. This is the 50th year of the community college education program. The community college program started with 9,000 students per year and now serves about 140,000. These are students that attend for associate degrees, vocational, technical and industrial training.