VFW Post 1797
VFW Post 1797 met Sept. 13 at the Elks Lodge in Creston. Twenty members and guests were present for dinner.
Commander Gary O’Daniels called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. with 17 members present.
The post draped the charter for veterans, Marshal Fredrickson, Red Benson, Louis Blazek and Ross Craft.
Minutes and QM reports were read and approved.
Service officers report showed community service at 44 hours, hospital at 54 hours, bloodmobile at one hour and honor guard with 54 hours, for a total of 153 hours. The post also traveled 247 miles for veterans.
In old business, Union County Veterans Affairs office has sent letters to all Creston Chamber members soliciting financial support for a Union County veterans honor flight. Anyone interested in either going on a flight or donating to the flight, contact Tom Hawks at 641-782-1723. The District 4 meeting was held Aug. 27 in Creston, and the post thanks the Elks staff for a wonderful meal. Post 1797 put up three flag poles at Precision Optical in September and thanks the participants.
In new business, POW-MIA recognition day will be held noon Friday, Sept. 16, at the state capital. State VFW is having a raffle for a Bahama cruise and tickets are $20 for a chance at five days and four nights for two people. If interested, contact Gary O’Daniels or Denny Abel. You do not need to be a veteran to participate. The drawing will be Oct. 8, and the winner does not need to be present to win.
VFW Post 1797 will put up flags Sept. 17 in Creston. Meet at Rainbow Park at 6:30 p.m.
In state and district news, Post 1797 manned the Iowa State Fair booth Aug. 15. The next state meeting will be held Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 8-9. The traveling Vietnam Wall will be on display Sept. 29 at Living History Farm, and the post members hope area people can attend.
A new motorcycle club has been approved by the state VFW. If any veteran is interested, contact Abel.
Meeting adjourned at 8 p.m. The next meeting will be Tuesday, Oct. 11, at the Elks with 6 p.m. dinner and 7 p.m. meeting. All veterans are encouraged to attend.
Ladies Lakeshore Auxiliary
Ladies Lakeshore Auxiliary met Sept 21.
Canasta winners were Barb Veitz, first; Gwen Sandeman, second; and Loretta Kelly, third.
Rose Blakesley won the door prize.
Veitz will host cards and chatter Wednesday, Sept 28.
DWF
The DWF Executive Committee met at First Christian Church Disciples of Christ on Thursday, Sept. 1, with seven members attending. President Pat Fils opened the meeting with everyone reciting the DWF prayer. Secretary Twila Brant read the minutes from the June meeting. Minutes were approved. Barb Jennings gave the treasurer’s report and it was approved.
In old business, Barb Jennings has paid out $1,728.02 for scholarships that were given to the graduating seniors. The meal served to the charter group for RAGBRAI was very successful. A total of 1,005 people were served.
In new business, a motion by Pam Richie was made to hold a fall fling on Sept. 25, and it was seconded by Joyce Burkhead and approved. This will be in place of the “anything sale.” The committee will hold a bake sale in November. Thank-yous have been received from the scholarship recipients. A luncheon will be served to the clergy Sept. 13 during a meeting from clusters 9 and 10. There will be a free-will donation for this luncheon. There was a mistake in the new programs for the salad luncheon to be held Oct. 6. Mary Circle will be in charge of the luncheon this year. Jim and Rhonda Giles have been added to the renovation committee.
In committee reports, Joyce Burkhead reported she had two funeral dinners in August for Don Waginer and Chuck Erskine, and $33.85 was turned in for least coin.
There was a motion by Jennings, second by Richie to adjourn and was approved. The next meeting will be 10 a.m. Oct. 13 at the church. The meeting closed with everyone reciting the DWF benediction.
St. John’s Evening Fellowship
St. John’s Women’s Evening Fellowship reconvened Sept. 12 with eight members present. Devotions were given by Joyce Clark, and Ramona Weeks collected the least coin.
President Tammy Willetts conducted the business meeting. Invitations were read from First Christian Church for its fall luncheon 12:30 p.m. Oct. 6, Platte Center Church for its guest day from 2 to 4 p.m. Sept. 28 and Prime Time Connection to be Sept. 14 at Creston First United Methodist Church for the cost of $7.50. The fall soup supper was tentatively set up for Monday, Nov. 7, contingent upon the bloodmobile date. Mary reported she was close to finishing a quilt to be raffled off at the soup supper. It was decided to sell tickets in advance of the soup supper for $1 a ticket or six for $5. The trivia prize was won by Connie Loomis. Ramona Weeks served refreshments.
Next meeting will be Oct. 10.
Mary Circle
Mary Circle of First Christian Church met Sept. 15 at the home of Marilyn Larimore with nine members present.
President Fils opened the meeting with the disciple women’s prayer. Joyce read the minutes of the June meeting. Barb gave the treasurer’s report. They were approved as read.
There was no old business.
New business included an invitation read from Platte Center Church for guest day Sept. 28. Salad luncheon is planned for Oct. 6 at the church with Mary Circle in charge of the program. Rebecca Circle will be in charge of coffee fellowship Sept. 18 and Mary Circle on Oct. 16. Averil motioned to send Clarice and Veryl bulletins by mail.
Joyce motioned to adjourn. Next meeting will be Oct. 20 at Alice Bower’s home. Florence gave the lesson on Women of the Bible.
CARSPA
Creston Area Retired School Personnel Association (CARSPA) held its September meeting Sept. 13 at the Del Richardson conference room at Greater Regional Medical Center.
Following breakfast, 12 members enjoyed a presentation on Iowa mental health affairs by Lisa Swanson. Swanson is a court-appointed advocate in Adams and Union counties for men or women going through a committal process. She assists people, as needed, to understand and follow the court’s commitment order and provides information regarding the rights of a committed person. She also gives support, answering questions, investigating concerns and making needed referrals. If the services of an attorney are needed, she informs the court of such.
The club learned 4 percent of Iowans suffer from mental illness. In 1950, there were 7,000 state hospital beds; today, there are 64. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death in 15 to 29-year-olds. Iowa consistently is ranked 49th out of the 50 for state beds available. A helpful website for those wanting to know more about mental illness is National Alliance on Mental Illness at www.nami.org.
A business meeting followed. Members’ monetary contribution of $27 was collected and donated to Corning Consolidated Elementary School to be used by the school nurse in assisting a family or families to meet the personal needs of its children. The next meeting will be Oct. 11.
To learn more about CARSPA or if you’re retired school personnel interested in joining the group, call Angie Ford at 641-337-5594 or Diane Burgmaier at 641-337-5771.
Iowa Alpha Gamma
The Iowa Alpha Gamma chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa met Sept. 12 at A&G Pizza Steakhouse and Lounge with nine members attending. Election of officers for the 2016-17 year was held with the following members taking office: president, Colleen Gangstad with Pam Dunham; secretary, Pam Dunham; treasurer, Lois Houghtaling; historian, Tina Morrison; and chaplain, Kiley Pollard-Sherwood.
Plans for hosting the Southwest Regional Leadership meeting on Oct. 15 were made. Members will help by bringing food and supplies, and many will offer their time for the meeting.
To celebrate National Alpha Delta Kappa month in October, members will donate personal-care items to be given to the Creston Area Food Bank with a goal of collecting 150 items. These items may be brought to the Nov. 14 soup supper and charity auction to be held at Salem Lutheran Church. Members volunteered to bring soup and other items for the supper and auction items. Auction proceeds will be shared by the Christmas Basket fund, Union County Ministerial Alliance and Crisis Intervention Advocacy Center and also used to provide book scholarships to graduating high school seniors majoring in education.
Altruistic projects were discussed, with Dunham providing a handout of possible projects. A short program, called “String Me Along,” was given by Dunham.
The next meeting will be the Southwest Regional Leadership meeting Oct. 15 at Salem Lutheran Church. Members will begin hosting at 9 a.m.
The Book Club
The Book Club met 6:30 p.m. Monday Sept. 12, at the home of Carolyn Derrick. In the absence of President Dorothy McNaught, Meg Crawford chaired the meeting. Crawford thanked Derrick for offering to serve as hostess in McNaught’s absence. Retta Ripperger opened the meeting with words from the song about September and some other opening remarks. Minutes and treasurer’s reports were read and approved. Dues were collected and noted. Roll call was answered by seven members with a recap of recent reading activities.
The new membership books were distributed with member information and schedule for the coming year. The group discussed the theme of “The Healing Power of Nature” and the all read book, “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It was announced the hostess for Oct. 3 meeting will be McNaught.
The program for the evening was presented by Derrick. She gave an interesting review of the book “The Testament” by John Grisham. Keeping with the theme of healing power of nature, it was evident one of the main characters, Rachel Lane, who had a difficult early life had found peace and purpose working with the poor in Brazil and when offered the opportunity to be a very wealthy woman, chose instead to continue her work and gave the money to charity. She found comfort and healing through her work and the peace and beauty of the place she called home.
Following the meeting and review, refreshments were served by Derrick. A lovely social time was enjoyed by everyone.
Recent readings reported on by members included:
Meg Crawford: “Blue Heaven” by C. J. Box, “Holes” by Louis Sachar, “Memory Man” by David Baldacci and “Young Adult Series (Theodore Boone stories)” by John Grisham
Carolyn Derrick: “The Dog Listener” by Jan Fennell and “The Testament” by John Grisham
Ellen Sue Findley: “The Detective Lavender Mysteries” by Karen Carlton: “The Heiress of Linn Hagh,” “The Sans Pareil Mystery” and “The Sculthorpe Murder”
Pat Pokornv: “Saving Faith” by David Baldacci, “Give the Dog A Bone” by Leslie O’Kane, “King and Maxwell” by David Baldacci, “Marching Through Georgia” by Jerry Ellis and “The Zookeeper’s Wife” by Diane Ackerman
Velma Riegel: “The Innocents Abroad” by Mark Twain and “I Am Malala” by Malala Yousafzai (with Christina Lamb)
Retta Ripperger: “Dawn’s Early Light” by Elswyth Thane, “1776” by David McCullough and “Santiago” by Ann Nolan Clark
Barbara Thomsen: “A Mother’s Reckoning” by Sue Klebold, “Boys in the Boat” by Daniel James Brown, “The Nazi Officer’s Wife” by Edith Hahn Beer. “Night - Elie Wiesel, “Trials of the Earth” by Mary Mann Hamilton, “A Few of the Girls” by Maeve Binchy and “First Comes Love” by Emily Griffin
TOPS #IA 1338
TOPS #IA 1338 met Sept. 12 at Creston United Methodist Church to weigh-in. At 5:30 p.m., leader Shellie Adams called the meeting to order with 11 members present. Best loser was Anna Thompson with runners-up, Elaine Weirich and Adams.
Minutes were read by Thomspon and Alice Brown gave the treasurer’s report. Fines from Aug. 29 went to the treasurer and squares was won by Neoma Davis. The red-can challenge for Sept. 19 is to eat seven to nine vegetables and fruits per day.
Diana Loomis gave the program, “Five surprising reasons your back hurts,” including: you are feeling down, you have tight hips, you are heavy in front, on the phone all the time and you have bad feet.
Next week Beverly Lyon will give the program.
Ten members answered roll call Sept. 19 with Adams leading the meeting. Lyon was the best loser and Monica Belew was second. Loss for the week was nine pounds.
Brown gave the treasurer’s report and Bev Roberts read the minutes. Both were approved. Fines from Sept. 12 went to Thompson and squares was won by Barb P. “Inches Away” contest will continue.
Lyon gave the program on “How to flip your hunger switch off,” by eating breakfast every day, getting seven to nine hours of sleep a night, start your meal with two cups of water, eat the right kind of carbs and fats, allow time to dine and eat slower, keep stress in check and take a walk after eating.
The program next week will be by Barb P. The red-can challenge is to use a small plate for meals.
Kiwanis
The weekly Kiwanis meeting was held 12:05 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20, at the Windrow meeting room with 23 members and one guest. President Craig Mittag presided, Ken Norton gave the prayer and Karen Norton was the finemaster.
The annual evergreen wreaths and sprays sale for the holiday season will start Oct. 1. There will be two sizes of decorated wreaths and one balsam spray for sale this year. All members will have order sheets.
The club will hold its annual winter-coat distribution Monday, Oct. 24. More details will come in future weeks.
The food drive for the area’s two food banks, MATURA and the O’Riley Center, is going on now. The club placed shopping carts at area banks to take food donation that will be distributed at the end of September. Hy-Vee is providing the shopping carts to use.
The annual pork chop dinner fundraiser at McKinley Park was held Thursday, Sept. 15. Members were thanked for all their efforts.
The program was given by Chris VanGelder from the Cromwell Church discussing the annual God’s Portion sale and bazaar. The event will be Saturday, Oct. 15, afternoon and evening. The meal of roast beef and ham balls with sides and desserts will start at 4 p.m. All proceeds help the Cromwell Church.