March 28, 2024

Club news

Ladies Literary Circle

Creston Ladies Literary Circle met Feb. 17 at the home of Sherry McKie with 18 members present. President Vanita Moberg conducted business including roll call, minutes, treasurers report and discussion of the changes to be made to the bylaws.

Marcia Fulton reviewed the book “Remember The Ladies” by Norma Johnston. It was about the first ladies rights convention in 1848. It was the year of revolutions around the world. In the U.S.,”men ruled and women had no rights.” The black population had even fewer.

Headed up by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, 300 women met and agreed on a “Declaration of Independence” and included a “Declaration of Rights and Sentiments.’ These women went on to fight for many of the things we now enjoy today and thought we always had, including the right to vote and own property.

Delicious refreshments were served by the hostess.

Next meeting will be at the home of Vera Fengler.

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Afton Federated Garden Club

Members of Afton Federated Garden Club met 1:35 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10, 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 eight members.

Minutes of the December meeting were read by Monica Huddleson. Motion to accept the minutes as read was made by Audrey McDowell and seconded by Jenny Quick.

Iris Smith gave the treasurer’s report. Kathy Tapken made a motion to accept the report. McDowell seconded the motion. Wallace presented a bill for postage.

Wallace shared a thank-you card from Doris Porter for the Christmas card the club sent her. Also, a newsletter from Olive Kerns, letter from Karen VanBuskirk, picture of Nelda Herzberg and thank-you card for the Christmas donation to the Creston food bank from Joann Hackett were shared.

Agnes Eklund, former member of AFGC died Jan. 2. Member’s thoughts and prayers are with her family.

Ackworth Garden Club has invited the club to a workshop on “The Fritillary Butterflies” Feb. 22 at the Annett Center in Indianola. The Wallace Center spring workshop will be from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 25. Reiman Gardens is having a “Day of Insects” workshops and presentations March 24-25 in Ames.

The plant sale is to be from 1 to 6 p.m. May 12. Wallace handed out a seed viability chart and paper about testing seeds for germination rate on older seeds or seeds that have been harvested by people. She also had seeds, potting soil and flats available for those who wanted to start seeds for the sale. Tapken shares seeds that she had been given.

At 3 p.m., McDowell made and Smith seconded a motion to adjourn. Everyone recited the Conservation Pledge.

McDowell gave a very informative program on medicinal uses of wildflowers. Burdock is used in liver tonics and for acne and skin problems. It was mentioned putting burdock leaves in the back of a humane trap draws ground hogs. Others mentioned were Digitalis, raspberry, lemon balm and yarrow. Also, many trees have leaves and bark that are used medicinally.

McDowell served delicious refreshments. The next meeting will be March 10 at the Afton Community Center. Wallace and Huddleson are hostesses and Huddleson will have the program on trees.

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Elzevir

Elzevir Reading Circle met 1:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10, in the home of Carol Brentnall. Carolyn and Arlan Biere gave an interesting travelogue of their June 28-July 8 trip to Iceland. Iceland is a small Scandinavian island about the size of Ohio in the North Atlantic Ocean. Their ship, the Ocean Diamond, sailed at night, then they toured on land by bus everyday. Some of the highlights were swimming in the Blue Lagoon, touring by Zodiac for a close-up of bays, peninsulas, fjords, colorful bird life and beautiful scenery, riding Icelandic horses in a mountain meadow, boat tour on a glacier lagoon and viewing many huge waterfalls.

Iceland has virtually no pollution and all energy is either geothermal or hydroelectric. Drinking water comes from pure glaciers; fish are caught in unpolluted waters; the sheep and cattle graze in fields untouched by fertilizer. It is a land of steaming lava fields, ice caps, glaciers, hot pools and geysers, earthquakes and volcanoes.

President Linda Topliff began the meeting with a quote from Carl Sandburg: “A baby is God’s way of saying the world should go on.” Members and a guest answered roll call telling of memorable past Valentine’s Days. The secretary read the minutes of the last meeting, which were approved as read. The treasurer reported she had a check ready to send to Joan Chubick for the GFWC Scholarship. Her report was approved as read.

GFWC is requesting names of 25- and 50-year members to be included during the Iowa State Convention to be held April 20-22. Alice Bowers will check the dates of our honorary members. The president has reading lists available for those who have not received a copy.

As there was no other business, the meeting closed with all reciting Mary Stewart’s Club Collect. The hostess served refreshments. The next meeting will be held Friday, March 10, at the home of Terry Ammon. Note this is a change from the yearbook.

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Alpha Delta Kappa

The Iowa Alpha Gamma chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa met Feb. 13 at the Creston Pizza Ranch.  Barb Coenen from Maple Street Memories shared paper creations and gift ideas with the group.

President Colleen Gangstad conducted the business meeting.  Linda Huffman read the minutes from the Jan. 9 meeting. Recruiting new members was discussed.  Plans were made for awarding $150 book scholarships to students majoring in education. Gangstad will work with high school counselors to contact students.

The next meeting will be 5:30 p.m. March 13 at A&G Restaurant and Lounge with Lois Houghtaling presenting the program, “Famous First Lines in Literature.” Houghtaling will also conduct a fraternal education activity.

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GFWC/IOWA Bancroft History Assembly

GFWC/IOWA Bancroft History Assembly met Feb. 6 at Creston Plaza Community Room. Prior to the meeting, the 122nd anniversary luncheon was enjoyed by four life members and seven life members. The meal was catered by the Farmer’s Wife.

President JoAnn Nurnberg called the meeting to order and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

The minutes were approved as written and the treasurer’s report was placed on file for audit.

A thank-you letter was read from the local food pantry.

Election of officers will be held in March. The following members are on the nominating committee: Marisue Lewis, Mary Jones and Martha Musmaker.

Nurnberg reviewed convention and conference dates.

After the Club Collect was recited and the meeting was adjourned, Bobi Woodin spoke about causes of the Civil War, Iowa during the Civil War and after the war.

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Mary Circle

Mary Circle of First Christian Church met Feb. 16 at the church with Joyce as hostess. There were 11 members present.

President Fils opened the meeting with the disciple women’s prayer. In old business, coffee fellowship was Feb. 19. In new business, Tony would like for the circle to furnish coffee, donuts and juice for the March 13 clergy meeting. The members will host the event.

Pat gave the lesson on Ruth from “Women of the Bible.” The lesson was discussed among the members.

Rhonda motioned to adjourn and Florence seconded it.

Next meeting will be March 16.

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Creston UMW

The executive committee of Creston First United Methodist Women met Thursday, Jan. 5. Co-chairman, Susan Weight, presided with five officers present. Joys and concerns were shared and the UMW Purpose was read.

Minutes of the previous meeting were approved. The treasurer’s report was presented and approved.

A couple of business matters were discussed and plans for the upcoming guest night in April were discussed. Evening Circle will be hostess and Morning Circle will have the program. There was also discussion on doing a church service in the spring to inform the congregation of some of the projects the UMW is involved in. Some of which are Bidwell Riverside, Women @ the Well and Shesler Hall. The meeting was closed with the January Bible verse II Corinthians 7:14.

Morning Circle met Jan. 19 in Fellowship Hall with Colleen Brotherton as hostess, assisted by Lois Jay. Velma Riegel presided and there were eight members present. Beth Perry had devotions. The program and table decorations for guest night were discussed. Riegel gave the pledge service program entitled “A Community United by Giving.”

Evening Circle met Jan. 19. Rosalie Denton presided with seven members present. Guest night was discussed as well as the unit meeting in March for which Evening Circle is the hostess. Bobi Woodin gave the pledge service program entitled “A Community United by Giving.”

The executive committee of the Creston First United Methodist Women met Thursday, Feb. 2.

Weight presided with six officers present along with special events coordinator Jerrie Henderson. Joys and concerns were shared and the UMW Purpose was read. Perry had devotions reading from Matthew 6:19-21, the Upper Room and closed with a prayer.

Minutes of January meeting were approved. The treasurer’s report was presented and approved.

Kay Ritter reported that she has five young women interested in UMW and will be meeting soon.

There was more discussion regarding guest night on April 6. Pastor Jodi Rushing will be the speaker. The youth group will be going to Saeger Brown in Baldwin, Louisiana, in July and will take the UMCOR kits with them.

UMCOR kit workday is Wednesday, March 15. The UMW will do the church service June 11. Speakers will speak on the projects the UMW serves.

The meeting was closed with the February Bible verse of I John 5:21.

Morning Circle met Feb. 16 in Fellowship Hall with Marilyn Fils as hostess. Riegel presided and there were eight members and Rushing present. Perry had devotions. More plans for guest night were discussed. Weight gave the program on “Community Action Against Human Trafficking.”

Evening Circle met Feb. 16 in Fellowship Hall. Denton presided with nine members present. Final plans were made for being hostess at the March 2 unit meeting. Food and decorations will be a St. Patrick’s theme. There was discussion regarding guest night April 6. Woodin had the response moment. Ritter presented the program on “Community Action Against Human Trafficking.” Next circle meetings will be March 16.