GFWC Progressive Chautauqua Study Club
The GFWC/Iowa Progressive Chautauqua Circle Study Club met 1:30 p.m. Nov. 28 at the home of Kay Ritter. The meeting was called to order by President Anderson and the members recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
Devotions were presented by Sharon Booth.
For the program, Linda Huffman introduced presenters Kathy Ralston, executive director, and Tiffany Ocean from The Learning Center of Southwest Iowa (TLC). Ralston stated the center is run by a local board to address learning gaps, performances below grade level and both academic and family issues. It has a nonprofit status. TLC does an assessment of the students and provides tutoring as needed. She explained they have expanded to cover grades K through 12 and emphasize reading, math and science. TLC also runs family enrichment programs and workshops to address family involvement. Booth moved and Huffman seconded, that the club donate $50 to TLC.
The meeting resumed and attendance was taken with the members responding with their favorite school. Twelve members and four life-members were present. The secretary read the minutes of the last meeting, which were approved.
The treasurer’s report was given. Betty Wallace announced the next bloodmobile will be Feb. 19. Judy Weese asked that the members bring their volunteer reporting forms to the next meeting. Donations were collected and Jerri Henderson will shop for gifts and gift cards to WaI-Mart and Hy-Vee for the domestic violence project, to be given to a boy, 16; boy, 8; and a girl, 15.
Peg Anderson reported on the convention. She said the baskets were very successful and raised $350.
Pat Butcher gave the scholarship report. Huffman gave the writing report. Ritter reported she had sent cards to Sharon and Vaughn. Linda Hughes gave the reading report and Sandy gave the safety report.
Huffman reported the field trip to Atlantic was a fun, but windy day. The luncheon was good and the Coke museum was great.
Anderson reported on the library project and she has yard signs for sale for $15 or $25. The auction and band are set for next St. Patrick’s Day at the Eagles. The club was asked to prepare a basket to be auctioned and was also requested to make salads and pies. Ritter moved, and Weese seconded the motion to participate; motion carried.
Huffman told about the Variety Show, with one-act plays and music, to be performed 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1, at the Performing Arts Center at SWCC. Tickets are $7 with a food donation, or $8 without.
The next meeting will be 1 p.m. Dec. 12 at Crest Ridge. The members read the collect in unison and the meeting was adjourned at 3:10 p.m. The members enjoyed a delicious dessert.
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Afton Federated Garden Club
Members of Afton Federated Garden Club met 1 p.m. at the Butterfly Garden to clean it up for the winter. The regular meeting was 1:30 p.m. at Afton Community Center. President Shirley Wallace called the meeting to order with members repeating the Pledge of Allegiance and Club Collect. Roll call answered by 14 members.
Minutes of the fall luncheon were read by Monica Huddleson. After corrections, Judy Weese made a motion to accept the corrected minutes. Donna Thomas seconded the motion. Bev Rowe gave the treasurer’s report. Motion to accept was made by Ginny Quick and seconded by Gwen Sandeman.
Wallace shared a note from Bevington Garden Club member, Betty Anderson. She thanked us for a fun time of food, program and door prizes.
Rowe shared she had returned the ballot vote to the Iowa Arboretum Inc. Also, the Arboretum newsletter and a brochure from Wallace Center told of current events: Saturday, Nov. 18, is the Holiday Hop in Winterset and Saturday, Dec. 2, is Afton Extravaganza.
Mike Bolton sent a clipping from the Osceola paper about their Diversity Community Garden the club visited in June on the tour.
Rowe made a motion to elect Kathy Tapken to the position of treasurer. Audrey McDowell seconded the motion. All agreed, and the motion carried.
It was decided to have the Christmas party on Dec. 1, rather than the scheduled date of Dec. 8. Members will meet 11:30 a.m. for lunch and grab bag gift exchange at Arispe Roadside Bar and Grill.
The AFGC will team up with Dragoon Trail Nature Center to help plant wildflower plugs the end of April or first of May (whenever the plugs come in).
Weese had designed three versions of the cover for next years program books. Members voted on the one they liked best.
Wallace shared a book, “Native Gardener,” with a proposal that the club buy the book and place it in the library of local schools. After discussion, it was decided on Mount Ayr, Orient, Afton, Murray and Creston. Weese made a motion to donate the books and Tapken seconded the motion. All agreed and motion carried.
McDowell made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Quick. All recited the Conservation Pledge.
Weese gave a program on recycling. She first gave members a test on how long it takes certain items to decompose in a landfill. Aluminum can take from 80 to 200 years, glass bottle can take one million years and a cigarette butt up to five years. She laminated two decomposition sheets to be hung on our refrigerators. Weese and Wallace got together and made decorations out of recycled books. The club worked on folding pages of books to make table decorations for the annual district meeting.
Hostesses Weese and Iris Smith served a delicious lunch. The next meeting will be the Christmas party 11:30 a.m. Dec. 1 at Arispe Roadside Bar and Grill.
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Union County Genealogy Society
Twelve members of Union County Genealogy Society met Monday, Nov. 27, at Gibson Memorial Library for the annual holiday party and meeting. Finger foods were enjoyed before President Jane Briley called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. Roger Nurnberg reported the society has been reinstated as a nonprofit organization for tax exempt status. Nurnberg, with the assistance of Kathy Parmenter and Saundra Leininger, demonstrated features of the new society website. Dec. 1 is the goal for the website to go live. Leininger requested members send to her the surnames they were researching to be included in the website.
Election of officers was held. Officers for 2018 are Tessa Hull, president; Briley, vice president; Jackie Shafar, secretary; and Lynn Schlaht, treasurer.
Hull shared the name Blaine T. Bettinger, who has written information on the interpretation of DNA results.
The meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m.
The next meeting will be 6 p.m. Jan. 22 at Gibson Memorial Library.
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GRMC Auxiliary Board
Martha called the meeting to order with Carolyn, Marsha, Tammy, Jessica, Bev, Sandy, Joan, Jordan and Rhonda in attendance.
Financial reports were reviewed and approved as were the minutes. The fundraiser in conjunction with Scratch Cupcakes was discussed. It is slated for October 2018.
Lights for Loved Ones will be started soon.
Dec. 14 is the masquerade jewelry sale. Workers are needed. A schedule was proposed. The linen sale fundraiser will be held in May.
Jessica, newly appointed director of the Healthcare Foundation, gave the administrator’s report. A new OB-GYN doctor will be starting in mid-December. The Mount Ayr Community Clinic is one step closer to opening. The remodeling in the specialty clinic area is almost complete.
A report from the foundation listed improvements made at the Hospice House. Some furniture and appliances have been replaced, new rock around the pond and repairs to the parking lot. Debra Rogers is the director of the hospice house. The foundation is currently considering several projects including a garden area, community center, meeting space and extending the walking trail to Cottonwood Road. A water fountain at the gazebo is already in the works.
The Dec. 11 meeting will be a goody sharing event at Tammy’s home.
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Friends of the Library
The Friends of the Library Board met Nov. 20 at the library. Members present were Emily Cook, Jessica Duncan, Bunny Norton, Kay Raymond, Julie Schieffer, Barbara Thomsen, Karen Walter, Ann Coulter, David Hargrove and Sue Teutsch.
The minutes were approved as written.
Hargrove mentioned everything is up and running for the Building on our Legacy Campaign site. The campaign committee is planning a St. Patrick event March 17 at the Eagles.
Teutsch announced the summer reading theme is “Library’s Rock.” Four summer events are being planned: Blank Park Zoo, ISU insects, Jester Puppets and a magician.
The treasurer explained her report, which was filed for audit.
Photos with Santa will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Nov. 30 before the winter parade. There will be no charge to take your own pictures.
The scrapbooking event will be Feb. 24-25.
The next meeting will be 6 p.m. Dec. 18 at the library.
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Ladies Lakeshore Auxiliary
Ladies Lakeshore Auxiliary met Nov. 29.
Canasta winners were Marilyn Larimore, first; Linda Clark, second; and Joan Chubick, third.
Gwen Sandeman won the door prize.
Larimore will host cards and chatter Wednesday, Dec. 6.