Kiwanis
The weekly Kiwanis meeting was held 12:05 p.m. Tuesday, Feb 20, at the Windrow meeting room with 16 members and two guests. President Korina Loudon presided and gave the prayer, and Bob Miller was the finemaster.
The club presented a check for $300 to Josh Riley, Creston Little League board member and commissioner of minor league boys, to help with expenses of having the league for area boys and girls. Riley gave an update on the program and improvements the group has completed and plan to do in the coming year. The Kiwanis-sponsored team this year will be the White Sox again in honor of longtime member Ron Levine.
Todd Daily, Care Initiatives Hospice volunteer coordinator, gave the program. He discussed what the volunteers do for patients in hospice and the training program in place, so volunteers can help patients and their families.
The club recognized members, Dave Abildtrup, Dennis Carter and Jim Nelson for helping load the Feb. 19 bloodmobile held at Trinity Lutheran Church.
The Kiwanis Annual Pancake fundraiser is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 13 this year at First United Methodist Church, on the corner of North Elm and Howard streets. Members have tickets to sell for this great cause now.
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Elzevir Reading Circle
GFWC Elzevir Reading Circle held their Feb. 9 meeting in the home of Carol Brentnall. President Linda Topliff opened the meeting with the quote, “Most people are as happy as they make up their mind to be,” by Abraham Lincoln.
Members told their favorite flower to answer roll call. The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. The treasurer reported $50 sent to Southwestern Community College for the Union County Federated Women’s Club scholarship. The treasurer’s report was approved.
GFWC/Iowa State Convention and Spring Board will be held April 19-21 at Hotel Pattee in Perry. There was discussion on donating to sewmuchcomfort, an organization the provides free adaptive clothing for veterans.
Motion to donate $25 to Gibson Memorial Library was made by Barbara Thomsen. It was seconded and motion passed.
Mary Stewart’s Club Collect was recited. The meeting was adjourned.
Thomsen reviewed the book “Immortal Wife” by Irving Stone. It was one of a large collection of books of William Schulz, grandfather of Jerry Thomsen. Schulz belonged to the Peoples Book Club in Chicago, Illinois. This book is a wartime book published from 1846-1849. It was manufactured under emergency conditions and complies with the government’s request to conserve essential materials in every possible way. Jessie Benton Fremont was the daughter of Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton and wife of military officer, explorer and politician, John C. Fremont. Mrs. Fremont assisted in writing the report of her husband’s many adventures during the period of westward expansion, the Gold Rush and U.S. Civil War. Her writings, which helped support her family during times of financial difficulty, were memoirs of her husband’s and her own, and time in the American West back when the West was an exotic frontier.
The hostess provided a Valentine dessert and chocolates for all to enjoy.
The next meeting will be March 9 at the home of Topliff with Terry Ammon giving the program.
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VFW Post 1797
VFW Post 1797 met Feb. 13 at the Elks Lodge in Creston with 16 members and guests present for dinner.
Commander Gary O’Daniels called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. with 14 members present.
The post draped the charter for veterans Bill Cihak, Russell Ritnour, Kenneth Bradley and Robert Thompson.
Minutes and QM reports were read and approved.
Service officers reported 34 hours for community service, 83 hours at the hospital, 31 hours for honor guard and one hour for the Christmas Basket, for a total of 149 hours. Officers also traveled 310 miles for veterans.
In old business, the commander, senior vice commander and quartermaster attended the Veterans on the Hill program on Jan. 17. Veteran’s agendas were discussed.
In new business, an update on the Freedom Flight was given by O’ Daniels. Money raised from the FBLA fundraiser at Creston High School was almost $11,000. A big thank you to everyone that helped in this wonderful project.
Seventeen applications have been submitted for the spring flight, and all applicants are Vietnam veterans from Union County.
March meeting will include first and second call for new officers for the 2018-19 year.
The next district meeting will be held April 21 in Creston.
The meeting adjourned at 8 p.m. The next meeting will be Tuesday, March 13, at the Elks Lodge with dinner at 6 p.m. and meeting to follow at 7 p.m. All war veterans are encouraged to attend.
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Mary Circle
Mary Circle of First Christian Church met Feb. 15 at the church.
Eight members were present. President Pat Fils opened the meeting with the disciple women’s prayer.
Joyce Burkhead read the minutes of the last meeting. Barb gave the treasurer’s report.
Old business was discussed. New business included Lenten services for March were discussed.
Alice made a motion to adjourn and Barb seconded it.
Pat was in charge of the program. After discussion, the meeting adjourned. Burkhead served refreshments.
Next meeting will be March 15 at the church with Fils as hostess.