Ladies Literary Circle
Creston Ladies Literary Circle met April 20 at Crestmoor Golf Club with Jean Ide hostessing.
Connie Rhine passed around the sign-up sheet for hostessing and book reviews for the 2018-19 meetings.
President Judith Wachter called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. In the absence of secretary Bailey Poolman, Stephani Finley took roll with 15 members in attendance. Finley read the minutes from the April 6 meeting. The minutes were approved as corrected.
Vera Fengler gave the treasurer’s report.
Sherry McKie reminded everyone to sign up for the May luncheon to be at noon May 4 at Crestmoor.
McKie then introduced Judy Gile, who reviewed “Long Day’s Journey into Night” by playwright Eugene O’Neill.
O’Neill was born Oct. 16, 1888, in New York City. He was the son of James O’Neill, the popular romantic actor. Eugene, who was born in a hotel, spent his early childhood in hotel rooms, on trains and backstage. Although he later deplored the nightmare insecurity of his early years and blamed his father for the difficult, rough-and-tumble life the family led, a life that resulted in his mother’s drug addiction, Eugene had the theatre in his blood. He was also, as a child, steeped in the peasant Irish Catholicism of his father and the more genteel, mystical piety of his mother, two influences, often in dramatic conflict, which account for the high sense of drama and struggle with God and religion that distinguish O’Neill’s plays.
From the age of 7 until he was 13, O’Neill attended Catholic schools. He then spent four years at a non-sectarian preparatory school, followed by one year (1906-07) at Princeton University.
After expulsion from Princeton, he worked at various occupations until his health decline. At the end of 1912, he spent six months in a tuberculosis sanatorium.
He began to write plays in the fall of 1913. In the fall of 1914, he entered Harvard University to attend the course in dramatic technique given by Professor George Baker. He left after one year and did not complete the course.
In 1920, a five-hour play, “Beyond the Horizon,” was produced in New York. At first, only as a special matinee attraction with four afternoon performances a week. However, some of the critics praised the play and it was soon given a regular run, and later in the year, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize. He received this prize again in 1922 for “Anna Christie” and for the third time in 1928 for “Strange Interlude.” O’Neill wrote more than 50 plays.
“A Moon for the Misbegotten” (1952) contains strong autobiographical content, which it shares with “Long Day’s Journey into Night” (1956, posthumously). The play, “Long Day’s Journey into Night,” written, according to O’Neill, “in tears and blood ... with deep pity and understanding and forgiveness for all the four haunted Tyrones,” had its premiere at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm.
The play takes place on a single day in August 1912, from around 8:30 a.m. to midnight. The setting is the seaside Connecticut home of the Tyrones’ Monte Cristo Cottage. The four main characters are the semi-autobiographical representations of O’Neill himself, his older brother and their parents – a father who is an actor and mother with an addiction to drugs.
This play portrays a family in a ferociously negative light as the parents and two sons express accusations, blame and resentments – qualities which are often paired with pathetic and self-defeating attempts at affection, encouragement, tenderness and yearnings for things to be otherwise. The pain of this family is made worse by their depth of self-understanding and self-analysis, combined with a brutal honesty, as they see it, and an ability to boldly express themselves. The story deals with the mother’s addiction to morphine, the family’s addiction to whiskey, the father’s miserliness, the older brother’s licentiousness and the younger brother’s illness.
Ide served various cakes, along with candy, nuts, coffee and lemonade.
The next meeting will be the May luncheon and election of officers at noon May 4 at Crestmoor Golf Club, hosted by the program committee with guest speaker Larry Peterson.
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VFW Post 1797
VFW Post 1797 met July 10 at the Elks Lodge in Creston with 15 members and guests present for dinner.
Commander Gary O’Daniels called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. with 16 members present.
The post draped the charter for veterans Jeff Bird, Gary Loudon, Steve Miller and Alfred Davis.
Minutes and QM reports were read and approved.
Service officers reported 12 hours for community service, 60 hours at the hospital, 37 hours for honor guard, 83 hours for the Fourth of July and 10 hours at the bloodmobile, for a total of 202 hours. Officers also traveled 162 miles for veterans.
In old business, the Creston post participated in Flag Day June 14 at the Elks Lodge. On the Fourth of July, the post led the parade and approximately 20 veterans rode in the Army truck. At 4:30 p.m., the post helped the Boys Scout Troop 129 with flag retirement at McKinley Park.
In new business, honor flight information included 17 Union County veterans have received letters regarding the flight Sept. 15 to Washington, D.C. An orientation meeting will be held Sept. 5 in Fort Dodge.
A new VFW sign at the ballfield was discussed.
A motion was made and approved to donate $100 to the state fair VFW booth.
The Union County Fair parade will be held July 21.
Quartermaster Abel brought up that a new set of flag poles at the Freedom Rock need to be checked into, as the ones there cannot withstand the harsh winds. A letter of some form will be sent to possibly ask for donations.
The meeting adjourned at 8 p.m. The next meeting will be Tuesday, Aug. 14, at the Elks 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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Kiwanis
The weekly Kiwanis meeting was held 12:05 p.m. Tuesday, July 17, at the Windrow meeting room with 26 members and two guests. President Korina Loudon presided and gave the prayer, and Chris Eaton was the finemaster.
The program was given by Doug Jones, executive director of Union County Conservation. He discussed the renovations at Three Mile Lake for the last three years. A fish kill was held to kill yellow bass and common carp three years ago. New fish of many varieties have been added to the lake every year, and fishing and water quality are better than ever for now. There’s a lot to do at the lake and it is a good resource for the community, as well as all the other lakes in the area and all the tourism they bring to Union County. More improvements are being planned long term for Union County’s area lakes.
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Catholic Daughters
Court Joan of Arc No. 426 met June 12 at the A&G Restaurant and Lounge for Our Night Out. Committee members were Kathy Tapken, Kay Raymond, Maxine May, Suzie McCall and Betty Bradley. After enjoying a delicious meal, a short business meeting was held.
Alice Reed gave the treasurer’s report. Retta reported on how the name change committee is doing and also the proposed by-law changes. Copies were available for any member who wished for one.
The group received thank-you notes from the Crisis Intervention Center and from Father. Teresa asked members to let her know if they have a preference as to which committee they wish to serve on next year, any program ideas and any phone number or email changes.
Members were reminded of Anna Baxter Day to be held June 24 in Iowa City. Also, dues need to be paid.
Drawings were held for several door prizes. The meeting adjourned with a motion by Meg Crawford and seconded by Anita Studer.
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Beta Sigma Phi
Iowa Alpha Sigma Master chapter of Beta Sigma Phi met Thursday evening, July 12, at the home of Loretta Kelly. Members answered roll call with their plans for the Union County Fair. Minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved; no official communications were received; unofficial communications were thank you messages from Homestead and Norma Walker. There was no treasurer’s report.
Marilyn Larimore reported the favors to Homestead were delivered as scheduled and the next meeting would be at her home. Kelly read from “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff” regarding the importance of not wasting time and energy by getting upset and justifying our anger over small offenses that really aren’t worthy of the frustration they can cause.
In keeping with our theme for this year, “Quilts of Friendship,” Dorothy Eyberg gave a program about quilts. She described the various types of quilts and discussed their histories, their popularity in medieval times, how they were useful in battles and the various ways they were constructed from ancient times to the present. She also discussed traditions and customs involving quilts and the many varied ways they have been used to commemorate and bring comfort for centuries.
The group enjoyed refreshments and visiting following the closing ritual and Mizpah.
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Kent Dinner Club
Kent Dinner Club met July 12 at Pizza Ranch.
The Kent picnic will be at noon July 21 at Salem Lutheran Church in Creston.
The next meeting will be 5 p.m. Aug. 9 at Pizza Ranch.
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Ladies Lakeshore Auxiliary
Ladies Lakeshore Auxiliary met July 18.
Canasta winners were Rose Blakesley, first; Joy Seeley, second; and Connie Bailey, third.
Bailey won the door prize.
Loretta Kelly will host cards and chatter Wednesday, July 25.