March 29, 2024

Club news

Book Club

The Book Club met Dec. 2 with six members and hostess Pat Pokorny at her Creston home for the annual Christmas luncheon. Pat had Santa clothespins reminders that the next meeting won’t be until Feb. 3 at each place. No business meeting was held; there was no book review or books read sharing. Instead Christmas items were shared.

Charles Engle wrote articles in the Des Moines Register and later they were compiled into a booklet. Velma shared a photo of her father born in 1904, near the author’s birth, when he was 3 years old.

Meg grew up in Butte, Montana. Her Christmas always included a car tour of their neighborhood, much like we would go to the holiday lights.

Ellen Sue had an older brother who lived in Europe and he sent gifts from overseas. When she turned 12, she started getting the money from him to buy her own. She bought some Christmas things that had been misplaced for many years and were just unearthed today.

Retta shared a scrapbook of a century of Christmas starting with her father’s Sunday school paper from 1917 and ending with her 2018 newsletter and family and tree photos.

Deb G. remembers the difference between her childhood and now. She wanted a chemistry set; her grandchildren want a smart watch. The family ate a pomegranate every year.

Dorothy said the presents under the tree were always moved “magically” to her grandparents’ home and Santa came while they were all at Christmas Eve church services. She lived in Grand Island, Nebraska.

Pat read a poem by Rod McKuen – “Twelve Years of Christmas,” which is about collections.

The next meeting will be Feb. 3 with Velma Riegel.

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Creston Lions Club

Creston Lions Club met Dec. 3 at Pizza Ranch. Derek Thompson, president, led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag to open the meeting. Stew Stewart gave the invocation. The club welcomed transfer member, Shaela Camp, from the Ottumwa Lions club.

Following the meal, Susan Weight introduced guest speaker Darin Goins, manager of the Walmart Vision Center. Goins presented a plan for a coalition of Creston Lions Club, the Creston School District and Walmart Vision Center to provide glasses for children in need. He has instituted the plan with other Lions Clubs in southwest Iowa. The school nurses will assist with the efforts. Creston Lions will join other Lions Clubs in Mt. Ayr, Clearfield and Afton in this endeavor.

Thompson presided over the business meeting. The secretary’s and treasurer’s reports were presented and approved. Committee reports were given. Mike Duckworth gave details for the Lions’ participation in the Lighted Christmas Parade. Jo Duckworth reported on plans for the club’s partnering with Hy-Vee for working at the Friday After Five events next summer at the Elks Club. Volunteers for the Christmas Basket preparation and delivery project were reminded of their duties.

Thank you notes from SWCC, Open Table and the Bochart family were shared. Thompson presented Twila Brant with the Milestone Chevron Award for 10 years of service.

The group played games led by Weight and Radine Ward. The games were Eight Little Christmas Characters and Christmas Bingo. The next regular meeting of Creston Lions will be 6:30 p.m. Jan. 7 at Pizza Ranch.

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IA TOPS #1338

IA TOPS #1338 Creston met 5:30 p.m. Dec. 9 at FUMC with eight members. Mitzie Cellan called the meeting to order with the TOPS pledge. Best loser was Jeanette Markus and Cellan was runner up. Last week’s fines went to Donna Scheel. The minutes were read by Bev Roberts and in the treasurer’s absence, Carol Sheldahl gave the report. The Splash Contest has Team 2 ahead. The group will send a $25 donation to the Christmas Basket fund.

Marisue Lewis gave a program on “Why we need vitamins.” Lack of them causes major health problems such as scurvy and rickets. The group discussed the different foods with needed vitamins. Next week’s program will be given by Roberts.

Squares contest was won by Sheldahl and the Red Can Challenge is No. 25 “Look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself, ‘You’re beautiful and I love you.’”

Cellan adjourned the meeting with “You Take My Hand” at 6 p.m. The next weigh-in starts at 5 p.m. Dec. 16. Interested guests are welcomed.

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GFWC/IOWA Progressive Chautauqua Study Club

The GFWC/IOWA Progressive Chautauqua met Dec. 10 for their Christmas luncheon and party with 14 members present. Sharon Skarda, Sharon Booth, Connie Edsall, and Joyce Anderson served a meal at the Summit House. “Christmas Fun” entertainment was led by Peg Anderson. Roll call was “a fun holiday tradition of your family” and “any Christmas memories you want to share.”

There was no formal business meeting. There was information concerning the March 10 anniversary party. There will be a sign-up sheet available in January for the salad luncheon. The Creston Community High School speech students will be the entertainment. Linda Huffman had copies of rules available for Creative Writing. A collection will be sent to the Crisis Intervention and Advocacy Center for the “Adopt A Family” project. There will be a donation sent to the Christmas Basket Fund.

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Kiwanis

The weekly Kiwanis meeting was held 12:05 p.m. Dec 10 at Pizza Ranch meeting room  with 23 members and one guest. President Bob Miller presided, Lori Harvey did the prayer and Craig Mittag was the finemaster.

Ellen Gerharz passed around the sign up sheet for helping with filling and delivering Christmas baskets Dec. 13 and 14.

Chris Eaton and Craig Mittag are heading up the Kiwanis food drive for MATURA and The O’Riley Center during the month of December. Donations baskets will be at the local banks and some retail locations. The public is encouraged to donate.

Program was Judy Brimm with Southern Iowa Council of Governments. She talked about the grants that get written in the eight counties that they serve for improvements in water treatment, sewer, downtown revitalization and the housing and first time home buyers loan programs. SICOG usually brings in more than $2 million in grants per year.

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Ladies Lakeshore Auxiliary

Ladies Lakeshore Auxiliary met Dec. 11. Canasta winners were 1st — Wanda Nash, 2nd — Connie Kerrigan and 3rd — Barb Bills.

Wanda Nash won the door prize.

The next meeting for “Cards and Chatter” will be Dec. 18 with the board members as hosts.