March 29, 2024

Club news

Union County Genealogical Society

Fourteen members of Union County Genealogical Society met March 25.

Saundra Leininger presented the program on searching U.S. church records. She described the various records that might be available at churches and the information they might provide.

President Tessa Hull called the meeting to order at 6:25 p.m.

Leininger reported she had 80 names to enter before the completion of Prairie Lawn Cemetery records. Programs with the 2019 calendar year have been set up and can be viewed on the society website at www.unioncgs.org. Jane Briley reported on the upcoming programs that are being planned by Creston Historic Preservation Commission.

Roger Nurnberg reported he has received a request for the Stroud history. He had not been able to locate this history at the library and will check availability at the historical complex. Lynn and Dorothy Eyeberg shared old church records with the group.

A sign-up sheet for committees was passed around.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:05 p.m.

The next meeting will be April 22. Hull will present the program on marriage records. The First Saturday Workshop will be April 6. Diane Green and Joyce Lindstrom from the state genealogical society will present the program on “Researching Your German Roots.”

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P.E.O.

The regular business meeting of Chapter AZ was 5:30 p.m. March 19 at First Presbyterian Church with Norma Crawford as hostess and Myrna Beving as co-hostess. Twenty-one members responded to roll call. The next regular meeting will be April 2 at Sheryl Wilson’s home with Joan Chubick as co-hostess and Sandy Stalker with the program. The next regular meeting after that will be April 16 at Kay Kinsella’s home with Connie Purdum as co-hostess and Adonica Struhar with the program. New yearbooks will be available at the April 2 meeting. Sandy McNichols reported the omelette buffet served 400 meals and made a net profit of $3,596.70.

The trunk sale date has been set for May 4. Start collecting items now. They can be picked up by Nancy Loudon or dropped off at her house.

Officers were installed for 2019-20 and included president – Marcia Fulton, vice president – Jody Emerson, recording secretary – Linda Carroll, treasurer – Jessica Duncan, chaplin – Beving, guard – Terri Hopkins, corresponding secretary – Connie Maxson, delegate to state convention – Marcia Fulton and alternate delegate to state convention – Jody Emerson.

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Ladies Literary Circle

Vera Fengler greeted 18 members of Ladies Literary Circle March 22 to her home that was decorated in spring decor, a welcome sight after a long, cold and snowy winter. President Stephani Finley opened the meeting with roll call, followed by the reading of the last meeting’s minutes and treasurer’s report. In old business, it was unanimously agreed to change the wording in Article III. Officers, section 2 to read, “The secretary shall be exempt from serving on the program committee during her term in office. She is not required to present a book review or act as hostess.” Judy Woods, a member of the program committee, reminded members they are to commit to hostess and reviewer dates at the April meetings for the next season. In new business, it was agreed to change a meeting date. The second April meeting has been changed to April 12 and will be at Linda Hartsock’s house with Ann Driskell reviewing. The meeting closed with the introduction of the reviewer for the afternoon.

Most of us who were born near the end of the Greatest Generation have heard of Charles Lindbergh, the Spirit of St. Louis, and perhaps something about his son being abducted. And that is about it. Presenter Jean Mark, while browsing at a book fair, was intrigued when she saw the book, “Under a Wing” by Reeve Lindbergh. Mark shared with members the rest of the story about the Lindbergh family.

In a 1998 memoir written by the youngest of the children of Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Reeve Lindberg recalls growing up with famous parents. In 1927, 25-year-old Charles became an international hero by being the first to make a nonstop flight from New York to Paris in a single engine plane called “The Spirit of St. Louis.” In 1929, he married Anne Morrow, daughter of Dwight Morrow, who was U.S. Ambassador to Mexico and Elizabeth Morrow, who was president of Smith College.

Because of their celebrity status, Reeve’s parents became the target of a tragic kidnapping that resulted in the murder of their two-year old, first-born son. This was an overwhelming life event that Reeve more fully understood when her own precious two-year old died unexpectedly.

After the death of Reese’s brother, her parents sought to keep their family safe by retreating from the public eye. Moving frequently to avoid the press, they lived in England, France, Michigan and Long Island, before settling in Connecticut.

Charles Lindberg became known to the world as a daring aviator, Pulitzer Prize winning author and isolationist in WW II. Ann Lindbergh was Charles’ copilot, navigator and radio operator during their early flights around the world. She was also the first American woman to earn a glider pilot’s license, but she considered herself first and foremost a writer.

Reeve recalled her mother telling all of her children, “Write it down.” She made her children feel the act of writing about it significantly affected the experience, thus making one a witness to the event.

Lindbergh was a stern parent who inspired both love and fear in his children. He read to them, organized fun hikes and outdoor activities, and taught them to value and preserve the natural environment in the midst of our increasingly technological lives. He also was a stern taskmaster and required his children to be accountable for their behavior.

In a touching recognition of her parents’ strong marriage, Reeve says in spite of the tragedies and the newspapers, her parents had a unique bond with mutual respect for each other and a strong commitment to their family.

LLC’s April 5 meeting will be hosted by Judith Wachter with July Gile as the reviewer.

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Afton Federated Garden Club

Members of Afton Federated Garden Club met 1:30 p.m. March 15 at Afton Community Center. President Shirley Wallace called the meeting to order at 1:40 p.m. with members repeating the Pledge of Allegiance and Club Collect. Roll call was answered by 13 members.

Minutes of the February meeting were read by Monica Huddleson. Motion to accept the minutes as read was made by Ginny Quick and seconded by Judy Weese. There was no treasurer’s report.

Audrey McDowell shared an article and picture from Osceola Sentinel-Tribune of a master gardener, Mike Boldon, working with two students to help take care of plants at the school.

Upcoming events include March 23 Wallace Center Workshop at Orient UMC; a party June 28 with Pella Garden Club which includes lunch, raffle, silent auction and speaker, Marcia Leeper, with theme being “pollinators and plants that love them;” and Ladies’ Day Out will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 6.

Donna Thomas sent a sympathy card to Joan Hackett’s family. Joan Johnson fell and broke her hip, and Boldon shared an update on her condition and her address. Wallace brought a card for Johnson, and all members signed it.

Wallace shared ink pens made of recycled pop bottles.

The club will meet 10 a.m. April 12 to clean up the Butterfly Garden in Afton then will go to Judy Harman’s to help her clean up her yard and flowers. Members should be sure to bring saws, shovels, gloves and shears. Afterwards, members will have lunch and then the regular meeting at 1:30 p.m. at Afton Community Center.

After much discussion, Beth McGrath made a motion, seconded by Iris Smith to have an interclub plant exchange this year, rather than a plant sale. All agreed. The exchange will be 1 p.m. May 8 before the regular meeting. Any plants left over will be donated to the June 3 district meeting.

Boldon made and McDowell seconded a motion to adjourn. Everyone recited the conservation pledge.

Boldon gave a very informative and interesting presentation on annuals. Boldon told the group that annuals are plants that grow from seeds, bloom and die all in one year. He said annual flowers are the supporting cast and set the mood of a yard and garden. Some popular annuals are impatiens, zinnias and marigolds. To make the color really show, plant in groups of three or more. Cutting gardens, English gardens, Butterfly gardens and tropical gardens are some of the types of flower gardens.

Hostesses Smith and Weese served a delicious lunch.

The next meeting will be April 12, meeting at 10 a.m. at the Butterfly Garden, Harman’s, lunch, and then the regular meeting at Afton Community Center. McDowell and Bev Rowe will have the program on wildflowers and are also hostesses.

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Mary Circle

Mary Circle of First Christian Church met March 21 at the church. There were five members present.

Rhonda opened the meeting with the disciple women’s prayer. Joyce Burkhead read the minutes of the last meeting. Barb gave the treasurer’s report.

There was no old business. New business discussed was the menu for March 31 Lenten service at the church.

Rhonda gave the program. Alice motioned to adjourn and Barb seconded the motion. Next meeting will be April 11 at the church.

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DAR

Eight members of the Nancy McKay Harsh Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, met March 9 at Summit House in Creston. Hostesses were Jane Briley and Judith Wachter. Regent Jan Morgan presided. For roll call, members named which era of history they would have liked to have lived in.

Susan Hayhurst of Urbandale was installed as a new member of DAR.

Lynne Schlaht gave the program, “Wedgwood – 260 Years of Pottery Production.” Josiah Wedgwood was a designer of pottery and a marketing genius. Wedgwood caught the attention of Catherine the Great, Benjamin Franklin and Martha Washington with his innovative pottery designs. In more recent times with the fall of the Berlin Wall, other markets opened as well. Wedgwood merged with Waterford and Royal Doulton in 2009, and the company is now owned by a company in Finland. On display were 15 pieces of Schlaht’s collection, and at the end of the program, she held a drawing for three of the pieces. The winners were Briley, Marjorie Kinkade and Morgan.

Briley gave the president general’s message and the conservation moment; Connie Kinkade, the national defense report and commemorative events; Bonnie Riepe, the flag moment; Schlaht, the sunshine report; and Wachter, the American Indian moment and the constitution moment. Pam Marvin told about Mary Beth Tinker and the Supreme Court case of Tinker vs. the Des Moines Board of Education.

Members will donate books for Fort Leonard Wood for the final time at the April meeting.

The State DAR Conference will be held April 26-27 in Ames at the Quality Inn. Marvin noted the assembly will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote. Attending members are encouraged to wear appropriate attire for 1919. Suzanne Atkins of Grand River, Marvin of Chariton and Jan Morgan of Greenfield will be delegates to Continental Congress to be held June 26-30 in Washington, D.C.

The next meeting will be 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 13, at Summit House. Suzanne Adkisson will give the program, “Conservation.” Roll call will be “name your favorite bird.” Hostesses will be Connie Kinkade and Tessa Hull.

New members are always welcome. Anyone that is a descendant of an American Revolution soldier is eligible. Call Marjorie Kinkade at 641-782-2503 for more information.

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Crest Area Theatre

Eight members of Crest Area Theatre attended the March 4 general membership meeting on the stage of the Performing Arts Center (P.A.C.) at the YMCA. President Linda Huffman conducted the business meeting.

Jules Mullin has agreed to maintain the C.A.T. website and website correspondence. Board policy for loaning C.A.T. equipment and property was tabled until the March meeting. Bill Mullin reported that a system to improve communication between backstage and the sound booth is still in the fact-finding stage and will hopefully be finalized at the April meeting.

John Calahan, director of “The Music Man - Concert Version,” shared information about the production to be given 6 p.m. Sunday, June 30, at the bandshell at McKinley Park. In case of rain, the production will be held at the P.A.C. at the YMCA. Auditions are tentatively set for April 23 and 25 on the P.A.C. stage. Adults and children interested in being in the show should begin thinking about a song to sing for auditions. The musical will be performed in conjunction with Creston’s 150th birthday.

The next meeting will be 7 p.m. Monday, April 1, on the P.A.C. stage. Plan on attending if you are interested in any aspect of theater.

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Ladies Lakeshore Auxiliary

Ladies Lakeshore Auxiliary met March 27.

Canasta winners were Joy Seeley, first; Mary Kline, second; and Connie Kerrigan, third.

Joan Chubick won the door prize.

Janice Munstermann will host cards and chatter Wednesday, April 3.