Alpha Sigma Master
Iowa Alpha Sigma Master Chapter No. 1632 met Thursday evening, May 23, in regular session at the A&G restaurant. President Loretta Kelly called the meeting together with the opening ritual. During roll call, members related how they celebrated Mother’s Day. There were three members absent.
Minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. There were no communications to review. It was noted that Marilyn Larimore had provided the place mats, napkins and Mother’s Day favors. There were no treasurer’s nor committee reports. Because of the absences, installation of officers was postponed until the next meeting which will be June 13 at Kelly’s.
Kelly reviewed the history of Mother’s Day for the program. She noted how it was initiated in 1905 by Anna Reeves Jarvis strictly to honor mothers and her disappointment with how quickly it was commercialized. President Woodrow Wilson made it an official day in 1914.
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Afton Federated Garden Club
Members of Afton Federated Garden Club met 1 p.m. May 10 at Afton Community Center for an interclub plant exchange before the regular meeting. Any extra plants will be donated to the plant sale June 3 at the district meeting.
President Shirley Wallace called the meeting to order with all repeating the Pledge of Allegiance and club collect. Roll call was answered by 14 members. Minutes of the April meeting were read by Monica Huddleson. Motion to accept was made by Ginny Quick and seconded by Vice President Iris Smith. Smith gave the treasurer’s report. Motion was made by Gwen Sandeman and seconded by Beth McGrath to accept the report. Wallace presented a bill for supplies. Marilyn Larimore made a motion to pay the bill, seconded by Judy Weese.
The club tour has been moved to May 24. Members will meet 8 a.m. Friday at Cedar Lane Amish Greenhouse, north of Redding. It was discussed, and they decided to go ahead with the scheduled June meeting. Plans are to meet at noon Friday, June 14, at a shelter house near the Blue Star Memorial at Three Mile Lake for a potluck picnic. Larimore will pick up the chicken, Wallace and Huddleson will provide the beverages. Everyone is to bring a covered dish and their own tableware. The group won’t have a regular meeting unless they need to discuss something before the July meeting.
Monday, June 3, is District 5, 6 and 7 annual meeting to be held at Oakwood United Methodist Church, 400 NE 56th St., in Des Moines.The club and Woodland Hills Garden Club are in charge of the plant sale. Set up for the sale will begin at 7:30 a.m. Several members have volunteered to help. Wallace passed a sign-up sheet for going to the district meeting.
Members discussed what to do for National Garden Week, which is June 2-8. The “Spring 2019” NGC of Iowa has an article that they decided to submit to the newspapers along with a poem “Planting Your Spring Garden” from the Cromwell Congregational Church of Christ shared by Dixie Shinkle.
National Garden (NGC) Week is June 2-8 and NGC Garden Week is an opportunity to encourage pride in the community, interest new members and work with other groups to be part of those efforts. This is a good time for the Federated Garden Clubs of Iowa to promote the NGC objectives of beautification, education of environmental efforts, gardening and involvement of garden clubs in the community.
Wallace passed a sign-up sheet around for members to share things, other than club projects, that they do during the year in our community.
Judy Harmon thanked the club for its help with her flowers and yard. She also shared a website that is a good reference for house plant questions. It is www.houseplantmasterclass.com.
Weese made the motion to adjourn, seconded by Larimore. All recited the conservation pledge.
Carolyn Hubatka gave a very interesting presentation about birds’ feet. She told the group that many birds are called perching birds. They have three toes that point forward and one that points backwards. Hubatka said when the bird’s foot touches a perch the muscles and tendons in its legs cause the toes to automatically tighten, and when it rises to fly away, the muscles and tendons loosen their grip. Hubatka told that this automatic response is especially handy when the bird is sleeping 20 feet up in a tree.
Hubatka, hostess, served a delicious lunch.
After the meeting, members planted flowers in the planters around the square in Afton.
The next meeting will be at noon June 14 at Three Mile Lake for a potluck lunch and visiting. No business meeting is planned.
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Members of Afton Federated Garden Club met and visited the Cedar Lane Amish Greenhouse north of Redding to start the annual club tour. Their next stop was the Conception Abbey in Conception, Missouri, where Brother Cyprian OSB gave a tour of the Basilica, then Brother Joseph OSB gave a tour of their beautiful grounds, flower gardens and greenhouse. He gave each member a four-pack of flowers he had started. Cyprian joined the group for a delicious lunch at the Abby. They drove around the Clyde Monastery, where the Sisters live and work, which was beautiful and impressive. Next was a visit to Deen’s Greenhouse, and the members headed back to Redding where they stopped at two stores, then headed home with their purchases.
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VFW Post 1797
VFW Post 1797 met May 14 at the Elks Lodge in Creston; six members and guests were present for dinner.
Commander Gary O’Daniels called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. with 11 members present.
The post draped the charter for veterans, Dean Paxon, Clare Frizell and James Overcamper.
Service officers reported 13 hours for community service, 39 hours for honor guard, four hours at the bloodmobile and 63 hours at the hospital, for a total of 119 hours. Officers also traveled 337 miles for veterans.
Minutes and QM reports were read and approved.
In old business, the spring district meeting was held April 13 at Ottumwa with two members attending, new officers were elected and flower pots for Uptown Creston were purchased through CWC.
In new business, Armed Forces Day will be May 18 at McKinley Park in conjunction with Union County Veterans Affairs. VA reps from Des Moines will be on hand to answer questions.
The state VFW fundraiser is underway for a 2018 Ford Escape or $15,000 cash option. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased from Denny Abel at 641-782-0517. The drawing will be June 8.
SWCC scholarship winners for fall 2019 are Sadie Green of Creston and Connor Eaton of Mount Ayr. Each student will receive $250.
Memorial Day programs are 8:30 a.m. DAR at McKinley Park, 9:30 a.m. at Calvary Cemetery, 10:45 a.m. at Graceland Cemetery and at noon at Greenlawn Cemetery in Afton.
In State VFW news, a proposed redistricting proposal was discussed.
Meeting adjourned at 8 p.m. The next meeting will be Tuesday, June 11, 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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DAR
Nine members of the Nancy McKay Harsh Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, met Saturday, May 11, at Summit House in Creston. Hostesses were Elaine Brown and Rhonda Oliphant. Special guest was Delia Mozquedo, winner of the DAR Good Citizenship Award, who was accompanied by her parents.
Mozquedo, a senior at Murray High School, read her essay for the DAR Good Citizenship Award. Jane Briley gave a summary of Mozquedo’s achievements and goals and presented her with a certificate and award money. Kallie Kinney, a senior at Lamoni High School, won the state scholarship award of $500 but was unable to attend the meeting. Earl Comstock won the veteran’s award.
Members answered roll call by offering ideas for meetings in 2019-20.
Members reported on various topics including the American Indian moment, president general’s message, national defense report, women’s health issues and others.
Members will continue to collect books for the new Ft. Leonard Wood Library for another year. Regent Jan Morgan gave a report from the DAR State Conference which was held April 26-28 in Ames. Pam Marvin of Chariton and Suzanne Hayhurst of Urbandale also attended.
Lynne Schlaht resigned as secretary of the group and Marvin will take her place.
A Memorial Day program will be given 8:30 a.m Monday, May 27, at McKinley Park in Creston. Connie Kinkade and Schlaht will work on the program. DAR members will decorate the graves of deceased members before Memorial Day.
The next meeting will be 9:30 a.m. June 8 at Summit House. Members will play DARopoly. Hostesses are Bonnie Riepe and Marvin. Roll call will be “What are your summer plans?”
Any woman, 21 or older, who can trace her family back to a Revolutionary War soldier, is eligible for DAR membership. Contact Marjorie Kinkade at 641-782-2503. if interested.
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Ladies Lakeshore Auxiliary
Ladies Lakeshore Auxiliary met May 29.
Canasta winners were Joy Seeley, first; Sharon Gile, second; and Connie Bailey, third.
Gwen Sandeman won the door prize.
Rose Blakesley will host cards and chatter Wednesday, June 5.