Campster Club celebrates 70 years

Fourteen members of the Campster Club of Cape Girardeau met recently to celebrate the club's 70th anniversary. Eight charter members organized the club on Feb. 14, 1934, and membership grew to a dozen by the end of the first year.

In the early years, the club met in a one-room brick school called Campster School. Club members were advocates for health, the needy, the enhancement of education and 4-H.

Funds were raised by auctions, candy and food sales, raffles, auctions, chartered bus trips and traveling baskets.

In 1966, Campster School closed and the club grew into a community club helping with the Cerebral Palsy Center, donating to local charities and still promoting 4-H. Some fund raisers were discontinued due to decreased membership. By 1988, meeting at the Campster School building was no longer an option; meetings became bimonthly. Dues, fund raisers and donations were discontinued.