Club news

St. Mary CCW

St. Mary Council of Catholic Women met on Feb. 18 in the Huels Room. Sister Lucille Zerr opened the meeting with prayer.

Pat Eftink distributed copies of the treasurer's report.

About 50 people attended the Mardi Gras covered dish dinner held after the closing of 40 hours adoration on Feb. 16.

Judy Stricker, international chair, asked us to continue to pray for the people of Haiti.

The Diocesan Spring Assembly will be held at Poplar Bluff, Mo., on April 16 and 17. A filled picnic basket will be donated for the silent auction.

St. John Council of Catholic in Leopold, Mo., will host the Spring Retreat on March 27.

We will assemble Easter baskets at the next meeting, which is Thursday.

The Rev. Patrick Nwokoye presented the program, we should maintain silence to "Be quiet and listen" to God speaking to us. Father recommends reading Proverbs and Ecclesiastes from the Bible.

The February Circle leaders served refreshments.

American Legion Auxiliary

The American Legion Auxiliary met March 10 for lunch at the legion hall. Gladys Lawrence, Vergie Templeton and Frieda Howard were the hostesses. The monthly drawing was won by Cindy Cruse and the attendance prize won by Dorothy Klein.

President Patsy Kimbrel called the meeting to order and Chaplain Catherine Allison voiced the opening prayer.

Committee chairmen were called upon for their reports. Klein reported on the get well and thinking of you cards she sent. She also thanked the women who helped at the monthly birthday party at the Missouri Veterans Home. Linda Kern, membership chairman, reported goal is 161 members; 12 more members are needed to reach our goal.

Members will meet at 9 a.m. Monday at the legion hall to tack quilts for the homeless. The next tacking date will be April 26.

Barbara Yallaly, national security chairman, shared an article "When the river ran backward." It is a detail of the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811 and 1812, when the Mississippi River ran north instead of south. Towns were thrown into the river. Scientists calculate that at least three of the New Madrid earthquakes would have exceeded 8.0 on the Richter scale. Gerri Stone reported on the need for all to have an earthquake kit. Stone handed out a list and there was quite a bit of discussion on the items needed.

Mildred Varvell will be the Sgt. at Arms for the rest of the year.

Six girls have been selected to go to Missouri Girls State. The briefing for the girls will be at 1 p.m. on May 2nd at the Sikeston, Mo., Legion Post 114.

The next auxiliary meeting will be at noon on April 14.

Cape County Democratic Women's Club

The Cape Girardeau County Democratic Women's Club met March 11 at Ryan's Steakhouse for their monthly meeting. Faye Schreiner, chaplain, asked the blessing before the meal. Linda Sanders, president, called the meeting to order with The Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag.

There were guests attending from Ripley County Women's Club -- Bobbie Benson, president, and Dee Garrison, secretary. Cindy Jenks, president of the 8th District Missouri Federation of Democratic Women's Club also attended.

The ladies of the Dunklin County Democratic Women's Club are hosting the 8th District Spring Convention in Malden Community Center on April 10. The hospitality event will be held at the Malden Country Club at the Airport Complex. Several from the Cape Girardeau women's group plan to attend.

The next meeting for the Cape Girardeau County Women will be held at 5 p.m. on April 8 at Dexter Bar-B-Que. War hero, Tommy Sowers, will be the guest speaker. His topic is to be raising the quality of life for the 8th District which has 28 counties in Southeast Missouri.

For more information, call Sanders at 243-5128.

Alpha Mu Master

The Alpha Mu Master Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi met at the home of Marilyn Schwab with Mary Schwab serving as co-hostess.

Judie Herbst thanked the chapter for their selection of her as chapter Valentine Queen. She was crowned at the recent All-Chapter Valentine banquet.

The co-hostesses gave a program about George Washington. They spoke about his childhood, as well as his career as a surveyor, soldier and president of the United States.

Town & Country FCE

The Town & Country FCE Club met on March 11 at the home of Darlene McCain. Carolyn Thompson, president, called the meeting to order. The pledges to The U.S. and Missouri flags were recited, as well as read the Club Collect and the National FCE Creed.

Mary Klaproth led a game Biblical Pairs.

A thank-you note was read that was received from Cottonwood Treatment Center.

The by-laws were changed to read that the August dues will be $30.

Klaproth and Thompson reported on the March council meeting.

We discussed and made final plans for the meal, snacks, and decorations for All Clubs Day which we are hosting on Monday.

Klaproth handed out volunteer hour sheets and Golden Bookmark worksheets to those who needed them.

Lois Seabaugh gave a short program on colorectal cancer.

The State FCE Conference will be held Sept. 23 and 24. Scholarship forms were available for first-time attendees.

The club decided to buy three luminaries for the Cape County Relay for Life in memory of members Margaret Glastetter, Norma Schreiber and friends.

Each member is to bring four Little Golden Books that will be given to babies born in May for the Day of the Family to our next meeting. Also, each member is to bring two bingo prizes for the Lutheran Home. Shirley Heise is going to buy ten large print word search books.

Klaproth gave the program on ways to economize and also used "Hearth fire series 22: Woman to woman -- forgetfulness or Alzheimer's?"

Members brought a large variety of items for the Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry.

Club Out will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Red Lobster. Please bring Easter candy for Cottonwood Treatment Center.

The next meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on April 8 and Seabaugh will be the hostess.

Oak Ridge Homemakers FCE

The Oak Ridge Homemakers FCE Club met March 16, at the Jackson Elks Lodge meeting room with thirteen members answering the roll call of "I am improving my health by ...". Mariesa Lesch was the hostess.

"The Battle Hymn of the Republic" was sung and Carole Jo Byrd gave the devotion "Sack lunches for soldiers."

Nelda Crader reported having completed the County State Report on "Community successful program" and mailed it for the Cape Girardeau County FCE Clubs.

Jean Rehak and Marilyn Retherford shared information on the recent county council meeting preparing for Child Advocacy Day, All Clubs Day, SEMO District Fair, Leader Training and County Work Day.

Members were given itineraries for tours the council will sponsor in 2010. Mary Klaproth will direct the tours.

Crader, Lesch, and Retherford will represent the group at the Southeast District meeting in Doniphan, Mo., on May 6.

The club's project for the month will be to buy a digital camera for recording club activities and to provide game prizes for All Clubs Day.

A yard sale will be conducted by the club in Jackson on May 7 and 8. The advertisements for this event will be forthcoming with Barbara Barks and Rehak co-chairing the event. The money raised will be used to support the club throughout the year with local projects conducted monthly by the Oak Ridge Club.

Retherford, county chairman, reported that 102 essays representing five schools had participated in the recent Literacy Contest with essays and artwork. The winners are: first, Kate Appleman from Immaculate Conception; second, Turk Smith from Oak Ridge Elementary; and third, Lauryn Tillman from the Clippard Elementary School. Appleman also won first place in the Southeat Missouri District and will advance to the state contest.

Mary Dee Ford has been involved in two workdays with her church group to make more than 100 dolls for mission work in Romania and El Salvador.

All Oak Ridge members have been invited to join other county members for a workday making items to be used by the TouchPoint Autism Services of Southeast Missouri in April.

-- From staff reports