Club news 3/21/07

Wonderworkers FCE

The Wonderworkers FCE Club met March 8, with Nell Kieninger serving as hostess. Dorothy Lichtenegger, president, appointed Joy Engelhart as acting secretary in the absence of Margie E. Reisenbichler. The Club Collect was given.

Engelhart will be in charge of the April meeting to be held at the home of Lichtenegger. The program will be based on the workshop "30-Minute Homemade Meals." The meeting time has been changed to 11 a.m., and members are to bring a side dish, salad or dessert.

Lichtenegger reported on the county commission meeting, All Clubs Day, which will be March 28 at the Extension Center in Jackson, and the District FCE meeting, which will be April 26 at Doniphan, Mo.

Items for the Jamaican medical mission and magazines for nursing homes were collected. Reservation sheets were handed out for the FCE tours for the Loretta Lynn and Opry Show on Thursday, historical places in Springfield, Ill., on June 22 and 23, and the Carl Hurly Show on Sept. 8.

For the next meeting, members are to bring flowers or flower bulbs to be exchanged.

VFW Auxiliary 10495

Members of the VFW Auxiliary 10495 met March 8, with president Vera Jean Voges presiding. Charles Hutson and Harlan Siebert, two members of the honor guard from American Legion Post 158, demonstrated folding the American flag.

The fabric has been purchased for the body drapes that members will make and donate to the Missouri Veterans Home. The drapes are used for the final homecoming service for veterans.

Pauline Nitsch, community service chairwoman, reported she has several entries for the Patriotic Art Contest from Saxony Lutheran High School and Jackson High School. These are being sent to the state office for judging.

Bernice Haynes, veterans and family support chairwoman, announced the following instructions for anyone wanting free military package shipping overseas: Call (800) 610-8734. You will get a recording. Choose option one twice, and a representative will come on the line. Tell them you would like to have the free military package sent to you. Your package should arrive within eight to 10 business days. You will receive supplies including boxes, tape and address labels and custom forms for eight packages. You may call as many times as needed.

A quilt is being set up at the home of Fern Shultz for the fall raffle. For quilting dates, call Shultz.

Lamplighters FCE

The Lamplighters FCE Club met Feb. 17 at Oak Ridge Baptist Church. The theme was "Mardi Gras -- All That Jazz." Jo Ann Hahs, president, presided over the meeting with 12 members present. Members paraded the shoebox floats they made using the Mardi Gras theme. Husbands of members voted on their favorite float following various themes.

Linda Freeman planned the meal using authentic Mardi Gras foods and members prepared recipes. The decorating committee was Beverly Meyer, Roberta Seabaugh and Hahs.

Jackie Kurre gave the devotional "First Corinthians Revisited."

Bill Freeman prepared and showed a film presentation of "Quilt of Love," which featured the making of a quilt by club members and volunteers. Donations were accepted to benefit Natalie Goyette, daughter of Judy and Dale Myers. Dan Sebaugh of Daisy won the quilt. The quilt committee was comprised of Verla Mangels, Freeman and Meyer.

Lamplighters FCE will be hostess for Monday's Cape Girardeau County FCE All Clubs Day. Linda Sebaugh is chairwoman of the planning committee.

A donation will be given to the Oak Ridge Baptist Church in appreciation for the use of their facilities for Lamplighter meetings.

The food focus for the month was beans, and Hahs distributed a fact sheet with recipes.

The meeting ended with the distribution of Valentine's Day gifts from secret pals.

Alpha Mu Master

The Alpha Mu Master Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi met at the home of Ginger and Haskell Huffman in Benton, Mo. Marilyn Schwab was hostess with Linda Metheny serving as co-hostess. Vicki McKinney, president, presided over the meeting. Pledge training was held prior to the meeting.

Plans were made to attend the River City Players production of "Driving Miss Daisy" May 4, and to attend the Southeast Missouri State University production of "42nd Street" in April. A bus trip to the Muny Opera this summer will be discussed at the next meeting.

Mary Schwab gave the program "Craftsman and Sears Roebuck Houses." She explained segments of the book "The Houses That Sears Built" by Rosemary Thornton of Alton, Ill. The home plans and materials were offered by Sears catalog in the early 1900s at a cost of $495 to $4,115. Also offered were schools without a bathroom, modern schools with a bathroom, outhouses and chicken coops. It was pointed out that the Huffman home in Benton is a Sears home.

The next meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the home of Marsha Parrish.

Town & Country FCE

The Town & Country FCE Club met at Chinatown restaurant for its March meeting, with Judy Niswonger serving as hostess. Nine members were present. Niswonger read the poem "What Is a Grandmother?" for Grandparent's Day. President Mary Klaproth presided over the meeting.

Thank-you notes were read from Sue Jones in celebration of her 50th wedding anniversary and from the Safehouse for Women for the club's contribution.

The club received notification from the Missouri Foundation of Family and Community Education for a contribution in memory of Darlene McCain's brother, Robert Masterson.

Reports were also given on the club's visit to Cottonwood Treatment Center in February, and the March 1 Cape Girardeau County Commission meeting.

Klaproth announced plans for Monday's All Clubs Day, where two members will receive their 40-year pins, the club's Easter party at 7 p.m. Monday at Cottonwood Treatment Center, the Spring District meeting April 26, the FCE trip to a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game May 24, donating books for the National Day of the Family, and plans for taking bingo prizes to the Lutheran Home.

Fun calendars for April were passed out to each member. Carolyn Thompson gave the program on the judicial system.

Members brought candy for the bunny bags for Cottonwood Treatment Center and canned goods for the food pantry.

The next meeting will be April 19 at the home of Thompson.

Club Out will be March 29 at Bella Italia.

American Legion

The American Legion, Sons of the American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary and guests celebrated the 89th birthday of the legion March 14. The American Legion was founded March 15 through 17, 1919, during a caucus in Paris, France, and was attended by various representatives of the American Expeditionary Forces of World War I.

Guests for the evening were David Jenneman, American Legion Department commander; Melvin Amelunke, American Legion 14th District commander; Lory Stahly and Judy Thrower, representing U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson; Carl Kinnison, Cape Girardeau police chief; Doug Leslie, Cape Girardeau city manager; Rich Ennis, Cape Girardeau fire chief; and young men who had attended Missouri Boys State in 2006. The guest speaker for the evening was Maj. Ed Gargas, and the soloist was John Mills.

After dinner, Dennis Woeltje, Post 63 commander, introduced the head table. Jenneman traced the history of the American Legion from its beginning to today. He put special emphasis on the flag amendment and the care of veterans.

Woeltje welcomed everyone and spoke about the American Legion and its involvement on the local, state and national level. Robert Loos, Sons of the American Legion commander, covered the empty chair with the POW/MIA cover. Eddie Farrow, chaplain, offered a prayer, and Mills sang the national anthem.

Woeltje presented 60-year membership certificates to Ben Rudert, James Logan and John Frye. Post member Dean Moneyhan presented Terry Jones with the American Legion Teacher of the Year certificate. She is a teacher at Central Middle School.

Gargas of the National Guard spoke about the war on terrorism along with showing slides taken by him while serving in Iraq.

-- From staff reports