March 28, 2024

Club Notes

Grinnell Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution

A meeting of the Grinnell Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution was called to order by Regent Darlene Leib on Saturday, March 9, at the Centre for Arts & Artists. Guests were Tina Antle, Lyn Peterson, June Hand, Suzanne VanZante, Patricia McIlrath, Nancy Brown and Paul Mattingly. The meeting was hosted by Kris Macy and Kathy Jones, and the program was arranged by Betty Carr

Betty Carr introduced Mattingly, who gave a presentation on the historic building that houses his store and on gold coins.

The following reports were given: President General Message report by Vice Regent, Kris Macy; National Defense report by Dee Meyers, Good Citizen report by Betty Carr, Protocol report by Jeanette Shannon; Flag report by Marsha Wilson; and Women’s Issue by Barbara Hug.

Registrar’s report shows 55 members, two associate members, one lifetime member, one new member, two applicants whose applications have been verified and will be approved by the National DAR Board of Management, and three prospective members whose applications are being worked on. Four women were voted in as perspective members: VanZante, Peterson, Antle and Hand. Kathy Jones was given the Oath of Membership.

Thank you notes from Germany were read for the food coupons the group send to the base, from Bacone College where the club sent Christmas stockings and from the Department of Veteran’s Affairs for three quilted handmade lap robes that were given to three women veterans with spinal cord injuries.

Any woman with a direct lineal connection to a Revolution War ancestor who is interested in joining DAR may contact Regent Darlene Leib at (641) 792-0174 or Registrar Barbara Hug at (641) 791-9485.

Barrett Homemakers

The Barrett Homemakers enjoyed a luncheon at the First Street Bistro for their March meeting. Ten members and one guest, Teresa Veihl, were present. Those attending were Barbara Ashby, Pat Bates, Emily Ehler, Irene Erwin, Delores Klemm, Bobbette Palmer, Barbara Tininenko, Linda Van Maanen, Gertrude Van Sickel and Dorothy Wood.

Cards were signed to be sent to Maxine Deppe and Betty Benskin, club members who now reside in Marshalltown.

Hostess Emily Ehler showed slides of the 1967 Barrett Homemakers Club 35th anniversary celebration and the September 1967  Club tour to Dubuque, Iowa. For many years this club traveled annually to various locations around the state of Iowa and into Wisconsin and Illinois inviting friends and neighbors to journey with them.

The April meeting will be held at the home of Irene Erwin in Newton.

Spirit of ’76 Questers

The Spirit of ’76 Questers met Wednesday night, March 6, at the home of Betty Snook.

After a brief business meeting, Snook presented the program “The Great Buttermilk Race in Jasper County.” She wore an apron and an old-fashioned dust cap as she spoke of the difficulty of churning butter “in the good old days” before refrigeration was available. She divided members into two teams and gave each team a canning jar with cream to shake as she talked. The first team to get butter was awarded butter mints. She told about the song “The 12 Days of Christmas” and noted the “eight maids a’milking” didn’t have it so easy. Not only did they milk the cows, but they also were in charge of the milk, skimming off the cream to make butter, churning the butter and working all the milk equipment. Snook also noted Cleopatra bathed in buttermilk, a cosmetic treatment for the skin, and former president Jimmie Carter’s favorite beverage was buttermilk.

Snook showed her collection of wooden buttermolds and paddles, a miniature separator, miniature pottery butter churn and a small dairy church. She also passed around a collection of “cup plats” formerly called butter pats and displayed a collection of pressed glass butter dishes.

Following her presentation, co-hostess Carmen Pierce served a luncheon of old-fashioned ginger bread, banana bread, coffee cake and fruit cups.

The next meeting will be the last Wednesday of this month at the Betty Newell residence.