Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

It's all about the food for local Extension Homemaker Clubs

It's all about food.

Well, not really, but there's no doubt the potluck lunch doesn't hurt a thing.

The Red Springs Extension Homemakers' Club has 38 members, and several of those have been active for more than a half century. So what is it that keeps them interested?

"The food," said Elvin and Mary McBride in unison. The entire group laughed but then admitted that the fellowship and friendship are what keeps them coming back, month after month.

Pat Gaylord, the club's newest member, said the fact that the club members share lunch just brings them all closer. Relatively new to the Gurdon area, Gaylord said it's also a great way to meet people.

But it's more than just lunch. The club is active in the Clark County Fair, community service projects and craft classes. The monthly meetings usually include a program. The June 17 meeting featured club president Elizabeth Wilson talking about preserving memories, including photos. Wilson said she started the program with the question, "Where do you store your photos?" Each member then introduced herself and answered the question.

The club's officers include Wilson  who won the county's award for EHC Homemaker of the Year  vice-president Kathy Bauer, secretary/treasurer Sybil Harris and reporter Mary McBride. According to information from the club, member's ages range from 23 to 87, 32 are women and six are men, three are current county officers and members of the club have volunteered for all county, district and state programs.

The club's activities for the past year included a food drive around the Thanksgiving holidays, providing blankets and Afghans for the Children's Hospital in Little Rock and the "Apples for Education" project, in which club members presented apples and cards to about 150 Gurdon School employees. The club also awarded scholarships to two Gurdon youth this year and came to the aid of a family who'd lost their home to fire.

But whether the club is gathering food for a food drive or learning to make potato bracelets, the bottom line is they do it together.

And that, they say, is what makes the Red Springs EHC a great club.

For more information about the Red Springs EHC, contact Elizabeth Wilson at 353-2538, Sybil Harrison at 353-4692 or Denise Ezelle at 353-2832.