Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Three County Clubs Select Homemaker's Of The Year

Julene Hulan has been selected as the `Homemaker of the Year' for the Redland Extension Homemakers Club. She has been actively involved in county and community activities through the EHC for the past 50 years.

She is a wife, mother, grandmother and homemaker. She has raised two children who are educated and are involved in responsible professions.

In the EHC club she has held various offices and leadership roles. Her faithful attendance at each of the meetings is always noted. Many times she is responsible for the physical surroundings of the meeting place.

She has consistently served as secretary-treasurer for the past 25 years. She serves as hostess, co-hostess and program leader her regularly assigned time and if someone cannot serve she volunteers to take their place. Any project the EHC sponsors she takes active part in moral support, active leadership and participation.

She is very active in all kinds of food and crop production. She and her husband are well known for their productivity of products, new methods of seed varieties and follow conservation measures.

She is well known in the community for all kinds of food preservation: freezing, canning, drying, preserving, jelly making, including in her preservation wild fruits and wild game. She raises and preserves all types of poultry, including several breeds of chickens, guineas, turkeys, ducks and other fowls. Not only does she preserve wild game and teach methods of correct cooking procedures, she helps in the acquiring of it, whether by hunting or fishing.

She has served four years on the county level as food preservation chairman. She trained and qualified as a judge and for years judged for other counties in this area. Due to serious surgery, her judging has been limited this past year.

Julene is also very active in her community. She is a member of her local church, sings in the choir, teaches in the Sunday school and Bible school. She is consistently involved in community showers, and social activities. She is an active member of the fire department auxiliary. She attends meetings, helps raise funds, and helps answer the emergency calls and even has been known to aid in the fire fighting.

Julene sets an example and a model for young homemakers in family, community and EHC involvement. She is well known for her "old time southern cooking" and yet tries the new methods and techniques.

Julene's favorite hobby is attending and participating in farm sales and weekly auctions.

She truly exemplifies the value of the EHC clubs in developing effective homemakers.

Nancy Smith has been selected as the `Homemaker of the Year' for Fair Hills Extension Homemakers Club.

She has been a member of Fair Hills Extensiosn Club for eight years, serving as the club's vice president for the past three years. When she became a member she never realized all the good things the clubs do.

She has helped with various food drives. Helping with the fair, she was able to see all the hard work which is done behind the scenes. She enjoyed entering items and never dreamed of winning a ribbon.

As a nurse, she is very concerned about health matters, especially for the senior citizens since they have started a path to a better future and making a difference.

She states that the Fair Hills Club has a very good group of ladies and she was so thrilled when she was recognized by the club. She further states she has learned so much from these ladies and knows it will make her a better person, homemaker and citizen of the community.

Ruthie (Huey) Shewbirt was selected `Homemaker of the Year' for the Forest Hill Extension Homemakers Club.

As a member of EHC there are many advantages for the modern homemaker just as there were in the days when it was known as Home Demonstration Club. This is true because the focus of programs changes with the times.

The clubs move forward to cover issues as they apply to families in the present day. In times past it may have been more important to help stretch the food dollar to feed large families. Today perhaps it is more important to know how to handle a nine to five job and stil have time for family. EHC covers all the bases.

"I feel that EHC has given me a better understanding of the importance of working with an organized group," Shewbirt said. "I not only have what I have learned but also what all the other members in the county know at my disposal. It's a good feeling to know there is someone else out there ready to help."

As a member of Forest Hill EHC she is presently serving as president. It has been a learning experience for her as she has only been in EHC for about eight years. She is till learning.

She has attended 12 local meetings this past year and hosted two meetings in her home and presented two programs to the club. Although she has invited several prospective members, none has become members.

As president of the local club she is also a county board member. She stated she attended six board meetings, but missed some because of circumstances beyond her control.

She also attended two council meetings this past year and says she really enjoyed being there. She was unable to attend some of the leader learning sessions, but did manage to attend two of them.

She entered six items in the county fair in various categories and also made a quilt block for the quilt the county EHC gave away at the fair.

She was chosen as a member of the home economics committe and is looking forward to serving with the other committee members.

As a volunteer from the club in the county cancer crusade she met some new neighbors and renewed some old acquaintances. As a blood donor in the county blood drive she feels she is providing a needed service and helping someone when they need it most.

At Christmas the Nevada County courthouse was decorated for the first time with "Henry's Lights." The Forest Hill Club helped provide refreshments for the occasion and she provided some cookies. Everyone loved the lights.

In preparation for the fair she and three other ladies helped clean and set up the buildings and acted as hostesses. She helped plan and set up the educational booth for the club. She also helps in the nursing home when called upon.

After being without a home economist for quite a few months she feels very fortunate to have Dr. Charlotte Gorman in that capacity now and welcomes her and enjoys working with her.

EHC has almost become a family affair. Her daughter is a member and her husband is very supportive and even helps when he can. She looks forward to another year in this worthwhile organization.