By Staff
The Morgan County Association for Family and Community Education met Oct. 20 at the Extension Center in Hartselle for its annual Achievement Luncheon.
President Joyce Martin welcomed everyone and introduced guests Wanda Whaley, AAFCE state president, and Ruth Ann Stalnaker, District 1 education coordinator. Athelia Gibbs led the creed and the Pledge and Allegiance. Billie Phillips of Decatur club gave the devotion. Martin the read a poem called "The Diary of Life."
The minutes from last year's achievement luncheon were read by Athelia Gibbs in the absence of Secretary Ramona James. The clubs answered roll call by listing their achievements of the past year. They are as follows:
Bethel: Gave gifts to nursing home; collected slightly used purses, caps, toys, socks and toiletries for nursing home patients; collected makeup bags full of makeup, tissues, combs, brushes, etc. for The Caring Place; collected school supplies for The Caring Place; sent cards to shut-ins; golden agers project; prepared a meal for the family of deceased member Donna Bentley and gave a plant in her memory; sent Valentines to veterans; and sent card fronts to children's homes.
Decatur: Gave gifts to nursing homes, gave clothes to the needy, visited the rest home, prepared meals for deceased members' families.
Hartselle: Adopted a lady from the nursing home and made a quilt for her; sent cards to the sick and elderly; saved stamps for veterans; participated in the Salvation Army Angel Tree; and donated money to the cancer foundation.
Hopewell: Gave to charities of Hope Place, Foster Children, Avenue of Flags, Jerry's Kids, and Mental Health; sent stamps and cards to veterans; made a cultural arts trip; honored special people; and gained three new members.
Oden Ridge: Helped the fire department sponsor the community Founders Day and honored the fore department with a reception during Fire Prevention Week.
Rock Creek: Prepared meals for deceased community members' families; gave a community Thanksgiving lunch; made arrangements and decorated 600 old graves at Lawrence Cove Cemetery and a few at Rock Creek Cemetery; collected newspapers, tins, egg cartons and new clothes hangers for the Mental Health Center; fixed 13 shoe boxes of gifts for children and teenagers for Christmas; sent get-well and sympathy cards; participated in Morgan County Clean Up Day; contributed to the Eva Library and Rock Creek Fire Department; gave books to newborns; collected cards and stamps for St. Jude's; and gained two new members.
Nell Jackson of the Hartselle club gave the memorial service. She read Rev. 14:13 and then read a short eulogy for each deceased member and lit a candle in her memory. They are as follows: Lucille Tucker, Decatur; Donna Bentley, Bethel; and Lois Roberts and Stella Jones, Hartselle. Jackson read a poem entitled "Sweet Be Thy Rest" and the group observed a moment of silence.
Vice President Carol Potts announced the awards. Morgan County FCE's Club Woman of the Year was Lucy Garner of Hopewell club. She was a charter member of the club and has been a member for 64 years. Her motto has been, "Do the best I can with what I have." In the scrapbook competition, Hopewell won first place and Bethel won the plaque for having the largest percentage of members present.
Old business: The project of collecting purses, caps and toys for the nursing homes has been successful. They have been collected and are ready to be passed out. The ICU at Decatur General Hospital has been contacted and have approved the placement of baskets of toiletries and snack food in the waiting room of ICU. A committee was appointed to oversee this project-Laverne Stacks, chairman, Bette Vest and Mary Virginia Roan. It was suggested that maybe each club could take a month to furnish the basket. Dot Martin reported that Sunshine Haven had no needs that we could fill at this time. Visits were suggested.
New business: Potts asked for directors to fill the positions of education. They are as follows: Family, Dot Martin, Hopewell; Environment, Margaret Smith, Rock Creek; Global, Laverne Stacks, Bethel; Home, Nelle Jackson, Hartselle; Health, Billie Phillips, Decatur; Marketing, Athelia Gibbs; Membership, Joyce Martin.
Wanda Whaley, state president, commended our county and the individual clubs for all the good work they had done in the past year. She announced the State Conference to be held June 8-10, 2004, in Montgomery and invited everyone to attend.
Ruth Ann Stalnaker, District 1 coordinator, spoke on the "Tune Out Violence" campaign. She challenged us to get entries for the Charter Counts essay contest for fourth graders. The topic is trustworthiness. She announced the Spring Meeting for March 29, 2004, in Cherokee County. Gibbs reported on the Fall Gathering held Oct. 9 in Rainsville.
Mary Kennedy of Maison Morgan presented "A Day in the Life of a FCE Woman" fashion show. Garner asked the blessing and lunch was served by Hopewell club.
After lunch, Margaret Smith gave the nominating committee report. Carol Potts was nominated for president, Dot Martin for vice president (to fill Carol's unexpired term), and Ramona James for secretary. Martin asked for nominations from the floor and, there being none, the slate was elected unanimously.
The House of Unclaimed Blessings from Canaan Baptist Church in Bessmer provided entertainment with two skits.
Door prizes were given away with Gibbs in charge. President Martin thanked Rock Creek club for doing the registration, Bethel club for the programs, Hopewell club for the decorations, and Billie Ruwe for the entertainment. The meeting was adjourned.