ASSOCIATION OF VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS

The Elkhart County Historical Museum was awarded a grant from the Elkhart County Community Foundation to create a Civil War curriculum. This is a matching grant, so the Society is hoping it can raise the funds to create the program.

The Purdue County Extension Service wrapped up the Elkhart County 4-H Fair and worked at the Indiana State Fair, which was five days longer this year. It will teach a high school financial planning program at the Work Release Center, and are working on scheduling programs at schools. The 4-H Leader Banquet is Oct. 27. Welcome to 4-H meetings are scheduled for Nov. 3 at the fairgrounds in Goshen and Nov. 5 at Trinity United Methodist Church in Elkhart, with both starting at 7 p.m. 4-H staff will attend an anti-gang conference in Plymouth today.

Goshen General Hospital is conducting annual volunteer meetings, updating volunteers on issues in the health system, including safety, expectations and customer service. They also are giving flu shots to all volunteers who want them.

Goshen College is beginning many new things as the school year opens. New-student enrollment is the highest in 20 years, and contributions are also good. One SST group just left for Peru. Requests for volunteers are on the rise.

The Window has four major programs: Katie's Kitchen, which feeds about 70 people each day for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; the Food Pantry, open every day but Wednesday; the Clothing Closet, open two days a week and supplies anyone in need; and Meals on Wheels, serving 40 people per day with seven routes Monday through Friday. All these programs require volunteers; Meals on Wheels requires the largest number (35 per week).

Helen and Sam Lapp are the new volunteer coordinators at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary. New fall volunteers are arriving. Some volunteers are staying for longer terms.

The 11th Annual MDC Goldenrod Benefit Auction was Aug. 28 and 29 at the Shipshewana Sale Barn. After all expenses were covered, almost $42,000 was netted. The new location worked very well. Many volunteers helped, and the auction and meals went smoothly. This year a chicken BBQ supper was added, which was also a fund-raiser for Project Promise. They raised an additional $3,500 after expenses. Les and Gwen Gustafson-Zook provided a musical presentation.

LaCasa Inc. continues to benefit from volunteer groups from schools and colleges. It has had volunteer groups from Concord High, Goshen Middle School, Goshen College Celebrate Service and Notre Dame Legal Aid Services, as well as an Alternative Student Break group from Northwestern University. It is kicking off its Service-Learning program with Merit Learning Center and also had groups from Interra and from Kruggel, Lawton and Co., that helped prepare an Elkhart property for its new owner.

Greencroft Goshen's 20th Annual Thelma A. Schrock Homestead, Greencroft Foundation Golf Benefit was Sept. 14 at Elcona Country Club. Because of the continued partnership with the community, and thanks to the help of residents' staff and community volunteers, they were able to raise significant funding for the Thelma A. Schrock Homestead Adult Day Services program.

Upcoming meetings: Nov. 17 at the 4-H Fairgrounds; Jan. 26 at MDC Goldenrod; March 23 at AMBS; May 25 at The Window; and Aug. 3, at Goshen General Hospital.

ELKHART COUNTY CHESS CLUB

Winners of recent club tournaments have included Kenny Kuo, Sept. 29; Roger Blaine, Oct. 6; and Kuo and Robert Lewis, Oct. 13.

The club invites all interested chess players to First Congregational Church, 431 S. Third St. at Marion Street, from 7 to 10 p.m. Tuesdays.

ELKHART LIONS CLUB

The Oct 14 topic of Tail Twister Duane Klein's weekly quiz was geography. With topics ranging from the only state with no natural lakes to the driest place on earth, he helped increase the club's treasury.

Guest speaker Barbara Vernon, senior director of Court Services for CAPS, discussed the CASA program. Court-Appointed Special Advocates are volunteers who work with children who, through no fault of their own, end up in the system. They develop relationships with the children and zealously advocate for their best interest. Currently there are 478 Elkhart County children whom the courts have ordered removed from their parents or guardians for reasons such as abuse and neglect. More volunteers are needed, as there are 262 children on the agency's waiting list.

Upcoming programs: Today Eric Amt, Wellfield Gardens project update; Oct. 28 Tara Morris, Minority Health Coalition

Meetings are at noon Wednesdays at the Matterhorn Banquet and Conference Center and are open to the public.

Web site: www.elkhartlions.org

ELKHART LUNCHEON OPTIMIST CLUB

Jenny Schrock, manager of Healthy Beginnings division, a division of the Elkhart County Health Department, spoke at the Oct. 15 meeting. The clinic is on Hudson Street in Elkhart and at 117 N. Second St. in Goshen. They provide an array of benefits for families, young mothers, new mothers, young children and more. WIC is a federally funded program and is available to families with children to age 5 and new moms who have babies to age 1. There is income eligibility for a family of four. They are renewed every six months. WIC now will give out checks for specific food items at local grocery stores. When the family has taken a nutritional program, they will also receive coupons to the BABE store. Indiana has a requirement of how many the health department can see, and they might see as many as 7,500 a month. Ninety-eight percent of the new mothers they see are on Medicaid, and a nurse is assigned to check on the new baby and mom. For the past year there were 1,080 in the program. Dental care is another situation that is very much needed for all kids 12 months to 12 years of age. The agency has also provided 804 pregnancy tests to date. The agency is always in need of gloves and stocking hats for the young children. Call 522-0104 or 535-6765 for assistance.

Upcoming: Tina Emerick, Elkhart Public Library youth department, will speak Thursday; Make a Difference Day is Saturday with games, costumes and prizes; Zone meeting Oct. 27 at Bennigan's.

Meetings are at noon Thursdays at Pumpernickel's and are open to guests.

Information: Julie Robison at rbsmurf@aol.com or 264-3145

ELKHART MORNING ROTARY

Greg Shaffer, Elcona Country Club superintendent, presented the techniques and environmental philosophy of the local golf course and of other courses at the Oct. 15 meeting. Many golf courses see the conservation of water and maintenance techniques as responsible ways to not only save money, but also present an enjoyable time in the great outdoors, with nature close at hand.

Jack Woodworth provided an account of the road cleanup, noting that Deb and Dave Beaverson had found the most interesting of discarded items, while Burne Miller found $1.32 strewn along the road. Gary Wetzel provided an update on the Rotary Day swift tower dedication at Walker Park. Club participation in these two events the was exemplary.

Steve Bollinger and Greg Gruber competed to recite the "Dark Sucker Theory" from memory, with the students from Memorial High School choosing which was most entertaining. The students also divulged a memorable moment in their lives to help club members get to know them better.

Margaret Williams was noted for having an October birthday, and was summarily fined.

Meetings are at 7 a.m. Thursdays at the Chubby Trout.

ELKHART NOON ROTARY CLUB

The club met Oct. 12. For the month of October, the club is having students from Elkhart Central High School at their meetings. John Martin introduced three students, Edgar Moreno, Danitta House-Jones and John Serapino.

Anthony Hunt, sergeant-at-arms, gave an education on multimedia and a host of statistics from the multimedia industry.

Clyde Hanes, NIBCO Industries vice president, gave information on the world economic environment.

Upcoming: Oct. 28 James Pyles with an overview of SCORE and Mentoring Business; Nov. 2 Christine Guth and Jonathon Gingerich of Ad Net; and Nov. 9 Dan Ryan presenting the Rotary Foundation.

FOUR WINDS GARDEN CLUB

The club's Sept. 15 meeting was at St. John's United Church of Christ with hostesses Lin Ladd and Tandy Stutsman. Jan Stutz and Karen Erlacher celebrated birthdays. Master Gardener Connie Richmond, member of the American Orchid Society and Dunes Kalamazoo Orchid Society, was guest speaker. Her program was the "ABC's of Orchids" that included how to choose the right orchid, the best orchids for beginners and general growing guidelines.

Information: Judy Cook, 262-9090

GOSHEN NOON KIWANIS CLUB

Margie Cowells and Sheldon Bontrager were greeters at the Oct. 13 meeting. Bob Gerring and Shannon Donat were guests.

Dave Cripe announced the recipient funds raised by his annual bike ride. This year is the 22nd year Cripe has raised funds to help others.

Jon Brookmeyer introduced speaker Austin Schwinn, and his parents, Steven and Lynette Schwinn. Austin is a senior at Goshen High School and a world-class athlete in kayaking. He told of his experiences competing in the 2009 World Championships in Portugal and in Czechoslovakia in 2008. Austin said preparing for competition has taught him the value of hard work, which is needed to reach a personal goal.

Upcoming: Middlebury Boys & Girls Club auction Nov. 21.

Meetings are at noon Tuesdays at Maplecrest Country Club and are open to the public.

Information: Roger Shipley, 534-7378

MARRIED WOMEN'S CLUB

The club met Oct. 13 at Central Christian Church for a carry-in luncheon and white elephant sale. Nancy McLaughlin gave the invocation and benediction. Pat Ortell, past president, was presiding officer. Ortell and Doris Rody co-hosted with their committee, Marilyn Grubb and JoAnn Vance. Joyce Carmien, Norma Osborne and Vance gave reports.

On October 27, the group will take the Trolley to Goshen to have lunch at Kelly Jae's.

NATIONAL SOCIETY OF THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, WILLIAM TUFFS CHAPTER

The chapter met Oct. 12 with 37 members and guests present. Jo Ann Cummins, registrar, introduced guests and two members transferring to this chapter. Reports were read on American Heritage and Conservation, Veterans Project, Constitution sidelights, the National Defense Report and the President General's Message.

Sherry Welty, vice regent, introduced Melany Weaver, who then introduced five of her children, who are members of the Jacob Leer Society's C.A.R. Society (Children of the American Revolution). They performed a short skit about lighthouses of South Carolina and particularly the Morris Island Lighthouse located near the Charleston Harbor. Funds are being raised to prevent its demolition.

Following refreshments, table decorations were awarded as door prizes.

The next meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16, at First Presbyterian Church, 200 E. Beardsley Ave. The public is welcome.

The DAR is a nonprofit, nonpolitical, volunteer women's service organization dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American history and securing America's future through better education.

Information: Sarah Linn Downing, slinnd@msn.com

ROTARY CLUB OF GOSHEN

Art Eby welcomed visiting Rotarians and guests to the Oct. 9 meeting.

Sharon Risser introduced Christine Guth and Jonathan Gingerich, who presented a program on plans to bring a Clubhouse, under the auspices of the Anabaptist Disabilities Network, to Elkhart County. The mission of the Clubhouse program is to envision a community of recovery, hope and dignity, empowering people who live with mental illness through friendship, meaningful work and cultivation of strengths. Jonathan Gingerich provided a testimonial of his journey. Because he had a supportive church, family, friendship circle and medical support, Gingerich had people who picked him up and loved him when he fell. Many others suffering from mental illness lack such support. Clubhouse is a place without stigma or judgment - a place of friendship where people suffering from mental illness can build their confidence, identify their gifts and find hope. The program is about recovery and restoration through meaningful relationships and work.

Meetings are at noon Fridays at Maplecrest Country Club.

Information: Sanford Miller, 534-2506 ext. 7289

Details for submitting news to the Clubs and Organizations column:

Email: Jkaylentz@aol.com

Fax: (574) 294-3895

Mail: The Elkhart Truth, Attention: Clubs and Organizations, P.O. Box 487, Elkhart, IN 46515

Drop-off: Elkhart newsroom, 421 S. Second St.

Deadline: Noon Fridays

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Brief recap of most recent meeting and details of scheduled events for members and the public

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