The next meeting will be at 7 p.m. April 7 at First Presbyterian Church. Mary Schertz, New Testament professor at the Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, will speak on the topic "The Significance of Stories."

Books and Breakfast will meet at 9 a.m. March 26 at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery. The book for discussion is "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society" by Mary Ann Shaffer.

Information: Darlene Mathis-Eddy at 266-4394.

BLOOMIN' DANDELIONS HOMEMAKERS CLUB

Jan Hess hosted the February meeting at her home. June Keyser gave the program "Table for One: Magic Meals," giving many suggestions for cooking nutritious meals for one or two.

Officers for the 2009-10 year are Nellie Lou Meyer, president; Elizabeth Able, vice president; and Keyser, secretary/treasurer.

The next meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Judy Taylor's home. Marilyn Potthast will present "Snacking Smart."

BNI MONEYMAKERS, GOSHEN

Twelve members met March 3 at Maplecrest Country Club and welcomed Deb Baker, president. The purpose of BNI is givers gain by helping each other build their businesses. John Huber introduced Ben Pestow of Bill's Heating in Goshen, who spoke about the advantages and disadvantages of geothermal furnaces compared to other furnaces/air conditioners. To find out more go to www.billsheatinginc.com <http://www.billsheatinginc.com> .

Steve Oyer won the door prize. John Huber was notable networker for February, with eight referrals. Tim Short and Hubert Schmucker tied in second place, with six referrals each. Denny Davis came in third, with five referrals.

Announcements made were that it is time for new leadership. So that is on the agenda for the next few weeks. Huber also is heading a drive for donors for the Salvation Army online auction that is coming up in the near future. If you have something really nice you would like to donate for that auction contact Huber at 293-8614. Every little bit means a lot for those who need help.

The public is invited to attend a breakfast and to visit the chapter. Contact Deb Baker, president, at 457-6472.

CRYSTAL VALLEY KIWANIS CLUB

The club had committee day and social time March 4. The March programs were announced with the Elkhart County Fair as the topic. Gayle Gerber, fair board president, will speak at today's meeting. On March 18, Kristi Ambrosen, marketing manager, will explain the work she does for the fair. On March 25, Chris Gillam, County Extension educator and 4-H youth educator, will talk about the 4-H programs and the fair.

The public is invited to attend any meeting at noon Wednesdays at Das Dutchman Essenhaus.

Information: Lowell Miller at 849-6714.

ELKHART BREAKFAST OPTIMIST CLUB

On March 3 member Debbie Danforth spoke about the Charitable Fund and the Elkhart Community Foundation, which awards thousands of dollars each year to needy individuals, families and groups. Stan Glanders received the handshake award.

Upcoming: Bowling with Big Brothers/ Big Sisters on Saturday, Becca Danforth will speak Tuesday, a Texas Hold 'em Tournament will be Monday and the Bike Safety Event is June 20.

Meetings are at 6:45 a.m. Tuesdays at Matterhorn Banquet and Conference Center, and visitors are welcome.

Information: Carrie Lee at carrie.lee@goldenliving.com

ELKHART LIONS CLUB

Greg Dowsett, tail twister, praised Dave Dufour at the March 4 meeting for the feature article in "Senior Life" in which Dufour talks about Lionism, and then fined him because the accompanying picture revealed his failure to wear a Lions pin. Guest speaker Cam Snyder, Lakeshore Grill and Chubby Trout owner, shared his enthusiasm for Elkhart's history and challenged the club to a game of "Are You Smarter Than a Chubby Trout?"

Upcoming: Today, Jane Hunter, South Bend Symphony; March 18, Nick Hoffman, Elkhart County Historical Museum.

Meetings are at noon each Wednesday at Matterhorn Conference and Conference Center and are open to the public.

Information: Web site: www.elkhartlions.org ELKHART NOON KIWANIS CLUB

The March 3 meeting was full of laughter and fun. Impromptu birthday celebrations added to the fun. Dan Morrison paid $20 for presenter Brian Gildea to sing "Happy Birthday" to him. Before extracting fines from members, Ron Bondurant topped that by requesting that Jeff Steele sit on Craig Fulmer's lap while singing to him. Riley Hospital for Children benefited greatly from the activities. Gildea, City of Elkhart economic development manager, updated members on current projects.

Meetings are at noon Tuesdays at Matterhorn Banquet and Conference Center.

Information: Jodi Nelson at 295-8761.

ELKHART ROTARY CLUB

Gary Russell from the morning club was a visitor at the March 2 meeting. John Martin introduced Angela Zinich, Joseph Cassella, Ashley Robbins and Karla Madrigal, student guests of the month from Elkhart Central High School. Terry McKay, former District governor, was the guest sergeant-at-arms and gave a spellbinding presentation.

Connie Jo Ozinga, Elkhart Public Library director, introduced members to the library's new Web site, www.myepl.org. She told attendees that all the library branches were being overwhelmed with people filing for unemployment benefits online. The library has a number of software programs to help unemployed people with resume writing, skills improvement and studying for the GED.

Upcoming: Jamar Johnson of the community basketball league will speak Monday.

Meetings are at noon Mondays at Matterhorn Banquet and Conference Center.

Information: Visit: www.elkhartrotary.org or call Tom Shoff at 293-5530.

EXCHANGE CLUB OF ELKHART COUNTY

Dale Wentorf opened the March 3 meeting with prayer. Tom Lynn won the handshake award and Moe Miller was finemaster. Nancy Stanphill and Rachel Sims, from the American Red Cross office in Fort Wayne, gave the program about the need to donate blood and the process of giving whole blood or platelets. This blood is then given to area hospitals. A question-and-answer session followed.

The club meets at 6 a.m. Tuesdays at the Oaklawn campus in Goshen.

GOSHEN NOONKIWANIS CLUB

Margie Cowells and Connie Garber were greeters at the March 3 meeting. Guests included Andy Galvin, Michelle Darrenkamp and Ryan Klase. John Huber announced a Salvation Army 2-for-1 match and passed around sign-up sheets for written pledges.

Dr. Mark Deal, Goshen Family Dentistry, announced the annual "Smiles for Life" teeth-whitening campaign, which is running until June 30, whereby one-half of the proceeds of his dental service charges go to the Boys & Girls Club and half to national charities for children.

Steve Oyer introduced Ted Mahnensmith, Goshen High School assistant principal, who in turn, introduced Natalie Babjukova of Czech Republic and Sonja Lairlia of Finland, Goshen High School exchange students. The students presented a program of pictures and data about their respective homelands, style of government and geography, and answered questions. Both students live with Dr. Jim and Karen Wellington. Babjukova is aspiring to be a professional squash player.

"The Best of Bavaria" will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Goshen Middle School auditorium. Reliving the old and discovering the new, filmmakers Fran and Brooke Reidelberger offer a fun-filled digital show focusing on food, festivals, fantastic mountain scenery, fascinating history and storybook towns. Tickets are $7 for adults, $4 for youth (7-17 years), and are available at the door. Call Deb Jones at 536-6091 for more information.

Upcoming: The club will serve breakfast at the Ronald McDonald House in Indianapolis April 25.

Meetings are at noon Tuesdays at Maplecrest Country Club and are open to the public. Information: Al Mackowiak at 533-9389.

HARRISON HELPERS 4-H CLUB

Thirty people attended the Feb. 17 meeting. Faith Marker and Lilly Boussom led the pledges. Kala Blosser and Alana Hernley won game prizes. Sharing was done by Hernly, Kevin Schrock, Cameron Sevy and Darryn Sevy. Amy Schrock led a riddle game. The winning table received pencils and were given refreshments first. New handbooks were distributed and enrollment cards were collected. Members are taking orders for geraniums, and the money is due at the Tuesday meeting.

HEART CITY KIWANIS CLUB

The club met Feb. 27 at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery for their dinner meeting. John Opick, president, greeted guests from the Elkhart Noon Kiwanis Club: Rick Davis, president; Robert and Elizabeth Ebbole; and Dick Max, past lieutenant governor, and his wife, Dee. Lori Harrington, Terry Tompkins, Geri Cummins and Leah Laughman were also guests. Harrington, Mental Health America of Michiana executive director, was speaker. The Mental Health Association of St. Joseph County opened its doors in 1949 and the Mental Health Association of Elkhart County started in 1954. In the spring of 2007 the two agencies merged to form MHAM. The organization's mission is to promote mental health by providing education and advocacy to Elkhart and St. Joseph counties. Programs are supported by grants, memberships and contributions, fund-raisers, United Way and gifts. MHAM works closely with the Elkhart Community School Corp.

Dan Zimmerman presented the Words of Wisdom and was also in charge of the Happy Dollar basket. Dick Max discussed the Cruise for Riley Hospital for Children, a six-day Caribbean cruise leaving Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Sept. 20. Monies derived from this project to go to the hospital. The ship is the Carnival Freedom.

Upcoming: Big Brothers/Big Sisters Bowl-A-Thon March 21, New Member Roundup April 17, CAPS project April 24 and 25.

The club is discussing changing their meeting format so as to have two dinner meetings, to go with breakfast meetings in the other weeks. Meetings are Fridays at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery. Visitors are welcome

HUMANE SOCIETY OF ELKHART COUNTY GUILD VOLUNTEERS

The guild's monthly meeting was March 3 at the Elkhart Public Library. Bernice Simms, chairman, welcomed Guild members, four new members and Anne Reel, HSEC executive director. Reel updated members on current Shelter activities and discussed future plans and goals.

The results of the recent Adopt-A-Pet at Elder Beerman on Feb. 14 were discussed. Volunteers took five cats and six dogs. Four dogs were adopted from this event. The annual "March Mutt Madness and Feline Frenzy" adoption event will be at the shelter on Saturday. There will be 10 percent to 50 percent adoption fee discounts at this event.

The Red Barn Resale Shop at the Shelter Barn will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The shelter is currently accepting donations for the shop.

Upcoming: Beef O'Brady's Give-Back Day is April 23. Coupons are available at the Shelter or at the their Web site, www.elkharthumanesociety.org.

The next meeting will be at 7 p.m. April 7 at the Elkhart Public Library, 300 S. Second St. All interested adults are invited to attend.

Information: Bernice Simms at 264-7264

MAPLECREST LADIES BRIDGE CLUB

Martha Hepler won first place at the Feb. 4 meeting, followed by Pat Reiner, second. Nancy Snobarger was hostess.

NAPPANEE NOON KIWANIS CLUB

Bobbie Wilson greeted members to the March 3 meeting. Will Wilson, president, presided, and Ed Read delivered the invocation. Bobbie Hochstetler reminded members of two upcoming Chamber events and urged them to sell the remaining 25 Riley Raffle tickets. Plans are being made for the club's community service project. Happy Dollars were extracted by Sheriff Donna Persing and Mike Sheetz provided trivia. Larry Thompson, fellow Kiwanian and Nappanee mayor, was guest speaker and spoke this time about prearranging funerals. He brought his wife, Linda, as a guest. Sandy Toney closed with the Thought of the Day.

Upcoming: Kiwanis ONE Day is April 4.

Meetings are open to the public and are at noon Tuesdays at Dal-Mar Catering Hall.

NONE LIKE US WOMEN'S MINISTRY

Lefuarn Harvey opened the Feb. 21 meeting with the song "This Is the Day." Gaynelle Pierce gave the prayer. The women talked about the power of prayer and some gave their testimony.

The 7th Annual Prayer Breakfast will be March 20-21. Friday's morning program will be at Full Gospel Fellowship Church, 519 Baldwin St. There will be a 9 a.m. brunch with speaker Clara Hadley from Florida. The evening program will be at 7 p.m. at Canaan Baptist Church, 933 Fieldhouse Ave. Ola Washington will speak.

Saturday's breakfast will be at Matterhorn Banquet and Conference Center with speaker Pastor Lisa Ballard of Chicago. Tickets for Saturday are $20. There will be prayers by seven women from different churches in the city.

Friday is open to the public for men and women. Saturday is for women only (with pre-purchased tickets). Tickets are available by calling 970-1049.

The women will adopt a room at the Women's Shelter to fix up as their community service project.

The next scheduled meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Full Gospel Fellowship Church. The meeting is open to all women of God.

Information: Ola Washington at 970-1049

ROTARY CLUB OF GOSHEN

Dave Birky opened the Feb. 27 meeting, and Doug Wogoman, led the songs. John Fetter introduced visiting Rotarians. Jim Evans, president, announced 60 persons attended the Chili Cook-Off, and Everett and Barbara Thomas won the French Lick Package. Also, in memory of Dr. Willard Krabill, a book entitled "Mavericks, Miracles and Medicine" has been donated to the Goshen library. After his request last week for those interested to participate on a team of first responders for the Red Cross, Jim Dague stated 25 Rotarians came forward. This will allow two teams to be trained.

Tim Stonger introduced Mark Meyer and Craig Sroda of the Pinnacle Group, who informed members about "automated business process systems." They shared the top 10 techs and trends to watch.

Meetings are at noon every Friday at Maplecrest Country Club.

Information: Jim Evans at 970-6742.

SOUTH BEND/MISHAWAKA ASSOCIATION OF INSURANCE WOMEN

The association's monthly lunch meeting will be from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.Tuesday at Riverside Terrace, 426 Lincoln Way E., Mishawaka. Lunch meetings are on the third Tuesday of each month. Anyone employed in the insurance industry is welcome and encouraged to attend. The cost is $11, which includes lunch. Call Regina Lombardi at (574) 256-6052 ext. 231 for reservations.

The association is a local affiliate of the National Association of Insurance Women, which serves its members by providing professional education, an environment in which to build business alliances, and the opportunity to make connections with people of differing career paths and levels of experience within the insurance industry. Visit www.naiw.org for more information.

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. or Goshen office in Linway Plaza, 622 W. Lincoln Ave.

Deadline: Noon Fridays

With each submission please include:

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

Time, day, date and place for next meetings and whether meetings are open to the public

Contact name, phone number and/or e-mail or Web site addresses (for publication)