By Jan Kash
Green County HCE President
Now that the elections are over, I would like to introduce you to thoughts a little more on the lighter side. Are you familiar with the acronym H.C.E.? This stands for Home and Community Education. It is an organization with which I personally have been affiliated for 10 years and benefited not only for the knowledge but also for the community spirit and social contacts. It is open to both men and women and actually is nationwide.
Homemakers (a former title) has four main goals: 1. To educate members and others in issues to strengthen families ad communities. 2. Develop and improve leadership skills of members. 3. To build coalitions with other organizations and agencies with similar objectives and concerns, and 4. To promote friendships and understanding with all people of the world.
This organization had its roots way back during WWII when emergency home demonstration agents worked in 17 counties of Wisconsin to teach the use of wheat, sugar and meat substitutes. Nellie Edzie-Jones, the third state leader of Home Economics Extension, worked faithfully and enthusiastically for 15 years to have home agents established in counties and have home demonstration clubs organized throughout the state. Her effort generated a series of events and projects both national and internationally which remain very viable.
In Green County, the formation of county extension homemakers was explored with Mrs. Blanche Lee and followed up by the hiring of Mrs. Eleanor Johnson as the first home agent. Eleanor and Blanche proceeded to meet with 31 women who represented 10 areas of Green County. As a result, individual clubs were formed. Presently, Green County has six clubs and some independents. Other counties of the state also have separate clubs but everyone meets throughout the year at convention or district meetings and work on some projects as a team, for example Bookworms, Pennies for Friendship or the Cultural Arts Fair. Some local activities involve baking cookies for the blood mobile or coffee cakes for Breakfast on the Farm.
Some of our members work closely with 4-H and the Coalition for the Homeless. Green County members are the parent organization of the Barn Quilts Project which is now a part of Wisconsin tourism. Speakers frequently come to our meetings. Sometimes we present or sponsor a presentation on preventative health, caring for our flag or healthy cooking. We are delighted when someone spoke on the history of hankies. We also put out the "Holiday Letter" (cookbook), which was based around cutting corners in the Depression. In this time of recession, many of us found new ideas or were delighted to learn we had already incorporated some of the hints into our daily lives. My own mother had shared some of these because she was a Depression-era lady. The list goes on and on.
H.C.E. is non-profit. It is open to anyone. The monthly meetings are either in someone's home or at a public facility. We certainly encourage diversity in its membership and would like to share more information about the organization. However, space limits me to this brief summary. The main point of this article is to highly encourage you to join us. Come and have some fun. Learn with us. I bet many of you could also teach us a thing or two. Find out what is happening in this community as well or look up the clubs of your own county. Just contact the local UAW Extension office. They house our advisors.
On Saturday, Nov. 13, there will be a luncheon followed by a speaker on care of our American flag. Some of us will come in the red, white, and blue theme. At the gathering, the Educator of the Year Award will be announced and honored. We will also recognize the members for their time with us in 5-year groups. Registration begins at 11:30 and lunch is at noon. The menu features chicken dinner and all the fixings. The location is the Moose Lodge of Monroe, 639 3rd Ave., Monroe. The cost for non-members is $12. Registration and fees are due by Monday, Nov. 8. Please contact the University of Wisconsin-Extension office in Monroe at (608)328-9440. You may also contact Kris Winkler through the office or me at (608)325-1077.
Green County HCE President
Now that the elections are over, I would like to introduce you to thoughts a little more on the lighter side. Are you familiar with the acronym H.C.E.? This stands for Home and Community Education. It is an organization with which I personally have been affiliated for 10 years and benefited not only for the knowledge but also for the community spirit and social contacts. It is open to both men and women and actually is nationwide.
Homemakers (a former title) has four main goals: 1. To educate members and others in issues to strengthen families ad communities. 2. Develop and improve leadership skills of members. 3. To build coalitions with other organizations and agencies with similar objectives and concerns, and 4. To promote friendships and understanding with all people of the world.
This organization had its roots way back during WWII when emergency home demonstration agents worked in 17 counties of Wisconsin to teach the use of wheat, sugar and meat substitutes. Nellie Edzie-Jones, the third state leader of Home Economics Extension, worked faithfully and enthusiastically for 15 years to have home agents established in counties and have home demonstration clubs organized throughout the state. Her effort generated a series of events and projects both national and internationally which remain very viable.
In Green County, the formation of county extension homemakers was explored with Mrs. Blanche Lee and followed up by the hiring of Mrs. Eleanor Johnson as the first home agent. Eleanor and Blanche proceeded to meet with 31 women who represented 10 areas of Green County. As a result, individual clubs were formed. Presently, Green County has six clubs and some independents. Other counties of the state also have separate clubs but everyone meets throughout the year at convention or district meetings and work on some projects as a team, for example Bookworms, Pennies for Friendship or the Cultural Arts Fair. Some local activities involve baking cookies for the blood mobile or coffee cakes for Breakfast on the Farm.
Some of our members work closely with 4-H and the Coalition for the Homeless. Green County members are the parent organization of the Barn Quilts Project which is now a part of Wisconsin tourism. Speakers frequently come to our meetings. Sometimes we present or sponsor a presentation on preventative health, caring for our flag or healthy cooking. We are delighted when someone spoke on the history of hankies. We also put out the "Holiday Letter" (cookbook), which was based around cutting corners in the Depression. In this time of recession, many of us found new ideas or were delighted to learn we had already incorporated some of the hints into our daily lives. My own mother had shared some of these because she was a Depression-era lady. The list goes on and on.
H.C.E. is non-profit. It is open to anyone. The monthly meetings are either in someone's home or at a public facility. We certainly encourage diversity in its membership and would like to share more information about the organization. However, space limits me to this brief summary. The main point of this article is to highly encourage you to join us. Come and have some fun. Learn with us. I bet many of you could also teach us a thing or two. Find out what is happening in this community as well or look up the clubs of your own county. Just contact the local UAW Extension office. They house our advisors.
On Saturday, Nov. 13, there will be a luncheon followed by a speaker on care of our American flag. Some of us will come in the red, white, and blue theme. At the gathering, the Educator of the Year Award will be announced and honored. We will also recognize the members for their time with us in 5-year groups. Registration begins at 11:30 and lunch is at noon. The menu features chicken dinner and all the fixings. The location is the Moose Lodge of Monroe, 639 3rd Ave., Monroe. The cost for non-members is $12. Registration and fees are due by Monday, Nov. 8. Please contact the University of Wisconsin-Extension office in Monroe at (608)328-9440. You may also contact Kris Winkler through the office or me at (608)325-1077.
