June Cotillion Club

High energy, big smiles, whirling and twirling was the scene as the Austin Cotillionairs dance to the music of the Austin Big Band.

Others came to to take advantage of the free dance offered to the community. Guests of members joined. They are: Ione McClellen, Dahlard Lukes, Linda Maschka, Susan Stevenson and Tom and Marian Nieman. The Tuesday dance night was enjoyed by 48 people. One member said that the break in the middle of his work is really relaxing to him.

Our next dances will take place in October, November and December at the Austin Country Club. We invite others, of all ages, in Austin and surrounding communities to come, see and enjoy.

Contact Marge Murach at 507-433-1590 or Rachel Stange at 507-475-0641 for more details.

The committee for our June Dance is Dale Nelson, Kay Miller, Ron Anderson, Alice Anderson, Robert Erickson, Darlene Erickson and Peter Jacobs and Ann Hokanson.

Our presidents Mr. and Mrs. John Murach; vice presidents Mr. and Mrs. Adam Stange; treasurer Sue Radloff, secretaries Mr. and Mrs. Gordon White are inducted for a second term.

 Brownsdale Study Club

The May meeting of the Brownsdale Study Club was held at the home of Ida Foster.

The treasurers report was given. Lovonne Skov opened the meeting with the reading of the Collect. Sara Hatten gave a short reading on how animals can help people. Good story Sara. Mary Gallaher had a story about Shirley Temple, the childhood movie star. A most interesting report.

Old business was discussed — a planning meeting will be held at Sara’s to finalize plans for the club’s anniversary celebration in September. The Hayfield club will be invited to join us.

New business — We welcomed new member Joyce Junke into our club. Our summer outing will be on June 25 with lunch at The Brick House in Austin at 12:30 p.m. followed by a tour of the Mower County Historical Society at 2 p.m.

The meeting concluded with fellowship over a delightful lunch served by Ida.

The next meeting will be held at Sara Hatten’s home. Roll call will be answered by responding to the question, “What do you want to do with this summer?”

 Duplicate Bridge

Tournament results for June 4 with four tables played: First place, Darnell Fairbanks and Bonnie Fritz; second place (tie), Millie Seiver and Dave Ring and Stan Schult and Tom Flaherty; fourth place, Bud Higgins and Joyce Crowe.

Duplicate Bridge is played each Wednesday at noon at the Mower County Senior Center in Austin. All Bridge players are welcome. Call Dave Ring at 507-434-4189.

 The Golden Age Club

The monthly meeting of the Golden Age Club was held on June 4, conducted by Hazel Baldner, chairperson.

Dee Murphy, chaplain, read the poem “The Great Provider.”

A notion was made by Jaynard Johnson and recorded by Everett DeYoung to accept the secretary and treasurer reports as read.

June birthdays will be celebrated by Ruth VanHooser, Vernon Ginder, Wilbur Mittag, Eleanor Anderson, and Dennis Bray.

Mary Lou Houle furnished the lunch. Five-hundred cards were placed at 10 tables.

Anyone 55 or older is welcome to join.

 The Red Cedar Chapter, NSDAR

The Red Cedar Chapter, NSDAR, met at the Mower County Historical Society on June 5, 2014. Hostesses were Terry Donovan and Cheryl Potter.

Jaimie M. Timm, Curator and Interim Director of the Mower County Historical Society, presented the program “Preserving Memories: Caring For Your Family Treasures.” She said more than 30,000 items are in collections at the Mower County Historical Society. The most common problems in caring for collections are temperature change, humidity fluctuation, light and pests. Proper care for clothing, textiles, paper and documents, glassware and photographs was discussed. An almost complete inventory has been completed and entered into a collections management computer program called “PastPerfect.” Jaimie takes care of the collection and plans all the exhibits. The exciting news is that a World War II Exhibit is planned for July 2, at the Historical Society. This exhibit will be displayed in the Headquarters Building, next to the log cabin, for several years. The first court session in Mower County was held in this building and the first Mower County newspaper was published there as well. The exhibit will begin with the county’s reaction to Pearl Harbor and what it was like to live in Mower County during the war. It will also look at work in the area during the war and how people’s jobs changed, and will close with stories about Mower County soldiers.

The following Outstanding Achievement Awards were presented to specific members and the Red Cedar Chapter at the State Conference which was held in Duluth in May: Polly Jelinek, for Constitution Week, and Diane Adkins, for donation of the most books by a single member. The Red Cedar for Publicity, Print and Public Relations, for Achievement re Flags, second highest number of labels per chapter member, collection of labels and box tops used to support DAR Schools, Historic Preservation, and for Constitution Week.

The Red Cedar had a wreath laying ceremony on Memorial Day at Oakwood Cemetery in honor of Jay C. Hormel’s service to his country during WWI. He is called the “father of the Mower County Flag” by local historians, and his mother, Lillian Belle Hormel, was a member of the Red Cedar Chapter. Flag Day is June 14, and this is an opportunity to fly the Flag proudly and to recognize this important symbol of freedom. “The Flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing,” The Flag Code. Sharon Jensen shared her Flag Retirement Story. The next meeting will be held on Saturday, Aug. 2, at the home of Cheryl Potter, which will be a planning session to organize the programs for the upcoming year.