The Shawano County homemaker group from Bonduel, WISC, has been in existence since 1955. It stands for Wash, Iron, Sew and Cook, which is a little dated now but remains the same.
“We have thought of some other things it could stand for,” said Joyce Natzke, club president. “Life is more than those.”
She couldn’t remember what they came up with.
WISC is part of the Shawano County Association for Home and Community Education, a nonprofit organization that offers educational opportunities, works to improve leadership skills of members and provides service to communities through the University of Wisconsin-Extension Family Living programs at the state and county level.
The club helps with the county brat fry at Charlie’s County Market and contributes a basket to the silent auction at the HCE Spring Event. The club was recognized for 59 years of service in May.
This fall, club members will work at one of the stops for the Bike the Barn Quilt event on Sept. 27.
Two of the members take part in the Wisconsin Bookworms program. Once a month they read to a child at a day care center. Members attend the HCE International Night, where people from other countries talk about their lives.
Charter member Jeanette Pitt has been recognized at the state level for her watercolor paintings.
One of the programs that Natzke especially enjoys is the Associated Country Women of the World. Members write letters and develop friendships with someone from another country. Natzke has corresponded with Lyn Richards of Bristol, England, for 15 years.
“She’s been here and I’ve been there,” she said.
Natzke recently began another correspondence with Judy Parks from Nova Scotia.
Natzke will be president until January when the current vice president, Tillie Kallies, will take over, and the secretary/treasurer, Audrey Wussow, will become vice president.
The women meet at each other’s homes at 6:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of the month from October to April. They have dessert and coffee, then a meeting and a program.
“There’s a lot of chitchat,” Natzke said. “We could use more members.”
For more information, call Natzke at 715-758-2718.
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