Jan 2016 Cheerful Earful

The Cheerful Earful

Monthly newsletter of the Altrusa Club of Macomb, IL

January 2016 Website: Facebook: Email:

Contents       

Next meeting information Karen’s Korner December meeting notes Updates Our Favorite Recipes Reader's Corner Calendar of Events

Next Meeting Information What: Nikki Gray, Macomb Convention and Visitors Bureau speaking about Macomb events Where: City Hall Community Room , 232 East Jackson St., Macomb When: at 6:30pm Hosted by the Communications Committee

http://tinyurl.com/AltrusaMacomb www.facebook.com/MacombAltrusa altrusa@macomb.com

Karen’s Korner Happy New Year, everyone!

Can you believe we are already over halfway through January? I hope that you are all rested up from the holidays and reenergized for a great year in Altrusa-ready to generate new members, new ways to give back to our community, and ways to fundraise/sustain our club for future years. I look forward to continuing to work with all of you and can't wait to catch-up with you all.

Karen Trusley, Club President

The Cheerful Earful – January 2016 Page 2 of 7

Draft of December 2015 Meeting notes

There were no formal minutes for the December 2015 meeting.

The meeting was hosted by the Service Committee.

We met at the Bailey House at 6pm and enjoyed a dinner served by the Service Committee.

There was a brief overview of latest business.

Club members enjoyed a presentation about Mosaic featuring staff from Mosaic.

Some group photos were taken in the beautifully decorated Bailey House.

Members then filled treat bags for residents of Mosaic.

Informally submitted, Heather Munro, newsletter editor and Chair of Communications Committee

The Cheerful Earful – January 2016 Page 3 of 7

Updates Communications Committee There were two items about Altrusans in the local newspaper - the McDonough County Voice.

Congratulations to Nancy Reed and Nancy Jameson!

Tutoring Program

Donations to the Tutoring Program To date, the donations to our 2016 Summer Tutoring Program are: Colchester Lion’s Club - $400 Hy Vee Shop and Share - $104.14 McDonough County Retired Teachers $125 Donation Jar at Bazaar - $17.75 Total - $646.89

Thank you to our donors!

Finance Committee Yard Sale Fundraiser in the works!

Save your Stuff!

The Finance Committee is planning a spring yard sale as a fundraiser for the Tutoring Program.

Please start saving items to donate to the yard sale!

Tentative date for yard sale is early May. Further details will be forthcoming in later newsletter.

The Cheerful Earful – January 2016 Page 4 of 7

Service Committee

Festival of Trees

January Service Project

Club members Judi Dallinger and Marsha McCormick volunteering at the Festival of Trees.

All Altrusans: Please

bring peanut butter and/or cereal for the WIRC food bank.

Many club members manned the payment desk at the festival during the Dickens on the Square event in December.

The Cheerful Earful Staff Editor:

Heather Munro

Karen’s Korner:

Karen Trusley

Minute with a Member: Karen Iversen Our Favorite Recipes: Lara Lessard

The food items will be taken to the Food Bank to replenish their shelves and to be distributed to needy families in McDonough County.

Reader’s Corner:

Ann Abbot

Calendar and Events:

Lynne Brinker

Photographers: Lin Stults, Miriam Satern

The Cheerful Earful – September 2015 Page 5 of 7

Mosaic Bags Club members filled goodie bags for Mosaic residents at our December meeting held at the Bailey House, Macomb IL.. Items in the goodies bags included practical items such as pencils to fun items such as a xmas ornament!

The bags were then loaded into the little car of Altrusan Paula Rhoades and the next day Paula delivered them to one of the Mosaic houses.

The bags were then redistributed to all of the Mosaic houses in McDonough County so all Mosaic residents would have a little something special for the holiday!

“Leading to a Better Community” Altrusa is an international non-profit organization making our local communities better through leadership, partnership and service

This newsletter is brought to you by the Communication Committee of the Macomb Altrusa Club, Macomb, Illinois

The Cheerful Earful – September 2015 Page 6 of 7

Our Favorite Recipes

Reader’s Corner Reviews gathered by Ann Abbot,

Recipes gathered by Lara Lessard, Communications Committee member This recipe comes from Peggy Ma. "A recipe that I use often is a filling for tarts. It can also be mixed with whipped topping to make a quick cream pie filling or spread between layers of cake. I found it in Southern Living, but it is also in many cook books."

LEMON CURD (Makes 2 1/2 cups and can be kept in a covered container in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks)      

Uses 3-5 lemons, depending on size 1/4 cup grated lemon zest 2/3 cup lemon juice 2 cups sugar 1 cup (2 sticks) butter 4 eggs, slightly beaten

Place the first 4 ingredients in the top of a double boiler over boiling water. Stir until butter is melted. Continue to stir as you slowly add the eggs to the mixture.

This is important to keep the eggs from curdling!

You must keep stirring until the mixture thickens, deepens in color and coats the spoon. Remove from the heat still stirring. Cool and place in sterile jars or some other covered container. (If you get specks of egg, pour through a sieve while still warm,)

Communications Committee member Featuring the favorite books of our members!

From member Ann Abbot What is your favorite book or what are you reading now?

The Bridge by Karen Kingsbury Heartwarming Christmas Story about a hundred year flood, lost love and the beauty of enduring friendships.

Molly Allen is from a wealthy family in Portland. She leaves home to attend Vanderbilt College in Tennessee. At Vanderbilt she meets Ryan Kelly a struggling college student from Tennessee. Their interest in classes are completely different, but they end up in a couple of classes together. The need for a quit place to study brings them to "The Bridge" bookstore/coffee shop.

The Bridge is owned by a couple, Charlie and Donna Barton whom have had their own struggles in life. Ryan is an aspiring musician and opportunity comes along in which he leaves school and pursues his music. Five years later Molly and Ryan reconnect. Both remember the many hours they spent at "The Bridge".

The hundred year flood nearly destroys every book in the store. The bank is ready to pull the lease of the building. Despondent and without answers, Charlie considers the unthinkable.

Then tragedy strikes, and suddenly, everything changes. In the face of desperate brokenness and lost opportunities, could the miracle of a second chance actually unfold? I enjoy reading Karen Kingsbury's books.

The Cheerful Earful – September 2015 Page 7 of 7

2015-2016 Macomb Altrusa Officers and Board

Calendar

President - Karen Trusley

1-27 January General Meeting, Nikki Gray from Macomb Convention and Visitors Bureau City Hall Community Room, Dessert Meeting

Past President - Cindy Roon

8

Feb. 2

Friends of the Library Book Sale, Macomb Public Library

Feb. 2 46th Annual Ag Mech Farm Expo, WIU -Western Hall Feb. 11 Altrusa Board meeting, 5:15 at Everly House Feb. 13 PAS Wine Tasting WIU Union Feb. 24 General meeting Self-Defense City Hall Community Room 6:30pm April 15-17 Altrusa District Six Conference, Carmel Indiana

Vice-President – Penny Pollock Recording Secretary – Liz Duvall Treasurer – Brae Hattaway Corresponding Secretary – Karen Iversen Chair: Communication Comm.: Heather Munro Finance Committee:

Brae Hattaway

Membership Comm.:

Jeanie Sowers

Service Committee:

Paula Rhodes