(Left) Vernice Grgurich, an active member who joined the organization in 1954, looks over this year’s program schedule. (Right) Looking over a memory book, is longtime member and club recording secretary, Phyllis Giffin. She said it was a great way to meet other women when she moved to Crosby.
“We have a very generous group of women members,” Sally said. The group meets September through April on the first Monday of the month at the Jessie F. Hallett Library in Crosby. Meetings feature a speaker and music. The year ends with a salad luncheon in May. While much has changed since they were established in 1916, the Cuyuna Range Women’s Club motto remains the same: “In es-
sentials unity, in nonessentials liberty, in all things charity.” The women look forward to serving the Cuyuna Range for the next 100 years. Crosby resident Joan Hasskamp is currently finishing up a humorous book titled “We Don’t Care Who Wins as Long as Joan Loses.” Now that she is retired she has even more time to embellish and exaggerate stories about herself.
Dr. Kristel Schamber
7734 Excelsior Road N. Baxter, MN 56425 www.lakesareaeyecare.com (218) 829-2929 001559794r1
Before social safety nets were common, the women provided much needed food, shelter and medical necessities to the neediest citizens. In the 1920s, records show they doled out several hundred pair of home-knit mittens to children, 640 articles of clothing and 15 bushels of potatoes. They provided financial assistance to a welfare nurse who served poor families. To raise the spirits of the community during these lean times, they sponsored movies, sing-a-longs and put up Christmas trees. They spearheaded the skating rink project for Crosby. In 1926, the group sponsored the Girl Scouts, a partnership that lasted for many years. That year they paid registration fees for 25 girls to join. Through the years they also supported the Boy Scouts and other youth organizations. During and after the Depression, the group encouraged residents to raise gardens. They served hot soup lunches to children in school and distributed milk to underweight kids. Their actions marked the beginning of the school cafeteria system. Sally Mann was a member of the group from 1954-1961. She left for 22 years when she moved out of the area, rejoining in 1983. “We dressed up a lot more back then,” she recalled. “We had a fancy tea table with silver service, linen and crystal.” While meetings are more casual now and the members are older, Sally finds the women are just as wonderful and dedicated. “I like being part of something that’s been here for a long time and has had such a positive effect on the area,” she said. While there are 50 current members, she would like to see more women join. “Dues are still only $5,” she added with a smile. Over the years, records show the women creatively raised money through good times and not so good times. There were charity balls, tea parties, style shows, tin can drives, card parties, cooking schools, book fairs, bazaars and a variety of other fundraising projects. In recent years, the women no longer raise funds through community events. Instead, through the generosity of their members, enough funds are generated to support community organizations and to award a monetary scholarship to a graduating senior each spring. Originated in the 1930s, the program has provided hundreds of scholarships to Crosby-Ironton seniors. In fact, in 1973 this writer was a recipient of one their two scholarships that year.
Dr. Brooke Fenstad Like us on Facebook • Winter 2017 | her voice 37