100 years and going strong

Putnam County Extension Homemakers is celebrating the 100 Anniversary of Indiana Extension Homemakers (IEHA) with a display at the Putnam County Museum.

The display opened Saturday, April 20. Members of the 100th Anniversary Celebration Committee were on hand to greet guests, and to give tours of the exhibit.

The display is to honor and celebrate the long history of Extension Homemakers as well as to inform today's citizens of the current and on-going work of the organization.

By displaying items from 1912 to modern day, those who worked on the exhibit hope to tell the story of what IEHA has done and continues to do to help "Strengthen families through continuing education, leadership development and volunteer community support.

The exhibit includes clothing and artifacts used from many decades ago through more modern times. Included in the exhibit is a time-line history of Indiana Extension Homemakers and samples of some of the projects and programs shared by local Extension Homemaker members over the years.

The exhibit also includes a quilt that was pieced and put together by members of one of the current quilt clubs. It is set up in a modern day quilt frame and visitors to the exhibit are welcome to try their hand at quilting by sitting down and putting a few stitches in the quilt. The exhibit will be at the Museum for viewing through mid-summer.

Over the past 100 years thousands of Putnam County women have been active members of IEHA.

For years the organization has been open to men as well as women as they opened their arms and minds to more diversity and to being an equal opportunity organization.

Although the majority of the membership is still made up of women, there are a number of men who have joined the organization as the Membership Committee became more aggressive about reaching out to all citizens by forming new specialty clubs like the Putnam County Photography Club, Common Threads, Machine Embroidery and Quilt Clubs.

Putnam County Extension Homemakers will honor nearly 50 new members at their annual Spring Dessert on Monday, April 29 at the newly re-named York Auto Group Community Building at the Putnam County Fairgrounds. Members are invited to bring entries for the Cultural Arts Exhibit between 5 -- 6 p.m. with the evening's program beginning at 6:30 p.m.

In addition to honoring three new clubs and welcoming the new members, those in attendance will be seeing a program on 'Taking Tea' which will be presented by Tina Jesson of Brownsburg. Jesson is originally from the Derbyshire region of England and enjoys bring her tea experience to citizens of central Indiana.

This year's spring dessert, titled "If Teapots Could Talk" has been planned and organized by members of the Heritage Heartland and Homemakers Anonymous Extension Homemakers Clubs. All local IEHA members, guests and the public are welcome to attend the program on Monday, April 29. For more information contact the Putnam County Office of the Purdue Extension Service at 653-8411 or call Bonnie Bryan at 739-6101.

Check our website www.extension.purdue.edu/putnam to view the most up to date info. People may contact the local Purdue Extension Office by calling 653-8411 for more information regarding column topics or to RSVP for upcoming events. Call first to assure items are ready when you arrive and to RSVP for programs. Many publications are free, some do have a fee.

Upcoming Events

April - July- IEHA Historical Display at Putnam County Museum

April 24 -- 4-H Volunteer Meeting, 6:30 p.m.

April 29 -- Extension Homemakers' Spring Dessert -- recognition of new members

May 3 -- Area V Performing Arts (Share the Fun) Contest, Cloverdale Middle School, 6 p.m.

May 9 -- Ext. Homemakers' County Council Meeting 7 p.m. at Fairgrounds

May 11 -- 4-H Wood Science/Craft Workshop, Fairgrounds, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

May 13 -- Ext. Homemaker Leader Lesson, 7 p.m. "Personal Safety"