For 75 years, the Viney Grove HE Club has been giving to others in a variety of ways
The Viney Grove HE (Home Extension) Club celebrated its 75th year in 2019. The club meets every second Tuesday at 10 a.m. in the Viney Grove Community Center in Prairie Grove, Ark.
The building has an even longer history having served as a lower and upper elementary school until Viney Grove consolidated with Prairie Grove in the late 1940s when the historic building was given to the men of Viney Grove.
Originally, the long building was divided in half by huge doors with the library having an entrance on each side so both the lower and upper elementary students had access. The library evolved into the current kitchen, a very busy place in the community building.
The difference between the club and other University of Arkansas Home Extension Services is that the main function of the club is philanthropic and strives to provide help for local residents in a variety of ways.
“Our goal is to fill community needs through group and individual projects that help others,” explained member Virginia Vafakos. “We also help each other whenever someone is ill, recuperating from surgery or coping with loss. In the long run, each of us helps herself by being part of a close knit and active group of women.”
Philanthropy efforts include collecting wet pet food for the Prairie Grove Pound, donating food and hygiene items to the Viney Grove Methodist Church outside food pantry, providing funding to the Angel Wing program (which provides money for students without money to purchase a lunch in the Prairie Grove schools – donations of food, books and club-made blankets), volunteer for the VA in Fayetteville, Ark., and snacks and bottles of water for the local Ronald McDonald Houses. A particular favorite effort is crocheting infant red hats for the Red Hats/Big Hearts section of the American Heart Association. The hats are intended for preemies and other infants, often with heart issues. The hats are given to the association, which then professionally cleans them so they are safe for the vulnerable little ones.
In honor of the 75th anniversary, president Phyllis Ulm pulled out all of the old records and gave them to secretary Sondra Frank to study. The club began about 50 years after the University of Arkansas Extension program began in 1905. This ladies organization first met in the home of one of the charter members, though soon a rotation began among members’ homes until the men who received the donation of the old school welcomed the organization.
During her research, Sondra pulled her mother’s secretary minutes when she was secretary in 1956.
“I discovered my mother, Reba David, was very detailed oriented,” Sondra said. “She stuck to parliamentary procedure far more than we do now and identified specific activities including the names of the women involved, using their first names. Now my daughter is also a member so three generations of my family have belonged.”
Some of the activities of the early organization include serving a hamburger lunch at farm estate auctions, using a special recipe to make the hamburgers. To raise money, the women baked pies to sell from one piece to a whole pie, and they were always a big hit. The same food was available at a club booth at the Washington County Fair where members also entered quilts and food entries in the home economics division. Member Jane Gayner enters quilts at the fair now.
Quilting is another club activity. Virginia has some of the old frames with pegs that hang from the rafters and retract when not in use. According to Virginia, when the club started during World War II, everything was in short supply. Quilts were made by cutting a quilt-sized patch out of newspaper. Then scraps were pieced together to make the patch with the newspaper being torn off the back when the quilt piece was done, that was the beginning of the concept of “crazy” quilts.
Another common older style is “name” quilts. They were constructed with large squares and had people’s names on them, sometimes commemorating soldiers lost in war or club member names. The group still makes quilts and gives them away where needed. Another member, Victoria Rose, is teaching the group how to make T-shirt quilts. These quilts are often a loving memento of someone who has passed.
An annual fundraiser is serving a Christmas party dinner for an antique car club. The ladies go all out and prepare a traditional turkey dinner, including dressing, sweet potatoes, homemade yeast rolls and, of course, pies.
The club currently has nine members, most in their 70s and 80s. Phyllis, who was surprised to discover she had been elected president after missing two meetings due to illness, believes the interaction between the women is as important as the charity work. In addition to their monthly business meeting, they eat at restaurants. They also have a secret sister program. Gifts are given throughout the year, which culminates at a Christmas party. Then in the January meeting, the secret sisters are revealed and new ones drawn.
“We are always looking for new members,” Phyllis explained. “Our club’s purpose is to help others but it’s also supportive and fun.”
