Piatt County Association Home and Community Education meet

CERRO GORDO – The Piatt County Association for Home and Community Education (AHCE) has presented its first meeting of 2023. The cultural Enrichment Day Celebration was held in Cerro Gordo on Jan. 18, 2023 at the Church of the Brethren.

This program started out with a presentation, “Stan’s What’s It”, planned and prepared by Stan Seevers, about antique tools. Stan became interested in tools in 1954 when he became an apprentice tool & die maker. Since then he has accumulated a large inventory of both tools and knowledge about tools. He retired in 2000, selling his farm drainage and excavating business to his son.

Following Stan’s retirement, he acquired most of his treasured tools by going to auctions and antique malls. Stan is a serious collector, even going as far as New York to acquire some of his items. His passion is to discover an item that he doesn’t know what it is used for and then to do the research that is required to find its identity and use. Stan and his wife Miriam travel during the winter into the sunshine states. They sometimes visit as many as 200 antique shops each year. Stan loves his antique tools and the exploration necessary for finding them and discovering their uses.

Stan’s program involved trying to look at and handle 27 different small tools in order to try to guess what they were designed to be used for. These tools could be found around the home, farm, doctor’s/dentist’s office, etc. This is harder to do than you might think. After everyone had completed their guess sheet, Stan took the time to explain the historical significance of each of these tools.

Following Stan’s history lesson, attention turned to the craft/cooking judging. Three ladies from Macon County, Karen Cahill, Sandy Severe, and Sheryl Sample, took some time to judge our crafts and our cooking.

(Some of these craft items will be going to the state convention to represent Piatt County AHCE! Note the * items.)

They include two quilted table cloths by Kathy Harris, two quilts by Carolyn Kleven, one purse by Carol Kussart, one tote bag by Linda Swett, one painting by Rosemary Brandenburg, two wall hangings by Carol Kussart, jewlery and glass art by Ginnie Reynolds, one sweater, one pair of gloves, and scarves by Carolyn Kleven, one crocheted hat by Carolyn Kleven, one prayer shawl by Martha Lynch, and two table placemats by Carol Drayton.

The foods that were brought in this year for the judging part of our program were soups, slider sandwiches, and chocolate desserts:

The soups included: Seafood Bisque presented by Martha Lynch (1st place); 15-bean soup presented by Ginnie Reynolds (2nd place); Grandma’s Soup presented by Kathy Harris (3rd place); Lasagna Soup presented by Kathleen Glenn; Friendship Soup presented by Carolyn Kleven; and Turkey Chili presented by Carol Drayton.

The slider sandwiches included: Baked Chicken Sandwiches presented by Martha Lynch (1st place); Chicken Puff Sandwiches presented by Linda Swett (2nd place); Reuben Sandwiches presented by Kathy Harris (3rd place); Super Duper Tuna Sandwiches presented by Kathleen Glenn; Cucumber Appetizers presented by Martha Lynch; Pimento Cheese Spread presented by Nancy Born Martin

The chocolate desserts included: Raspberry and White Chocolate presented by Evelyn Eads (1st place); Self-filled Cupcakes presented by Martha Lynch (2nd place); Reese’s Peanut Butter Brownie Ice Cream Cake presented by Kathy Harris (3rd place); Death by Chocolate presented by Martha Lynch; Applesauce Cake presented by Frances Kurr; Triple Fudge Cake presented by Miriam Seevers; and Chocolate Cake presented by Carol Drayton.

REMINDER NOTICE: Piatt County AHCE Lessons

February (Package Lesson: Gluten Basics

Cerro Gordo Unit Meeting is Feb. 9 at 1 p.m. at the Church of the Brethren in Cerro Gordo. CMV Unit Meeting is Feb. 22 at 10 a.m. at the Piatt County Extension Office.

March = (Educator Taught Lesson: March 2 , 10 a.m., Piatt County Extension Office, The Fuel to Fight Cancer)

Cerro Gordo Unit Meeting is March 9 at 1 p.m. at the Church of the Brethren in Cerro Gordo. CMV Unit Meeting is March 22 at 11 a.m. at the Piatt County Extension Office. IAHCE State Conference at Thelma Keller Convention Center in Effingham is March 14 to 16.

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