Hatfield EHC Honors Three Charter Members

SUBMITTED BY RUBY MURPHY –

The Hatfield Extension Homemaker Club is one of five clubs located in Polk County. Hatfield Extension Homemaker Club members recently honored three of their charter members, Betty Varner, Lois Curl Deramus, and June Fudge, who helped with the organization of the club in October of 1982. Betty, Lois, and June are still members of the now existing club, which meets at Hatfield City Hall the second Wednesday of each month at 9:30 a.m.

Extension Homemaker clubs were started in the late 1800s and included activities that were developed by men, women, and children to provide learning experiences in all levels of home and family living. The purpose of the early clubs was built around the need of providing food, clothing, and shelter during the early American war years for soldiers and for women and children left alone in those times.

Over the years, many educational programs regarding home needs and agricultural needs continued to grow. The term ‘Victory Garden’ became a prevalent word familiar to us today.

Victory gardens were vegetable, fruit, and herb gardens that were planted at private residences and public parks during World War I and World War II. They were used along with ration stamps to reduce pressure on the public food supply. Besides indirectly aiding the war effort, these gardens were also considered a civil “morale booster” in that gardeners could feel empowered by their contribution of labor and rewarded by the produce grown. This made victory gardens a part of daily life on the home front.

The Hatfield Extension Homemaker Club provides educational programs in sewing skills, cooking skills, quilting, canning, child care, gardening, home living skills, crafts and art skills, crocheting and knitting techniques, volunteering for worthy causes, and any other program that involves home and family living skills.

One of the planned projects of the Polk County Extension Homemaker is to build a safe sidewalk around the educational building at the Polk County Fairgrounds. The Happiness Extension Homemaker Club members provide help for other needed causes. If you are interested in joining, you will truly be welcomed. For information regarding joining the Hatfield Extension Homemaker Club, call Ruby Murphy at 479-216-1947.

Each Extension Homemaker club works under the auspices of The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture and the local Polk County Extension office. The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service offers its program to all eligible person regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, marital status, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

About Author

Jeri Pearson

Jeri is the News Director for Pulse Multi-Media and Editor of The Polk County Pulse. She has 10 years of experience in community focused journalism and has won multiple press association awards.

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