Author: Kelly Wozniak

LaPorte County
Extension Homemakers Association
Club Information
2021 - 2022

“The Homemaker has the ultimate career.
All other careers exist for one purpose only -
And that is to support the ultimate career.”
~ C.S. Lewis

History of Indiana Extension Homemakers
In 1913, Indiana Home Economics Association was organized with 10 clubs paying dues. The purpose of these clubs were to encourage more county educational groups for homemakers and to promote the teaching of “domestic science” in local schools.
By 1927, a total of 309 extension clubs with a total of 10,142 members were established. The Indiana Extension Service is the largest organized program of its kind in the nation.
In 1930, the Home Economics Club creed was adopted and is still our motto today.
“We believe in the present and its opportunities, in the future and its promises, in everything that makes life large and lovely, in the divine joy of living and helping others, and so we endeavor to pass on to others that which has benefited us, striving to go onward and upward, reaching the pinnacle of economic perfection, in improving, enlarging and endearing the greatest institution in the world…. The Home.”
~Mrs. C.W. Horne
IEHA Logo
The IEHA Logo depicts the Indiana Extension Homemaker Association with a unique combination of symbolism: The three figures depict the endless combinations of family members, representing male and female, adult and child.
The letter IEHA, the association’s acronym form an important portion of the home by providing support.
The roof of the home extends beyond the perimeter of the design, indicating that the influence of IEHA extends beyond the home and the family to the surrounding community.
Organizational Structure of Indiana Homemakers Clubs
25,718 Members belong to 1,842 Local Extension Homemakers clubs represented by 92 County Extension Homemakers Councils in 10 Districts.
These 10 Districts make up the Indiana Extension Homemakers Association (IEHA) which joins other states in the National Association for Family and Community Education, Inc. (FCE) with membership in the Association Country Women of the World (ACWW).
The Michigan City District is made up of Elkhart, Kosciusko, Lake, LaPorte, Marshall, Porter, Starke and St. Joseph Counties.

How Can I Join a Club?
Our LaPorte County Extension Homemakers Association has 10 clubs with almost 80 members. The cost of becoming an Extension Homemaker is $12.00 a year and includes a program book, and $10.00 if you don’t want a book.
You can find the membership form along with more information about the Extension Homemakers by visiting bit.ly/lpexthome
You can also contact the Purdue Extension Office at 219-324-9407 to have a copy of the membership form sent to you or if you have any other questions.
Educational Retreats
Lessons on various program areas that include Foods & Nutrition, Human Development, Family Resource Management, Health and Special Interest that are presented by local area Purdue Extension Educators and are open to the public to attend. All Educational Retreats will be held at the La Porte County Purdue Extension Office – 2857 West State Road 2, Suite A, La Porte
Registration begins at 2:45 p.m.
Lessons are from 3:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Carry-in Meal
Retreat Dates are
Tuesday, October 5, 2021
Tuesday, March 22, 2022
Tuesday, May 17, 2022
Lend - A- Hand Days
A sew-a-thon that benefits various local organizations in the county. These days are held 4 times a year from 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. in the Community Building at the LaPorte County Fairgrounds.
2021 Dates
Tuesday, September 21, 2021
Thursday, November 4, 2021
The 2022 dates will be announced at a later time.

Country G.A.L.S.
Country G.A.L.S. is a small club of nine members. As a rule, they meet the 1st Thursday of the month at 1:00 p.m. They usually meet in member’s home although three meetings a year are at restaurants. They don’t meet in July and August. Some of the meetings are themed: Nov. is “Thanksgiving Carry-In,” Dec. is “Bring an ornament to exchange;” May has been “Cinco de Mayo;” and June is “go somewhere as to learn something about our community or county.”
They are a friendly group who loves to visit and “catch up.” Besides Nickels for Friendship and Coins for Friendship funds, activities include donations for South County Food Pantry and the South Central Santa’s Workshop. Please contact Linda Pardue at 219-767-2415
East Galena
East Galena is one of the oldest clubs, we started in 1925, as well as one of the most active. We hope to make it to our 100 year anniversary. The club meets on the 4th Tuesday of the month at 1:00 p.m. at various locations. We have made many friends and had 3 generations of members at one time. We collect tabs for the Ronald McDonald House as well as other activities. Contact Karen Schultz at 219-380-5678.
F.A.C.S.Y. Folks
F.A.C.S.Y. Folks meets on the 4th Wednesday of the month at 5:00 p.m. Please contact Ruth Lile at 574-586-2208.
Hesston Homemakers
The Hesston Homemakers Club meets the last Monday of the month at 6:00 p.m. at Lamb’s Chapel Methodist Church, 6006 N. Fail Road, La Porte IN. Members generally reside in the northeast portion of the county. Meetings include health, nutrition and safety reports and educational lessons. A hostess provides dessert or refreshments. Members dine out twice a year-in May in honor of Mother’s Day and in December for the holiday celebration. The October meeting includes costumes and a carry in dinner .
A year round secret pal exchange culminates at the Christmas gathering when pal identities are revealed and exchanged for the New Year. Current members’ interests include gardening, cooking, genealogy and crafts.

Hesston Homemakers cont.
Some community projects include food pantry, women’s shelter and donating positive reading material for prison inmates. Projects are funded through club bake sales, white elephant and plant auctions. Please contact Linda Barnes at 219-778-2734.
Homespun Harmony
Homespun Harmony began 37 years ago (1980) as a gathering of friends in the Rolling Prairie area. Some of the first meetings had more small children in attendance than adults! The club meets on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at various locations. Members are from the Rolling Prairie, Mill Creek, La Porte and Michigan City areas.
Most popular for the club is their annual soup tasting night at their January meeting. Members bring a soup they have been wanting to try or a favorite recipe. Everyone has the opportunity to taste-test all the various soups. A recipe book is shared with all the prepared recipes. This event has become so big that they have soup night in January and February because there were just too many soups to taste and still feel comfortable when the night was over!
The club enjoys preparing food together. They have for several years prepared breakfast for an annual meeting of the Soil & Water Conservation District. They have also provided food for the La Porte County Master Gardener Association Garden Show the last few years. The annual picnic, Christmas party and birthday celebrations are held at area restaurants as well. The club provides support for the local food pantries, awards for 4-Hers, scholarships for 4-H camp, international water filters and more. Learning new skills at the quarterly educational retreats and sharing them with each other and with others is an added bonus.
New members are always welcome. Please contact Betty Carpenter at 219-362-7631.
Kitchen Kin
Kitchen Kin Club meets every month on the 2nd Thursday at various club members’ homes starting at 1:00 p.m. Two times during the club year—in May and December—they have a luncheon celebration. They attend quarterly retreat meetings that include all of our La Porte clubs; area educators present many interesting lessons. Each month a club member or a guest presents a lesson from the retreat meetings or some other topic.

Kitchen Kin cont.
Each month hostesses treat the club to delicious desserts or refreshments. An annual election of club officers selects those who help to get things done throughout the year. They are involved in many community service projects such as donating school supplies at the beginning of the school year. Clothing is also donated to homeless shelters. A toy drive normally is conducted during the Christmas season.
Kitchen Kin would love to have you as a member. Please contact the Penny Flick 219 -290-2317.
Merry Moderns
Merry Moderns meet on the third Monday of the month at 10:00 a.m. at various locations or members’ homes. Merry Moderns was formed July 21, 1961. Recently, they designated the July meeting to celebrate their charter anniversary by having a special luncheon followed by their monthly meeting. Other highlights of the year include having Secret Pals. Names are drawn after the current year’s Christmas gift exchange for the New Year. Secret Pals are remembers on special holidays, birthdays and Christmas. The Christmas Celebration consists of having lunch at a restaurant then on to the home of a member where they exchange gifts and enjoy a Christmas dessert. In August, they hold their annual picnic with a carry-in lunch usually at Salem Chapel UMC hall—no bugs to share the meal with. The month of November features their annual Thanksgiving potluck dinner with a white elephant auction. Proceeds from the auction go to benefit local food pantries.
The Christmas Celebration consists of having lunch at a restaurant then on to the home of a member where they exchange gifts and enjoy a Christmas dessert. In August, they hold their annual picnic with a carry-in lunch usually at Salem Chapel UMC hall—no bugs to share the meal with. The month of November features their annual thanksgiving potluck dinner with an auction of white elephant, handmade, and homemade baked items. Proceeds from the auction go to benefit local food pantries.
Many members attend the Extension Homemakers Educational Retreats. These are held three times a year at the Extension office. Three timely topics are presented by county educators. Again, food is featured with a carry-in dinner. Attending Spring and Fall District meetings allows members to keep abreast of various state and national projects. It is also a time to renew acquaintances and friendships. On occasion, the group gets together to attend a local play and have lunch either before or after the performance.

Merry Moderns cont.
The Volunteer Community Support deeds include: Donations to Purdue Cancer Research Endowment Fund, Ronald McDonald House, Coins for Friendship and Nickels for Leadership, Needles Galore, Steady Stitchers and local food pantries. Donations of service hours were given for Threads of Compassion Shawls, Salem Chapel Fair Booth and Community Building Watchers during county fair week. Anyone interested in attending a meeting, please contact Connie Carter at 219-324-3601.
Rolling Stones
Members meet at noon on the 3rd Thursday of the month (date sometimes varies). If you don’t want to go out at night, feel free to come join them! As a club, they volunteer to do building watch at the fair, they collect pop tabs for Riley Children Hospital along with helping out a Red Cross Blood drives and preparing food for senior citizens. Contact Jan Daniels at 219-362-5188.
Town & Country
Members meet at 12:30 p.m. on the 2nd Thursday of the month. Contact Joanna Doskocil at 219-324-3787 for more information.
Honorary Clubs – Charm ‘N’ Chatter
Service Clubs
Steady Stitchers
The Steady Stitchers are primarily a service club. They meet at “The Studio” in the basement of the Swanson Activity Center for Older Adults They sew many different items to donate to various organizations in the county. Lend A Hand Day is an all-day sew-a-thon held four times a year at the fairgrounds. “All Day” is 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.! For more information about classes or joining please contact Peggy Grzesiowski at 219-716-5003 or Janet Gourley at 219– 363-8122.
Needles Galore & More
Needles Galore is not an organized club, but anyone is invited to join them. They knit and crochet items for various organizations in the county. Contact the Extension Office at 219-324-9407 for more information .

The Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service offers assistance in these four main subject areas:
Agriculture and Natural Resources
We provide education, training and technical assistance to individuals and businesses with agriculturally related needs and interests. Program emphases include food and fiber production, farm business management, marketing and processing of agricultural products and natural resource management.
Health and Human Sciences
Our mission is improvement in the quality of life of individuals and families through enhancement of their economic and social well-being. Programs focus on helping people to extend their incomes, improve their health, as well as strengthen personal and family relationships in a changing environment.
4-H Youth Development
Through 4-H programs, we help youth acquire knowledge and develop life skills. Volunteers and professional staff work together to organize and conduct educational experiences in family and community settings.
Community Development
Our mission is to help communities resolve locally determined problems with objective information and assistance and to develop community leadership potential. Issues commonly addressed include economic development, local government finance and provision of services, land use and community resource management.
LAPORTE COUNTY PURDUE COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
2857 West State Road 2, Suite A
LaPorte, IN 46350
Phone: (219) 324-9407 Fax: (219) 326-7362
Extension Educator—Health & Human Sciences - TBA
Office web site – www.extension.purdue.edu/laporte
IEHA web site – www.ieha-families.org
It is the policy of the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service that all persons have equal opportunity and access to its educational programs, services, activities, and facilities without regard to race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, disability or status as a veteran.
Purdue University is an Affirmative Action institution.

LAPORTE COUNTY PURDUE
COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE STAFF
2857 West State Road 2, Suite A
LaPorte, IN 46350
Phone: (219) 324-9407
Fax: (219) 326-7362
Office web site – www.extension.purdue.edu/laporte
IEHA web site – www.ieha-families.org
Gene Matzat, Extension Educator,
Agriculture/Natural Resources
Mary Foell, Extension Educator,
Community Development
County Extension Co-Director
Gayle O’Connor, Extension Educator
4-H Youth Development
MaryJo Moncheski, Extension Educator,
4-H Youth Development
Office Administrative Assistants
Kathy Ulman Tina DeWitt
Mindy Rose Kelly Wozniak
Jody Kutch, NEPA
Community Wellness Coordinator
Caroline Arnett

LAPORTE COUNTY PURDUE
COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE STAFF
2857 West State Road 2, Suite A
LaPorte, IN 46350
Phone: (219) 324-9407
Fax: (219) 326-7362
Office web site – www.extension.purdue.edu/laporte
IEHA web site – www.ieha-families.org
Gene Matzat, Extension Educator,
Agriculture/Natural Resources
Mary Foell, Extension Educator,
Community Development
County Extension Co-Director
Gayle O’Connor, Extension Educator
4-H Youth Development
MaryJo Moncheski, Extension Educator,
4-H Youth Development
Office Administrative Assistants
Kathy Ulman Tina DeWitt
Mindy Rose Kelly Wozniak
Jody Kutch, NEPA
Community Wellness Coordinator
Caroline Arnett