The Ellsworth VFW Auxiliary, Post 6485, met Oct. 18 with President Gloria Marez, seven members and guest Melissa Taylor representing the VFW.

It was voted to buy packages of socks to take to homeless veterans at the Salina Rescue Mission, along with 10 quilts made by Immanuel Lutheran Church ladies.

District 4 sponsored a project called “Hugs in Mugs” for each Auxiliary to participate in by filling coffee cups with snack items for veterans.

A thank-you letter from Ellsworth Elementary School for supplies bought for teachers and students was read.

Taylor shared the news about the VFW’s upcoming activities: The Auxiliary will help the VFW to replace bows on wreaths which will be placed on veterans’ headstones in Ellsworth County cemeteries in December.

Buddy Poppy Day will be Nov. 11 and 12. Veterans Day will be celebrated with a soup lunch at the Ellsworth Recreation Center (old National Guard Armory) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and bunco will be played following lunch.

Veterans will give a program at EES at 8 a.m., at Ellsworth Jr./Sr. High School at 9:30 a.m. and at Precious Pals Preschool at 10:30 a.m. and again at 2 p.m.

The Oct. 22 VFW Fish Fry went well, as did their breakfast Oct. 16. They also hosted a food drive on Oct. 20.

The Auxiliary membership drive continues. Members were reminded to vote. The new 2023 calendars are for sale.

A prayer was said for the VFW National Home for veterans’ children. The home was started in 1925 in Eaton Rapids, Mich., by Wilma Ross and Corey Spencer.

The next meeting will be Nov. 15.

PYW FCE Meeting Members of the Dorrance PYW FCE met Oct. 18 at the home of Mary Lee Bohnen.

Members attending were Bohnen, Skye Demel, Rita Habbart, Betty Jo Lloyd, Donna Fay Major, Anita Patton, Aubrey Ptacek, Lori Reeves and Mary Ann Thill.

Minutes were read and approved. Treasurer’s report was given and accepted.

Habbart provided information on the FCE meeting she attended on Oct. 14. She said the Russell County FCE group will be hosting the Spring FCE meeting in Russell April 12, 2023.

Final plans were made for the annual soup feed scheduled for Nov. 12 at the DCBA building in Dorrance from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Soup, sandwiches, cinnamon rolls, cornbread and pie will be served.

Habbart presented the lesson “Blueberry” and served a delicious blueberry cobbler. She also provided additional blueberry recipes along with information about blueberries. Blueberries provide notable health benefits because of their anti-properties (anti-oxidants, anti-cholesterol, anti-high blood pressure, anti-diabetes, anti-cancer, anti-Alzheimer’s disease, anti-gut bacteria and anti-wrinkle). When purchasing blueberries, look for firm berries and store the ripe berries in a covered container in the refrigerator and wash before eating. The fruit can be frozen by placing a single layer of rinsed berries on a baking sheet lined with paper towels and freezing for one hour. Place in a container with a lid and freeze up to nine months.

The next meeting will be Nov. 12 after the soup feed at the DCBA building. With no other business, the meeting was adjourned.

Betty Jo Lloyd, Secretary