Sew-N-Sew club in its last days, but rich in history

(Pictured are the last members of Randall’s Sew-N-Sew Club, which started in 1942, met at KFC in Little Falls for its second to last official meeting Oct. 23. It was the group’s first time at the restaurant. From left to right are, Velma Miller, Gladys Thelen, Violet Dalquist, Carol Saxton, Colleen Nelson and Norma Nelson. Staff photo by Sarah Wocken)

Velma Miller, Violet Klapel and Alice Fisher were three of the masterminds behind the club’s founding.

In the first days of the club, which were during war time, the women would get together to encourage one another and do their mending. When they had a lunch, everyone would throw a dime into the cash bowl so they could buy fruit to take to their patients. Since the economy was still recovering from the Great Depression, groceries were very reasonably priced, such as 10 to 12 cents per dozen of eggs, 10 to 15 cents per loaf of bread, 25 cents for a pound of butter and 25 cents for three pounds of sugar.

Miller said, “I don’t recall the price of fruit at that time, but it was comparatively cheap also. I do remember, however, of having only 11 cents left in our treasury at one meeting.”

As time went on, fruit became more expensive, so the club started sending a card with a handkerchief in it to the hospitalized. However, postage for stamps also kept increasing as well as the price of handkerchiefs. Dues were raised to 25 cents and the women began to buy coffeecakes from the bakery to cheer people. Club members also received a plant or rose bowl when they were ill, and every new baby born to a club member got a nice gift, Miller related. Memorial money was also given if a member lost someone in their family. “We were also saddened to lose our own members through the years,” Miller said. “So, we had our sad times as well as our glad times.”

When Christmas time would roll around, each member of the club would choose two elderly people in Randall and make up a nice food basket for them. “This was a joy, for they were so happy to be remembered with our visits,” Miller said.

At one time, the club had between 25 and 30 members. Since they were all young mothers, they had many children. At Christmas parties, there were children everywhere, enjoying their toys, the tree, and visits from Santa Claus (who just happened to be a woman). One Christmas, there were 52 children present. “The food was the greatest for each one brought their best cookies and candies from their kitchens,” Miller said. “We drew names and exchanged little gifts then. Now we just make a donation to the food shelf instead.”

The Sew-N-Sew Club took trips as well. Miller recalled that their most exciting trip was to see the Ice Follies, a professional ice skating show, in Minneapolis, later enjoying a lunch in the Dayton’s Sky Room. Since it was in April, they were all wearing their spring hats which were in style at the time. It was also snowing as they rode down in a big school bus they had rented.

Another trip was to Osakis, MN, where the club got to see how things were made in “yesteryear,” such as homemade butter, handmade candles and quilts.

Every five years the club celebrated each member’s anniversary. “I believe the first one was celebrated in the old Buckman Hotel,” Miller said. “We had a little program, and Lyle Nelson, the husband of member Colleen Nelson, has always been our Master of Ceremonies. He is just cut out for that, and we surely do appreciate the fine job he always does.” Spouses were always invited to the club’s anniversary parties, summer picnics and sometimes to Christmas and other parties.

Craft, bake and broom sales have also kept the Sew-N-Sew club busy over the years. “The brooms were very light and fan-shaped, a joy to use and very popular with our customers,” Miller said. Member Norma Nelson added, “We have the best brooms you could ever want in the world.”

A teenage dance was also sponsored in Randall at one time. Miller said she found an old record of one of the dances saying “Pedal pushers and shorts are frowned on for attending a dance!” She got a kick out of that.

During World War II, the club put together a newspaper for the area servicemen called the Globe. Each man would get a monthly copy. One of the members drew the cartoons and illustrations, some put the pages together, and everyone brought news, interesting articles and jokes to fill the pages.

Cook books were also sold by the club, with each member bringing in her best recipes. They celebrated their 50th anniversary in 1992, although one of the charter members, Klapel, lived in Idaho and couldn’t make it.

“The years have flown by,” Miller said. “There are only six of us members left in our club. Our get up and go seems to have gone up and went. We are all trying not to complain about our aches and pains.”

The club had planned on making their stop at KFC on Oct. 23 their last official meeting. However, a Christmas party in December will be the last of the last. Nelson said they are disbanding due to the small number of members left as well as the amount of work they have to do. However, they’ll be selling their last brooms.

About the club, Nelson said, “We enjoyed it. We had some good times together. It was important in the community. It was a great event in our life to go to the Sew-N-Sew club.”