By Mary Williams, Secretary
The Keokuk County Retired School met on Wednesday, March 18, at Hope Lutheran Church in Sigourney. Fifteen members were present. President Sandy Steinke called the meeting or order at 2:00 P.M. She thanked the church ladies for the wonderful treats. Sandy introduced the program speaker, Abby Sieren. Abby teaches Agriculture in the Classroom at Keota, Sigourney, and Tri-County schools.
Abby works with the children to teach them the importance of agriculture and the industries composing the agriculture business. Abby works with the elementary students by playing Ag Bingo with them and teaching them the facts about agriculture. Abby had the members present take part in Ag Bingo. Those who won received a fake tattoo to take to their grandchildren. Children in her ag classes raise young chicks and watch them hatch. They learn about all the industries connected to agriculture such as milk production facilities, jobs of those who work in farrowing houses, animals that produce our food, how to preserve grapes and other crops, and careers in agriculture that are available. Abby’s classes are once a month for thirty minutes in each classroom. Abby sent home a word search for the members to take home containing 95 words related to agriculture.
President Sandy Steinke called the Business Meeting to order at 2:40 P.M. Mary Williams read the minutes of the October meeting. Pat Hultman moved and Linda Greeson seconded to approve the minutes as read. Linda Crouse gave the Treasurer’s Report. Currently there is $1,550.94 in Checking, and the Scholarship Fund has $360.74 in it. Vicki Griner, Membership Chair, said that retirees from Sigourney, English Valley, and Keota, will be contacted about joining KCRSP. Linda Miller, District Six Representative, contacted our group about retirees in Iowa and Washington Counties who could be contacted for membership as their groups have disbanded. KCRSP applied for a scholarship to recruit new members and we received $400.00. A basket of information about KCRSP will be sent to local schools to recruit new members.
Under New Business, June Rice encouraged members to turn in volunteer hours. Last year, eleven people turned in volunteer hours. 2,021.5 hours were turned in last year. June encouraged more to turn in hours this year. Sandy encouraged members to share program ideas for the new year. Nathan Wood will speak at the May meeting. He is a Sigourney native and the next Superintendent of Sigourney Schools. The next meeting will be on April 15 at Hope Lutheran in Sigourney. The program will be Boost Initiatives. Presenters will be Kristin Woods and Gary Iosbaker. Meeting adjourned at 2:55 P.M.
