The Mokena Women's Club

Israel sits down with Joann Jeffers and Lana Graser of the Mokena Women's Club to learn more about this group and how they have been serving the people of Mokena since 1960!  I hope you enjoy our conversation and please reach out to them if you would like to join what they are doing in Mokena!

Chapters

• 0:21 Mokina Women's Club History and Mission
• 8:32 Mokena Women's Club Membership Details
• 22:38 Community Engagement at Craft Fair

Transcript

Israel: 0:21

All right, ladies, thank you for joining me, and you're both part of the Mokena Women's Club, is that right, and Lana? Is that right, you're the president at the time I am.

Lana: 0:32

I'm brand new, brand new president. Congratulations, thank you.

Israel: 0:35

And Joanne, tell me about your involvement, your role in the club.

Joann: 0:40

Well, because I've been in the club the longest, I guess I'm the unofficial historian.

Israel: 0:46

Oh, very cool.

Joann: 0:48

So I've been in it, believe it or not, 51 years, wow, yeah.

Israel: 0:54

Are you the longest? Standing member in the club.

Joann: 0:57

The longest living one. Yes, really, yeah, okay.

Israel: 1:00

Well then, tell us a little bit about how the club came about.

Joann: 1:04

Sure, I think the thing that is interesting about Mokina Women's Club is 20 ladies got together in January, actually had their first meeting in March of 1960, and it appears their goal was to start a kindergarten, because at that point there were no public kindergartens. Kindergarten, because at that point there were no public kindergartens. So their goal was to open a private kindergarten and between January and August they did that wow, and they operated the only kindergarten in Mokena for seven years. Really the interesting part is its name. It was called Happy Hour Kindergarten.

Lana: 1:48

I don't think we get away with that today.

Israel: 1:52

That's funny.

Joann: 1:52

The Happy Hour, right yeah.

Israel: 1:55

The innocent names? Yeah, totally different meaning now. So it started in the 60s and do you know anything about some of the founding women and why they came together to do it?

Joann: 2:05

I have a few names that you'll recognize. Okay, elizabeth Koppel, sure, lydia Cole, florence Pittman, mabel and Ruth Welsh, gladys Needham and Marguerite Scarth are some of the 20. Unfortunately, only one of them is still alive today, but we had her as a speaker Dolores Behrens. She lives in New Lenox now. Do you know how old she is now? She must be in her late 80s. I'm not sure she's reached 90. But you know, these ladies were leaders in the community and when you think about it, 1960, women didn't usually go out at night and these women started this group. They got a charter from the General Federation of Women's Clubs which, at that point, their charter came out of Chicago, which at that point, their charter came out of Chicago. So we're affiliated to this day, all these years later, with the General Federation, which is one of the largest international women's volunteer organizations.

Israel: 3:17

Wow, and what's the kind of goal or mission of the General Federation of Women?

Joann: 3:21

Well, I believe it was founded in order to help establish libraries throughout the country.

Israel: 3:29

Really.

Joann: 3:29

Yeah, and the Molkina Women's Club was instrumental in the Molkina Library Foundation and helping them to get started, and so on.

Israel: 3:37

Oh, that's interesting. So I'm a big part of the Lions Club and one of the things I like to point out is the Lions paid the rent for a long time too for the library and started buying books as well, and it's interesting. I looked up newspaper articles and that, and through the years the Lions Club and the Women's Club have worked together on a lot of things to the community.

Israel: 3:58

Yes, we have, which is great. It's always great to see those organizations working together. So what are some of the things you've been involved with in your time in the club?

Lana: 4:08

Wow.

Joann: 4:11

Well, I think the first five, six, seven years I was in the club, we kept wanting to give more money back to the community, but we didn't know how to earn that money. So we would sell candy, we would sell flowers, we would sell wrapping paper, gift cards. Every month you took your money and you went to the club and you knew you were going to come home with something. We said this is silly, we need to come up with a good idea. And so we formed a committee, which we're really good at forming committees. So we formed a committee to study it and we decided we wanted a project that we would only have to deal with once a year instead of monthly things.

Joann: 4:54

And at that point in time the idea of an art and craft fair was totally brand new. Lockport Women's Club had one. They were in their second year and a member, Doris Sangmeister, and I went to the Lockport Club and asked them if they would be offended or if they would embrace our having a similar show in Molkina, and they said go for it. And so they have one too, and theirs is two years older than ours. We're on our 49th year.

Israel: 5:24

Wow, yeah, wow.

Joann: 5:25

Yeah.

Israel: 5:25

Okay, so you got this thing figured out. Now I hope so. Well, talk about that. I was really interested that you are strictly handmade, handcrafted, correct Good, so kind of what brought that along? And talk a little bit about the bazaar.

Joann: 5:46

Well, part of the issue was that we were going to charge admission to the show, which was going to be our profit for doing so, and that was a new concept. People were used to going to church bazaars and going places where they paid nothing to get in and they would shop. So the concept was a brand new one and we spent years convincing people. The admission price will help the community, so we don't refer to ourselves as a bazaar, we're an art and craft show. Um, we're semi juried, which means that everyone who applies has to send us photos of their merchandise that they are making in the stages as it's being made.

Israel: 6:28

That's got to be quite a process to manage all of that information coming in, like how many vendors are typically at the fair.

Joann: 6:35

Oh, we have how many spaces? We have 120. At least 120 spaces, but an exhibitor or crafter could buy more than one, rent more than one. Um, and we're in the field house at Lincoln Way East. But our first show was at Willow Press School and it was a very small show and, um, we were only there one year because we knew it was going to work for us and we moved to Lincoln Way North, which was on the Central Campus, when Lincoln Way North, the original Lincoln Way North, was the north end of the Central Campus, okay, okay, and we were there for four years and then parking was an issue because we grew in attendance. So we moved to Lincoln Way East and they put us in the gym. I think we were in the gym about seven years when they came to us and asked us to move into Fieldhouse Because, actually, because they had a scheduling conflict which really worked to our advantage, not necessarily that first year because we didn't have enough time to fill with exhibitorsitors, but ever since we've been able to wow and what?

Israel: 7:49

what does that do for your club?

Joann: 7:50

that's your main, your only fundraiser wow, and the profits from that are determined our budget for the next year okay, and what kind of things do you do with your finances? We give it all away.

Israel: 8:07

That's great.

Joann: 8:08

Lana can talk about some of the projects that we give money to.

Lana: 8:12

Oh we well any Mostly just local organizations that are nonprofit, and we have scholarships as well for students that they apply for, and so we give out four or five scholarships each year.

Israel: 8:32

What age is that?

Lana: 8:33

That's high school seniors.

Israel: 8:35

yes, and what are the requirements for the scholarships? The scholarships?

Lana: 8:40

well that I never went on that committee okay well, if kids are interested.

Israel: 8:46

You know we have this similar thing with the lions. We've had years where, uh, kids don't hear about it or don't know, they might not even sign up. Not that you guys might not have that problem, but, um, you know, if kids are interested or they're coming up they're gonna be senior next year what should they look for to sign up?

Joann: 9:03

Well, all our applications and the information is in each school in their guidance service, plus they're in the library, plus they are also we put out publication in newspapers announcing it. Our requirement is that you have a Mokina address. That's the only requirement. There's an application and a letter and the committee chooses the winners.

Israel: 9:31

Any winners you can think of highlight or.

Joann: 9:37

Oh, I didn't even think about that one. That's a good question. We had a former principal in Mokina and I can't think of his name right now. He was a winner of our scholarship. We've had a mother and a daughter and a granddaughter win, which is three generations.

Joann: 9:56

Oh, that's cool and the original scholarship was awarded to one of the founding members and that woman is now wow, she must be close to 80. She came to our craft show two years ago and introduced herself and she said I was the winner of your first scholarship named after her mom, who unfortunately had passed away.

Israel: 10:19

Oh, that's incredible yeah so, lana, you're relatively new to the club, is that right?

Lana: 10:24

well, I uh 2014 that when I retired from as director of lincoln special rec. That kept me busy. So I said, as soon as I retire I'm going to join the women's club, and that's what I did. Did.

Israel: 10:37

So what drew you to the Women's Club?

Lana: 10:40

Well, because they've also donated to Lincoln Way Special Rec, and that's what got me first interested in it. And then I came to a couple meetings just to see what was going on and to accept a check once and I thought this is a great organization, and so I joined, and so it's been 10 a great organization, and so I joined, and so it's been 10 years. Wow, yeah, I love it, that's great. Yeah.

Israel: 11:06

And what brought you into the club.

Joann: 11:09

My husband's family lived in Mokena. We moved here. I knew no one except them and I was a teacher and I wanted to do something in the community. But I also didn't want to join no offense to anybody who's in a bunco club or anything. I wanted to join a group that made a difference and after a couple of meetings I learned so much because the programs are so good. Their speakers presentations tell you about their organizations, what's happening, so it's educational. I'd say our main focus is education of ourselves and helping other students through scholarship. We used to give camps in the summertime, so it's more than just those scholarships to seniors.

Israel: 12:10

Yeah, oh, that's great. And I know, and Alayna, I'm sure you know St John's had their and Alayna, I'm sure you know St John's had their. The Women's Aid Society is something that Matt talked about a lot in the history of St John's and coming up and you know it's interesting to hear because that group kind of you know, faded away after years but that the Mokina Women's Club seems to kind of picked up where that was. But you know, women and these women group, the women's group, both St John's, you know, and yours, have played significant. I love the story of what they did with, you know, those group of women and how they came together as a community to really fund the St John's building. You know we did a good article on it. But so I was happy to hear when you reached out to me because I I kind of knew you guys were around and you see things. But um, have, I've not attended your, your, your, your fair, not the bizarre uh, aircraft holidays, holidays, holidays.

Joann: 13:12

I don't think we've said that name yet holidays.

Israel: 13:15

Yeah, yeah, end of october right okay, we'll make sure to share that. I'll put the flyer up on the video for it as well. What are your meetings like?

Joann: 13:26

We meet the second Monday of each month, september through May. In June, july and possibly August, we'll have field trips or something maybe for fun to do. August, we'll have field trips or something maybe for fun to do. We always meet at 6.30 for refreshments and greeting. Our program starts at 7, and we usually are done with that about 8, and then have a business meeting. And we met in the Mokina Library for years, but they have eliminated their community meeting room. So we we scrambled and we're meeting in two different locations, depending on the month, and one of them is Emmanuel Lutheran Church and the other is the Frankfurt Township Building. Okay, and those are both working out well for us.

Israel: 14:13

Great, and if people were interested in joining the Mokina Women's Club, what should they do?

Joann: 14:20

Good question.

Lana: 14:24

Well, they reach out to us, come to three meetings and we bring them in.

Joann: 14:29

We're on the Mokina Village website with some contact information, phone number and our email address, and if they reach out we'll get back to them at our fair and every time we go out to have an informational booth we always collect the names of people who are interested. It used to be a very difficult thing to become a member of the Mokena Women's Club because in the beginning they had membership tees and you wore hats and white gloves and you had to have two people sponsor you, and so many years ago, unfortunately, the club had a reputation of being snooty and we're not like that anymore and I don't think they were then. It was a sign of the times, you know, and we in the beginning when I joined, we had meetings in our homes, and you really. Once we grew to the point that the average home couldn't accommodate. That's when we were very in for me in what's the word I'm looking for. We helped the library to realize they needed a community meeting room and that's where we met for 35 years.

Israel: 15:46

Wow, I just recently found out they got rid of the community room. Yeah, it's now called a program room.

Lana: 15:53

So we need a community room in Mokena.

Joann: 15:55

We talked about that at our board meeting. The village really needs a community meeting room that all groups are free to use without a fee, because if you're a non-profit, you don't want to be spending your money to have a place to go to if you're giving back to the community.

Israel: 16:18

Yeah, sure. So what would you tell people? You know, if somebody asked you why they should join the Mokina Women's Club, what do you tell them?

Joann: 16:29

We're a great group of ladies. We're friendly, we're outgoing, we're kind, we're busy going. We're kind, we're busy. We ask our members to you know, reach out and bring friends and neighbors. We have women from at least five different zip codes. You do not have to be a Mokina resident at all. Frankfurt no longer has their women's club. We have Manhattan, frankfurt, orland, mokena and New Lenox. New Lenox in our membership.

Israel: 17:08

Who else is the leadership? Do you want to talk about who the leadership in the club is now? Any of the women that are helping run it?

Joann: 17:14

Okay, lana Grazer is our president for the next two years. Amy Gusto is our first vice president, tricia Roberts is our outgoing president and now serves as our second vice president. Kathy Volverill is secretary and our two directors are Marie Ventura and Beth Whittier.

Israel: 17:35

Great. It's always good to know who are the people that are stepping up. That's always a challenging thing is to get good people that are willing to take the time to volunteer.

Joann: 17:46

Something I'd like to mention is way back there was a book written called the Story of Mokina. Are you familiar with this?

Israel: 17:54

I've heard yeah.

Joann: 17:55

Guess who wrote it.

Israel: 17:56

Who.

Joann: 17:57

The Mokina Women's Club? Really yes, and it's really kind of cool because there was a committee of women who gathered together the information and Florence Pittman did the editing of it. She obtained a copyright of it. She obtained a copyright and Mrs Pittman's family has given our club the copyright at this point in time.

Israel: 18:23

Oh, wow.

Joann: 18:24

It's been republished two different times with additional information, but I think it is, and there's two copies of it in the Library of Congress. We've given copies to the schools. We know some of the schools were using it for some history classes and so on, but I think it probably would be considered to be a pretty viable history of Molkina.

Israel: 18:49

Matt has talked about that and references it frequently. Right and all the history, right and Mrs Pittman, right. So that is awesome that I didn't realize it was the women's, mrs Pittman, right. So that is awesome that I didn't realize it was the women's clothes.

Joann: 19:01

Yes, it is, it definitely is. And how we met Matt, we were working at the cemetery Pioneer Cemetery. We had a couple of ladies, especially one, Carmen Smallwood, Carmen Wendell Smallwood who felt that it had been neglected way too long and she asked the club if we would join in the restoration of the cemetery. And so for quite a few years we maintained the cemetery and Matt would go by and he'd ask us what we were doing and he became our friend. And look at what Matt's accomplished.

Israel: 19:44

Yeah, yeah, yeah it's interesting, I'll find.

Joann: 19:47

You know, looking through newspaper articles and stuff of Matt is like yeah, 12, 13 year old kid like already doing stuff in town with history and he was on the Mokina Youth Commission when I was on it and at a young age you just knew his love for history just came right through and you were hoping he'd continue and he has.

Israel: 20:11

So is the Mokina Women's Club making this available to anybody? Is it one of those books, or how can somebody? Is there still a copy in the library?

Joann: 20:21

Yes, there are copies in the library. There should be copies in the library, and that's something that it's no longer in print. It had an edition added onto it by another one of our members. The people who actually were on the history committee Elizabeth Kappel, lydia Cole, mabel Welsh, louise McGann, francis Richards, elizabeth Rumbly and Jeanette Vrendenberg are the people who literally helped Mrs Pittman make this, so I think it's fascinating.

Israel: 20:58

It is.

Joann: 20:59

Yes, but again copies I'm not sure Good idea that we might think about having it printed again.

Israel: 21:08

Please let me know. If you do, I'd promote the heck out of it.

Joann: 21:10

Yeah.

Israel: 21:11

Because I mean, I haven't read it yet either, but you know from what Matt says, it's the book on Mokina history. Great. Any other treasures you got hiding under there you want to show me? Okay, so I'll share the information about your holidays fair. But do you have that you want to share yourself?

Joann: 21:45

October 26.

Lana: 21:45

And 27 at Lincoln Way East Fieldhouse. The show runs from nine to three. Each of those two days.

Joann: 21:48

Yeah, 26 and 27. And the admission fee is $5. And that $5 is how we set it up so that that becomes our profit to then give back to the community. That's great. So all the money that is, you know, earned at that show goes back to community projects, especially scholarship. And I think I'm pretty close in saying I know we've given way over $100,000 in scholarship money in the last years that I've been in the club, for sure, and many of those people have told us that our scholarship made a difference in their lives that's might have been the only one they won, but it was enough to give them the push that they wanted, and it came from local people that's great.

Israel: 22:36

Great Sounds like a great group. I'm glad you guys could share some some of the information and the history of it and doing some great stuff in town, so hopefully we'll get over to check out your holidays craft or vendor fair this year.

Joann: 22:52

Okay, not a vendor.

Israel: 22:54

Craft fair, all right, okay, not a fender. A craft fair, all right A craft fair yeah. Thank you for checking me out of that so great. This is great, thank you. Ladies Appreciate talking. Take some time to talk with me, thank you.