Kewaunee County group ready to celebrate HCE Week

The approximately 100 members in Kewaunee County of the Wisconsin Association for Home and Community Education, Inc. (HCE) are getting ready to celebrate HCE Week from Nov. 5 to 11.

HCE is a nonprofit organization that partners with the University of Wisconsin-Extension Family Living Program at both state and county levels to bring quality educational programming to its members and their communities.

With nine clubs locally, the Kewaunee County HCE is one the most active among participating counties in the state. It sent 22 delegates to the HCE state conference in September at Glacier Canyon Lodge in Lake Delton, the largest delegation from any county attending.

At the state conference, one of the local clubs received an award for a community service project. One member, Anita Schuller received two medallions for a crocheted table cloth she entered in the Cultural Arts competition. Kewaunee County received an award for accumulating the most points for "On the Move and in the Groove" physical activity award, the second year in a row the delegation earned this award.

Among its many activities during the year, HCE participates in the Wisconsin Bookworms program under the guidance of Wisconsin Public Radio. Once a month, members read a book and work on an activity sheet with kindergarten students at Algoma Grade School. The students each receive a copy of the book to take home and keep.

Every year the local HCE offers at least one scholarship to the child or grandchild of one of its members.

The group offers monthly educational programs for its members as well as the public. Some past programs have included Preplanning for the Loss of a Loved One, Mason Jar Craft, Pies and Desserts, Learning about the Amish Culture, and Green Cleaning with products safe for our environment.

HCE serves pies at a Kewaunee Music in the Park event each year and at the Literacy Partners pig roast. It also helps with cookie decorating and crafts for the annual Christmas Extravaganza at Kewaunee Grade School.

In June of each year, HCE sponsors a three-day motor coach trip to a different location in the state. In 2018, the trip will head to Shawano County to learn about the Amish and Menominee cultures.

The group collects school and sewing supplies for Nicaragua with the Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners, based in Stevens Point. It collect Pennies for Friendship to be sent to people in less-fortunate areas of the world. This money is sent from the state HCE organization to help provide clean drinking water.

HCE holds a yearly banquet at which it honors an outstanding member and features a speaker who educates the members on a particular topic.

HCE is always seeking new members. Those interested can call local co-presidents Mari Fager at 920-388-2841 or Judy Malcore at 920-412-3922. For more information on the state organization, go to www.wahceinc.org.

This article originally appeared on Wisconsin: Kewaunee County group ready to celebrate HCE Week