Fleur-de-lis Club news

Dorcas Jarrard was hostess for the April 25, 2019, Fleur-de-Lis Club meeting. Members met at 1:30 p.m. at Boxcar Treasures located at 307 E. Fifth Street, in Washington, IA. Carol Riggan and Jodi Schimke welcomed the group and told a little bit of their thriving business of antiques, collectibles and crafts. They have four locations now, being Washington, Ainsworth, Kalona and Lone Tree. They did have a shop in Bonaparte, IA but just recently closed it concentrating the locations closer together. The Washington store was remodeled in October 2016 and Carol opened in December 2016. She started with 50 vendors, and then opened in June 2017 with the Ainsworth store. Carol then partnered with Jodi and became the Iowa Pickett's as they together enjoy making acquisitions from trash and treasures to add to their shops through people downsizing, and people dealing with estates, so they are closed on Mondays so they can road trip. They presently have 5,000 square feet in their Washington store and 1,800 square feet in the Ainsworth store to provide space their vendors, be it a booth area or consignment item of various things located throughout the four locations of their stores. Merchandise is changing constantly. New vendors are welcome and they presently have seven employees and 316 vendors. Dorcas, one of the club's members, works in the Washington store about one day a week. She also has some of her personal items/crafts and aromatherapy items available for sale. Members browsed through the store as it was a first-time visit for many of the members.

The group held their monthly meeting in an area that had been set up for the group among the merchandise. Vice president Bev Krotz called the meeting to order. Roll call was answered with members relating a memory of theirs after browsing through all the store treasures. Minutes of the December meeting and March gathering were read by the secretary, Linda Birney, as the group did not meet during the months of January and February. She also gave the treasurer's report. Dues were collected for the coming year. Election of Officers was on the agenda. Kathy Ebert made a motion to retain the present officers and this was seconded by Lynda Jarrard. Motion carried. Officers for the coming year, 2019-2020 are President: Nancy Kimmel; Vice-President: Bev Krotz; and Secretary-Treasurer: Linda Birney. The Remembrance Committee will be Beverly Crandall and Theresa Hora. A sign-up sheet was passed around for hostess months and program books will be prepared and available at the next meeting.

Following the close of the meeting, Dorcas had refreshments for the group. The next meeting will be May 23, 2019, at 9:30 a.m. at the Café Dodici Coffee House on the square. Bev Crandall is hostess for the morning.