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Washington Evening Journal
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Fairfield Women’s Club holds Christmas Bazaar
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FAIRFIELD – The Fairfield Women’s Club held its annual Christmas Open House and Bazaar on Saturday, Dec. 6.
Like all the club’s fundraisers, this event raises money to preserve the historic McElhinny House, built in the 1850s as Fairfield’s first “showplace.” The Fairfield Women’s Club has organized a Christmas Bazaar for at least four decades, attested to by member Ulala Conger, who has been in charge of its bake sale for the last 40 years.
Each member of the club is asked to bring a baked good to sell, perhaps a plate of cookies, a sweetbread, or another type of dessert item. The club also sells pans of frozen ham balls and chicken casseroles. This year, the club prepared 150 large pans and 75 small pans of ham balls, and 125 large pans and 50 small pans of chicken casseroles, plus some vegetarian casseroles, a new option this year.
In addition to the food for sale, the group’s craft club has craft items for sale. President Jeanie Belgarde said the craft club had been active years ago, then went dormant for a while until it was revived just two years ago and is going strong once more.
Maintaining a nearly 175-year-old house is no small task. Belgarde said money from the club’s recent fundraisers has gone toward purchasing two refrigerators and a freezer, and chairs for the dining room. A grant from the Greater Jefferson County Foundation is helping defray the cost, but the club has to put up its own money, too.
Before the Christmas Bazaar, the club’s most recent fundraiser was the Election Day Soup and Pie Luncheon, which generated $4,200 in revenue. Belgarde said she hoped the Christmas Bazaar would make between $3,000-$4,000. This money will allow the club to save up for another upcoming project, remodeling the bathroom and making it handicapped accessible.
Belgarde joined the club four years ago at the invitation of Jean Keller, whom she worked with at The Bargain Box. Belgarde liked the idea of helping to maintain a historic home and be part of a community-minded organization like the Women’s Club. While a lot of civic organizations have seen their membership fall in recent years, the Women’s Club continues to attract new members, including younger ones, and today boasts a total membership of about 60, with 30-35 regular attendees at its meetings and lunches.
The club will have three fundraisers coming up this spring and summer, starting with a lasagna luncheon in March, followed by the Spring Easter Bazaar in April, and then the plant sale and cookie walk in May.
“This is a great environment to get to know other women and support [the McElhinny House] through annual events,” Belgarde said. “It’s fun.”
Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com
