IMMIGRANT DAUGHTER 42

When we lived in Muncie Carl and I did quite a bit if volunteer work with collecting food from the various churches to give away at the Food Center. This created a job offer to set up and run a Food Pantry that would screen families in immediate need. The city had an item in their budget with a paid employee trying to combine how to spend the money allotted to new comers that needed immediate help.

We were asked to open and organize the collection of food and stock a pantry for immediate distribution as needed, and we call it the “Food Pantry”. We had to buy fresh items like meat, bread and eggs that required the center to have its’ own building with refrigerators and freezer so that we could lock the center when we were closed. Carl and I had full control of the food pantry and answered to Sally who was paid by the county. She one girl working for her that screened the families in need. It is amazing just how many free loaders show up to get food they don’t have to work for. That is why the screening was necessary because they had to realize they couldn’t be on the constant take. After so many days the source would dry up and theycouldn’t get any more free food until a month had passed. Sally trusted us and gave us lots of leeway. Once we were set up it was easier to arrange donations of food and monies from individuals and organizations. The Council of Churches in the area was a big help.

This was something Carl and I could work at together because we really were not ready to retire. The churches did a great job of collecting food in their congregations on a monthly schedule. This was rewarding in many ways while it was also work.
Every year a Crop Walk was scheduled. This was a 5K walk thru the city from 9am to 4pm and anyone can sign up to walk by paying an entry fee to compete for the prizes donated by business in the area. How this worked was walking the required route in the best time after you signed in. Of course there was an entry fee. This was fun and good exercise. I have several pictures of Carl and I in our German outfits, knickers and knee socks that were wool. Muncie weather was definitely cold enough to wear these. We did this pantry work for five years always giving back the small fee they gave us.

This article and picture was in the local newspaper and it was the last time we were involved in this project.
There is always a time to step down and let someone else come in with new ideas. We always said no one is irreplaceable and it best you learn that in any endeavor. It is always the better when you choose the time to step down and leave on good terms. No hard feelings that way.

At church this past Sunday for coffee time they surprised me by helping me celebrate my birthday, which was the 15th. For refreshments they had 80 cupcakes stacked up in a tier. The kids loved it because it was easier to take one and eat it on the spot.


Holland America sent me this wonderful card. I thought it was pretty enough to share.

The last two days have been outstanding. Since my sister Electra arrived we haven’t stopped talking except to sleep. She has filled in many of the different times of my childhood. It is something special about being the baby of the family. There are many stories I was involved in and have no knowledge of that my sister kept hearing that I looked like my mother more than any of the children. We both had dark hair like moms, my oldest sister had light two-tone hair, with one eye dark and one light. The way girls color their hair today with a mixture of shades Sophia’ would have been be in style. My next sister Marie had auburn hair with brown eyes. My two brothers had dark curly hair and my sister Electra and I had dark brown straight hair that looked black. But when I was younger as a little girl I had light brown hair. It’s amazing how our growth changes in intervals. Once we pass puberty we really change constantly.

In our immediate family the children are all with different color hair and complexions . After my family I am not surprised. In the summer I just get dark and Carl had to cover up because he burned easily. When he was aboard ship he told me that he was a constantly burned sailor even with a shirt on all the time. And as he grew older that didn’t change so he just suffered with sunburn and being red all the time.

I see I am near the signing off point, so until next time, I am Immigrant Daughter.