Connecting With Zion’s Past

by Dennis Dugger

You will read this about the time of Zion’s annual congregational meeting.  For about twenty years, the meals for our annual meetings were sponsored by Zion’s Booster Club. 

The Booster Club of the Zion Evangelical & Reformed Church was organized on November 14, 1934.  It had its own constitution which stated “This Club is to be an organization to raise money and to advance projects for the betterment of Zion.  Slogan – A Penny a Day Will Keep the Debt Away.”

Also known as the Penny-A-Day Club, it was conceived by former pastor, Rev. Christian T. Rasche.  His thought was that members contributing a mere penny each day would support small projects as well as large, and would make for a better Church.  Obviously, a penny was worth a great deal more in 1934 than today!  It would have to be the Quarter-a-Day Club now!

The club also had its own officers and the first were: Mr. George Adelman, President; Mr. Edward Meisenheimer, Vice-President; Miss Mildred Meisenheimer, Secretary; and Miss Viola Field, Treasurer.  There were also Captains appointed by the officers, and the first were: Mrs. George Schaad, Mrs. Marvin Harris, Mrs. Emmett Purdy and Miss Nettie Mae Unser.  One each came from the congregation, the Sunday School, the Ladies Aid Society (now the Women’s Guild), and the Senior League.  The officers and captains formed the executive committee and served for one year.  The members of the Church Council and the pastor were advisors to the executive committee.

Every member of the club was assigned to a Captain’s team.  Two hundred and forty-three banks were distributed, and twice a year the captains visited the members on their team to collect the money from the banks. 

Membership in the club was open to all adults and children in the church and nearly everyone joined.  The donation of “one cent” in the course of a year made one a member, but there were three levels of membership.  Associate members were those who contributed less than a penny a day, and regular members were those who contributed at least one cent per day.  Contributing $5 or more per year made one an Honor Member.  The goal of the Booster Club for many years was to raise at least $500 to donate to Zion for some need.

During the second week in January, its Executive Committee would meet to decide on the date, entertainment and menu for the annual meeting.  During Zion’s Annual Congregational meeting, the Booster Club would give a report, elect new officers and decide on how best to use the money they had collected.

Club projects included redecorating the Sunday School hall, kitchen, dining room, and club room.  Over the years, they also paid for radiator covers, a pump for the parsonage, painting the parsonage, a men’s classroom in the basement, and a mimeograph machine for the office.  In the 1940’s, the Booster Club funds were held for several years to be used in preparation for Zion’s Seventy-fifth anniversary in 1947.  Approximately $2,500 of Booster Club funds were used to re-carpet the church.

The last annual meeting in which the Booster Club was mentioned as the sponsor of the dinner was 1955.  That year they voted to pay for half the cost of new choir robes.

The Booster Club was a successful organization of the church for many years; one that was encouraged; and one in which nearly every member of the church participated.  Why did come to an end?  If any of you know what led to the demise of this group please share.