(5-5-23) The Twenty First Century Club met on April 25, 2023 at the lovely home of Suasan Coburn for a regular meeting. Spring flowers were in bloom in her gardens. President Janet Steffy called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone with reading on How to Become Famous. Roll-Call by Secretary Kim Carr was completed with everyone naming someone famous they have met. The treasurers report was given. The balance is $318.92.
Minutes from the February meeting were read and approved. Janet Steffy read a letter from member Sheila Baltzell-Linn. She suggested we consider a 100th Birthday Party for our club! She and honorary member Barb Painter also recommended a new member for consideration at the May meeting Janie Roll Overley. Karla Butler thanked the members for past donations to Helping Hands and asked for canned meat and peanut butter (in small cans/jars) for the May donations.
Karla Butler continued the evening program with her funny entertainer Joe Evan Brown. Hew as born in 1891 in Holgate Ohio, third of 7 children and performed in theater in Bowling Green, OH. Later in life he received an honorary doctorate from Bowling Green State University and had a theater named after him. As a child, he worried about getting enough to eat and securing a job. He was laughed at over his unusual facial features. He started out as an entertainer acrobat because he could walk on his hands. Later he sold newspapers. Times were tough but he got a job as a clown, too, and traveled the USA. In 1906, there was an earthquake, and he survived it. At the age of 14 he played semi-pro baseball for a while and earned enough money to travel to NYC where he worked with W. C. Fields. His acrobat skills led to a comedian job where his rubber face made him famous. He won the Bronze Star award for traveling to entertain for the troops. He became to first president of the Pony League Baseball team. A city park bench is named for him in Toledo.
Funny Girl Funny Guy the theme for the year was continued as Toni Fisher presented her program on comedian Drew Allison Carey, born in 1958, one of 3 sons in Cleveland, OH. Drew attended Kent State and was expelled twice. Hew was in the Marine reserves for 6 years, went on to work as a bank teller and at Denneys Restaurant. In 1988, he went on Star Search and later was tapped for the Tonight Show in 1991. Johnny Carson actually asked Drew to sit right beside him a big honor. In 1995, he got his own Drew Carey Comedy Show, and struck it rich running 223 episodes. Hi last episode paid $750K. In 1998, he went on to host Whos Line is This?. In 2000 he had an angioplasty to his heart. He wears glasses as props. Libraries get his support. He loves The Price Is Right, his current gig.
Delicious refreshments were served by Susan and Rozann Maurer.
The last meeting of the year is Tuesday, May 23, 2023 at the Rockford United Methodist Church Cafe. Hostesses are Sheila Baltzell-Linn and Julie Henkle. Program leaders are Melanie Shindeldecker and Valerie Fritzinger.
Mercer County Outlook 