South Dakota CFEL (Community and Family Extension Leaders) Week will be celebrated during the first week of May.
Clubs were organized in 1914 after Land Grant Colleges for agriculture and home economics were established in each state in the union.
While CFEL has changed its name over the years from South Dakota Home Demonstration Clubs to South Dakota Home Extension Homemakers Clubs, and eventually to South Dakota Community and Family Extension Leaders, the main purpose has basically remained the same: to promote the improvement of home and community life.
Each year CFEL clubs across the state focus on issues that are presented at the state meeting, and are important to members. After these presentations at the state meeting, members are encouraged to take the information back to their local, county and area meetings.
Some of the convention issues that have been presented in the past are: Naturally Healthy, Opioid Abuse, Water Quality, Human Trafficking, Family Caregiving, Anxiety and Depression, Exercise, Food Preservation, From Farm to Table, Food Nutrition, Community Gardens, Child Care, Flourless Cooking, Estate Planning, Identity Theft and Food Safety.
The Issues for 2023 are: Staying Engaged as We Age, and Taking Care of our Children.
Currently Beadle County has three CFEL Clubs, Country Neighbors (started in 1965), BCNU (started in 1978) and Busy Fingers (started in 1980).
They hold a Spring Council/Area meeting in the spring and a Fall Council meeting in the fall, where all clubs get together, have a meal and programs on the Issues. Beadle County, (Area IV) is on a five-year rotation with the State CFEL to host a State Convention.
Beadle County will host the State Convention in September of 2024. There are seven Areas in the state, and the state convention is rotated between the different Areas.
The state has a membership of 224 members. There are 37 clubs and 2 members at large.
To learn more about CFEL or become a member of a club, contact Alison Dennis at 605-350-6323, president of Country Neighbors, Lorene Cavigielli at 605-352-0137 president of BCNU or Deanne Ness, 605-350-0321, president of Busy Fingers.
Buttermilk Coffee Cake
From Cheryl Moody
2 cups flour
½ cup shortening or margarine
1 cup white sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup nuts (chopped)
Mix together. Use 1½ cups of this mixture to make a layer in the bottom of a 9-by-13 pan. Pat down with a fork.
Reserve ½ cup of this mixture to sprinkle over as a topping.
To remainder of the mixture, add:
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon soda
Pour over crust and sprinkle with reserved ½ cup mixture. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.
Zucchini Casserole
From Diana Barton
6 cups thickly sliced zucchini*
½ cup chopped onion
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheese
1 package boxed stuffing
½ cup butter
1 cup cooked chicken pieces (optional)
Boil zucchini and onion until soft, drain. Melt butter and add stuffing mix to it. Line a casserole dish with ½ of the stuffing/butter mixture. Mix zucchini, sour cream, soup, cheese, and chicken. Place mixture in the casserole dish. Sprinkle with the remaining stuffing mixture. Bake at 350 degrees F until warm and lightly brown.
* Can also use medley vegetables or whatever vegetables you have)
Grandma Lisa’s Oatmeal Cookies
From Cheryl Moody
2 sticks (1 cup) oleo or butter
1 cup flour
½ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups rolled oats
Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla. Mix in remaining ingredients. Roll into balls and flatter with a sugar dipped glass. Bake at 350 degrees F 10-12 minutes. Makes four dozen cookies. Cookies are thin and crispy.
Asian Bok Choy Chicken Salad
From Deanne Ness
1 package Ramen noodles, crushed
Mix noodles, seeds, nuts and melted butter together until evenly coated. Spread onto cookie sheet and bake this mixture in a 350 degrees F oven for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly. Add bok choy, chicken and water chestnuts.
Prepare dressing by blending vegetable oil, vinegar, soy sauce, white sugar and lemon juice and toss it all together. Enjoy!!
Orange Fluff Salad
From Julie Boomsma
8 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed
6 ounces orange gelatin mix
16 ounces cottage cheese
14 ounces mandarin oranges, drained
20 ounces crushed pineapple, drained
4 cups mini marshmallows
Place pineapple, oranges and cottage cheese in large bowl. Stir together.
Mix in dry gelatin powder.
Fold in whipped topping and mini marshmallows.
Chill 1 hour before serving.
