Posted: 12/9/04
Baking pies, volunteering keeps them going
By Joel Stottrup
The aroma of apple pie filled the fellowship hall of Immanuel Lutheran Church one day in November, due in great part to the work of Erna Deglmann, Della Boehm and Wilma Heinks, all of Princeton.
Like many who are over 65, Erna, Della and Wilma say they're just past that milestone when asked to give their age.
But however old or young they are, the three seem to have a lot of energy as volunteers. Erna and Della both began their volunteering when they retired and Wilma began volunteering five years before her retirement in 1999 as a school district cook.
Erna retired in 1994 from Smith System Mfg. and Della retired in 1995 as a health care insurance bookkeeper.
Now instead of bookkeeping, manufacturing and cooking, they are quite active with the local American Legion Auxiliary and their church, Immanuel Lutheran.
They quickly mention that they are not the only ones volunteering - mentioning fellow members of the Legion Auxiliary and their church.
Here's a rundown of the bulk of the volunteering by these three: They were among Legion Auxiliary members this past Nov. 11 who packed 87 packages of sweets to send to active duty military personnel. They also helped as Auxiliary members put on the Nov. 19 banquet for the creamery group known as First District Association.
As Immanuel Lutheran members, they helped prepare the Nov. 17 Thanksgiving type dinner for the Rum River Seniors club.
When the next Red Cross bloodmobile comes to Princeton on Dec. 21 at the American Legion from 1 to 7 p.m., you can expect to see those three there volunteering. Erna is also the bloodmobile co-coordinator with Phyllis Bartz.
They are regulars at Immanuel's pie baking fundraisers. Many members of the church bake rhubarb pies in the spring and apple and pumpkin pies in the fall to sell.
Not only are Erna, Della and Wilma in the kitchen at Immanuel for this job, but they are also out at people's places picking the rhubarb and apples.
"We're up in the tree," said Wilma, about the apple picking. They also render animal fat down to lard for making the pie crusts the old-fashioned way for baking pies.
It's common that the three are at the church kitchen as early as 4:30 a.m. to begin the baking on those pie baking days. By 6:30 a.m. the ovens are full, they agreed.
Erna estimated that Immanuel Lutheran members made 1,300 to 1,400 pies this year.
The three were asked why they volunteer, and Wilma quipped, "Because we're stupid."
"We like the fellowship," said Della.
"The fellowship and the coffee are good," Wilma agreed. "We like the coffee breaks."
"We wouldn't do it," Erna added, "if we didn't like it."
Princeton Union-Eagle
P.O. Box 278
Princeton, MN 55371
Telephone: 763-389-1222
Fax: 763-389-1728