MARSHALL - Amy Olsen of Marshall said it doesn't seem so long ago since she and Bea Taintor joined the Variety Study Club back in 1963.
Olsen and Taintor are two of the original members of the Variety Study Club in Marshall. They were honored at the Club's latest meeting Thursday afternoon for serving 45 years.
Olsen said it was a friend of theirs who got them into the Variety Study Club.
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Bea Taintor and Amy Olsen have been members of Marshall’s Variety Study Club for 45 years.
"Emma Mester was a very strong club member," Olsen said. "She got us involved."
Meetings usually involved a speaker talking on different topics, Olsen said.
"I remember we had some teachers come, a pastor come," Olsen said.
"We've always had some good speakers," Taintor said.
"You do learn things, and then, of course, the fellowship, that's wonderful," Olsen said. "The first year, we did get involved in many things - civic and fun things."
Olsen said study clubs were more prevalent in the area back in the 1960s.
"There were more clubs in Marshall at the time, and Balaton, Ruthton and Cottonwood," Olsen said.
Olsen said the Variety Study Club has done many service projects during the years.
One of the recent service projects the Club has done is the "Jared Boxes." The boxes are filled with stuff children would like when they're in the hospital, such as toys, crayons and coloring books.
"Something they can play with while they are in bed," Olsen said.
"It was kind of fun to pick up things for those boxes knowing someone was going to make use of them," Taintor said.
The club is finishing up a two-week stint of helping out with Meals on Wheels, Taintor said.
"It's interesting to be able to do a lot of these things," Taintor said.