And, old habits die hard. Mrs. Riley, a prolific

And, old habits die hard.

Mrs. Riley, a prolific seamstress, remembers one of her group’s first meetings concerned home freezers and their disadvantages. “Tech did not recommend them for personal use,” Mrs. Riley remembered, laughing a bit and adding that the Extension representatives said they were too expensive for the private homeowner. Steadfastly holding to their recommendation, she says she has never bought a chest freezer.

Today, the topics have changed from canning and selling eggs to tax planning and eating for health, but they remain educational; some topics, like chair caning, keep their crafty bent.

“The club offers tremendous information on issues facing homemakers, meeting the needs of the community through the individual,” said Sandra Richardson. Mrs. Richardson served as the county’s Extension agent for home economics for three years. She has recently transferred to Virginia Beach, where she holds the same post.

But despite the change in emphasis to cope with the times; the membership in each club still slips away.

At one time there were approximately 12 clubs in Rappahannock County. Each served one of the small and often isolated communities scattered through the hollows. Today, like the communities, the clubs are only a memory.

Flint Hill and Amissville remain the strongest of the county’s three active clubs with a total of 34 members. Washington’s club has but three members. The others are defunct.

“Many times we have discussed ways to interest new members,” past president and long-time Amissville club member Mary Priest said. “But nothing seems to work.”

Changing meeting hours from daytime to evenings, changing the location, organized special interest days presented for the public, and telephone solicitations for membership by the club presidents are among the ways the county’s clubs have worked to stir interest.