Preparedness Idea from the 1st Ward

Sisters - we just LOVE it when you share what has been going on in your wards.  With the Stake Theme - we were so happy to receive this idea.  Thank you to Melanie Jones of the 1st Ward for sending it in.  Here is what they did - in their own words.

We did a fun Emergency Preparedness night activity in February and I took some pictures.  Since the solar oven we featured is the stake item for the month, I thought it appropriate to send in something. 

 

 

River 1st Relief Society Emergency Preparedness Night- February 2011

 

After the fires in Herriman last fall, we wanted to share a few tips on emergency preparedness that we have learned from our friends and relatives who had to evacuate and also talk about fuel preparedness.

 

Did you know if you only use cell phones, the city can't give you a reverse 911 call to let you know of an evacuation unless you register your cell phone with them?

Do you have an emergency grab and go list?  How about a list divided into 5 minutes, 15 minutes or 60 minutes of evacuation time? 

Have you divided responsibilities for younger children or pets with older children or other adults in the home?

Does anyone outside of your home have an emergency contact list containing all your cell phone, work phone and school phone numbers and know where you would go in an emergency?

Does your 72 hour kit contain items appropriate for work or school?  In Herriman, school continued as usually and most adults still had to go to work while evacuated.

 

Fuel Storage Basics

Most of us store food, but do we have any fuel to cook it?

Consider diversifying fuels and make sure you have all the equipment necessary to use them.

Matches- waterproof or keep in waterproof container

Sterno- safe for indoor use and you can cook about 6 meals per 7 oz. can or 2 hours total burn time

White Gasoline or Coleman Fuel- burns hotter and cleaner 1 qt. burns 4 to 10 hours, use outdoors!

Kerosene- cheap and can be burned indoors, stores for a long time, kerosene heaters

Propane- use and store outdoors!

Charcoal-  cheap, store airtight to last longer (plastic bag in garbage can).  Each briquette will produce about 40 degrees of heat

Solar Ovens- homemade or store bought, just need to get food to 180 or higher to start cooking process

 

Remember that anything that produces carbon monoxide gas is not safe to use indoors (like propane).  Also remember most fuels should be stored outside.  Consider fuel stabilizers or treatments to prevent sludginess.

 

Belated Ward Birthday Celebrations

In the whirlwind of Ward Conferences and Women's Conference - we are late posting each individual ward RS Birthday Party.  Thank you so much for inviting us to attend.  Some evenings there were as many as FOUR wards celebrating - so we had to "divide & conquer".  We absolutely LOVED being to each one of them!

We've only received photos from two of the 12 wards in the stake - and hope you will still share them with us if you haven't had the opportunity to do so yet (that's a BIG HINT!)  Please send us information about your ward celebration if you don't find it here...

(Please send your photos & a description to appetersen@me.com.)

1st Ward:
This ward RS Presidency had just barely been sustained and they put together a fabulous night.  After a wonderful dinner, they had several sisters assume the role of the former General RS Presidents.  It's obvious these amazing sisters love each other and enjoy being together.


2nd Ward:  
The 2nd ward has a HUGE Relief Society - I think they have 198 sisters and there are other wards in our Stake who only have around 100. They had a great turnout.  Lots of older sisters. Just grand ladies. They had us sit at our "birthday month" table and they had different sisters decorate the tables. Our October table was set with beautiful blue china that had belonged to a sister's GRANDMOTHER so it was special. There were cakes and cupcakes as centerpieces on each table and they were to die for.  They had a slide show of all of the sisters during the year and it was fun watching everyone react to their own picture - and enjoy seeing their year in photos. The guest speaker was an expert on all things Emma Smith. He was very good. 


3rd Ward:
The ladies of the 3rd ward are friendly, inviting, and loving.  They have so much talent.  The food was delicious and the program awesome!!  They decorated with old pictures and pioneer decorations.  A delicious chicken, spinach salad, and great rice - followed by wedding cake.  The program included speakers, singers, and videos.  It was based on Jenny Phillips "Remember the Journey".   Jenny Curtis was the sister in charge and she did a phenomenal job.  Sis Curtis invited us back to come to another event on April 3rd called 100 dresses.  This is a book about a girl who always wore the same dress.  They will have models and have ladies donating old dresses.  It sounds so fun.




4th Ward:
They all had a great time with a good turnout and pizza for one and all. They had a getting to know you night where they had plastic buckets on the tables where you had to write a "bucket list" and then everyone changed tables and played another game with another group of ladies.  It was buzzing with energy. They played another game where you had to tell things about yourself to the sisters at the table while you wound up a length of string and you couldn't stop talking until you ran out of string!

6th Ward:
We received this fun "Princess" invitation to attend their night of "Princess Crowning".  Hopefully there were photos taken of "King Irving" - who personally crowned each Relief Society sister.  Several sisters shared their thoughts on Relief Society.  Julie George & her RS Meeting Coordinator/Committee put together a wonderful night.

9th Ward:

This ward had an awesome turnout - and celebrated in style.  They followed the "Purse-onality" theme that some of the wards used last year.  Delicious food, amazing decorations, and wonderful speakers who shared their testimony of Relief Society.  Charity Hawkins (2nd Counselor) & Allison Peterson (Meeting Coordinator) made it a memorable night.

10th Ward:

The 10th ward had a great celebration.  (Jennie attended this ward's celebration)  They had a good turnout, even though some of the women were at an HOA meeting for the subdivision.  There were tables decorated with items from different countries.  They served lasagna, salad and breadsticks.  They had a woman show different cake decorating techniques and then they served the cake.  We also played a game where we had to guess interesting RS facts.  One of the questions was "Who is our current Stake RS Pres?  Maria and I shot up from our chairs so fast and blurted  out -- BARBARA SWEAT!!!!!  Everyone got a chuckle out of that!  It was a great night and Evelyn was her wonderful, friendly, gracious self!


River Crest Ward:
These dear sisters are so fortunate to have such a loving Relief Society Presidency!  There were about 6 sisters who felt well enough to join in around the big table in the common area of the River Crest Care Center.  Leoma shared a beautiful story, and then each sister was given a page to keep in their RS books.    You can feel a special spirit here among these women who have spent most of their lives serving the Savior in past church callings, raising fine families, and caring for those around them.  They love having visitors - so check with the River Crest RS Presidency about offering to share your talents with them. 

"Carry On"... Stake Women's Conference 2011

This year's Women's Conference speaker was Emily Freeman.  Her uplifting message was the highlight of the night.

President Wahlquist added his remarks, ending with a blessing upon all the sisters of our stake.

Renewing friendships is a big part of this event every year.  Rubbing shoulders with those we love gives us strength to "Carry On".

Photography, poster, and flyer design by Heather Godfrey - 5th Ward.

Advertising Committee: 

Chairman: Sharon Dunn Committee members: Kathy Gordon, Gaylia Tanner, Trish Derrick, Sheri Snell, Melissa Bremser, Lona Graham, Marilee Durrant, Marti Stringham, Sharon Taufer, Lanea Zimmerman 

Carry On... in beautiful surroundings

Maxine Holt, Jackie Bjorn, and their committee transformed the Stake Center by combining "Then" and "Now" into our Women's Conference theme of "Carry On".   Many of you trusted us with your antiques, white ware, flowers, quilts, and other treasures of yesteryear - making the cultural hall and chapel places of beauty.

Relief Society has changed (in appearance only) - but the faithful women devoted to Relief Society's divine purpose still remain the same.

Decorating Committee:

Chairman: Maxine Holt Co-chair: Jackie Bjornn Committee members: Elise Carton, Linda Sandstrom, Emily Kerby, Tiffany Hilton, Rachel Morris, Sandy Fisher, Julie Johnson, Susan Strong

Women's Conference Dinner & Recipes

Pat Wilkins was the chairman of the food committee.  These women who cheerfully served (for hours) in the kitchen gave us a feast for the eyes!  (You'll find the recipes at the bottom of this post)

Strawberry Salad with Pecans & Feta Cheese  

Dressing: 

6 Tbs white wine vinegar

4 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tbs sugar

Kosher salt and pepper

Salad:  

2 quarts strawberries, hulled and halved

12 cups spring mix salad greens  (This is equivalent to the large spring mix in the plastic container at Costco) 

1 C. pecans, toasted and chopped  (*recipe for pecans follows)

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

2 Tbs chopped fresh dill  (or 1 tsp dried)

Whisk together vinegar, oil, & sugar.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Toss strawberries, greens, pecans, feta and dill with dressing.  Toss all salad ingredients, then add the dressing at the last minute before serving.

Toasted Sugared Pecans

1 lb pecans

2 egg whites

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

Whisk together egg whites and salt until frothy.  Coat pecans with egg white mixture, then coat with the sugar.  Spread thinly on a cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Bake at 250° for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.  Chop if desired before adding to salad.

Mustard Potatoes AuGratin 

Ingredients:

32 oz bag *southern style frozen hash browns (don’t use shredded)  
onion salt - a generous amount (don’t be timid)

salt & pepper to taste

1/4 cup dijon mustard

1 pint whipping cream (do not whip)

1 pint half & half cream

3 cups grated cheddar cheese (or cheddar jack)

2 to 3 fresh green onions - thinly sliced with some of the tender green tops

Directions:

In a deep 9" x 13" pan - layer half of the potatoes, salt/pepper/onion salt, sliced green onion, and cheese.  Repeat layers.  Now combine the half & half with the whipping cream, blending in the dijon mustard till smooth.  Pour over the top - it should cover the potatoes entirely.  Do not cover during baking.  Bake at 325 degrees for about two hours.  It will not look milky any longer - it will resemble cottage cheese in texture.   *Do not stir! They will have a browned “crust” on top, (and you may think you’ve ruined them) - but they are delicious. 

Death by Chocolate Dessert  

Ingredients:

1 box Devils Food Cake Mix

1 small box of Chocolate Fudge Instant Pudding mix

1 C. dairy sour cream (not low calorie or fat-free)

1 C. milk chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Mix cake mix as directed on box, then (at this point) add pudding and sour cream; mix well.  Gently stir in chocolate chips.

Spray 9” bundt pan GENEROUSLY with non-stick cooking spray.   Pour mixed cake into pan.  Bake 50 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes and then remove cake onto a cooling rack.  

Serve slices of cooled cake drizzled with hot fudge, caramel, and a dollop of whipped cream.



Food Committee:

Chairman: Pat Wilkins   Committee members: Kathy DeMille, Wendy Lambert, Darolyn Bankhead, Tiffiny Burton, Joanna Wood, Julie Evans, Sheril Bowers, Jeanette Meisenbacher, Beth Spitzer, Tiffany Rawlings.  Additional sisters who offered their assistance:  Helen Montano, Ligia Galhardo, Susan Burton