Jenny and "the ladies of the club"

I mentioned in yesterday's posting that I would be attending the Selle Club October meeting at Geneva Meserve's house next door. I was especially excited to take my friend Helen Method Newton "back home," so to speak. Helen is a product of Selle, and many of the longtime club members remembered her mother's influence in the club back in the years when it was closely associated with the county extension service.

We talked yesterday about whether or not the club name should still include "extension," since the service no longer influences most of its activities. Wilma Erickson, who's been in the group since at least the 1940s, pointed out that we still support county fair projects so keeping the extension connection is appropriate.

I also mentioned that I've been creating a blog with the word "extension" in its title, so the group in its usual affable way, agreed that we'd keep the term associated with the name.

The group is getting ready for its Christmas luncheon by deciding where to book a reservation, so Marjorie Barnes will check with the Hydra Restaurant. In addition, Dionne Marine will check with Nancy at Northside School to see about a family in need of outside help for Christmas. That's a project the club does every year, and the ladies love to get together to purchase presents for all members of the designated family.

Ina Jacobson, like Wilma, has been a member of Selle Club for a long time. I sat next to her during the meeting. I'd already shown her the DVD cover above, which has a baby picture of her late granddaughter, Jenny Jacobson Meyer. Jenny died June 5, 2008, after an 8-year battle with inflammatory breast cancer.

The 26-minute DVD featuring Jenny and her perspective toward the disease and celebrating life arrived in my mailbox shortly before Helen and I went to the meeting. With Ina's blessing, I told the members about the DVD. Jeff Bock, its producer, sent it to me with the following note:

Marianne,
Here's the latest w/artwork. I've sent copies out to everyone who helped us with the project and have even had a few requests from your articles . . . It's so great to hear all the positive feedback. We accomplished a wonderful project together . . . well done!
Love, Jeff

*****

Jeff had sent me a note a few days ago with the following:

Just a little note to let you know that Jenny's message is out there . . . and making a difference. We've also got a screening coming up in October in Los Angeles for a Women in Health Conference. Oh, and I finished the cover art . . . . The journey continues

Jeanne Bock (Jeff's mom and the Panhandle Health District Director) to me:

"I forgot to tell you on the phone that while I was in Idaho Falls, they were having a Pink Lunch . . . for breast cancer awareness and the gal I talked to in the cafeteria said they were showing Jenny's Journal. She is a nurse manager and has seen it twice and even takes it to schools to health classes and tells students how important cancer screenings are at a young age.
So, she asked me to introduce the film, and I did.
It was an honor to be able to fill in some of the details about Jenny, Grace and Jeff and the courage they all had in fighting the disease."

******

So, after the "ladies of the club" heard a little about Jenny's Journal, and checked out the DVD cover, a few asked how to order a copy. They also suggested that we view it as the club program sometime in the future.

Jeff will be happy to send copies to anyone who orders. Ten dollars will cover basic expenses and postage, and anything remaining will be donated to the Grace Meyer Scholarship Fund. If any readers would like a copy for personal use or for your organization, drop me a line at potatohead89@hotmail.com, and I'll happily provide you the address for ordering.