WINONA – The Winona Ruritans Club met Nov. 11 at the Winona Friends Church.

President Rob Doyle Jr. called the meeting to order and welcomed members and their guests to the annual veterans recognition program. He then led the group in singing “America.”

Homer Althouse gave the invocation for the meal of tossed vegetable salad, baked ham, scalloped potatoes, corn, dinner rolls, cookies and beverages.

Secretary Elmer Lee Stamp called the roll of members who introduced their guests. There were 21 members and seven guests present. The guests were veterans representing the army, navy, air force and coast guard: J. Willard Stamp, Sam Imhoff, Nora Haynes, Donna Jackson, Tom Lederle, Jonnie Patrick and John Tarleton.

Stamp read the minutes of the November board of directors meeting and they were approved as read. Treasurer Bob Doyle Sr. gave his October financial report, breaking down the various amounts of the club’s pancake and sausage breakfast, sausage sales and gun raffle. The financial report was approved as read.

In unfinished business, the club has remaining whole hog sausage to sell. Contact Althouse, Dean Sidwell or Stamp to make a purchase at $5 per pound, in 1 pound bulk packages or 1 pound link packages.

The only club member born in November was absent, but one guest, Lederle, was born in the month, so the club sang Happy Birthday to him.

The next gun raffle will be drawn March 24. It will be a Henry Big Boy Brass lever action in .36 calibur Buckhammer. There will only be 100 tickets sold. The club’s past gun raffles have made possible the pay off of the cooking trailer and funding the college scholarships.

The December meeting will be held Dec. 9 at the Winona Friends Church, with hors d’oeuvres at 6:30 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m. Zone Governor Pat MacAleese and his wife will be the guests, with MacAleese installing club officers and directors for 2026. Entertainment will be the West Branch High School show choir directed by Krista Clay.

Doyle Jr. reported the directors are considering hosting Kenneth Hammontree of Living History to possibly impersonate Gen. George Patton or maybe the Lewis and Clark Expidition for the club’s Father and Son dinner Feb. 24. The club is also seeking entertainment for its Father and Daughter dinner April 28.

The club then asked all veterans to share some of their memories with the group. Club members Tom Sanor, Richard Stoffer, David Gilliss and Doyle Jr., as well as the aforementioned veterans, all shared a few of their military experiences.

Everyone then stood and pledged allegiance to the American flag.