The first meeting of the Country Quilters was held May 19, 1999. Over 24 years later, the group is still meeting and quilting together though some of the members have changed over the years. Charter members of the group were Janet Bortz, Noreen Bridges, Georgine Chytka, Lorraine Fox, Jennifer Hicks, Arlene Huber, Nancy Ireland, Carla Pesicka, Marietta Mabie, Anita Miller, Ardyth Nielson, Dawn Nolz, Sylvia Pelezza, Shelly Petrik, Joyce Soulek, JoAnn Steigmier, Ora Mae Wiechman, Ruby Wiechman and Helen Chernotek.

When the group originally started, they would meet at the Sportsman’s Choice in the meeting room every third Wednesday of the month and have random sewing Saturdays. The first president of the Country Quilters was Joyce Soulek, vice president was Nancy Ireland, and the secretary was Shelly Petrick. At the meetings the ladies would do a show and tell; showing the items that they had each been working on. They also used to attend quilt shows with their many beautiful, finished quilts, decorate trees at the courthouse during Christmas time, make quilts for local nursing homes (Armour, Lake Andes and Wagner), etc.

The Country Quilters’ current active members are Joyce Soulek, JoAnn Steigmier, Janet Evans, Bev Steinmark, Elaine Bechen, Noreen Strid, Mary Jo Parker, Becky Scott, Kristina Kranig, Gracie Ronfeldt and Madelyn Ronfeldt. Their members come from Wagner, Platte, Geddes, Pickstown, Armour and Lake Andes. Joyce has been quilting since the 80s, JoAnn since 1996, Janet since 2003, Elaine since 2000, Bev since 1986, Gracie since 2017 and Madelyn since 2021. Gracie is a sophomore at Andes Central and has completed seven quilts and Madelyn is a fourth grader at Andes Central and has completed one quilt.

The group do not have a set meeting day or frequency during the month, but when they do meet it is at the old Sportsman’s Choice building in Lake Andes on a Saturday. They message each other a date and whoever can make it does. The ladies also like to go on road trips occasionally to quilt shows to enjoy and see what others are creating.

Even though they meet as a group, the ladies usually just work on their own individual projects. Though as a group they help one another with colors and piece placements. The Country Quilters are always ready to help one another and share their opinions. There are a lot of wedding, birthday, graduation, and Christmas gifts that have been made in the meeting room at the old Sportsman’s Choice and hopefully many more that will be made.

Some of the current projects that the group is individually working on are JoAnn is finishing the binding on her latest quilt, and Janet is working on her celebration quilt in honor of her being done with her chemotherapy treatments. A special project that Elaine had done in the past was to make tabletops for her children and grandchildren from her late husband’s, Jr., shirts. They are a fun group of ladies that enjoy each other’s company and the camaraderie of quilting and creating together.