Card club together for 66 years… and still dealing

They have been shuffling a little bit a recent years, but a card club in Glenwood has now made it 66 years together. Earlier this spring, the card club was honored at a special event at the Lakeside Ballroom in Glenwood. The group has changed slightly over the years, but the core group has included Evie Anderson, Dorothy Schenstad, Betty Holtberg, Dell Blair, Marion Cross, Della Ostrander, Eleanor Ogdahl and Luverne Bogie. Marion moved to Minneapolis to be near her children. Ev passed away in 1995 and Betty died in 1998. The orginal members were LaVerne, Dell, Della and Eleanor. Lillian is the newest member of the club… and also the oldest at age 96. “It has been so enjoyable,” she said. “I always look forward to it. We had so much fun together over the years.” Lillian now resides at Glenwood Retirement Village in Glenwood and is always ready for a game. Sitting on her nightstand is a deck of cards, handy in case somebody should see them and ask if she wants to play a game or two. Down the road lives LaVerne, Della and Ethel at the Ridgewood Villa. Eleanor still lives in her own home, while Dell has an apartment overlooking Glenwood. All the women had fond memories of their group, from year one to year 66. “My kids always liked it when we had card club because there was always leftovers,” said Della. “And when we had young kids and couldn’t find a babysitter, they came along. I remember nursing my kids while I played cards.” “This club has really meant a lot to me,” said LaVerne. “And it has been great to have these friends with me all these years.” “It has been a great group, especially when you need them,” said Dell. “When situations come up where you are going through a tough time with the loss of a parent or spouse, it is nice to have someone there for you.” Two people sat in to honor the departed members of the team at the recent event at Lakeside. Sitting in for Ev was her niece, Cindy (Ostrander) Frischmon. And for Betty was her goddaughter, Lesley (Ogdahl) Hoplin.     Cindy grew up with the card club and seemed to look forward to it almost as much as her aunt. “I used to play Barbie dolls under the table while they played cards. Eleanor once made a mink coat for my Barbie so it was wearing a mink coat and tennis shoes,” said Cindy. She also remembers the tone of many of the games.    “It wasn’t a lackadaisical thing,” she said. “These ladies have been always competitive, and they still are.” Lesley also enjoyed tagging along.    “In the beginning they brought kids,” she said. “And they always had an array of food. I think they were trying to outdo each other. It was always very good food.” Lesley has been impressed with the support system formed by the card club through some of the good times and the very bad. Over the years, they have managed to survive the ravages of time and many health issues, including breast cancer, uterine cancer, eye cancer, heart surgery, fybromyalgia and back problems. “They were always for each other through thick and thin,” she said. “I just wish that I had the same network that these ladies have had over the years. What a wonderful way to experience life.” The ladies admit it is much harder to get together to play, and they have had to postpone their card club dates a few times lately. But the competitive juices are still flowing. “We aren’t giving up yet,” they said.