Sikeston Altrusa Club will mark 45th anniversary with celebration

SIKESTON — Altrusa International of Sikeston will commemorate 45 years of community service with a celebration later this month.

A nonprofit organization that improves local communities through leadership, collaboration and service, the club was founded in Sikeston in October 1978 and chartered the following year in July 1979. The 18 charter members included business and professional women from the Sikeston community.

According to Melissa Eakins, president of Altrusa of Sikeston, the purpose was to bring people together to share their knowledge and viewpoints on how to improve the Sikeston community.

The Altrusa Club will celebrate their anniversary from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. July 23 in the common room of the YMCA of Southeast Missouri in Sikeston.

Eakins said members intend to display pictures of many different projects from over the years at the celebration. There will also be an open house and a membership drive. The celebration will include appetizers and cake, and former members will be invited back.

Eakins and other Altrusa members met Tuesday, July 9 to reflect on their years in the organization and what they have accomplished.

The organization has always addressed a wide range of needs, beginning with the full sponsorship of a Girl Scout troop at the new Dawn State School in their first year, Eakins said.

Nannette Morris, an Altrusa member, said one of the things they did for years was the “Santa stockings.”

“The Santa stockings were given out as presents to people who usually didn’t get much for Christmas,” Morris said. “We ended up finding that a lot people did things at Christmas time in the community but rarely did people do anything for Valentine’s Day. So, then we started a project called “Heart to Heart” and began giving out Valentine’s bags.”

Morris said the club has now partnered with Spread Hope Now.

“Every month, Spread Hope Now will give household items to 100 families, and two years ago, we started giving out Valentine’s Day bags on the first Saturday of February to those 100 families,” Morris said. “Almost everyone in our club participates in that and we really enjoy it.”

Over the years, the club has also collected and distributed hundreds of books and school supplies to numerous schools and organizations in need, including an African group in 2006. 

Years ago, the Altrusa organization was heavily involved with the GED graduation program in Sikeston. 

“We provided them with a graduation ceremony,” Morris said. “We had several members that were tutors for the GED program and then will also put on actual graduation ceremony for them and provided them with graduation gowns.”

Eakins said today one of their favorite things to do is stock a bookshelf in the intensive care unit surgery waiting room at Missouri Delta Medical Center.

“We’ve been stocking the bookshelf for quite a few years,” Eakins said. 

Terry Eakins, another Altrusa member, explained the word “altrusa” is derived from the word altruism and represents service to others.

She said she joined back when the group did the Santa Stockings, which piqued her interest.

“Once I found out more about what Altrusa did for the community and how they give back, I decided that this was something I wanted to be part of,” Terry Eakins said. “This is the only club I belong to, and I love it. I’ve met my friends through this club, and I will stay in Altrusa as long as I am able.” 

Sondra Meadows, an Altrusa member, also discussed why the organization is so important to her and why she joined several years ago.

“I was in a sorority in college and our sorority was big on service projects, so when I came back to Sikeston I wanted to join another service group,” Meadows said. “This is a great way to meet people and be involved.”

For anyone who wishes to join Altrusa in Sikeston, they can email the president at misseakins0@gmail.com or go to the open house at the 45-year celebration.