The minutes read: "The council favorably disposed toward proposition and asking for further information concerning same." The club formulated plans to raise money for the project. Such plans included entertainment, with charges each month, home talent plays, luncheons and dinners. After one such dinner, the New England Dinner, held on February 11, 1899, enough money had been raised and a piano was purchased for the Hall.

The next order of business, appoint a committee of one to meet with the council in regard to mowing the weeds in the street.

Throughout the history of the club united efforts with the council continued. And improvements of any magnitude, large or small, still remain then focus of the Improvement Club as defined in the by-laws adopted in 1899.

"The objective of this club shall be the improvement of the city, by improving its property and making such additions thereto as shall be for the benefit of the city in general, to be accomplished by the individual and united efforts of its citizens, "the by-laws state.

"In the early 1900;s the club provided the lattice work and the cement steps fir the pavilion and later investigated and improved the conditions oft he rest room at the park. We’ve also planted flowers and flower boxes to beautify the city. And to ensure growth of the plants we even appointed a committee to water the flowers during the summer," said Ruth Homuth, 1993-94 president of the club.

"We’ve sold hand-made aprons and had basket socials to earn money for our projects. And for the many years we would begin bright and early Saturday mornings each summer by picking flowers at our members gardens or for that matter others also donated their flowers to us. We would than take them to the concern by Dayton’s Furniture Store and sell them," recalled Homuth, who was also the president in 1953.

"A special money making event for many of us was the Bridal Tea of 1950 Members modeled their own wedding gown and so I wore my gown from my wedding in 1947", continued Homuth, moderator for the event.

Most of the proceeds from these past, as well as more recent events, such as selling cookbooks and Christmas wreaths, are designated for improvements to the library.

The Annandale Library has always been the main project of the club. During the first years of the club’s history an appointed committee began researching the possibilities of starting a circulating library and to also secure a reading room. The following month a special meeting was held to organize a Library Association and another committee was appointed "to fit up the library".

On October 22, 1899, the Library opened and three days later the reading room was available.

At that time the members duties included managing the library and paying the regular bills for wood and cleaning. Later their duties included hiring and pay the salary for the librarian which was $1 a month during the summer of 1918, and 50 cents for each Saturday.

The members of the club continue to work together , 95 years later to take care of the physical improvements of the library, according to Homuth.

As the club draws near its 100^th birthday, Homuth plans to focus the club’s sights on the centennial through the goals she will propose to the club for the upcoming year.

"The first recommendation would establish a plan for unveiling some significant project to be finalized at our centennial year, that would be in accordance with the club’s objectives, and beneficial to our club, city, and community, "Homuth said. " It (the project) could be a commemoration of the many women who had contributed in various ways to the improvement of the Annandale community I the almost 100 years of the club’s history.

"The second (goal) pertains to membership as membership is the vitality of the group. Insuring continued growth for future success becomes so important as we near the second century of this organization," said Homuth. "We have always planned a variety of programs to interest a diverse group of people."

This year’s program covers a wide array of subjects from :The Lure of Cult", presented by Ed Barkos, Family based Services Social Worker, to "Adventures in Hi-Arctic", by Shirley Chenowith, Arctic geomagnetic research project member (and sister of Muriel Rudolph, Annandale).

"Educational programs attract members, but we must reiterate that joining The Annandale Improvement Club is one way of serving the community, Therefore, efforts must continue to be made to let people know they are welcome to join the Improvement Club at any time," said Homuth.