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***image1***The Sembach Officers’ Spouses Club serves not only spouses of active-duty officers stationed at Sembach Annex, but also any officer’s spouses living near Sembach.
The club president, Sarah Puckett, lives in the village of Otterberg, popular among those stationed at Sembach. The club’s 25 members include spouses of active- duty Air Force and Army, as well as those of Department of Defense civilians.
Mrs. Puckett says that some of their members have found larger area clubs intimidating and harder to feel at home in the intimate group. “In our club, you know everybody,” she said. “It’s pretty laid back.”
This weekend, the group hosts their tenth-annual craft fair, in conjunction with a used book sale hosted by the Sembach Middle School Parent Teacher Organization.
“Thirty-five vendors will be filling 59 spaces,” said Karen Jezisek, club craft fair chair. The craft fair is open to all ID card holders and runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Sembach Middle School multi-purpose room.
The club collects $20 per table and 10 percent of sales from each vendor with proceeds distributed through the coming year to various charitable organizations upon request. The 2003 fair netted more than $2,000.
This year’s fair features a hand-made quilt to be raffled at the end of the day. Proceeds from the raffle will be specifically designated for the Sembach celebration fund, and for the 4th of July and Christmas tree-lighting celebrations.
In addition, the club will offer a designated bake sale during the craft fair, donating the funds to the Sembach Family Support Center Thanksgiving dinner.
The SOSC alsoprovides a contribution to the Ramstein Officers’ Spouses Club scholarship fund, and has one member who sits on
the ROSC scholarship board.
The club meets monthly at the Sembach Combined Club for social events on the second Thursday. Some are held in the day and some in the evening to meet various members’ schedules.
Meetings usually feature a theme or demonstration, such as recent head massages from a hair salon.
Interest groups which meet outside the regular meetings have formed, such as a Bunco and a crafter’s group.
“People are always looking for new ways to get to know people,” said Mrs. Puckett. “It’s enticing for many to have something close to home.”
Although the club does not have an official welfare function as most spouses’ clubs do, they have participated in events for the community welfare, such as assisting with an American Red Cross blood drive at the Sembach Combined Club earlier this year and the holiday cookie drop for those working during Christmas time.
“It’s a wonderful group,” said Mrs. Jezisek. “Sembach community is like its own family.”
