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CASSA-FALLS 4-H CLUB
In the late 1930's, a 4-H group known
as Cassa-Falls 4-H, was organized in the
town of Cassel. CJ. McAleavy Marathon
County Agent, talked to Warren Lens-
mire, a recent college graduate, to form a
youth group in Cassel. Warren's mother,
Lillian, took over as leader around 1944.
Under Mrs. Lensmire's guidance, the
club participated in many county activities
such as softball, drama, music, demon-
strations and fire prevention. Many
county awards were earned - some
members participated at state fair and
were outstanding Marathon County
Achievement winners. One highlight
occurred in 1948, when the Cassa-Falls 4-
H members were awarded an all expense
Lillian Lensmire - Leader and the Cassa-Falls 4-H Club
paid trip to Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Early members recall making victory
gardens and picking milk-weed pods to be
used for parachutes in WWII. Many
members also remember Reinhold Lang
parading around the race track at the
Wisconsin Valley Fair with a team of
Holstein heifers.
Some families involved in this 4-H club
were, Lensmires, Bantes, Lang,
Kirsteins, Matthiae, Hoffer, Wilichowski,
Pankonian, Wilder, Vetter and Osterbrink.
Lillian Lensmire, now 96 years old, was
honored at a Leader Banquet in Madison
in 1964 for 20 years of 4-H leadership.
She continued serving the youth for
several more years when her son, John Jr.
and wife Lynn, took over as general lead-
ers. Mrs. Walter Kirstein was a clothing
leader of this club for many yers also.
Victory Garden Project
Reinie Lang, Winifred and Lillian Lensmire with heifer team.
CASSEL 4-H CLUB
The Club was organized in September
of 1955 with the assistance of County 4-H
Agent, Vernon Pellot and County Home
Economist, Eileen Niedermeire.
First Cassel 4-H Offwers, Front row: Sandra
Szynanski, Joan Pospychalla, Marian
Lewandowski, Back row: Ralph Lepak, Richard
Kienbaum
Mrs. Dolores Bergs, as first General
Leader, held the post for eleven years.
Her reason was to have her children and
rural children have a club to belong to and
participate in work activities. The
members numbered fifty-two and five
project leaders. they were as follows -
Dolores Bergs - Gardening and Home
Grounds; Lokadia Lewandowski - Foods
and Nutrition; Lucille Kordus - Clothing;
Elsie Szymanski - Home Furnishings; Joe
Fons - Agriculture; Stanley Szymanski -
Softball Coach.
Members participated in demonstra-
tions, fire prevention and safety, exhibits
at the Wisconsin Valley Fair, fair booths,
Dress Revue, speeches, Co. Dairy
Princess, camps (both County and State).
The club especially excelled in speaking
contests, demonstrations and Dress