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WORLAND – Christie St Clair, member of the Town and County Homemakers Club is the 2018 recipient of the Quealy award, an award unique to Wyoming. A Washakie County homemaker only receives the award every four years.

According to the Quealy award history, the Quealy award was first given in 1946 thanks to Susan J. Quealy, who spoke in 1944 to a camp for farm women about the work women do and how little credit and recognition they receive for that work. Prompted by the speech, Verna Hitchcock, former state program leader of home economics; Evangeline Smith, former foods and nutrition specialist, and a committee of women met and worked out a rotation schedule for giving the award by regional location. Quealy, thrilled with the idea of an award recognizing the outstanding homemakers, donated $500, bringing the award to fruition.

"It's a big honor that normally goes to homemakers that have been homemakers a long time and I am one of the youngest homemakers in our group, so I am really honored that they chose me," St Clair said.

St Clair has been honored before for her selfless deeds earning the Unsung Hero award in 2006. "Anyone that receives the Unsung Hero award is a person that goes above and beyond to care for others in the community," a letter submitted to the selection committee said. "St Clair has worked for Big Horn Enterprises for 16 years, so each day, she lovingly teaches adults with disabilities life care skills. You will find her after hours going to Special Olympic activities and competitions. In Special Olympics she coaches bicycling, snowshoeing, basketball skills and assisted swimming. The adult clients often work with her at the community garden where she volunteers," the letter continued.

St Clair is currently in Laramie at the Wyoming Special Olympics summer games, coaching basketball skills and helping in any way that she can.

According to the letter, St Clair joined the Town and Country Homemakers Club in 2008 following in the footsteps of her mother, Frances Larsen and her mother-in-law, Elsie St Clair. As a homemaker St Clair has served as president, vice president, on the fair committee, book party committee, state homemaker committee, state audit committee and helped with cultural arts. St Clair can also be found lending a helping hand at community events and at the First Baptist Church in Worland as a deaconess, Sunday school teacher, nursery attendant, hospitality committee and youth leader.

St Clair has been a Cub Scout leader, taught youth how to babysit in a program called "Safe Sitter," has been on the PTA (Parent Teachers Association) a member of the Worland Football Fanatics and clerked at the Washakie County fair in open class vegetables.

At this time the Washakie Count Homemakers consists of one club, the Town and Country Homemakers. In 1923 the Washakie County Homemakers, originally called the Washakie County Extension Homemakers, began with the South Flat Homemakers. In 1924 the East Side Homemakers joined and in 1925 the Ten Sleep Community Club and the Colter Club also joined.

"Other clubs that joined in the years from 1949 through 1998 were Newcomers Extension Club (later named Better Homes Extension), Worland Homemakers, Today's Homemakers, Washakie 10, Rairden Club Friends and Neighbors, Friendly Homemakers, Lucky 13th, Modern Homemakers, Mess Makers, Crafty Gals, Mothers Night Out and Town and Country," Town and Country homemaker member Bonnie Schreibeis said in an earlier interview.

The creed of the Colter Club summed up the attitude behind the clubs. "It is not what we have, but what we give; it is not where we are, but how we do it that makes this club worth going to." The homemakers mission statement is: "To promote the importance of strong home and family values by providing leadership, education, skill building, fellowship, and self-esteem opportunities to members, their families and communities."

St Clair will be presented with her award at the Wyoming Homemakers state meeting in Lusk, June 8-10.