Code,915032 Subject,Pat Pogue Date,8/1/12 Interviewer,Gabriela Halligan-Taylor Abstract,"Pat Pogue is an active member of the Shaker community. She was in charge of the Welcome Wagon for 37 years in Shaker Heights until 1999 when the national organization did away with their community representatives. Pogue loved welcoming newcomers so much that she began a program called the Welcome Basket where she fulfilled the same duties of the Welcome Wagon, but under a different name. She tells stories of her Welcome Wagon experiences and how the organization is an asset to the Shaker Community. Pogue is also a member of the Plymouth Church of Shaker Heights. Along with her Welcome Wagon antedotes, she shares the history of the church's origins and current involvement in the community. " Tags, Special Notes, Minutes: , 0,The Welcome Wagon is a greeting and advertising service. Started in 1928 by Thomas Briggs in Memphis Tenn. Inspired by the Conestoga Welcome Wagons. 1,The wagons provided water and food for the people traveling westward. He started the company to give the kind of welcome. Hired women in neighboring towns and called them Welcome Wagon Hostesses. Job was to give new information community information. 2,"The concept spread nationwide. The expansion of the country westward, the fact that people were moving, populations were growing created a market for the Welcome Wagon. Briggs also saw this as a profitable opportunity." 3,The hostesses contacted local businesses to become sponsors. For a fee the hostesses would give a coupon from that business to a newcomer to make them potential new customers. 4,"There wasn't exactly a need a Shaker, but it was a bonus to have a service like this for newcomers. Pat envied the woman who ran the Welcome Wagon. " 5,"She thought it would be great to welcome newcomers. Envied for several years, but this woman's husband was being transferred to Atlanta. She applied and was accepted. Part of the duties was to be an advisor of the Welcome Wagon Club. Met at country clubs or local restaurants." 6,"The clubs offer activity groups that is described in the newsletter. You are able to meet new people and people with similar interests. Shaker has a gourmet group, book clubs, luncheon group, play group, wine club, and garden club. " 7,The activities are for newcomers and for current residents. No duration requirement for the club. 8,"Because of the Internet age, Pat says she is not as useful as she used to be because people don't ask her any many questions anymore. These days the information she can give is able to be found on the Internet. " 9,"A newcomer asked for a recommendation about pool cleaning recently. When she first started 37 years ago, it seems the club was a little more important, but it still has its place today. " 10,"People day is it wonderful that people offer this service, and makes Shaker stand apart from other communities. She has seen the exchanges of names and addresses at the end of luncheons." 11,"It is a great feeling to see these exchanges happen because they could lead to life long friendships. In 1999, the governing body of the Welcome Wagon dismissed the representatives across the country. Since so many women were working they thought it wasn't profitable. Pat formed her own version by calling it Welcome Basket. " 12,She carries a basket with all of the information. Children used to run to the door to see the wagon when it was the Welcome Wagon. The Cleveland Crusaders had a hockey team and a family moved to Shaker because the husband was recruited to play. 13,"During Pat's visit to their house, she mentioned that her son and husband had tickets to that night's game. The wife offered an extra ticket to Pat. Pat accepted the ticket but still did not plan on going. The wife continued to say that she would see her that night because the ticket was right next to hers at the game. Pat went to the game and enjoyed it. On another occasion, Pat had an appointment when a young, handsome, single doctor on a Saturday morning. " 14,"During her presentation, the phone rang. His girlfriend from Pittsburgh called and he said it was the Welcome Wagon Lady. She didn't believe that there was the Welcome Wagon lady so early in the morning. " 15,"He gave her the phone and had to convince the girlfriend that she was the Welcome Wagon lady. Another time, she commented on the owner's pretty cat. The owner said the cat came with the house. " 16,"The previous owners would pick take cat food and take the cat to vet. It was great agreement for the buyer and seller. Another time, there was a collaborative arrangement where the buyer let the child of the seller stay in order for the child to finish out the school year. " 17,"Pat's voice on the phone makes her sound much younger that she actually is. She once made a call and arranged a time for his roommate to be there. He said to his roommate, ""Its some chick from the Welcome Wagon."" " 18,"Once she tried matchmaking with the Welcome Wagon. A woman asked if she knew single men, and she found a single man within a few weeks. Asked if he would be interested in meeting a new single woman in town." 19,"That was in about October, but by Christmas time they got a nice note from each of them. They both said the 'spark' wasn't there. About five years later she called on the same woman and she said she was married and had a baby. " 20, 21,One time she called on a couple of recent college graduates who were newcomers. She handed them a brochure to the Red Cross promoting blood donations. They said they used to give blood every Friday night. 22,"They said with a lower blood volume, you can get drunk faster. She still goes from house to house. Now it is difficult because no one has a listed phone number of landlines anymore. She cruises around on a Saturday to make an appointment. " 23,"Makes calls by appointment because she thought people might not appreciate that. Also, people don't answer the door after dark. " 24,People won't answer the doorbell after dark and in the winter since it gets dark at 5:00 it forces her to concentrate on weekends. The people are appreciative. Pat joined Plymouth Church 35 year ago. 25,"She moved from Washington, D. C. She didn't so much about going to church until her church got to Sunday school age. At the Unitarian church they were not learning about religion, but they were learning about the solar system. Asked around for churches with a good education." 26,Heard about Plymouth's Canteen program during the war and other programs. Plymouth offers a lot of advantages and opportunities for the community. They are an open and affirming church and involved with Buckeye Woodland in the inner city. 27,They tutor children in reading. Pat has does this for 12 years. People volunteer as judges for their science fair and give backpacks with school supplies. Hope to get 120 to the children. Women knit hats and mittens for the children who need them in the wintertime. Plymouth also offers the use of their classrooms. Cleveland Institute of Music hold music lessons there. 28,The classrooms also host a federally subsidized day care and preschool. Also involved with the Cleveland Food Bank. Women's association at Plymouth hosts luncheons and programs. 29,The building is beautiful and is a landmark that has been there for 100 years. It is Georgian Colonial style that was used in New England. In 1850 a group of people who were attending the Old Stone Church broke away because they were strong abolitionists and did not like the 'luke-warm' attitude the Presbyterian church had toward abolition. Two years later they organized themselves to become the Plymouth Congregation. 30,They would worship in different buildings in Cleveland for 60 years. Then they heard that free plots of land were being given away in Shaker Heights for people willing to build churches there. Church was build in 1916. Plymouth is located close to Shaker Square on Weymouth and South Woodland. 31,"The church has always been involved in the community. So many activities were organized in the church such as scout troops, mother-daughter/father-son banquets, candy circle. A lot of those traditions have died away." 32,Have made up for this because of our outreach programs. Some people with the church were actually involved with the Cleveland Underground Railroad. 33,End 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67