Ape over aprons
Published 12:00 am Thursday, March 23, 2006
By Adam Hammer, staff writer
Jan Jerdee and Carol Wolter brought the Albert Lea sesquicentennial celebration to the residents of Oak Park Place Wednesday with their presentation of the &8220;History of Aprons.&8221;
About 30 residents of the assisted-living facility &045; some of them donning their own aprons &045; were in attendance to learn and reminisce about aprons and stoves from modern history.
Attendees were given ice cream cones during the event. Additional entertainment was provided by Shirley Chryst, who played songs from eras of Albert Lea’s history. Residents were asked to identify the songs if they remembered them.
Jerdee discussed the history of aprons from their use as decoration wear and a way to display national heritage to their more functional, present-day uses in the kitchen.
&8220;Aprons are a part of our history that we sometimes forget,&8221; Jerdee said.
Many residents related to the discussion and contributed their own apron stories from their recollections.
Women and men were included in the history. The historical man’s apron is a dishtowel folded and wrapped around the waist. With the popularity of the barbecue aprons as product promotions, aprons today are for everyone.
The Albert Lea Sesquicentennial Committee has brought its presentation to other assisted-living and nursing-home communities in the area. It plans to do more throughout the year and one that focuses on cars in the fall, Jerdee said.
&8220;We want to bring part of sesquicentennial to those who can’t come to us,&8221; Jerdee said.