Leathercraft club marks 40 years

Forty years ago, Ellaine Glesne and her husband joined the Sun City Leathercraft Club.

On Monday morning, when the club celebrated its 40th anniversary, Glesne, was there to take part in the festivities.

Glesne, 96, said she would not have missed it for anything.

"It's wonderful, it really is," Glesne said. "Leathercrafting has been such a big part of my life. I'm really happy to be here for this."

Lewis Kilpatrick, event chairman and 18-year member of the club, said it was pure luck that they remembered the anniversary at all.

"It was only a couple of weeks ago that I happened to notice the charter over there," Kilpatrick said. "I looked at it and I noticed the date, and I thought, man, we have to do something."

The leathercrafters had an anniversary party Monday, complete with a catered lunch. The club has about 70 members and meets in Marinette Recreation Center.

Kilpatrick said the members do a variety of projects, from belts and wallets to more elaborate items, such as leather art. In fact, Glesne has won competitions around the world for her pieces.

"It's really amazing, and I believe she was a pioneer of the medium," Kilpatrick said. "We have a trophy shelf here, and just about all of these are hers. She's won contests on several continents."

However, working with leather is not about winning contests for those who join the club; membership is about honing their skills and sharing their love of the hobby with others. Even Kilpatrick, who worked with leather for a living, found himself drawn back to it after he retired.

"I got burned out on it, really," Kilpatrick said. "For about 10 years, I didn't work much with leather at all. But I got involved with the club here and now 18 years later, I'm still working with the club."

The club is open from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Kilpatrick said anyone interested in joining or learning more should stop by.

"There's always someone here to answer questions, and if they don't know the answer, they'll find the person who does," Kilpatrick said. "Come by and check us out."