October 31, 2019

By Bill Pumford, Image from Russ Keller Collection
This week’s image is a photo of the Alpine Terrace (now known as the Antler’s Inn). The Alpine Terrace was a frequent meeting place for the Worthwhile Club. In 1932 a group of young women in Twin Peaks formed a club primarily to help each other and other families on the mountain. In the 1930s life was challenging on the mountain and made more difficult by the Depression the country was experiencing. The women had the Worthwhile Club and the men had their “Spit and Argue” Club. Both clubs also met occasionally at Frenchy’s Alpine Store. The women had originally named the club the “Diaper” Club but decided that the Worthwhile Club was more appropriate since they wanted to do worthwhile things. Initially the women got together and sewed baby quilts and layettes. The Worthwhile Club formalized its structure with officers, budgets, roll calls, and eventually, an opening prayer and flag salute. Donations of money and quilting materials were solicited. Bazaars were held to earn additional money. Sometimes families were helped out by the Worthwhile Club when the men were injured on the job or in accidents. During the 1930s the members of the Worthwhile Club all came from Twin Peaks. In time women from Lake Arrowhead and Crestline also became members. During World War II the Worthwhile Club members hosted meetings in their homes and did sewing for the Red Cross. In 1941 dues went from 10 cents per meeting to a flat $1 per year. During the next several decades the Club remained active in supporting the community with donations of items such as food, clothing, and money. The Club further expanded its involvement in local community affairs and invited speakers to discuss topics of interest to the mountain community. Much of the information in this Milepost came from notes put together by Pauliena LaFuze and transcribed into a document by Jim Huff a couple of years ago.