Submitted photo Several Turner Ladies help prepare the salad before a dinner at Turner Hall. L to R: Trudy Beranek, Gloria Blume, Lynn Flatau, Jan Steffl, Mary Ellen Schiesel and Joan Krikav.

NEW ULM – Since Turner Hall is one of the oldest organization in New Ulm, it should come as no surprise that one of the oldest services groups in the town is directly connected to the Turverein.

The Turner Ladies Society is 135 years old. It was founded in 1889 and was originally known as the Turner Frauenverein. Turner members formally approved the creation of the Turner Frauenverein during Turner Hall’s annual Stiftungsfest on Nov. 11, 1889. During the festival, Turner Hall president William Koch stressed the need for a women’s auxiliary organization.

The group’s purpose was to promote the interests of the Turnverein and to help keep the organization solvent. All members should be willing to work for the betterment of Turner Hall in any capacity. This remains the core mission of The Turner Ladies to this very day.

Today, it is commonly said among Turner members that the Turner Ladies are the backbone of the organization.

“Without the Turner Ladies, Turner Hall would cease to exist,” saidTurner Ladies Treasurer Jeanne Krestch.

Since 1998, The Turner Ladies have raised a quarter-million dollars for Turner Hall. Around $100,000 was raised through pledges between 2005 and 2010 to cover the costs of an elevator and restrooms. As Turner Hall continues to age, maintenance costs go up, but the Turner Ladies continue to lend a hand.

From the earliest days, the Turner Ladies were providing Turner Hall with major financial backing to cover any and all needs. One of the Turner Ladies first actions after forming in 1889 was to hold a bazaar. The profits from the bazaar netted $500. This was used to purchase bonds that were gifted to Turner Hall. This became an annual tradition and for the first decade the Turner Ladies were helping support Turner Hall’s day to day operation. By 1899, the monetary asks got a little bigger.

In 1899, Tuner Hall was seeing major wear and tear and a new building was needed. This represented a turning point for the Turner Ladies. The construction of a new building would require increased fundraising efforts, but it also offered the ladies a rare opportunity.

“The ladies agreed to give the Turners $2,000 for a new building –with conditions,” Krestch said.

The conditions were the Turner Ladies were given a voice in the planning of the new building.

Asking for a say in the construction was a big deal. Women did not yet have the right to vote in the United States, but the Turner Ladies were asking the Turner men to let them plan.

Krestch said by 1901, the Turner Ladies kept their end of the agreement and provided Turner Hall with $2,000. Going into the 20th century, The Turner Ladies positioned themselves as a vital part of Turner Society with some decision making authority.

Over the years, the Turner Ladies were called on to help cover financial improvements to Turner Hall. In the early 1900s, The Turner Ladies were averaging $1,500 funds raised each year, most of which went back to Turner Hall for yearly maintenance.

Many of the Turner Ladies joined the organization through a family connection. Longtime member Carol Steinhaus joined in 1973.

“My mom was a member for many yeara and she brought me along,” Steinhaus said. For her, working with the Turner Ladies was a night away from home, but she help from home. Steinhaus said she could make calls and schedule the Turner Ladies volunteers from home. If she had trouble scheduling volunteers, she would would schedule herself.

Kretsch said she was asked many times to join by a friend, but waited until her kids were out of the house. Then she became very active. She formally joined in 1984.

“I did enjoy it, I still enjoy it to this day” she said.

Recently, the Turner Ladies have been preparing for Turner Hall’s annual sauerkraut supper. This event has been part of Turner tradition since 1956. Back then, the cost for the sauerkraut supper was $1. Today the cost is $15.

Preparation for the sauerkraut supper takes days. In order to be ready for the dinner on Wednesday Sept. 26, the ladies need to start cooking on Sunday. They have 11 cases of kraut to go through and about 400 lbs of landjaegers.

The sauerkraut dinner isn’t the only fundraiser event. Several smaller events are held throughout the year. The ladies host a fluff and puff pillow cleaning in the spring and fall. A bake sale and holiday bazaar is held during the holiday shopping opener. The Fourth of July pie social is also a big money raiser.

Outside of the annual events, the Turner Ladies work at Turner Hall during any scheduled event, such as weddings, celebrations of life, class reunions.

The Turner Ladies do not always make the food, but will help serve it. This helps Turner Hall save money by using volunteer staff to help.

Today there are 80 members in the Turner Ladies, but the organization is always looking for new members. There is no age requirement to be a Turner Lady. The number one ask is time.

“You don’t necessarily have to cook,” Steinhaus said. “If you don’t cook, you can serve.”

Krestch said if you can’t serve, you can be a runner.

It was also noted the organization does welcome male members, often referred to as “Turner Ladies.”