August 2022 Newsletter

To give aid and encouragement in promoting the education and welfare of at-risk children in the state of Georgia.

Circle Members,

I can’t believe it’s August; my sixteen year old wishes it wasn’t! Summer break passes so quickly. That also means it’s time to renew your membership to The Circle. You should have already received the Presidents Packet in your email. Follow the links there to register, pay dues, and make donations. Remember, I’m happy to deliver a paper copy to you if you’d like one!

Also please sign up for our Summer General Meeting, scheduled for 6pm on August 23 at Indian Hills Country Club. We will be collecting donation items for City of Refuge. Please take the time to read about our new, amazing beneficiary as you browse this newsletter. We are planning several volunteer opportunities at City of Refuge, including a mix of daytime and evening events. You will need to register with City of Refuge to volunteer, including a $15 backboard check. Create an account at https://cityofrefugeatl.volunteerhub.com/userregistrationwizard/usernamepassword to get started.

Please note the details and requests for "Bags & Bubbles" and our Glamour & Giving Auction. Save the date for a Junior Social on September 13 and a Dinner & Ghost Tour on September 16.

Finally, we still need your help with our October 24 Golf Tournament. Sponsorship/player forms are now on the website. Please invite players and solicit sponsors, or register as a player or sponsor. We also need volunteers to run the event; email Kimberly Johnson to sign up. The Golf Tournament has upside potential for fundraising we have not yet fully tapped; getting more players & sponsors involved is the path toward that goal.

Remember the more money we raise, the more we can help City of Refuge with its work. Not only do they shelter children, they provide them with a sense of dignity. The late fashion icon Andre Leon Talley said he learned style from his grandmother, who impressed upon him the importance of taking care of the smallest of details.

Join me in helping City of Refuge focus on the details,

Belinda Vogel

President

GOLF TOURNAMENT

Kimberly is looking for one of the fabulous Circle ladies to be her co-chair for the golf tournament. You do not have to play golf to be involved. We will have a lot of fun finalizing the plans for this years fundraising tournament.

Please call Kimberly if you are interested at 404-406-9495.

MEMBERSHIP RECRUITMENT

A big thank you from the membership chairs for all the help with recruitment!

We are so excited to meet and get to know our protentional new members at our Recruitment Garden party scheduled for October. There are going to be 80 potential new members invited!!

UPCOMING EVENTS

We will be collecting the following items for City of Refuge at the August General Meeting: Shampoo, Conditioner, Deodorant, Toothbrush, Toothpaste,

Dental Floss, Body Wash, Body Lotion, Face Lotion and Face Wash.

The new Circle year is getting back into the swing of things and we are preparing for our first fund-raiser of the year, the postponed Purse Auction! Last year we had to delay the event as we had collected very few purses. Please help us to make this event a huge success for our new charity, City of Refuge.

WE NEED PURSES……… good purses, fabulous purses, clean purses, purses that you would want to add to your collection. Won’t you please open your heart (and closet) and donate a wonderful handbag to our auction??

What, you don’t have any wonderful purses to donate?? How about going in with a few friends to purchase a new bag or pre-owned luxury bag? What, you don’t want to shop for a new bag, then how about a cash donation and we will shop for you!! Seriously, we love to shop and it is all for a good cause.

Please contact either Danielle Houret-Lam, Polly Hogue or MaryBeth Wegener if you have either a bag or cash to donate. We will gladly pick up any donations.

Stay tuned for further information in the next newsletter on details for this fun event!!

Wednesday, November 9, 2022

Atlanta Country Club

5:00 - 7:30 p.m.

Event Co-chairs working on upcoming Bags and Bubbles fundraiser

CITY OF REFUGE

City of Refuge is a faith-based environment that helps individuals and families transition out of crisis. City of Refuge currently provides transitional housing for single women and women with children. Male children accompanied with their mothers can reside at City of Refuge if they are 14 years of age or younger.

City of Refuge is located in the middle of one of Atlanta’s most historic and struggling neighborhoods where nearly 40% of the residents live below the Federal Poverty Level. In Atlanta’s Westside, in zip code 30314, decades of neglect and disinvestment have gradually taken their toll on this once-proud neighborhood. Here, one finds the state’s highest incidences of poverty, incarceration rates, and teen pregnancies. Here, crime is rampant, and prostitution and drug deals occur in an open-air market. Here, the majority of housing stock is abandoned or derelict, with boarded-up and burnt-out shells lining the streets. In 30314, the problems are pervasive, and the needs are enormous. City of Refuge operates under one roof in the most crime ridden zip code in Atlanta, where the needs are great but when likeminded community members, organizations, and volunteers partner together we are able to see amazing things happen.

City of Refuge’s programs are a result of more than two decades of experience in community development. These programs are holistic and based on four key impact areas: Health & Wellness, Housing, Vocational Training, and Youth Development. At City of Refuge, we know that transformation only takes place in the context of hard work and loving relationships.

In addition to raising funds for City of Refuge, Circle Members will have opportunities to volunteer on campus, working directly with children from the shelter and the neighborhood. We plan to host a table at Trunk or Treat, help with Fall Festival on the last day of APS fall break, decorate holiday cookies with the kids, run a Bingo night for residents, participate with Spring Fling, and celebrate back to school next summer. Once Circle members are registered with City of Refuge, they can also volunteer on their own for tasks such as babysitting, story time, preschool helper and many more.

Visit the City of Refuge website to learn more

about ways they are helping our community.

City of Refuge

AUCTION

GOING ONCE! GOING TWICE!

Yes, it is VERY early to be writing about the 2023 Gala Auction. However, this may be a good time to be thinking of items that would be great to include in a basket or as a live auction item.

If you visit a venue you like, ask if they can offer tickets. This is probably something that needs to be requested via letter, but finding out how to submit a request would be helpful. This goes for any of the larger venues/companies that would be of interest. Many organizations set their charitable giving budgets prior to the new year, so reaching out now may give us a chance.

We have not yet created a new list of auction basket themes, but there will most likely be a repeat of several from last year. If you see a sale on something that would be a great addition to a basket, you may want to pick it up. And Prime day later in the season would be a perfect opportunity to stock up!

We will try to spend some time this summer creating a list of baskets and will get that out to you in the next couple of months.

Thanks!

Pat Iaffaldano

Cynthia Barr

Access the Directory online with new Password! The new 2020-2021 directory of active Circle members can now be viewed on our website. For the privacy of all members, the directory is password protected. You can access the directory under the membership tab on the website.

August 2 Donna Aycock

August 17 Kim Shrek

August 21 Page Morgan

August 22 Lucy Bartlett Doris

August 25 Kristin Harbison

If your birthday (month and day) is not in the new Circle directory, please email that information. We would love to acknowledge that special day.

Circle Celebration Fund

Can't think of a gift for a friend? Consider donating to the Circle Celebration Fund in their name. A lovely acknowledgment will be sent to the honoree informing them of the donation you made in their name. Please contact thecircle4children@gmail.com if you would like to donate.

Circle Correspondence

Please send any Circle Correspondence to thecircle4children@gmail.com for announcements of births, loss of loved ones, outstanding events or illnesses. Please include the individual's address so the corresponding secretary can send the appropriate correspondence. Also, indicate if the information should be posted in the newsletter.

What is Amazon Smile?

Amazon Smile is a simple and automatic way for you to support the Circle for Children every time you shop at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com you'll find the exact same low prices and vast selection as amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate 0.5% of eligible purchases to the Circle. smile.amazon.com uses your current Amazon account.

How Do I Get Started?

Click the button below to get started or on your first visit to smile.amazon.com you will be asked to select a charity. Type in The Circle for Children. Click the "select" box next to it. Click "agree" to confirm you have been informed that you must go to smile.amazon.com every time you make a purchase in order for the Circle to receive the charitable donation from Amazon.

Click Here to Sign Up for Amazon Smile

*THERE ARE NEW INSTRUCTIONS FOR SIGNING UP FOR KROGER COMMNITY REWARDS*

Kroger Community Rewards will donate a portion of your grocery purchase total to The Circle for Children.Please sign up for a Kroger Card the next time you're grocery shopping and link it to The Circle for Children.

To link your Kroger card go to www.kroger.com and login to access "My Account". Under "Community" select "Community Awards" then click the "link card" button. Then, search for "The Circle for Children" or enter number, CX636. You can also call Kroger at 1-800-562-4438 and they will sign you up over the phone.

The Circle for Children | circle4children.org