Women Strong
As we enter another likely contentious election period we have to acknowledge the role women have played in our society. Last month, the Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission and the U.S. Senate designated August 2020 as National Women's Suffrage Month, a month-long celebration honoring the history of women's fight for the vote. We take for granted our voting ability. It has only been 100 years of women having the right to vote. On August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was finally ratified, enfranchising all American women and declaring for the first time that they, like men, deserve all the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Since then we have become a force of political power. It took Strong Women then to fight for the right and it will take Strong Women today to continue the fight for a better country and world. No one should tell you who to vote for but we MUST encourage you to VOTE in the election in November.
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When you get to your prime years of being over 50 you have probably withstood heartache, pain, loss, and transitions. Two friends will share their separate stories. Laura and Anne have been friends for many years. Laura invited Anne to join TTN. That is the magnificence of this organization. We gain friends, keep friendships from years earlier and explore together. These are two very strong women !!
Strong Women - Stories
by Anne McComiskey and Laura Greenberg
Happily-Ever-After
Anne McComiskey
Like many women who grew up in the 50’s and 60’s, my future was already set and waiting for me. I had my fairy tale and TV role models. I knew how to behave “just so” to secure the future meant for me. I came out of the womb being friendly, loving life and focused on making things work out. Life was pretty grand. I was happily married, wonderful children, loved my teaching career and was just walking along my ‘Happily-Ever-After’ path.
Things started to change sometime in my 40’s when I realized I wanted to be me and not Cinderella or Carol Brady. I relied on counseling, reading, writing and friend-therapy to work on figuring myself out…an ongoing process. Part of my work involved moving gradually from my palace of denial to starting to see reality. During this confusing time, my husband and I divorced. I was upside down and inside out and had no idea who I was. This divorce thing was definitely not part of my ‘Happily-Ever-After’ future.
Continue reading Anne's story here.
In My Life
Laura Greenberg
While hunkering down during this extraordinary transitional time in all of our lives, I’ve been reminiscing about my own life’s transitions.
For the past half year, no particular, personal transitions: Despite intentions, almost no travel, no learning a foreign language, no embracing exercise, no cleaning closets. But, dammit, I forgive myself.
Recently, though, a profound transition: A very dear childhood friend had a prolonged, hard struggle with cancer, and two weeks after two of her other friends and I made an arduous trip to see her one last time, she died. We are so grateful that we made the trip. Our Transition Network is so valuable when we need to process these moments.
To help us get through these isolating times, my husband, Carl has been teaching me to play chess (!) I think I’m beginning to catch on – I even beat him today (after he allowed me several do-over moves, of course).
Some of my experiences which stay with me, and inform my life to this day:
I grew up a few houses from the beach in Belle Harbor, Queens NY, on a little slip of a peninsula between the Ocean and Jamaica Bay; pretty idyllic, though I don’t know that I fully appreciated it at the time.
After graduating Far Rockaway High School (where I was voted Miss Witty my senior year, and I’m still pretty damn witty). I went to Ohio State University. This vexed my parents: They’d promised me a red Corvette if I stayed home and went to Brooklyn College.
I became fairly active in the anti-Vietnam War movement, marched for African-American studies on campus, and women’s rights. Traded in my argyle socks and matching sweaters for bellbottom jeans and denim work shirts. Looked a lot like everyone else, though I continued to wear a bra and to shave my legs. I guess I was a hippie, and although I was all about free love, I had a rather difficult time finding anyone to have free love with, Hard to believe, I know!
But then the summer between my freshman and sophomore years of college I met my Carl at a Jewish summer camp in upstate New York. We went to universities hundreds of miles apart, but after graduation we decided to backpack throughout Europe for half a year (I mainly packed Tampax). We just roamed – no real plans, no reservations. It was fabulous. My parents again were horrified; my father was sure Carl was using me for my body – I’m sure that was true, and still is! My mother told everyone I was travelling with my girlfriend Carla.
Read the rest of Laura's story click here.
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We encourage you to bring friends, prospective members, and female acquaintances to any of our programs so they too can experience what TTN has to offer. Keep in mind all events require a headcount days before the actual date. Please register as early as your schedule allows. We consider all schedules and hope everyone will find an event that is convenient and sign up.
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Please go to https://www.thetransitionnetwork.org/events/atl to check out all of the events we can attend. You can now register for any event from any chapter because everything is virtual and no need to drive anywhere. There are interesting activities planned from the Chicago, Philadelphia and Washington DC chapters and more. Keep in mind time zone differences and plan accordingly. Register on the website and enjoy!!!
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REGISTRATION TIP
To register for any of our events on the TTN website it is required that you login first. Go to the upper right portion of the screen and put in your email address and your password. We often receive comments that the event will not allow one to register and it usually because the login has not taken place.
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Where in the World is ATL-TTN? |
Travel Tour
September 17, 2020
4:30 PM
Next stop on “Where in the World is ATL TTN?” will be Patagonia. Join us as we do a virtual tour through the beautiful region that encompasses the southernmost tip of South America shared by Argentina and Chile with the Andes Mountains as it’s dividing line.
Register:
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Regular Programs
Coffee Hour- 11:00 AM to Noon Friday, September 25th - Join us for a morning zoom coffee hour with your TTN Friends.
Register:
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Wine Down Wednesday - 7:00 PM September 30 - We will continue our lively discussions on various topics. Please sign up so you can "Wine" down and take a mid week break.
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Book Discussion - Community Event
Mon, Sep 7, 2020 6:30 PM EDT
Former CDC Director and Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher, M.D., PhD will discuss his book My Quest for Health Equity which is a vital resource for current and rising leaders.
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10th YEAR ANNIVERSARY PLANS |
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Join the TTN as we say “HAPPY 10th Anniversary ATL TTN!” throughout the week of September 21st. Our first event is one you don’t want to miss. On September 23rd at 5:30 pm join us in a toast and hear how the ATL TTN got started. Our own Rhoda Margolis will share her story and how she helped create the ATL chapter. Bring a cup cake, candle and a beverage of your choice to celebrate our milestone! We’d love to get all our members to participate! This will just be a short 30 minute “celebration” to kick off the week.
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Aging Gracefully - September 24, 2020 6:00 PM, Zoom Meeting
As we anticipate our 10th year anniversary, Dr. Marissa Lawrence has agreed to be part of the celebration. We attempted to have this event just as the pandemic was taking place in mid March. We postponed it and now Dr. Lawrence has graciously agreed to speak to us about "Caring for Your Skin" as we age. It is sure to be an informative evening. If you registered previously, no need to register again. If you have not registered, please do so at this link: https://thetransitionnetwork.org/events/4711/atl/. There is a $5.00 Program fee.
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Appreciation Saturday
To cap off the week, your Co-Chairs, Cindy and Lynn will be traveling across metro Atlanta on Saturday, September 26th to deliver special gifts and goodie bags to all TTN members in celebration of our Anniversary. We will be stopping at specific locations coordinated with each Peer Group Leader with these goodies so we hope you can join us. First stop will be in East Cobb, followed by Sandy Springs, Decatur/Atlanta, and ending in Gwinnett. Mark your calendars and plan on stopping by to celebrate at a safe distance our anniversary. More details with specific times and locations of our stops will be provided via your Peer Group Leaders. We hope to see your smiling faces cheering us on as we celebrate this wonderful milestone!
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Our Anniversary Volunteer Project
The TTN Volunteer Committee has selected the Atlanta Hospital Hospitality House for our virtual fall volunteer focus and urges all members to donate what they can. In these unprecedented times, non-profits really need our support and the Atlanta Hospitality House provides a valuable service to people with significant health care needs and their families. The Atlanta Hospital Hospitality House (AHHH) was originally founded in 1979 to address the need for affordable housing to assist cardiac patients and their families. For more than three decades, AHHH has provided over 30,000 patients and their families with approximately 140,000 nights of affordable and comfortable lodging with nutritious meals each evening. Read more about this organization here.
Please go online to the TTN website
Choose your donation amount.
VIP: In the box that says "Donation in honor of" please put Atlanta Chapter - Hospitality House. This will ensure that we know who has donated and how much money we have to spend on the items needed for the House such as food, PPE and cleaning supplies. Your tax deductible letter will come directly from The Transition Network but be assured that the funds will be forwarded to the Atlanta Chapter to support this effort.
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SIGs and TPG
We continue to have some great Special Interest Groups (SIGs) activities as part of the Atlanta TTN experience. If you are interested in a SIG, look for information in our newsletter and emails with information about the date and location. Sign up to attend as many as you like. Share with a friend and let them experience the power of TTN! Guests can attend outings for a limited number of times.
Transition Peer Groups (TPGs) are for women to share and learn from each other. While the groups are meant to create a supportive environment, be aware that any member of TTN can go to any Peer Group meeting with the exception of Cobb. We have them set up by location to make it easier for you to attend one closer to your home. Only members should attend our Peer Group meetings.
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Book Club SIG
On Friday, September 11th, the book will be Natasha Trethewey's Memorial Drive, and the October book will be Rutger Bregman's Humankind: A Hopeful History on October 9th. Meetings are at 12:30 pm. Reach out to Marianna Murphy if more information is needed.
Mah Jongg SIG
The group will continue to play online. It is still not time for face to face meetings. The group misses their weekly game but will wait it out.
Working Women SIG
The next meeting is September 8 at 7:00 PM. This is new Special Interest Group. If you have attended previous meetings we know it has been uplifting to you. We invite other women who may want to be a part. Ann Vitale, ann@2020careercoaching.com is the contact if more information is needed.
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Peer Group Meetings
To make it easier for the Peer Groups and new participants we would like you to contact JoAnne D'Aleo if you want to attend one of our groups. She will coordinate your attendance with the Peer Group.
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Transition Peer Groups are informal, leaderless groups composed of 8-12 TTN members who meet on a monthly basis to engage in informal discussions. These groups provide a safe and supportive environment in which women may have thought-provoking and stimulating conversations relating to career or personal transitions.
Transition Peer Groups provide opportunities for connection, new friendships and mutually supportive exploration. The intention of these groups is for women to share and learn from each other, and while the groups are meant to create a supportive environment, they are neither support groups nor therapy groups and cannot substitute for professional help when a member may confront a personal life crisis and need special assistance.
Transition Peer Groups are a benefit of TTN membership.
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ITP Decatur and Dekalb - Evening
The meeting is always the 3rd Monday night of each month. The next meeting is Monday, September 21st , 6:30 PM. The plan is to meet outside at the pavilion behind the Senior Center near Mason Mill Park where there are large tables and benches. The alternate plan is to have a Zoom meeting.
Decatur Peer Group II - Day
The group will meet on the second Tuesday of the month. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, September 22nd at 12:30 PM . You will receive an email with the Zoom meeting instructions. Please contact Anna Apostolou if you are interested in being a part of this Peer Group. Her phone number is 404-734-4327.
ITP Intown - Day
The meeting day is today, September 1, 2020 at 10:00 am. This group is open for new members. If you live in the Intown/Vinings area and would like to be part of a peer group, please contact JoAnne D’Aleo at jld726@gmail.com and she will help get you set up with this group.
Cobb II Peer Group - Evening
This group is for members in the Cobb area who are not affiliated with the established group. Members decided they wanted to meet every 2 weeks. You will receive an email with the Zoom meeting instructions.
Cobb Peer Group - Evening
This Peer Group is closed, meaning the members attending will be the only ones to attend future meetings. This group meets once a quarter.
Perimeter Peer Group - Evening
The group will meet Wednesday, September 2nd, 7:00-9:00 PM. Normally this group will meet the first Wednesday night of every month. They will meet through Zoom.
Perimeter Peer Group - Day
This group has now formed in the Perimeter area. The geographic location is North Dunwoody AND the Sandy Springs area. The next meeting is Wednesday September 9th at 3:00 PM.
Gwinnett Peer Group - Day
The next one is Wednesday, September 30th from 1:00-3:00 PM. The regular meeting day is the last Wednesday of each month.
North Atlanta Peer Group - Evening
This group regular meeting date is the last Monday of each month. For September they will meet Wednesday, September 23rd at 6:30 PM. You will receive an email with the Zoom meeting instructions.
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Thank you for Participating
The TTN Volunteer Activity for the second quarter of 2020 was Operation Gratitude. Operation Gratitude sends care packages and notes of gratitude to first responders through the United States, and troops here and abroad, impacting more than 325,000 Deployed Troops, Military Families, Veterans, and COVID-19 Frontline Responders in 35 states and Washington DC. Our chapter sent 21 letters written by 8 TTN members. Though small in number it was very impactful to the recipients of our letters, which were all written with respect and gratitude.
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Our newest member is Hope Flammer. She and her spouse have been in Atlanta since 1994. Shortly after their daughter left for college in 2017, they packed up and sold their Vinings home and began renting furnished houses in different parts of the city. Their current rental is in East Morningside. She is passionate about helping small businesses with websites, also very interested in Atlanta history and hiking. |
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Invite Friends
If you know of anyone who might be interested in the Atlanta TTN, please get them added to our Newsletter Mailing list. Send their name and email to Gail Collier-Glover at gail.cglover@gmail.com. She will add them to our list.
BE A FRIEND - BRING A FRIEND - MAKE A FRIEND!!
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Questions? Comments? Concerns?,
Cindy von Hohenleiten is our co-chair and will take questions, concerns or if you need assistance.
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We are posting information on our FACEBOOK page. We have articles that may interest you, updates, and features. Please go to:
We have a new goal to reach 200 "Likes" by the end of the year. It is a pleasure to see more and more interest being paid to our Facebook page and the resulting interaction. Please encourage your Facebook friends to Like us. "Liking" our page is one way to find out what is going on in our chapter and to make sure your friends know what you are doing as a member of TTN. Choose "Invite Friends", and invite as many as you like. This is a busy year for Atlanta TTN so don't miss out on all of the new activities and interesting news posted to our Facebook page. If you have information you'd like to share please reach out to
That is a way of increasing viewership and possibly recruiting new members. Any post, article or event of interest please let Gail know!
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