FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT:
THANKSGIVING, a single word that is both descriptive and tangible all at once! I can still smell the pumpkin and mince meat pies that grandma made before we all would gather.
My memories of Thanksgiving are surrounded by family thoughts of love, laughter, gratitude, and kitchen frivolity. Wednesday, the day before the Thanksgiving Meal was one of awe: the turkey and ham would be out and readied for the next day. Pies and cranberry sauce were made, stuffing was begun from scratch with the bread crumbles readied for drying in a slow oven. Ever so many onions were cut up and put away for the next day when my sister and I would get up early to take our posts at the sink’s edge to peel potatoes.
From potato duty my sister and I moved onto whipping cream to soft peaks and adding the sugar, which I always thought made it look sparkly and opaque, it was almost shameful to add the dark brown of the vanilla beans to the pretty creamy bowl, but I knew the vanilla always made the whipped cream taste even more delicious.
The refrigerator seemed to always be able to hold everything we made, it would open its doors and invite all the lovely things inside to rest before plating began around 2 pm, to me as a child I found that to be a miracle.
Once we settled into the routine of tables being set and changing into our McCall plaids, for Thanksgiving was a Scottish side of the family holiday in our home, guests would begin to arrive. Thanksgiving in my family was about 150 of our relatives descending upon our home in Rancho Palos Verdes where the garage had been stripped of autos and filled full of borrowed tables and chairs from Slav Hall. Tables were brightly decorated for the feast with the little salt and pepper shakers newly filled and stationed between walnuts and nutcrackers!
When the cousins, Aunts, and Uncles arrived we all talked until we were talked out and then the food was served. Of course, many other delights were brought for sharing by other relatives, it was truly a feast! The highlight was always what my relatives called “Aunt Betty’s White Salad”. Well, Aunt Betty was Grandma to me and that salad was not my favorite, probably because it was a real bear to create with marshmallows, fruit and pitted Royal Ann Cherries…I had to pit those cherries and halve them in order to make the salad. This was a Tuesday chore because the salad had to sit for at least 24 hours to set. I know now that Aunt Betty’s White Salad was really an ambrosia and I even shared the secret recipe once for the 100th Anniversary of the Woman’s Club of Redondo Beach where we served it as part of the luncheon and High Tea ceremony.
Thanksgiving this year will be filled with many memories as well. Bill and I will spend a quiet time at home, away from family, but the ham and potatoes, gravy and green bean casserole will all be done up dairy-free and delicious. Apple cobbler will be served for dessert and then the Zoom Call for some family time at the computer. Yes, I am looking forward to Thanksgiving and hope you are as well.
To each of you and your families, the best of all Thanksgiving Holidays from the Aments!
Luv, Pam
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HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSES ON ZOOM (Hurry - time is fleeting to respond)
It is time to gather and laugh! We have spent a lot of lovely time on Zoom for meetings and workshops, but now is the time to Zoom with our Gift for Gab!
I am happy to announce that I have set 3 days aside with 2-hour blocks where we can meet and have some fun just getting together online.
Scheduled during “Happy Hour”, I do hope you will join us for 5 – 7 pm on these dates to share with friends, have a laugh and smile! Bring a drink if you want, I am sure others will and let us just celebrate knowing that we each belong to sch a fabulous group of volunteers.
This is a time to reach out and be with one another, albeit electronically. Remember we can only hold up to 300 of you, so registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Invites will be sent bi-weekly in the order they are received.
For your invitation, just send me your name and email address with the date or dates you want to attend. I can be reached at:
Reservations must be requested 72 hours prior to the date you are requesting.
Holiday Open Houses are always from 5 – 7 pm and will be open on Zoom:
December 7, 2020
December 30, 2020
The only business is monkey business for these get-togethers; see you there
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MEET THE CHAIRS UPDATED ANNOUNCEMENT:- LAST ONE !
What a lovely time for instruction and information the Meet the Chairs Workshops have offered to our membership. The series of four, which concludes this week on November 24, 2020 is ready for all that registered by last week’s deadline of November 19th.
Supporting Paperwork and Invitation Reminders for this week’s Meet the Chairs event will be sent around noon on Monday, November 23rd.
Barbara Briley Beard, Sonja Hults, and I have been excited about the response and support of the members attending. The Q & A portion has been provocative and educational. What a joy to meet via Zoom and get to know the CFWC Chairs and CFWC Members better! Luv, Pam
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We thank Marcia Willett, Area C Vice President
for this week's article from THE HIVE
MEMBERSHIP REPORTING! OH MY!
Membership reporting may seem more challenging this year. However, if we look at what is typically included in a Membership narrative report it is mostly the same but with a different twist. Getting organized is one of the key factors in writing any report and Membership reports are not different. Keep the following questions and sources of information in mind as you build your report.
You were probably not in office after the beginning of 2020. Contact your predecessor to find out what Membership activities they did in person from January through February, and what activities they adapted to Zoom for the rest of their term. Ask if they had any Zoom training sessions for the membership and if so, be sure to include that in the report. Did they do any Federation Day activities online for Federation Day, April 24th? And did they financially support members attending District meetings which took place in January through February of 2020.
In addition to having this discussion with your predecessor, gather up all the newsletters beginning in January and ending in December 2020. Do the same for minutes and agendas. Look through them and note what membership projects took place especially via Zoom meetings. Was an inspiration given at each meeting? Did you do any Memorial or Remembrance Service or Volunteer Recognition on Zoom? Many clubs do social activities such as out to lunch and book clubs, whether in person or via Zoom. Anything done for membership should be mentioned.
Though we cannot meet in person, most of our clubs and districts have adapted and been able to carry on doing many of the same things using various technologies to keep in touch. Besides Zoom, are you using Facebook or special e-blasts to stay in communication with members? Are you encouraging members to subscribe to QuickBytes, California Clubwoman and GFWC Clubwoman magazine to stay informed? Are you promoting CFWC Zoom meetings which every member can attend, such as Area Meetings, CFWC Board Meetings and Meet the Chairs? These are all activities that help bond the membership, so be sure to mention them in your report. Finally, do not forget an oft-neglected 20th Century technology that is still with us – the telephone. Many clubs have revived the phone tree and if this is being used in your club describe this in your report too.
As you can see, you have lots of material to work with. Let us show in our reports how Membership is alive and demonstrate the many ways we are working differently to forge ahead and succeed in the face of current obstacles.
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CFWC 2021 Convention
Last day to respond is November 30th - Do It NOW !
The dates for the convention are May 12–15, 2021 at the Sheraton Cerritos Hotel. CFWC President, Pam Ament and convention chairs, Priscilla Bolinder and Edie Seger would like input from members to help in making decisions about the convention. At this point we do not know what the virus situation will be at that time. Foremost in our minds is the safety of our members when we are able to meet in person.
It has been suggested that we consider a location other than a hotel. Please keep in mind that the hotel has a deposit from CFWC with no guarantee it will be refunded. Mentioned as possibilities are a casino or a Clubhouse large enough to accommodate over 100 people. The Clubhouse would have to have their own in-house caterer. Social distancing could be an issue at either venue. In either case, members would have to make their own arrangements for where to stay overnight. It would also be possible to have a convention meeting on Zoom.
Please share your thoughts with us by answering a few questions. Send your responses to the 3 of us by November 30 (email addresses are at the end of this article).
1. How would things have to change for you to want to attend a convention with 160 other people at a hotel with banquet seating for meetings and meals?
2. How far would you be willing to travel and what mode of transportation would you feel comfortable using?
3. Which of the ideas (hotel, clubhouse, casino, Zoom) would you prefer? How would your choice work for social distancing as recommended by health care professionals?
4. The past couple of year’s room rates have been $144-$145 plus taxes. How much would you be willing to pay for a room with no amenities (room service)?
Registration was $20 and $25 and meals (not including ESO or Emeritus) came to $265 and $270. ESO was $35 and $42; Emeritus was $35 and $45.
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Domestic Violence Awareness - Diane Waterhouse, CFWC Chair
Please see link in QuickDocs for the new CFWC Domestic Violence Awareness Tri-fold ready to print.
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Civic Engagement & Outreach – Yolanda Petroski
In her summer newsletter, our GF Chair had a unique suggestion for food pantry donations for children: Celebration Bags! These bags could be prepared by individual members or made a group effort.
Some suggestions were:
Birthday Bags. Using a large gift bag, add a cake mix, aluminum cake pans, a container of icing, birthday candles, paper goods and a card.
You could also include a juice box, fruit breakfast bars, granola bars or pudding cups.
Back-to-School Bags. These bags could also have a cake mix, pans and icing but could also contain fruit, individually packaged snacks, crackers and cheese. Perhaps some colored pencils or school supplies? Add a card saying “Have a good day!”
Cold Weather Bags. This bag could include a white cake and coconut to add to the icing to make them think of snow! Cold weather food like hot chocolate with baby marshmallows along with fruits like tangerines, oranges, bananas and grapes – anything that would remain fresh.
The size of the gift bag would depend on the amount of contents. Be sure to advise the food pantry or shelter of the contents and be sure to tag each bag with its contents – AND – some way to identify your club for its donation.
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CFWC Health and Wellness Program, Myrna Binford, Chairman |
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Enter the Holiday Season. First of all, everyone have a wonderful Thanksgiving. It will be different than you had thought and past Thanksgivings have been. Since most of California has moved into the purple tier, it should be smaller with less family and friends. We need to realize that COVID-19 will end, but maybe not until next summer when most vaccinations have been done. So, try to stay safe until then…mask up, social distance, and keep washing hands.
As mentioned before in Quick Bytes, have your club try to support a food pantry or food bank. In a normal year, they would try to have something extra for the holidays, but this is not a normal year. Many in San Diego County are in short supply just when they need food the most. I have also mentioned Adopting-A-Family so they can have a good meal with presents for all.
As you already know, the holiday season can find some people depressed (perhaps more so this year). A call, letter (includes email), Zoom, etc. can be most welcome.
Here are some tips from psychologists about the benefits of decorating early this year:
People are seeking comfort, healing, happiness, and joy. With everything that has gone on this year, decorating can bring memories of happier times while being a healthy distraction from the heaviness of 2020.
It makes you feel a little more in control by taking your focus off what has gone on in 2020.
It can help you look forward to something uplifting — planning for a new and better year, watching holiday movies, baking, being with small family groups, etc.
Again, have a wonderful Thanksgiving and remember to be thankful for the things you have.
Myrna
Milliebin9@gmail.com
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Dori's Leadership Library
These booklets are in .pdf format,
when printed they are ready to assemble into booklets
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