FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT
So, I just need to say it in writing: our lovely tomatoes are under attack! What to do when you’ve worked so hard to cultivate a crop and every morning you wake up to a half-eaten feast by a varmint? I am discouraged to say the least, but not defeated.
There are times as a leader when Plan A, B, C and D are not working, and that is the time you must start to be creative about the Plan E. That new plan and tactic you are thinking of implementing. Leaders think on their feet and make a clear path towards a goal. My goal: enjoy our tomatoes before the raccoons get them all.
Your goal as a leader will be quite different, but the tactic stays true: being creative about the implementation of your Plans.
When it comes to planning, I almost always work from an outline. I have the bullet-points clearly distinguished either on paper or in my head. Outlines make it easy, because then you can change things in motion. When we put too much planning down at one time, should something go awry, we have a hard time moving to another plan. Outlines keep things brief and fluid.
Now, the raccoons are not making it easy for me to plan. We have a large dog who does not like raccoons already, but he is inside with us at night when the raccoons feast. We have motion-detector lights…these seem less a deterrent and more for their benefit. I have ghost peppers surrounding the tomatoes and even cut them up and create a liquid pepper sauce that I pour around the tomatoes and soak rags in the sauce and place them in strategic places. Lastly, we put up a chicken wire fence on all 4-sides and the top of the area, (Plan D), and still: those little bandits, they feast in the wee hours while we sleep!
On to Plan E: Walk-in Tomato Coup, (good thing I married a Carpenter)!
Plans may go astray, plans may not work at all, and plans may be too hard to imagine at times…however, as a leader, just sit back and gather your thoughts: your plans will come, and things will eventually work out one way or another.
Luv, Pam
|
|
SUNSHINE AND SHADOWS
We are saddened to report that CFWC Area C Vice President Marcia Willett’s husband, Gary, passed away on august 3rd from Myasthenia Gravis. Our thoughts are will Marcia in this time of need and we each hold space in our hearts for the Willett Family. Please give the family a little time before calling but Cards may be sent to:
Willett Family
17037 Rosebud
Yorba Linda, CA 92886
|
|
CFWC EXECUTIVE FALL BOARD UPDATE…
If you are registering via mail, please mail your registration and check today so it arrives to me this Friday, August 13th – if you wait to mail it on the deadline it will arrive too late to guarantee meal orders.
As of right now, CFWC will be the only group meeting in the hotel. No other outside groups will be there. The hotel has been trained on the right products and protocols for Covid-19 safety. This includes sleeping rooms, meeting rooms, door handles, bathroom faucets, elevator buttons and banister. Sanitary disposable microphone covers, gloves, masks and disinfecting wipes will be available. We are encouraging all attendees to wear a face mask while at the hotel.
The meeting rooms will be set with chairs 6 ft. apart and limited seating at tables during the Board/meal sessions.
Jean Lash, CFWC Meeting Planner
|
|
CALL UPDATE TO THE SEPTEMBER EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING OF THE CFWC
There is an addition to The CALL for September:
Saturday, September 4, 2021, there will be a CFWC May 2022 Convention Meeting. All CFWC Executive Committee Members, Area C & D District Presidents & Deans are asked to attend. Time and Room information will be presented at the Meeting during the Announcements.
FYI There is no Zoom Option for attending the CFWC September State Board Meeting. This is an in-person meeting only.
|
|
Education & Libraries/ESO
Shirley Lorraine, CFWC Chair
It’s August already and many California schools will be back in session this month. Although restrictions have been eased throughout the state, school budgets have suffered greatly during this Covid-19 pandemic. Women’s Club members can help by supplying needed classroom supplies and materials, or volunteering time or spearheading STEM projects suggested by GFWC. Contact a local school to find out what they need or will allow for the start of school. With the State’s restrictions bouncing back and forth with upswings and downturns, making contact with a school is a must before proceeding. Also, consider contacting other community organizations such as Rotary, Lion’s or Boys and Girls Clubs to coordinate efforts.
ESO (Epsilon Sigma Omicron)
California women’s club members have been reading and reporting like crazy. Congratulations! All those hours spent enhancing knowledge are reportable hours under the ESO heading.
Several California clubs cite having book groups, reading groups and literary sections. These are all wonderful. However, if the members aren’t pledged to ESO specifically, hours spent reading for or in those groups aren’t countable under the ESO program. You and your club can still count hours spent volunteering in libraries, reading to children, having book sales ( fundraising) or book donations to various places (community service) or other reading related activities under education. Just not ESO. So is there any reason NOT to turn your existing literati into an ESO group?
ESO is a specific program vetted by GFWC to encourage continuing education and personal growth. The purpose of the achievement tiers is to encourage members to expand their areas of knowledge. By each level having a different set of category requirements, a member cannot help but experience the expansion of their horizons as they delve into previously unconsidered categories.
ESO is not a “book club” in the traditional sense wherein everyone reads the same book and discusses it. It can be done that way but progress for all will be significantly slower. Many ESO groups discuss books they’ve been reading individually, recommend and share books, discover new areas of interest, becoming inspired by the enthusiasm shown by other members over their latest “finish”.
The new simplified forms do not require a plot synopsis. Instead, they ask what you learned from reading the book you selected. One or two sentences is plenty. Still find “reporting” challenging? Enlist a fellow reader in your group to write down what you learned on your form. Enter your identifying information and turn it in with the rest of your requirements. Done. Teamwork in action.
The forms and ESO materials are easily located on the CFWC website. Many clubs tailor the forms for electronic submission. That’s fine. My goal as Chair has been and will continue to be simplifying processes so that everyone will find ESO participation appealing.
Shirley Lorraine, CFWC Education/Libraries/ESO Chair 2020-2022
|
|
National Honey Bee Day
August 21 is National Honey Bee Day. Unfortunately, the plight of honey bees remains, and their numbers continue to decrease, threatening our food supply. Pesticide exposure, the spread of parasites and environmental changes are to blame for the widespread dwindling of the bee population over the past decade. There is hope, however. Scientists from around the world are developing new solutions to prevent the alarming frequency of honey bee colony collapse.
One group is a network of scientists joined from four University of California campuses including Merced, San Diego, Davis and led by researchers from UC Riverside. They are approaching the decline of honey bee health in three ways. The first is to identify and breed bees that are better able to cope with environmental stress. The second goal is to develop medications and treatments for sick bees. Certain types of honey bees have naturally occurring molecules that make them more tolerant of pesticides and parasites. With new technology scientists will be able to isolate those molecules and use them as a basis for medicines. Finally, the group is looking to develop tools to better monitor bees’ health. Small devices will be able to “listen” and “smell” inside hives to provide beekeepers with information about health of the hive, essentially building “electronic veterinarians.” Preventative devices like these are key to keeping bees alive.
While we anticipate these exciting advances, we can do our part by maintaining bee friendly gardens, avoiding all pesticides and herbicides, rotating plants to allow for year-round foraging and giving our pollinator friends plenty of water
Jane Thomey,
CFWC Environment Chair
|
|
Military & Veterans Yolanda Petroski, Chair
With the submission of proper documentation, the DMV will issue a special license or ID for Veterans. It will have “VETERAN” near the bottom if the license or ID card, bordered by a red line on top and a blue one below the designation. The application can be obtained on the DMV website. The Veteran must take his/her DD214 (military discharge certificate) to a county Veteran Service Office to obtain a Veteran Status Verification form (good idea to call first). There is a special $5 fee for the designation if done ahead of normal renewal time. Veteran reservists are eligible for this designation if they served on active duty and received an honorable or general discharge “under honorable conditions.” A benefit of having this designation on one’s license is that restaurants, stores, etc. may offer a discount in appreciation of one’s service. Spread the word!
|
|
There are still a few workshops left this summer -- Join Us ! |
|
SUMMER WORKSHOPS
We carefully put this series together with just the right balance of training session and workshops, hopefully you will be attending all of them as they are FREE!
Also, just a quick reminder that we shall be continuing our Open Houses for all members on the 16th of every month this summer between 5 – 7 pm. See you there!
|
|
|
Just a thought ......
Destiny is not a matter of chance,
it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for,
it is a thing to be achieved
William Jennings Bryan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
