New-Member Initiation of the Month: Mamie L. Bass

Here is a new-member initiation ceremony you can adapt for use in your own club!

MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CHAIR: I am pleased to ask _________________________ and her (their) sponsor(s) to come forward.  
Membership in Altrusa is unique. Membership is extended to achievers in many  different fields, people who have in common, besides success, a strong sense of responsibility toward the human family. 
Altrusa coordinates leadership talents and amplifies individual efforts into a significant volunteer force to improve the quality of life. Altrusa asks that you give of yourself. In the worlds of our first National President, Mamie L. Bass: 
“Altrusa believes it is not enough to be good, Altrusans must be good for something. Each member must be doing the piece of work that is hers in a way that puts her in the front ranks of accomplishment."
As a member you don’t just join Altrusa, you become an ALTRUSAN… for it is a way of life. 
You have been asked to become an  Altrusan, and you have responded to that invitation. 
[[ list new initiate(s) name(s) ]], will you  accept the obligations and rewards of  membership in Altrusa by saying, “I will”?  Wait for response. 
Congratulations! You are now an Altrusan. 
Your sponsor will present you with your  pin and your co-sponsor will present your membership kit. 
We are very fortunate to have you as a  member of Altrusa International of ______________. 
Madam President, it is my pleasure to  present to you our newest member(s),  list new initiate(s) name(s) . 
PRESIDENT: [welcomes new member(s) and presents her(them) with a rose.]

Make Your Difference Make Your Meaning

I saved a poem that was written some years ago as the winning poem in a contest by Parade magazine for Make A Difference Day (at least I think it was Parade). I have surfed the Internet for the name of the author to see if there is anything that would require permission to print it and couldn’t find anything specifically tying the author and poem on the Net. It is yellowed with age as it hangs on my fridge. (Submitted by Jo Henderson, Lubbock Dawners)

Make Your Difference Make Your Meaning

I look out through my window
At the world I’ve always known
I think about my blessings,
The things I call my own

I’ve been given many gifts,

I’ve been given sorrows, too.
But we’re not weighed by what we have,
But rather by what we do.

If all the world’s a stage,

Then they judge us by our role.
But we don’t read from a final script,
The part’s ours to control

So here’s your chance for an impression,

A chance to show you care.
If you never have any footprints
Will they know that you walked there?

For satisfaction, meaning, community,

Repayment, virtue or fame,
Give credit to your existence,
And meaning to your name.

--Mark Diffenderfer

Altrusa Joins UN World Population Day Observance

11 July is World Population Day

From: http://www.unfpa.org/public/world-population-day/.

Focus is on Adolescent Pregnancy

Join the discussion on Twitter and Facebook  #worldpopday

About 16 million girls under age 18 give birth each year. Another 3.2 million undergo unsafe abortions.

The vast majority – 90 per cent -- of the pregnant adolescents in the developing world are married. But for far too many of these girls, pregnancy has little to do with informed choice. Often it is a consequence of discrimination, rights violations (including child marriage), inadequate education or sexual coercion.

Adolescent pregnancy is a health issue: the youngest mothers face a heightened risk of maternal complications, death and disability, including obstetric fistula. Their children face higher risks as well.

It is also an issue of human rights. Adolescent pregnancy often means an abrupt end of childhood, a curtailed education and lost opportunities.

On this World Population Day, we raise awareness of the issue of adolescent pregnancy in the hopes of delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.

Conference Refresher: Altrusa Dreamin'

Past Governor Debbie Mabry delivered this Accent during the opening session of this year's Conference. I fell in love with it at the time, and thought it would be nice to give you all a reminder now that we're well into the new biennium.

We gather this weekend for our 57^th District Nine Conference, with a very appropriate theme of “Altrusa Dreamin’.” Appropriate because almost 100 years ago, that is exactly what a small group of women were doing – Altrusa Dreamin’.  Do you think that 96 years ago, these women had any idea of where their dreams and plans would lead?

Spanish author Carlos Ruiz Zafon said “We spend a good part of our lives dreaming, especially when we're awake.” That is what this conference, the ones before this one, the ones that will come after this one, is all about – dreaming when we are awake.

·        Dreaming about what our hopes and aspirations are for our communities.

·        Dreaming about a world that is a good place for all of us to live;

·        Dreaming about leaving this place a little better than we found it.

We all know about the dreamers in our past – people like Mamie L. Bass, Eleanor Roosevelt, Dr. Nina Fay Calhoun, Edith Debusk and so many other Altrusans who shared their dreams and plans for a better world have brought us to where we are today for this conference.

I want to share a story about another dreamer in our world – not an Altrusan, but I think he would have made a great Altrusan.  Born in 1846, he was raised in Chicago by immigrant parents who ingrained in him a strong belief that man should strive to be of service to others.

After failing admission tests for Harvard and Yale, and an unsuccessful stint at politics, Daniel Burnham became an architect.  At 26 years old, he met his soon to be partner, and they began building buildings.  Not just any building, BIG buildings.

·        The first skyscraper in Chicago – the Masonic building (21 stories tall)

·        The flatiron building in New York City

·        The Union Station in Washington DC

·        In 1906, his firm designed the “Plan of Chicago” which laid out the future plans for the entire city of Chicago.

What a dreamer! He would have made a great Altrusan!

Daniel Burnham also penned some words that have remained alive and quoted for well over the past century.  I first read them 38 years ago, and I have never forgotten them.  I would like to share them with you:

“Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency. Remember that our sons and grandsons are going to do things that would stagger us. Let your watchword be order and your beacon beauty. Think big.”

Dream Big, Altrusans – remember that OUR sons, daughters, Grandsons and granddaughters, nieces, nephews and young neighbors are going to stand on our shoulders, they are going to follow our lead and dream big and they will do things that will stagger us.

Service Project Spotlight: Dallas Club

The Dallas Club received second place for their 2011-2012 Dr. Nina Fay Calhoun International Relations Award entry. Here is the description of that project (slightly edited) that was read at the Awards Luncheon.

The Dallas Club worked with an international organization that supports small-scale entrepreneurs in developing countries. Working with Opportunity International, the Club launched its International Builders of Women program, empowering people to work their way out of chronic poverty through microloans. Loans are repaid over time enabling the funds to be lent again to continue the cycle. The average loan is $142, and 96 percent of loans are successfully repaid. This Club’s members carefully reviewed the needs of the women entrepreneurs and selected six businesswomen located in the Philippines, Columbia, and Kenya. The club donated $1,000 and provided microloans ranging from $50 to $300 to support mothers with food kiosks, fish market, clothing, and other small businesses. The club devoted two meetings to this project, actually selecting and donating funds live during the second meeting. They also observed six major international events with newsletter articles, discussions, and program accents. 

Altrusans throughout District Nine and all over the world are doing amazing things. Won't you join us?

July Top Ten List: Scorchers

I don't know about you, but sometimes the summer heat is all I can think about. So for this month's Top Ten list, I've decided to give you my personal Top Ten "hot" items. It's kind of a to-do list for me, but I'm accepting volunteers to help our committees get it done!

10. Help the Service Committee launch the Blue Ribbon for Literacy Campaign begun by Past Governor Kathy Folley.

9. Catch up on my reading and contribute to the discussion on Lean In on bookclubit.com.

8. Work with News of Mighty Ninth editor Jan Skinner to craft killer COMMUNICATIONS articles for the fall issue.

7. Help Membership Development Committee Co-Chair Bobbi Klein with a potential surprise gathering for District Nine Altrusans in conjunction with the midyear board meeting. (OK, not a surprise now, but we're making sure it will work out before announcing it. Just put the weekend of November 10 on your calendar.)

6. Keep up communications with our club presidents, who must get the information before they can share it with their members!

5. Schedule my club visits! (Ooops. That's been on my list for a while. I'll admit I'm a slacker, and as soon as I finish this blog post, I'll send out my letters. I promise.)

4. Sit down with First Vice Governor and Program Coordinator Linda Moore to brainstorm ideas for Conference that will not only fit our theme of "Keep Altrusa Weird" but will also be so unique and inspiring that attendees will be talking about it for a year--until the next Conference!

3. Keep up the communications pace with one blog post and a couple of Facebook posts daily, and encourage all our District Nine members to "like" our page for instant access.

2. Get all clubs rolling on Add an Altrusan Day activities with a package of resources that will guide them to success.

1. Continue tireless search of my friends and acquaintances who would make good Altrusans, allowing them to make their own decisions based on what we can show them about our amazing organization.

What's YOUR Top Ten to-do list for July? How many times does Altrusa show up on it? I challenge you to write out your list, set your priorities, and make July the most productive month this far in 2013! I believe in you.

Beth Blair
Governor

Accent of the Month: YOU Are Important to Altrusa

This Accent originated in District Eleven. Many thanks to Past Governor Florence Callagy for permission to use her sage words.

Were you there …
… to experience the fellowship at club meetings so you could feel the radiation effect
of Altrusa membership?

Were you there …
… to help give direction on important service project decisions?

Were you there …
… to encourage your club to take on exciting fund-raising projects?

Were you there …
… to support the officers and chairmen who are giving of their time and leadership?

Were you there …
… to vote on vital club issues?

Were you there …
… to give of your talent and energy to help achieve your club’s goals?

If you were NOT there …
… you have missed the full value of your Altrusa membership.

If you WERE there …
… you made the difference. Without you, Altrusa would not be a meaningful service club.

As a member, your regular attendance at meetings is important as you are the vital link in Altrusa’s success. Regular attendance stimulates interest and participation. As a member, you must have knowledge of what is going on in your club. Without this knowledge, there is no desire to participate. Through participation comes accomplishment. Through accomplishment comes pride in membership.

Florence M. Callagy
1983-1985 District Eleven Governor
Reprinted with permission from District Eleven.

 

Using the NEW News of Mighty Ninth

If you didn't receive the first issue of News of Mighty Ninth for this biennium, please let me know ASAP.

Look! In your inbox! It's a pamphlet! It's a newsletter! NO ... It's a MAGAZINE! That's right, the News of Mighty Ninth, commonly referred to as our District Service Bulletin, took on a new format for the 2013-2015 biennium, and the first issue is out now. Jan Skinner of the Richardson Club is our editor, and she's done a terrific job with coordinating content and making all that news into real information you can use immediately within your Club.


The magazine will be presented in two distinct parts. The first part will be our feature stories, all about a central topic. If you'll take a look at this issue, you'll see that we've announced that this is the SERVICE issue: All the feature stories will relate to taking our service to the next level. (The fall issue will be the COMMUNICATIONS issue, so if you have a good question or topic for that issue, let Jan know!)

This issue's SERVICE articles include:

• Literacy Month 101: Success in September begins now
• Make A Difference Day: How will your Club be making a difference?
• There's No Reason NOT to Submit Award Entries
• 10 No-Cost Service Projects to Implement Now
• Free Money: Making Grants Work for You
• Service on the District Level: What the District Program Team Can Do for Your Club

In most issues (this one is an exception because we have a substantial Conference Wrap-Up in the middle), we will follow the features section with our regular District Nine news. In each issue, you will find short updates from our District Nine committees, a membership report card, a list of new members and their sponsors, and articles from our program team and from our members.

This issue's District News articles include:

• Dallas Club's Project Receives $6,000 Disaster Relief Grant
• Convention Preview: Altrusans on the Move
• Saying Goodbye to Past Governor Fran McDonald
• Member Retention
• The One New Club Initiative
• What Kind of Leader Are You?
• Starting an ASTRA Club Is Easy
• Service Spotlight on several of our clubs (send in yours!)

The District Nine magazine is yours to use any way you wish. Take some time to read through the articles and increase your Altrusa knowledge. Print out a copy or two and lend it to a prospective member, or mail it to a former Altrusan who might consider coming back. Work with your Club to submit articles for the next issue. Adapt one of the articles as an Accent for your next meeting. There are lots of ways to use it!

Update on West, Texas, Library Project

Today I had the pleasure of talking with Jan Hungate, Assistant Superintendent of West ISD.  I explained to her that Altrusa Dallas had undertaken a service project specifically to assist our neighbors in West, Texas, as we understood all too well how devastating the tragedy had been to the local community, and the near-impossible task to try and rebuild. I also advised her that several of our sister clubs were also asking how they could assist.

In truth I think it is fair to say Ms. Hungate was initially wary of our offer of assistance – as it turns out there has been a lot of “talk” by other organizations on how they could help, but most of that had come to nothing. When I told her of the progress we had already made, Ms. Hungate was stunned, to say the least. She asked me to pass on her thanks to all concerned and will assist us in whatever way she can.

We discussed a number of logistical questions, and Ms. Hungate shared the news that they are bringing ALL the local children back to school in the district this fall. There is a site currently under preparation and the children will be taught in portacabins. Two smaller portacabins have been designated for use as libraries. This will fit in very well with our plans to help. Ms. Hungate has a list of all the books that the school previously had in the library, and she is going to ask the teachers if they can prioritize a list which we can then work from.

She also mentioned that one of the suppliers they have used for library services had gifted 24 boxes of books to them. At this time they do not know what books those boxes contain, nor if they are age-appropriate. Until now they have not had the resources to allocate some manpower to this task. I have suggested to Ms. Hungate that we may be able to assist with some woman-power, and we will work to come up with a suitable date and time. Governor Beth Blair has suggested that some of the local clubs may want to assist with this smaller project, and we certainly would welcome them.

I will be in regular contact with Ms. Hungate as our project gathers pace, and will endeavor to keep everyone informed of any needs or areas that require attention, as well as more specific plans for further fund-raising.

On a personal note I wish to thank all those who are helping me with this project – I am humbled by your wealth of knowledge and willingness to give of yourself so graciously.

Gillian Allen7.2.2013

What's Going On in SW Dallas County?

Altrusa International of Southwest Dallas County will partnership with our adopted school, Cockrell Hill Elementary in DeSoto, Texas this 2013-2014 school year.  Starting this August our plans are to keep students and parents involved with a service literacy project or service literacy activities every month.  We will be doing Parents Night at the school, where Altrusa will introduce a different literacy activity to be done for grades K-5^th.  A record will be kept on the student’s performance.  At the end of December and May Altrusa will give away something, for example a bicycle or a gift card to a student with the highest points.  If a tie, the names will go into a pot and one name will be pulled.   We intend to focus our effort on LITERACY!

Versie Lusk
2013-2014 President
Altrusa International Inc. of Southwest Dallas County

Get your Club featured on the District Nine blog; just send something to Governor Beth!