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PO Box 8834
Portland, ME 04104 USA
www.altrusadistrict1.com& follow the links to the Portland club's site, or
Vol. 12/13 No. 8 March 2013
The AltrusagramAltrusa International Inc of Portland, Maine
The 2012 - 2013 Board
President: Anita Chandler
Vice President: Martha Donahue
Secretary: Marie Pike
Treasurer: Pam Lemieux
Director: Caroline Cobb
Director: Carolyn Holman
Parliamentarian: Judith Reidman
Committee Chairpersons
Communications: Ann Babbitt
Finance: Pam Lemieux
Membership: Theresa Mancini
Service: Denise Martin
Social: Susan F King
Newsletter editor: Marie Pike -
[email protected] deadline for Altrusagram articles is byend of day on the Friday after the program
meeting.
March came in like a lamb and is surely going out like a lion! Justwhen we all thought that the rigors of a true “Maine winter” wereover and our brown grass would start to turn green we looked outand saw that there were 10 inches of new snow!
Not to be daunted, our membership committee added to ourgreen by initiating another new member, Jane Elwell, proudlysponsored by Karen Valley and Katie Klein. Jane entered like alion having volunteered at Chili Chowder and has attended herfirst A B C program at Presumpscot School! Also joining us all atPresumpscot were two Books A Million staffers, Amy and Heidi, fortheir first time as readers, they were a great addition to our team.
The service committee presented a very interesting programwith our 2012 vocational grant recipient, Ellen Thayer, owner anddesigner of “Love Rocks ME”, a line of cards using Maine loverocks. (available at Nonesuch Books)
Looking forward to District Conference in Bangor, a reminderthat we are filling a basket with Portland area products as ourInternational Foundation fund raising item, I’ve seen the “Portland,Maine Chef’s Table” cookbook and Guzman’s Salsa, what are youadding?
The South Portland and Westbrook Schools are lookingforward to the A B C Program coming to their kindergartens in Apriland May, and we will have their dates now that the budget processis over!
It’s nearly time for our first Volunteer Fair, we will truly bebuilding community as we welcome the public to the fair which willhighlight the volunteer needs of at least 15 not for profitorganizations. Remember to invite your friends and neighbors sothey may learn of all the opportunities available to them.
Under that 10 inches of snow, our crocuses and daffodils arewaiting.
Happy Spring,
Anita
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Notes from the March 6th Business Meeting
• 8 members got accepted to get WBN books,plans to be made for disbursing them.
• Volunteer Fair to be April 6th at the Elks club.Posters will be emailed to members to try and get
people to attend.• Seaside Spring Fling plans discussed.
• Discussed finances and scholarship giving. Clubvoted to give scholarships this year in the amounts
of $1,000 UNE, $1,000 USM & $500 SMCC.• ABC starts this month, East End & Presumpscot
Schools.• We need "Portland" items for the District
Conference.• Discussed award submissions due 3/15
• Nominees for 2013/14 board announced.
Cancellation policy for Program Meetings:members have a standing reservation. To cancel,call Joanne Doherty (730-1479) before noon ofthe Monday prior to the meeting. Members whomiss but do not cancel will be charged for meals
that were guaranteed.
Upcoming Dates
Fri, 3/29 ABC projectEast End School
Mon, 4/1 Board Meeting6:00pm Martha Donahue's house
really - no fooling!
Tue, 4/2 ABC projectOcean Avenue School
Wed, 4/3 Business Meeting6:15pm UNE Blewett Hall
Sat, 4/6 Volunteer Fair10:00 - 2:00 Elks Club
Tue, 4/9 ABC projectWest End School
Thu, 4/11 Serving Supper4:30-7:00 St Peter's
Wed, 4/17 Program MeetingOur Birthday Party!! see page 4
6:15pm Fireside Inn, Exit 48
Tue, 4/23 ABC projectReiche School
Tue, 4/23 World Book Night Projectdetails to come
District One ConferenceApril 25-28th, Bangor
Sat, 4/27 BAM Book Storewe get a portion of the sales between
12:00 - 4:00
Tue, 5/14 ABC projectRiverton School
* * * * * *
Mission Statement
Altrusa International, Inc. of Portland, Maine is a club ofdiverse professionals dedicated to providing service toour communities, focusing on literacy, fellowship and
leadership development..
Vision Statement
Altrusa: Leaders in service, expanding leadershipopportunities and providing service to communities
worldwide.
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It was nice to revisit some of our friends and meet newresidents. Construction is underway with an enormous twostory addition and one wonderful woman expressed that shewas helping to pay for it! Love her humor!
From the Communications Committee
Thank you for remembering to wear your pins.Please continue to do so.
ABC Project off to a great start!It’s spring and time to visit the kindergartens in 5Portland schools, 2 South Portland schools and 3Westbrook schools!
Three Altrusans and two gals from BAM read to3 classes of children at Presumpscot School onMarch 18th. The kids loved their books andbunnies and the teachers were very appreciative.
Our next ABC date is March 29th with 4 classesat East End School. We hope many of you will beable to participate in this worthwhile project, as weneed readers!! Sign up sheets for future dates willbe available soon. (See the calendar on page 2 forsome dates, generally starts around 9:00a.m.)
Spring Fling at the SeasideNursing Home
About 30 residents of Seaside NursingHome enjoyed receiving Spring flower
baskets from the Portland Altrusa Club onSaturday March 16. Some folks gave
their own creative touch to theirarrangements by adding more silk flowers
to their basket. Refreshments wereprovided, Theresa's famous punch was a
hit as usual.Special thanks are extended to Rita
Hammond for her artistic talent andorganizational skills that makes this event
memorable for the folks at SeasideNursing Home. Carolyn Holman's
granddaughters Zenya and Lynn weremost helpful and gracious.
NOMINEES FOR THE 2013-2014 BOARD!The nominating committee has announced the
following candidates:
President - Anita ChandlerVice President - Pam Lemieux
Secretary - Karen ValleyTreasurer - Joanne Doherty
Director (for 2 years) - Katie Klein
Carolyn Holman will complete the 2nd year of her2 year term as Director.
Thank you to the committee members: Sue EKing (chair) , Martha Gross and Marcia Marley fortheir work in putting this together. Nominations
can also be made from the floor by anyone at theApril business meeting prior to the vote.
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VOLUNTEER FAIR IN THE WORKS
The Membership committee is still working diligently on the VOLUNTEER FAIR, scheduled for Saturday,April 6th at the Elks club from 10AM to 2PM. Please make a commitment to come and help us. At thispoint we have 16 non-profits signed up for an Exhibitor's table ($35 commitment). We have room formore; and it's not too late to reserve, if you know of any organization looking for volunteers.
We have mailed 75 letters to local Corporations, Colleges, & High Schools to urge theiremployees/students to visit the FAIR to find volunteer opportunities. Thanks to the Communicationscommittee, we have also initiated an advertizing blitz. Please watch your local newspapers for anyinformation they may publish; and please save any material you find for us. We'll have a reward forwhoever brings in the most clippings.
And don't forget that the Portland Police Department will be at the FAIR with their YELLOW DOTPROGRAM. Be sure to personally drop by their space, get your picture taken, and have them explain theprogram to you. It is a tremendous aid to 'First Responders'.
Birthday Party!Share fellowship and fun at our 84th birthdayparty on Wed., April 17th, at the Fireside Inn.
Please bring a wrapped treasure from your home(we all have “like new” items we never use) for
Babar’s “white elephant” table.
We will also be celebrating books we allremember from childhood and books we use in
our literacy projects.Come and enjoy!
HELP WANTED!
The Communications Committee islooking for a new Altrusagram
editor. Marie Pike will be hangingup her editor's hat at the end of our
fiscal year, May 31st. So we'relooking for someone to take on the
job.
It's great fun, you learn a LOT aboutthe club, and get let loose yourartistic side - or not - artistry not
really required, just dedication andattention to detail.
And we have some excellent proof-readers always willing to help.
If interested, please letCommunicatons Chair Ann Babbitt
know.
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Celebrate a New Member!
At the program meeting on March20th, the Membership committeeinitiated Jane Elwell, our 3rd newmember this year. Jane wassponsored by Karen Valley and co-sponsored by Katie Klein. She is aretired school teacher, lives inWestbrook and volunteers at thelibrary there. Welcome, Jane! We lookforward to getting to know you better.
Thank you Karen & Katie for doing exactly what we hopeeach new member will do -- sponsor another new member. Thatis what keeps our "Chain of Service" growing.
If there is any member who has NEVER sponsored a newmember, now is the time to 'step up'. The Membershipcommittee would love to help you.
Celebrate a Success!
Also at the program meeting onMarch 20th, we welcomed one of ourscholarship recipients, Ellen Thayer.Ellen was the 2012 recipient of ournon-traditional scholarship. She usedthe funds to
Ellen was nominated for ourscholarship by the Maine Centers for
Women, Work and Community, awonderful organization. Check them outat http://womenworkandcommunity.org
expand her business, Love Rocks Me. Aformer meteorologist, she is an artistinspired by the many, many (nearly300) heart-shaped rocks she hascollected while beachcombing theMaine coast. Ellen arranges a designwith the rocks, photographs it, thenmakes cards and prints of the photos.
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The 2013 Judges’ Choices were:Chili
1st place -- Zachary’s Fireside Restaurant2nd place -- The Park Danforth3rd place -- Café Stroudwater
Chowder1st place -- The Park Danforth2nd place -- Free Range Fish & Lobster3rd place -- Dimillo’s on the Water
The 2013 Peoples’ Choices were:Chili
1st place -- Zachary’s Fireside Restaurant2nd place -- The Park Danforth3rd place -- Fire and Water, Fish and Chop
House at the Marriott
Chowder1st place -- Free Range Fish & Lobster2nd place -- The Park Danforth3rd place -- RiRa
The 2013 Best Display went to Free Range Fish &Lobster with their classic lobster ice sculpture.
Thank you to Altrusa friend Mary Franklin for the pictures. There aremany more wonderful ones from her that will be available soon. Watch
for them.
The Chili Chowder sub-committee met to evaluate the day anddiscuss ideas for next year's event - February 9th, 2014!.
Please patronize all the wonderfulrestaurants that participated in our event.
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Next BOOK CLUB meeting we're discussingThe Cookbook Collector by Allegra Goodman.The date and place is still under discussion
but if you're interested, just ask.
All readers are welcome to join the fun.
Altrusa is an international non-profitorganization, making our local communitiesbetter through leadership, partnership, and
service. We are civic-minded people whostrive to create better communities
worldwide.
Helena Jensen - April 2nd
Patricia Maxim - April 6th
Katie Klein - April 14th
Beth Bellemere - April 16th
Enjoy your day!
Future District & International Events
District One Conference - April 25-28, 2013 - Bangor, ME
International Convention - July 26-29, 2013 - Rotorua, New Zealand
District One Workshop - hosted by Carroll County club - date/place to come
District One Conference - April 23-27, 2014 - Bermuda
The Altrusan International Office is Moving
Altrusa International office will be closedfor business Monday, March 25 through
Friday, March 29, 2013 in order torelocate offices to:
Altrusa International, Inc.One North LaSalle Street, Suite 1955
Chicago, IL 60602
The telephone number will remain thesame:
312-427-4410
HappyBirthday
to
There's still time to register for the District One Conferencein Bangor Aril 25th to 28th
Come check out “Altrusa Conversations – Exploring thePossibilities” and all that it means.
Details of the Conference, with the registration form andhotel information, is all in the recent District ServiceBulletin. If you did not get a copy of the DSB please
contact Marie Pike and she will get you one. Early birdregistration is over but it's still a bargain!
The International Foundation fundraiser will be an auctionof "local items" baskets so please think of some item you
can contribute to our Portland basket and bring it to MariePike at any meeting before Conference; she will be putting
the basket together,
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