Nov - Dec 2013 Cheerful Earful

THE CHEERFUL EARFUL NOV. - DEC. 2013 This newsletter is brought to you by the Communication Committee of the Macomb Altrusa Club, Macomb, Illinois

“Leading to a Better Community” Altrusa is an international non-profit organization making our local communities better through leadership, partnership and service

 Next Meeting Information What: Soup Supper and Stuffing Mosaic Bags When: Dec. 4, 2013 Time: 6:00pm Where: Everly House, 811 S Lafayette St, Macomb

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Contents  Next meeting information  Minutes from October meeting  Additional Announcements  “Just a minute with a member”  Photo feature “Altrusa Bazaar”  Calendar of Events

DRAFT OF MINUTES Altrusa International of Macomb October 23, 2013 General Meeting

President Liz Duvall called the meeting to order with everyone reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Macomb Library has donated a box of paperback books. Festival of Trees signup sheet was distributed. Mosaic Bag Project will be on December 4th. Penny will be checking to see what the clients could use. A suggestion of members going together to provide hats and gloves for the clients, Penny will check out whether or not this is a need. Penny also, stated that her nursing students are doing clinical observation at Mosaic Homes and there is a need for twin size blankets. Penny will be emailing members after checking on this.

The minutes of the September 25th meeting were approved by a motion by Lin Stults, seconded by Sara Featherlin, motion carried as reported in the Cheerful Earful.

Membership - Karen Trusley: Thanked her committee. Dana Vierck is providing some helpful Information on recruiting new members.

The Treasurer’s report prepared by Marsha McCormick was emailed to members. The report will be filed for audit.

Old business:

[To be approved at December meeting] Membership committee hosted guest speaker Dana Vierck - First Vice Governor of District 6.

Correspondence received items were passed around.

Standing committees gave the following reports: Communication - Karen Iversen: no report Finance - Marsha McCormick: no report Service - Penny Pollock: Make a Difference Day will be Saturday October 26. We will meet at The Old Dairy for breakfast. Please bring magazines and books for disbursement to Veterans Homes, Hospital and Clinics.

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Penny Pollock reported she checked at Pact Head Start on days they could use volunteers to read. Once a month on Mondays at 11 a.m. and on Thursdays at 12 noon. A signup sheet was distributed. If the dates do not work out for members schedules Pact Head Start will welcome volunteer reading. Please contact Penny, so she can make arrangements with the teachers.

New business: Bazaar committee chairs reported on the event.

Kelly Shiraki reported at this time there are 112 booths sold still have a few spaces open.

Publicity Committee are asking for volunteers to do a three minutes radio announcement promoting the bazaar. The radio station will be at the bazaar from 9:30 to 11:30 and

publicity committee will be asking vendors to also fill in sometime on the radio.

October meeting – visitor Dana Vierck, First Vice-Governor District Six with Alta Sargent

Liz and Kelly did a radio commercial on Community Prospective, which will air November 2nd.

Lin Stults reported that she has volunteers from different clubs, and etc. lined up to help.

She will be checking to see if volunteers would like to help vendors at the end of the day.

Nancy Dobey stated that Wal-Mart has donated $50.00 toward the Bazaar. A signup sheet was distributed for volunteer of supplies, food and hours to work.

Peggy Ma asked for volunteers to help pick up paper products for local businesses that donate to the bazaar.

Gift Basket items can be taken to Liz Duvall’s office.

Need of volunteers to watch the gift basket and 50/50 table.

Liz and Kelly would like to have a couple of volunteers who are willing to stay until the end to make sure all vendors have cleared the building.

Next Board meeting will be Tuesday, November 5th Everly House @ 5:30 p.m.

Next General Meeting will be held December 4 at Everly House @ 6 p.m. a Soup Supper, Service Committee will host. Mosaic Bag night.

Upon a motion of adjournment by Karen Iversen, seconded by Lin Stults, all in favor.

Attendance: Lynn Brinker, Sandy Collier, Nancy Dobey, Liz Duvall, Sara Featherlin, Karen Iversen, Lara Lessard, Peggy Ma, Page 3 of 13

Marsha McCormick, Heather Munro, Penny Pollock, Alta Sargent, Rosalie Severinsen, Thelma Smiddy, Karen Trusley, Sara Wood, Kathy Wyatt and Ann Abbot.

Respectfully submitted, Ann Abbot Recording Secretary

Members at the October meeting, from left: Marsha McCormick, Penny Pollock, visitor Dana Vierck, Vice-Governor of District Six, Alta Sargent, Karen Trusley, Rosalie Severinsen, Kelli Shiraki and in front Liz Duvall and Karen Iversen

Stuffing the Mosaic Bags Our very important holiday Project!

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We will be filling 100 gift bags for Mosaic at our December Meeting.

Please bring 100 items that we stuff into gift bags that will then be delivered and distributed at Mosaic.

Please bring small items as the bags are small lunch-size bags.

Altrusa has been giving these holiday bags for many years and we are told that those at Mosaic really enjoy these gift bags every year!

Make a Difference Day Oct. 26, 2013

Volunteering in the Community

For the Altrusa Club of Macomb’s Make a Difference Day project we collected magazines and books to be distributed to the

Altrusa members will be volunteering at the Festival of Trees to be held at the West Central Illinois Art Center on the Square during the “Dickens on the Square” festival Dec. 6-9. waiting rooms of veteran’s hospitals and clinics. Altrusa members as well as community members dropped off lots of magazines – we collected 100’s!

We are supporting this fundraiser for the McDonough District Hospital by helping the Hospital Auxiliary – we will be manning the front desk and collecting admissions.

Festival of Trees Schedule

Adopt-A-Classroom, 2013-14 Peggy Ma is signed up to read to Mrs. Ramos' class on December 11 and Cindy Roon plans to read on January 8th. I will bring more books to the January meeting. I recommend you wear your Altrusa shirt and I.D. when you read, so everyone will recognize you.

Rosalie Severinsen Page 5 of 13

Saturday, December 7 9am-11am Nancy Dobey, Karen Iversen 11am-1pm Kelly Shiraki, Liz Duvall 1pm-3pm Anne Abbot, Lynne Brinker 3pm-5pm Cindy Roon, Rosalie Severinson Sunday, December 8 Noon-1:30 Kathy Wyatt, Sandy Collier 1:30-3:00 Sara Featherlin, Lin Stults 3:00 -5:00 Peggy Ma, Heather Munro

SUPPORTING LITERACY IN OUR COMMUNITY -- PACT-HEAD START Macomb Altrusa members have begun a new literacy volunteer project. Altrusans will be reading to children at the PACT (Parent and Child Together) - Headstart program in Macomb. The mission of Parent and Child Together (PACT) for West Central Illinois is to provide a high quality comprehensive program of education, health, and social services to children and their families, developing lifelong learners.

If anyone who hasn't signed up and is interested in reading please have contact Penny Pollock.

PACT-Head start --Hannah Yokum’s class Volunteer to read Morning Class

Date (11:00 am)

Cindy Roon

November 18th

Penny Pollock

December 16th

Kelly Shiraki

January 20th

Nancy Dobey

February 17th

Nancy Dobey

March 17th

Paula Rhodes

April 21st

Afternoon

Date (Noon) November 21st

Sara Featherlin

December 19th January 23rd

Cindy Roon

February 20th

Heather Munro

March 20th April 24th

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Membership: WE NEED NEW MEMBERS! We had some folks interested in Altrusa at the bazaar. All of those that expressed an interest have been contacted. If you know of others, please let me know and I am happy to contact them.

Please be thinking of folks that you feel would be interested in joining Altrusa and give their names/email addresses to Karen Trusley (KM-Trusley@wiu.edu

You are invited!

The Board of Directors of the Macomb Area Chamber of Commerce & Downtown Development Corporation is happy to announce the appointment of Alexandra Geisler as President of the organization. Alexandra brings an energetic mix of marketing, development and proven leadership to the MACCDDC. Her past positions have included Director of Development at Wesley Village, Office of Student Activities at WIU, as well as being actively involved on many committees throughout the community. Alex will start in her new duties on Monday, November 25.

A “Meet & Greet” is scheduled for Thursday, December 12 from 10am-2pm. Please stop in and say hello to Alex during this time.

Bazaar News Financial news – important – Please read!

From our treasurer Just a reminder if you have any bills that need to be paid, please get them to Marsha as soon as possible. If you still owe money for pies or anything else, please turn that money in as soon as possible. If you know of any bills that will be coming in, please let me know. I haven’t received the bill from MHS, or Prestige Radio yet as of 11/19/13. By the time the newsletter is printed, I might have all of that information.

I would like comments about the food…both good & not-so-good …from yourself …. from customers. For instance…my assessment was….steamburgers were a bit tasteless…rhubarb pie was great…chicken salad sandwiches good, but needed a little “kicK… more onion or relish?….I didn’t try soup. Don’t be bashful. Also, write down comments you have about the kitchen

Marsha McCormick Treasurer

KITCHEN……THANKS TO ALL: Thank you EVERYONE who worked or helped with the Kitchen/Dining Room operation (tray return, cooking, serving, cleaning), at the Breakfast/Beverage Table, Cashiering, made coffee, replenished desserts & food, talked on the radio etc. What a great job!!!!To those of you who don’t know…WE SOLD OUT except for a bit of Vegetable soup. That’s never happened since I was an Altrusa member…..but we had a huge crowd and a beautiful day.

operation... turn it in…. get it on record.

Perhaps you have a better, easier “mode of operation”. As you know…the kitchen is chaotic…mainly because I let everyone “find a job & do it”. Also, are menu changes needed?….to what? WHAT CHANGES DO WE NEED? Though none of us have time,…Write down your thoughts TODAY… while you still have them…. we’ll try to get together for a VERY brief wrap-up session. Let me know the morning, evening, weekend or weekday you could come.

The kitchen is dependent on DONATIONS….i.e. water, eggs, onions, pies, desserts, rolls, donuts, paper & plastic supplies, tomato juice, beef broth, seasonings, etc….some from members…some from commercial donations. If you have bills, turn them in to Marsha ASAP….if you have a bill for something you are donating…please turn the bill into me or Marsha …. write your name & “DONATED” on it….This way the

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cost of the item can be determined if next time that item isn’t donated.

AGAIN…..THANK YOU FOR A JOB WELL DONE. PUBLICITY….SIGNS ….Sorry to keep harping on this There are still some signs missing….at least two yard signs have not been turned in & a couple of Coke banners are still missing.

Hopefully they have all been taken down.

Yard signs cost the club about $30 each & banners cost about $90 each.

Nancy A. Dobey

BAZAAR SIGNS & BANNERS If you were responsible for a bazaar yard sign or banner…THANK YOU!.... BUT your job isn’t done….. Please pick it up….. They are expensive to replace. Remove the number “9”. And drop it by my house (1126 Maple Ave.). If no one is home, leave it on my back deck. As of this writing, there are 4 yards signs and 3 Coke Banners as yet unaccounted for. TIP….The number doesn’t remove well from a cold sign. If it’s warm, the number peels off easily….so take it inside & let the vinyl get warm before trying.

Nancy A. Dobey

 Macomb Chamber of Commerce Link to the November 2013 Newsletter: http://macombareachamber.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/11/November2013.pdf Link to the December 2013 Newsletter: http://macombareachamber.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/11/December2013.pdf Link to the December 2013 inserts: http://macombareachamber.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/11/DecemberInserts.pdf For your information: The McDonough County Health Department's new hours are Monday through Thursday 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM.  Facebook Did you know Macomb Altrusa has a Facebook page? Check it out at http://www.facebook.com/MacombAltrusa Click the “Like” button when you visit our Facebook page! and share the page with ALL your friends and tell them to like our page too!

Nov. 21 Sandy Collier Nov. 21 Kathy Wyatt Dec. 18 Alta Sargent Jan. 3 Sara Wood Jan. 12 Nancy Jameson Page 8 of 13

“Just a minute with a member” Each month we will feature a Macomb Altrusan - to learn a little bit more about each other!

Say Hello to Marsha McCormick, our Treasurer and Finance Chairman and our featured member of the month!

Marsha, tell us a little bit about yourself!

choir & play the bells. I sit on the “Dickens On the Square” Committee as entertainment chairman. I'm also the Asst. Treasurer at church.

What do you like to do for fun?

I like to cook & sew whenever time allows. I like to travel and spend time with family.

How did you get involved with Altrusa?

I joined in 2003. Back then, you had to be invited to become a member.

How have you been involved with Altrusa? I have served on the board as

I was raised in Ipava, Il . on a farm on the west edge. I attended Gem City College in Quincy, Il. I came to Macomb in 1972 after I was offered a job. I have one younger brother.

Director, President-Elect, President, Treasurer, chaired the Publicity Committee for several years for the bazaar, served as door chairman for the bazaar, served on all committees in the club.

What type of work have you done?

What do you like best about being a member of Altrusa? Networking with other

I currently work for MidAmerica National Bank where I've worked for 28 1/2 yrs. My current position is Mortgage Loan Processor/Administrative Asst.

I also have a part time job as a Mary Kay consultant. I do a lot of volunteer work in the community. I serve on the Heritage Days Committee as Treasurer, sing in the church

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business women.

ALTRUSA BAZAAR 2013 – OUR BIGGEST FUNDRAISER OF THE YEAR!

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Even More Bazaar photographs are on our Facebook page!

Check them out at www.facebook.com/MacombAltrusa

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2013-2014 Macomb Altrusa Officers and Board Calendar of Events

President Liz Duvall President-Elect Cindy Roon

Dec. 4 Monthly meeting Dec. 6-9 Festival of the Trees Dec. 7 Pearl Harbor Day

Past President – Miriam Satern Vice-President Rosalie Severinsen Recording Secretary Anne Abbott Treasurer Marsha McCormick

Dec. 21 First Day of winter Dec. 25 Merry Christmas Jan. 1 Happy New Year!

Jan. 15 Martin Luther King Day

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Corresponding Secretary Kristi Kupka Committee Chairs: Communication – Karen Iversen Finance – Marsha McCormick Membership – Karen Trusley Service – Penny Pollock