Santa Maria Celebrates 50th Anniversary!

Altrusa International, Inc. of Santa Maria will celebrate its 50th anniversary on Saturday, October 16, 2010, at the Santa Maria Inn.  The gala affair will bein with a social hour at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner and program at 6:30 p.m. 

Keynote speaker will be Eddie Taylor, of the United Way, with other special guests throught the evening.

Altrusa is a world-wide community service organization that was founded in 1918.  The Santa Maria Club, which meets at the City library on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., was chartered in 1960.  Some of the current and past projects include:

• Purchase of the first SMOOTH (Santa Maria Organization Of Transportation Helpers) bus for transporting the elderly.
• Start-up funds for the Orcutt School District's after-school programs.
• Creation of the Junior High School Outstanding Student Awards program.
• Scholarships for Allan Hancock College students.
• Support of various community projects, including:
• Altrusa Children's Theater at the city library
• Good Samaritan Homeless Shelter
• Visiting Nurses Association
• Salvation Army
• Santa Maria Independent Living Environment
• Association for the Mentally Retarded
• Vocational Training Center
• YMCA
• Books for Youth in Guadalupe
• Various senior citizens programs

Cost for the dinner is $50 and reservations are required.  For further information or to make a reservation, please contact Betty Baxter at (805) 937-4536.

Website Launched!

Website Launched!  Altrusa International of Phoenix officially launched a club website in mid-September:

http://www.altrusaofphoenix.org/

The Website gives access to general Club information, including pictures and service project descriptions. Visitors to the website can also access information about Altrusa International and District Eleven.

A special “Thank You” to District Eleven Webmaster, Lou Ann Vogler, for her assistance with this project.

Please take your time to explore the website. Submit recommendations to Georgina Waller for publishing.

District Service Bulletin (October 2010)

For your reading pleasure, the latest edition of the DSB should be in everyone's Inbox and Mailbox this week. 

If you, or anyone you know hasn't received theirs by Saturday, September 25, please contact me.  It is each Club's responsibility to make sure I have accurate information for each member.

In an effort to conserve our resources, please encourage your fellow Altruans to receive an e-DSB.  While several members revert to mailed editions, Escondido had 7 members switch to e-DSB -- WhooHoo!

Additionally, the following Clubs have at least 80% of their membership receiving e-DSB:

• Chula Vista
• Cinco Ciudades
• Eastern Sierra
• Indian Wells Valley
• San Diego

55 Years of Community Service!

Altrusa of Glendale will celebrate 55 years of community service at their annual Summer Social & Bingo on Saturday, August 7.

The name “ALTRUSA” was coined from ALTR from altruism and USA for United States of America. It is intended to conceptualize “devotion to the interest of others”.

Since its organization in March 1954 and chartering in April 1955, the members and supporters of Altrusa have demonstrated this devotion and interest through their hands-on and financial support of our community:

 City of Glendale

Glendale Community College

Glendale Unified School District

Glendale Association for the Retarded

Glendale Public Library

Glendale YWCA

Long-time Glendale resident and Altrusan, Donnalee Monninger will host the Summer Social at her home.  The celebration will have a 50’s theme to commemorate the Club’s chartering in 1955. So, dig out those poodle skirts, bobby socks, and start practicing your hand jive! Guests are encouraged to bring a photo of themselves from the 1950’s or from their childhood, to be put on display as part of a guessing game.


Guests will enjoy a complete BBQ Rib dinner, beverages, and dessert. And, of course, there will be bingo and prizes!

Santa Maria Supports Relay for Life

On July 10, twenty members of Altrusa of Santa Maria volunteered for the annual Relay for Life.

The members split into (2) groups of ten.  One group worked the Survivor Tent, serving breakfast and lunch to over 400 survivors. The other group worked in the Kids Kamp, entertaining the children of the various teams walking in the relay.

Danielle, daughter of member Lorine Edens, was the coordinator of the Kamp and arranged for girl scouts to do face painting.  The children made cards to be sent to the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and received books to take home. Several grandchildren of members also volunteered for the Kamp.

The Altrusa Foundation of Santa Maria, for the second year, provided a grant to the local Cancer Society to fund the Kids Kamp.


Shown in the Survivor Tent: Diane Alleman-Stevens, Bonnie Rauschuber, Linda Wilson, Edith Gray, Freya Verzduco, Sandi Frazier, Betty Baxter and President Pauline Skiba. Not shown Ann Murie Torrez and Anna Sorenson.

Altrusa Breaks Ground in Santa Maria

The Santa Maria Valley Humane Society held their groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, July 22, 2010.

Altrusa International Foundation of Santa Maria presented a check for $15,000 as first payment of their $25,000 commitment to SMVHS.  In honor of this contribution, the Adoption Office will be named for Altrusa of Santa Maria.

Shown in the photograph: Lauren Johnston, SMVHS Pet Project Coordinator; Santa Maria Club members: Monya Davison, President Elect; Diane Alleman-Stevens, Foundation Treasurer; Edith Gray, Secretary and Pauline Skiba, President.

Altrusans Went to Boot Camp!

The first of District Eleven's two PC & Internet Boot Camp classes was filled to capacity!

In response to a need within Glendale Altrusa, current DSB Editor, Sandra Moore, had been investigating computer training for several years. This year, things finally came together when Glendale member, Pat Zayas,  recommended one of her instructors.  

With help and encouragement from Dorothy Whitlock, District Communications Chairperson, we announced the class dates during our presentation at District Eleven's Conference in April. 

Sandra spent the last few months working with Glendale Community College Instructor, Ed Bernard, to tailor the class to the specific needs of Altrusans.  At Governor Ann's suggestion, the class was expanded to include all of District Eleven's Clubs and was offered as a Regional Training.  This allowed participating Clubs to earn 3 Leadership Points toward their Distinguished Club Award.

Ed (c) is pictured, above , helping Barbara Winsor (l), Glendale Club President and Flo Diaz (r).

If you promote it they will come!  Altrusans came from Arroyo Grande, Glendale, Arcadia, Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Anaheim to take part in this Regional Training!  Participants included Past Governors, International & District Officers, Club Presidents & Officers, and several non-Altrusans.  While their skill levels were varied, all brought an open mind and a willingness to learn.

Along with his TA, Ivetta, Ed Bernard helped participants develop their proficiency in the use of MSWord, email, and the Internet.  Ed's easy-going style and relaxed demeanor made it easy for the participants to grasp new concepts and skills.  Both he and Ivetta mingled with the class to offer personal instruction, as needed. 

 Dorothy Whitlock (background) watching while Melanie Hodges (1), Director and

Mae Porter (r) Anaheim Club President, discuss a project.

 At the end of the day, everyone walked away having reinforced some of what they already knew and having learned a few new tricks.  And just in case they forgot, they also took home personalized folders full of 'cheat sheets' and other useful resources.

 The second class (July 24) will include instruction on more advanced email functions, PowerPoint, and photo editing.

Eastern Sierra Installs New President & Board of Directors

Deb Pierrel of Mammoth Lakes, and principal in IE Resort Consulting, has been installed as the 2010-11 President of Altrusa International of the Eastern Sierra. Her goals include working closely with regional and International clubs to learn and grow from them; enhancing our communication to garner new and youthfully exuberant members of all persuasion (men, you are welcome), growing our club, and raising more money, working smarter - to allow us to give more back to our community by way of literacy projects. “We have amazing and dedicated Altrusan’s locally and globally. I am proud to part of this wonderful group and honored to be the President this year. I will do my best.”

Also installed were the new Board of Directors including the incoming President, Cheri Stewart, First V.P., Cheryl Underhill, Treasurer, Donna Tillemans, Secretary, Tina Cochrell, Dodie Smither Vivian Patterson, Andrea Shallcross, Mary Worley, and immediate Co-Past Presidents Suzanne Olson and Ramona Delmas.

Pictured Above:  Deb Pierrel, (3rd from left) with her Board of Directors, is the newly installed President of Altrusa International of the Eastern Sierra.

Altrusa is Growing!

Marsha Milovich (pictured, right) and Joanne Parsons (pictured, left) were recently initiated as new members in Altrusa Int’l of the Eastern Sierra.

Marsha Milovich has lived in Bishop since 1975 with her husband George, and will soon be celebrating their 34th wedding anniversary. They have three children and three granddaughters. Marsha has been employed by Cal Trans for 25 years. She enjoys reading, music, arts & crafts, cooking tea, gardening, chickens, fainting goats and yard sales.

Joanne Parsons has lived, worked and played in Bishop for over 20 years. Her professional career was spent in high school administration and subsequently, overseeing County and State projects in family literacy. She was a TV host for our local Channel 12 for 17 years. Joanne’s hobbies include hiking, riding and reading. Joanne is affiliated with Rotary International, Fair Board Trustee, Spellbinder Book Club, Inyo Associates, Master Gardener and Mule Days Committee.

Prior to this, we initiated another new member, Robin Hastie, who is the current Library Clerk at the Home Street Middle School. She has lived in Bishop for four years and has been married to her husband, Ron for 22 years. They have three children, a girl and 2 boys and a new grandson. She has worked in various forms of educational support for the past 14 years. Robin truly believes in Altrusa’s goal to promote literacy and became enthusiastic about joining due to Altrusa’s support of the Home Street Middle School Library over the past year which involved the revitalizing of the Library as our Literacy Project.

Altrusa is very excited about all of these members who have the interest, experience and. most of all, the enthusiasm which will be a tremendous asset to our Club. For more information about Eastern Sierra Altrusa, visit our website at http://www.altrusaes.org/.

School Library Refurbished!

Altrusa Int’l of the Eastern Sierra is nearing completion of the Home Street Middle School Library LITERACY PROJECT to refurbish and revitalize the Library. The main goal is to establish an accurate online catalog system for student use. With severe cuts to school funding and one library clerk, Altrusa recognized the opportunity and need to provide assistance.

More than half of the 11,000 books in the library have incomplete catalog records, including missing ISBN (identification numbers). Using a 400 page list of the books with incomplete records, Altrusa members, students and other volunteers removed each book and wrote down its ISBN number. The next step was to enter these ISBN numbers for each book into the computer data system. These tasks have taken an incredible amount of volunteer hours with 75% completed to date.

Members of Altrusa unable to work at the Library volunteered to take new paperback books home and cover them with special laminating film to extend the life of the books.

The Home Street Library used a $1500 donation by Altrusa to purchase historically and culturally appropriate books, fiction, non-fiction, historical biographies, Spanish language and other books which were needed to update and replace outdated books. Once barcodes had been placed on the new books, Altrusa members entered the new book information in the computer cataloging data system.

To supplement this Literacy Project, application was made to Altrusa International Foundation for a grant. The receipt of the grant money from Altrusa Int’l Foundation gave a significant boost to the limited Home Street Middle School Library budget and they were able to purchase (2) two-person computer tables for use in the library, barcode labels and over $350 in library supplies. Altrusa members feel that this Foundation grant substantiates the value and worthiness of the Literacy Project.

Altrusa received a personal donation on behalf of the Library to purchase a subscription renewal to “Alliance Plus Online.” This online program allows access to over 8 million MARC records and will enable the updating and completion of catalog records once all the existing book information has been entered in the computer data system by volunteers.  Another private donation enables the purchase of magazine subscriptions to the Library for National Geographic Kids, Discovery, Boy’s Life and Girl’s Life.

Altrusa would like to extend their gratitude for the support and guidance of the Home Street Middle School Library Clerk, Mrs. Robin Hastie, members from the Sunrise and Noon Rotary and other people of the community who have volunteered to help us with the Home Street Library Literacy Project.

Altrusa believes by encouraging students to read, their future success is greatly enhanced and improved. “We are very excited to have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the Home Street Middle School students in helping to create a functional and positive library experience.

District Service Bulletin (June 2010)

As of this afternoon, all of the DSB's have been distributed.  Some of you have already enjoyed yours! 

If you were unable to attend the 2010 Convention in Long Beach, CA, you can still be "in the know" by reading all the recaps in this DSB.  And, there are, literally, hundreds of pictures posted on our shared photo site (viewing instructions are on pg. 5 of the DSB). 

Our District has so much to be proud of!  You can read the earlier DSBlog posting about the award winning projects our Clubs have undertaken.

But, you really had to be there to get the full impact of Santa Maria's Call to Conference 2011.  You can believe we, "Won't Forget the Wine!"

In an effort to conserve our resources, please encourage your fellow Altruans to receive an e-DSB. 

If anyone you know hasn't received their DSB by Friday, June 4, please contact me.

Extended Ventures for Clubs-At-Large

(Alexina Y Baldwin, Chair, International Clubs-At-Large Committee; published in the April-May 2010 International Altrusan)

This is a call to all Altrusans to harness the energy that has been generated by Carol Latham, the Altrusa International Clubs-At-Large Committee, and Terri Weeks during the last biennium, to make this new decade one that will see a growth and stabilization of our Clubs-At-Large.

Explorations for new clubs have been started in Kenya, Sierra Leone, Uganda, China, and Russia. With new technology that brings the entire world into our living room, this is the time to extend Altrusa’s message of service and leadership around the globe. Clubs will develop if our message is heard. Many of us became Altrusans because of this leadership in service of which we wanted to be a part.

The task is not an easy one but the rewards are worth the time and energy spent in experimenting with new ideas for outreach. Why not try on some of these for your club? Much energy can be generated I am sure.

• Encourage your club to adopt a Club-At-Large. Support the work of the selected club through their local projects. This can be done as an individual club or in cooperation with another club. The list of Clubs-At-Large can be secured from altrusa@altrusa.com.  If you make a decision on a club, send that information to clubsatlarge@altrusa.com.
• Encourage your sister club to join you in obtaining information on possible places for developing new clubs.
• Secure information from community centers that you visit overseas about their volunteer and charity work.  Share your “Altrusa business card” and make contacts.
• The International Office knows about the many services we are doing for communities around the world so that these efforts can be shared and inspire other clubs.
• Check with your Chamber of Commerce about becoming a sister city to one in another country.  Or check with them to see if there is already an active sister city program. Lawrence, Kansas, has three.  There are others I am sure. What an opportunity for growth in these cities!
• Mine your club for relatives, friends, and business contacts in various countries.
• Use time during District Conferences to provide supportive activities for your Clubs-At-Large or community.
• Join Facebook or utilize other social media communication strategies to keep in touch with prospective clubs or present Clubs-At-Large.

Every attempt will be made to secure information about the projects in which our Clubs-At-Large are participating so we can support their efforts in any way that we can. You and your club can become more global in your ideas about Altrusa. Let’s give it a try.

No one said this would be easy, but we can make a difference. Please. . .join us in continuing the ALTRUSA GLOBALIZATION VENTURE.

San Buenaventura Improves Veteran's Home

A group of the San Buenaventura Altrusans have been working at the new Veterans Home in East Ventura to make their two libraries more user friendly and to devise a system whereby the contents of the libraries are clearly labeled as to category and easy for the residents to access. Judy Heard (pictured left), re-shelves one of the books in the section devoted to fiction.

We have designated one of the libraries as fictional works and the other as non-fiction, as well as musical CDs and movies on DVD or VHS. There are also a few audio books. Sondra, Judy, Beverly Mueller, Sue Leonard and Diane Suskin have worked on this project to date. 

Sondra Short, below, organized some of the biographies in one of the Veterans Home libraries on a recent visit.

Glendale Altrusans Support College View School

Glendale's Donnalee Monninger and President-Elect Barbara Winsor attended the Fiesta Fundraiser at College View School in Glendale, CA (a school who's entire student body is mentally challenged).

To raise funds, there were many silent auction items displayed throughout the school with a cake walk event happening every 15 minutes or so with the winners getting their choice of homemade delectables. Outside, taco dinners were being served and entertainment was provided by a couple of young Mexican boys who played guitar and sang.

For dessert, there were churros served from a cart sponsored by the Glendale Altrusa Club.  100% of the proceeds from the cart went toward College View's fund raising efforts.

Glendale's President-Elect, Barbara Winsor, waiting her turn for a churro at the cart Altrusa sponsored

Glendale Member, Donnalee Monninger waiting for a taco as part of the Fiesta themed celebration

Conference 2010 Award Winners

Dr. Nina Fay Calhoun International -- San Diego, CA

The Altrusa Club of San Diego developed the LIFE (Literacy Is For Everyone) Literacy Project in partnership with WellSpring Faith and Hope Community School, Zambia, Africa. The one room school has 4 teachers and 86 students. Many of the students are single or double orphaned. Our mission is to provide education for the poor. Involvement in this school is having a profound impact in the lives of the children, their families and community and opening the eyes of the children to possibilities other than a life of abject poverty.

Mamie L. Bass Service -- Chula Vista, CA

A three year old child dies suddenly after her 3-drawer dresser topples over on her.  What would you do?  If you are a member of Altrusa, you turn your pain into something positive by fighting back and preventing these senseless injuries.  The Kendall Project had clear and straightforward objectives:  raise awareness by educating parents and the community of the inherent danger of furniture tipping over and showing was to prevent these accidents.

Chula Vista parternered with Scripps Mercy Hospital, which delivers approximately 5000 babies each year, to distribute the Kendall Project Brochure.  The brochure is now distributed through Rady Children's Hospital, Safe Kids Coalition, City Heights Wellness Center, Santee School District's First Five, Kindercare of Bonita and Eastlake Church Preschool.  The brochure is written in English and Spanish.  Altrusa is now a member of the national Safe Kids Coalition because of our work on furniture tip over prevention.  Altrusa members now serve on the San Diego Safe Kids Coalition Advisory Committee and the Home Safety Task Force.  Members are actively involved in designing and coordinating a "Jr. Home Inspector Program" geared to children ages 5-11.  This program educates children and their parents on identifying and correcting hazards in the home.

Letha H. Brown Literacy Award -- Central Coast, CA

The Central Coast's Club's Readable Kingdom was designed to celebrate reading, to offer an exciting event for families in the community and to motivate families to read and learn together.  The club started with a poster that gave directions.  Parents and children went to stations, where they saw large stuffed replicas of jungle animals, read information about the animals, and picked up related activities to do at home.  There were eight stations and at the end, each child got to select a "Zoobook" about an animal they would like to know more about.  Over 200 books were given out to children and they all had at least one parent with them, so at least 300 people were served.

Club members supplied the animals that were used at the event, transported the items to the local mall, set up the event and tore it down it afterwards, helped read and translate information to parents and children, handed out books, answered questions, engaged the ASTRA Club to participate and aided them with their puppet show and book mark project, and took pictures.

Marilyn Atwood Recognition - Anaheim, CA

Dolores Suter-Crupnick won this prestigious award, specific to District Eleven.  It is presented to a District member who is always available to the local club, working in the background, and usually does not receive recognition on a larger scale.

Let's Be AMIGAS!

AMIGA is a term most of us know automatically. It is a Spanish term used to address or refer to a female friend, and in our Southwestern part of the country it is a very common way to greet a fellow friend. In an attempt to more fully appreciate our new members in Altrusa International, Inc. of Tucson, we have created the AMIGA PROGRAM. It is actually a retooling of a concept created "a couple of Conventions ago", and if there were time and historical documentation, it might be possible to find the true beginnings of the Amiga Program.

Staying with the present, the Tucson Altrusa Membership Committee met one evening and discussed at length the possibility of restarting this idea. We wanted to match a more seasoned Altrusan with a new member to guide and teach and have someone on hand to answer the many questions new Altrusans may have. We were also looking at the perpetual question of retention of members. Each new member - actually EACH member - is a treasure and we want everyone to know how valuable Altrusans are.

Three members of the committee agreed to ask three newer members if they would become an Amiga with another Altrusan. The Amiga concept is different from the sponsor, although that is also a resource and guide for the new member.

The program took off in February 2010 and is successful according to the new members who love to have an Amiga by their side at meetings and activities. In fact, those of you who went to District Conference saw Amiga Ruth (l) with newer member, Cathy Koenig (r). Who knows, soon we may have an AMIGO program side by side with the Amigas!

District Conference 2010 Day 4

Now, I see why Altrusans love Conference!  Even as we began the day memorializing our deceased members, we laughed!   Altrusans Laureene (Laurie) Manseau, Eliza (Liz) Cason, Pauline Burke, Lucille Risk, Lorenne Sterling, Mary Dougherty, Catherine McNamara, June Lucas, and Marie Widmer were all remembered as we gathered in the Queen Mary Chapel.

After final reports were given, Santa Maria gave us a rousing Call to Conference 2011.  If those gathered don't remember anything else, we won't forget the wine!

District Conference 2010 Day 4

District Conference 2010 Day 3

Friday was a hectic day for Altrusans.  The day began at 7:00 for the Foundation Fun Run/Walk participants.  They had just enough time to grab a quick cup of coffee and get changed before elections at 8:30 and workshops at 9:00. 

The Foundation Luncheon was a dynamic session, with Director & District Foundation Liaison, Melanie Hodges (Cinco Ciudades), announcing winners of the silent auctions and raffle prizes.  Tammy Fournier (Santa Maria), Literacy Chairperson, was proclaimed Queen of Diamonds, raising over $1500 for the Foundation and earning new diamonds for her Lamplighter pin.

Altrusans clean up nicely!  Everyone looked stunning at the Captain's Banquet, where award winners were announced to the cheers of delight from the respective Clubs.  The dinner entertainment was provided by Marci Ford and her accompianist, Vern.  After dinner, we were, literally, dancing in the aisles to Milele.

District Conference 2010 Day 2

Today was another exciting day for District Eleven Altrusans!  After First Timers and Delegates received their instructions from Denice Gilb and Judy Sorensen, respectively, everyone gathered for the Opening Session.

We were led in the Presentation of the Flag and the Pledge of Allegiance by the Boy Scouts of America.  They couldn't have been more adorable.  Long Beach Woodrow Wilson High School Girls Ensemble did a wonderful job singing our National Anthem.

Guest speaker, Dr. Ginny Baxter, entertained and enlightened us with her discussion of "President's Wives and Volunteerism".  She restrained herself and limited her discussion to only three of our nation's First Ladies -- Lou Hoover, Jackie Kennedy, and Eleanor Roosevelt.

District Conference 2010 Day 1

Altrusans from District Eleven convened for the 55th Annual Conference aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA.  Along with Belinda Berry, Conference Co-Chair, Anaheim Altrusans manned the Registration Desk and welcomed attendees. The day's events included workshops led by Denice Gilb for incoming Presidents; Rosemarie Hudson for new Treasurers;  and Carol Latham conducted the orientation for Expediters at this year's Conference.  After all the business of the day was handled, everyone had a chance to relax, greet old friends, and make the acquaintance of new ones.