Serving chapters in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, Mississippi, South Carolina and The Bahamas

An E-Publication from the Southern Area of The Links, Incorporated - Eneid A. Francis, Southern Area Director

ADVANTAGEThe Southern AreaThe Southern Area

Volume 2 Isssue 1

Effecting Change Through the Power of Friendship and Service

78

Mentoring Begins at HomeTechniques chapter’s use to mentor new members

Page 4

Don’t Be Out of OrderParliamentary Procedure

Page 5

Transformational LeadershipEnsuring your tenure has impact

Page 6

Proper Protocol is the Heart of Successful Rituals

Page 7

Using Technology to Enhance Friendship

Page 9

Blooming Roses of the Southern Area

Page 10

Ethical Decisions That Effect Chapters

Page 12

Communication is Key to Effective Leadership

Page 13

Using Technology to Chronicle Archives

Page 14

Transformational Programming

Page 15 - 22

2012 Leadership SummitPage 23 - 29

Succeeding as Your Chapter Secretary

Page 30

Southern Area Charters 78th Chapter

Page 31

Strengthening the Bond of Friendship

Page 36

Shown on the front is the chartering photo of the Mississippi Delta Chapter of the Links, Incorporated

Dear Link Sisters,

On behalf of the Southern Area Executive Committee, we proudly deliver the fall edition of the Southern Area Advantage. This issue marksthe celebration of our Area’s newest addition, the Mississippi Delta (MS)Chapter. With its chartering in August, the Area’s chapters now number

seventy-eight. The Missippi Delta’s roster of thirty-ninedynamic women, joined our circle of friendship with a

gala weekend to remember. Our National President,Vice President and several members of the Execu-tive Committee took part in the celebration.

The fall issue also celebrates this administra-tion’s inaugural Leadership Summit. Held in Savannah, Georgia, and hosted by the Savannah Chapter, over 250 attendees received a

wealth of leadership training specifically designedwith Links in mind. Over the course of three fulldays, Links Sisters refined their leadership skillsto better lead our chapters and the communitieswe serve as they discovered more about them-

selves and how to lead others.

As you flip through the pages, I encourage you to become acquainted with the advice and suggestions the Executive Committee has prepared for you. Created with our chapter offices and committees in mind, it is our goal that this information will enable you to become even more effective in transforming our communities. By utilizing our collective strengths, we will continue toEffect Change Through the Power of Friendship and Service!

In the spirit,

Link Eneid

Eneid A. FrancisSouthern Area Director

3

By Kenyonn DempsRemember when you were inducted?

Perhaps that was decades ago or withinthe last year. You came into Linkdom witha huge smile on your face and ready toserve your community to the best of yourability. After a few general meetings and acouple of service programs, you start to re-alize that you have all these questions...

Who does this, Why? How does this serveand how much is the fundraiser and wheredoes all the money go? As a newly inducted Link you may start tothink, what have I gotten myself into.Sound familiar?

These thoughts are common and shouldnot be taken for granted. As our chapterscontinue to embrace new members, it is ofgreatest importance to create a positivejourney in Linkdom for each newly in-ducted or transferring Link. One vital roleof the chapter’s membership committee isto partner a Link sister who desires to bea mentor with a transferring member or anewly inducted member. According to ourMembership Orientation Manual, eachnew member should have a “Chaptermentor other than her sponsor, designatedfor her first year of membership to accli-

mate her to the Links’ culture, processes,and operations”.

The purpose of these bonds are impor-tant. Not only does the relationship accli-mate the new Link to her chapter, andmember roles and responsibilities - it alsoprovides an internal introduction to ourvery special sisterhood. The environmentcan be quite intimidating to some in the be-

ginning. A mentor provides in-sight, support and guidance toLinkdom.

The Buckhead-Cascade City(GA) Chapter has found severalbenefits to the mentoring pro-gram. “Newer members becomeinvolved more quickly,” said

Chapter Vice President Gail Tus-can Washington. Mentoring notonly benefits new Links, but sea-soned ones as well. “Our sea-soned members remain engagedbecause of their responsibility to

set good examples for the newmembers. They also “feel” celebrated be-cause of their wisdom and historical per-spective.” she said.

Adding to their program’s success is theincorporation of the mentoring process asa celebration of the entire chapter. Whenthe Buckhead-Cascade City (GA) Chapterformally launched its Mentoring Initiative inconjunction with Friendship Month, eachmentoring pair were formally introduced.They also organize cultural and fun activi-ties to allow members to get to know eachother on a more personal level than wouldotherwise happen at a chapter meeting.

The chapter seeks to incorporate a di-verse background of experience whenmatching mentors.

“We have one member who has char-tered three Links chapters, and manyother members who have been part ofseveral different chapters. This greatwealth of Link experience and diversityprovides us with extraordinary choices formentors,” said Link Gail.

The Montgomery (AL) Chapter assignsits mentors by similiar interests beginningwith a request for participation. Beforematching, the membership committee con-siders interests, profession, church affilia-tion, residential proximity, otherorganizational memberships and age.Mentors are also required to establish aschedule to maintain consistency. Thechapter even has sessions to provide two-way communication between the mentorand her mentee. “This is an opportunity togive information, answer questions, andask questions in a balanced approach,”said Chapter President Susan Price.

It doesn’t stop there. There is even aprocess for evaluating the mentoringprocess that allows the chapter to recog-nize its successes and revise, as neces-sary. Montgomery (AL) doesn’t limit

mentoring to one on one. “We schedule opportunities for new

members to receive group mentoring bymeeting with the President and the VicePresident of the chapter. The one-to-onemeetings or conversations are scheduledbased on need and the schedules of theLinks involved. Group meetings arescheduled bi-monthly with the presidentand the vice president,” said Link Price.

As our chapters embrace mentoring, ournew members will have a better under-standing of The Links, Incorporated, theirchapter, who The Links serve and why wehave a passion for what we do. The benefitof a chapter mentoring program is thebasis of building chapter relations, retain-ing members, educating our membership,and continuing our programming in friend-ship and in service. Let’s applaud theBuckhead-Cascade (GA) and Mont-gomery (AL) Chapters for strengtheningtheir bonds of friendship.

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Link Gail and her Mentee Nina

Be sure to carefully select the mentors. Members who have historically been good leaders in the chapter, active on the facets,and passionate about Linkdom make great mentors. Additionally,

use your more seasoned Links who have time to make check-incalls and who can foster closer relationships. Also, keep in mind

inter-generational mentor/mentee groupings.

By Rosalind Fuse-HallSouthern Area Parliamentarian

Parliamentary procedures area means to conduct business inan orderly manner to ensurethat business occurs. Bylawsare rules that outline the order

for conducting the chapter’s affairs and its memberswithin our chapter. Bylaws permit our members to re-main sisters while serving our communities. Beloware a few tips that may keep all things in order.

Q: What are the governing documents of TheLinks, Inc.?

A: In hierarchical order, the documents are:• Federal Laws-Internal Revenue Code• State Statutes- Not-for-Profit Organizations• Articles of Incorporation-Boundaries• Constitution and Bylaws of The Links,

Incorporated• Manual of Procedures• Code of Ethics• Membership Manual• Nomination and Election Procedure Manual

• Other National Manuals, including but not limited to:o Rituals Manualo Protocol Manualo Resolution Codification Manual Public

Relationso Handbooko Chapter Bylawso Robert’s Rule of Order Newly Revised, current edition

(Items in italics are documents of The Links, Incor-porated.)

Q: Where can you find these documents?A: All the documents for The Links, Inc. can be

found on the National website at www.linksinc.org inthe “Members Only” section under documents. Pleaseconsult these documents for the latest information andmuch, much more!

Q: What is the current edition of Robert’s Rulesof Order Newly Revised?

A: The 11th edition is the current edition of Robert’sRules of Order Newly Revised.

Q: What are “standing rules”?A: Standing rules are administrative in nature, pro-

viding the details that are mentioned in the bylaws.These rules provide greater flexibility in altering, sincethese rules may be changed with a majority vote andmay not require prior notice. For example, the bylawsmay mention that “dues must be paid annually andtimely.” The Standing Rules can detail the amount andthe specific date for all dues to be paid.

Q: When should we revise the chapter’s bylaws?A: Following each National Assembly, chapters

should review their bylaws, revising them to incorpo-rate any pertinent amendments to the national bylaws.Such revisions must be submitted to the SouthernArea Director and the Southern Area Parliamentarian.I encourage each chapter to work this year to havetheir bylaws updated by April 30, 2013. Please seethe bylaws template on the Southern Area website atwww.salinksinc.org.

Q: Can a member simultaneously hold office ina chapter and at the Area or National level?

A: Here are the pertinent sections regarding thisquestion:• National Bylaws Article VII, Officers, Section 2.D.5:

“Voting members of the National Executive Councilshall not hold offices in their chapters or Areas. AreaDirectors by virtue of their office serve on the Execu-tive Council and vote on all matters pertaining thereto,including Chapter establishment.

Q: Should a Chapter or Area officer be electedor appointed to a National Office, she automati-cally vacates her Chapter or Area Office.”

• National Bylaws Article III, Areas, Section 5: Offi-cers, C.3: “No elected or appointed Area officer shallhold office in her chapter during thesame time that she isholding the Area office.Should a chapter officerbe elected or appointed toan Area office, she auto-matically vacates her chap-ter office. No elected orappointed Area officer shallserve as a chapter delegateor alternate to an Area Con-ference.”

Don’t Be Out of Order

Leaders and Baby SittersEven though you have probably

never thought about it, there is adistinct difference between lead-ers and babysitters. A baby sitterwill come into your home and begiven the charge of taking care ofyour children while you are awayfor a short period of time. Youmay go out to dinner or a movieand when you return, you expectto find your house and your chil-dren just the way you left them.You don’t need the baby sitter torearrange your furniture or turnyour kids into vegetarians in yourabsence. Just keep everythingthe way it is, right!

If you are leading an organiza-tion—a chapter, a facet, or acommittee and nothing or no oneis transformed as a result of youbeing in charge, then you areguilty of baby sitting yourgroup, not leading it. Thegreatest test of effective lead-ership is at the end of theday, when all is said anddone---what got saidand what got done?

The four major issuesto consider in order toensure that you are atransformational leaderwhose tenure is valued are“what? how?, who? andwhen?

Decide what you want to ac-complish. This means definingyour outcomes in the context ofThe Links, Incorporated ServiceDelivery Model. In his book, The7 Habits of Highly Effective Peo-ple, Stephen Covey advises the

reader to “begin with the end inmind.” That is, decide what trans-formation will occur as a result ofthe actions of your chapter, facetor committee. For example, yourArts Facet may decide to intro-duce 5th grade girls to the art ofbasket weaving by teachingthem the history and skills andthen having them to create theirown piece.

Once you have defined what isto be done, create

an action plan for how. Howmuch time will you need? Howmany meetings will be neces-sary? How will you convey the in-formation about basket weavingin the lessons? Also consider theresources you will need. The an-swers to these questions are the“inputs” of the Service DeliveryModel.

Assign tasks and accountabilityso you are clear about who ownseach piece of the project. Makesure they understand their partand what is expected of them.You may have to consider how toincorporate outside help. For ex-ample, you may have to recruitan expert from the community.

By creating a timeline, you en-sure that the work gets done inthe appropriate time (for exam-ple, by the end of the schoolyear). Identifywhen each

action isexpected

to occur and share this informa-tion everyone involved.

As a leader, you have acceptedthe responsibility for makingthings happen. Whether you areleading your chapter, a facet or acommittee, view your job from theperspective of “what is it that weneed to accomplish?”, How willwe do it?” “Who needs to be in-volved to get this done? “ and“When does each activity startand end?” Take these steps andyou will be valued as a transfor-mational leader!

Transformational LeadershipHow to Ensure Your Tenure is a Valued One

by Faye HargroveChair,

OrganizationalEffectiveness

By Juanda Maxwell

Chair, Rituals

In the Southern Area, we are

uniquely positioned to share our

sincere desire that all chapters

will use our time tested beautiful

ceremonies. The Founders’ Day

Ceremony reflects on the cre-

ation of our beloved organization

on November 9, 1946. In our

ceremonies, we should be re-

minded of our founders, Sarah Scott and Margaret

Hawkins, vision of friendship and service.

The Ceremony of Friendship and the ceremony to

honor members on Alumna Status gives recognition to

those who have served us well. When we lift other

Links up, we lift ourselves. We must remember to use

the Rituals Manual completely and unaltered. There

are protocol directions for rituals in the Protocol Manual(p. 14-16). This section discusses what we should

wear and at which ceremony. This section (Rituals) in

the Protocol Manual gives us direction on officer and

chairman ranking on the National, Area and local lev-

els. The highest ranking Links officer present installs

officers at the National, Area and Chapter levels. The

National President speaks for the organization, the

Area Director speaks for the Area and the Chapter

President speaks for the Chapter. Only official

spokespersons should respond to inquiries on state-

ments of policy to the public for the organization. Each

lead officer may designate an individual to represent

her for specific events or to represent the organization

at each level.

The attire is uninterrupted white for all Induction,

Chartering and Memorial Services on a National, Area

and Chapter level. Uninterrupted white is all white

attire from your head to the toe. Flesh and white col-

ored hosiery may be worn. As per the Protocol Manual,

the attire is listed below.

The Links Pledge should be recited at Chapter meet-

ings. The Links Insignia may be used for Links activi-

ties but must not be altered. We must always

remember that we carry our Links Brand. We must

treat our Rituals with great respect and pass this re-

spect on to our new Link Sisters as we mentor in words

and deeds.

Again, refer to the Rituals Manual, Protocol Manual

and Area Rituals Chair for questions about Rituals. The

Rituals Manual must be followed in layout, presentation

and wording as written. Each President, Rituals Chair

and Protocol Chair should have a Rituals Manual and

a Protocol Manual.

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CEREMONY ATTENDANCE & ATTIRE REQUIREMENTS

Induction of New Members/Links Only/Uninterrupted White

Induction of New Chapter/Links Only/Uninterrupted White

Induction of Honorary Members/Links Only/Uninterrupted White

Installation of Officers Links and Non-Links may be in Attendance

Memorial Service at National Assembly/ Area Conference/Uninterrupted White

Memorial Service Chapter for Links, Connecting Links, Heir-O-Links

- Uninterrupted White

Memorial Service for National Officers Current and Past

- Uninterrupted White

Ceremony of Friendship - No Specific Requirements

Closing Ceremony and Candle Light Service

- No Specific Requirements

Founder’s Day Ceremony - Confirm with Rituals Chair

White Rose Ceremony - Confirm with Rituals Chair

Ceremony Alumna - Confirm with Rituals Chair

The 18th Southern Area Administration welcomes you to utilize SOLACE

S O L A C ES O L A C ESupport of Links All Concern Encouraged

The Southern Area’s new initiative, SOLACE, allows Links

and their families who are experiencing a crisis due to death,catastrophic illnesses, sickness, or other life altering events,

to receive meaningful and compassionate support from Links throughout the Area who can assist them.

The way the program works is simple:1. A Link will go to the Southern Area website, click on the SOLACE link to send a

confidential communication discussing her need or the need of a chapter member. 2. The Southern Area Technology Chair, who is responsible for monitoring the com-

munications, will then send a confidential e-blast across the Area requesting mem-bers for assistance.

3. The donor(s) will then be connected to the Link in need. Assistance can rangefrom donating hotel points, airline miles, arranging appointments for medical treat-ment, donating blood, providing financial assistance to sending words of support orcards.

S

ECALO

Visit the salinksinc.organd click on SOLACE

Technology Chair anonymouslyblasts your need to our sisters

You are connected withyour voluntary donors

Florida - Georgia Bahamas -North CarolinaLouisiana - Mississippi-

South Carolina - Alabama

Support

of

Encouraged

Concern

All

Links

by MelissaAdams

C h a i r ,Technology

W h e t h e ryou live

around the corner or across theworld, knowing how to use theright technology can improveyour relationships with friendsand family. The following are afew ways you can easily con-nect and reconnect with yourfriends and family.

Be ConsistentEstablish one absolutely per-

manent e-mail address whereall close friends and family knowthey can reach you and that youwill check at least once a month.There are various free internetbased email options(www.gmail.com |www.yahoo.com | www.hot-mail.com | www.outlook.com |www.mail.com |www.icloud.com)

Online Contact ListsSet up a contact list that every-

one can keep up to date. AGoogle spreadsheet with every-one’s contact information maywork for your friends and family.That way anyone who needs upto date information on a friendwould know how to contact herto pass on the latest news.

Create Online Groups forYour Valued Circles ofFriends or Family

For any circle you want tomaintain or stay in touch with,set up a private group usingFacebook, Yahoo or Google

groups or some other standardgroup-messaging tool. Thesetools help everyone stay in reg-ular contact.

Keep Your Contacts Up toDate

Most people change theirphone numbers, addresses ande-mail addresses from time totime; once you have missed amove or two, it can be hard tore-establish contact. Get all yourcurrent e-mail addresses into acouple of systems that will helpkeep your contact informationup-to-date. Plaxo(www.plaxo.com) will automati-cally update your contact listwith changes from anyone elsewho is also a Plaxo user. In ad-dition, Gmail will import yourcontact list into other web serv-ices like Twitter and Facebookso you can stay in touch.

Social ChannelsSimilar tools have very differ-

ent dynamics, depending onhow you and your friends usethem; using a range of socialcommunications tools will sup-port a varying range of relation-ships. I'm on Facebook(www.facebook.com) constantly,but because people tend to postpublicly, it works best for friend-

ships that consist of casual andfrequent exchanges. Facebookis also nice for reconnectingwith people I wouldn't otherwisecatch up with—thanks to statusupdates.

Video CallsA Skype video chat is a nice

step up from phone calls withfriends I connect with a fewtimes a year, or for phone con-versations with friends that arelong-distance.

Technology going “snail”Take excerpts from your fa-

vorite blog and turn them into anewsletter you send out withyour holiday greeting cards. Youcan also burn your favoritevideos onto a DVD and pop it inthe mail. A great gift for the holi-days is to purchase a Wi-Fi en-abled digital picture frame foryour friends and keep it auto-matically updated with photosthat you load onto Flicker orFacebook.

The beauty of technology isthat the tools make it easier andeasier to handle the logistics ofmaintaining friendship, which al-lows you to focus on the partthat matters: the emotional con-nection.

FORWARDInnovative Ways Chapters

Can Use Technology to Enhance Friendship

SOUTHERN AREA TECHNOLOGY

Blooming Roses of

Rometa G. Porter

Porter ReceivesNAACP Health Award

The Jacksonville Branch of theNAACP recognized Rometa G. Porterduring its 47th annual Freedom FundAwards dinner held in Jacksonville onNov. 1. Porter is one of 12 personshonored for their leadership and con-tributions in the areas of government,education, health, civics, and commu-nity service. A retired nurse and homehealth agency founder, Porter receivedthe NAACP Health AchievementAward. “Porter has worked tirelesslyto ensure that citizens recognize andreceive quality health services that im-prove their lives,” said Elnora Atkins,member of the Jacksonville NAACPand award presenter.” Rometa Porteris a member of the Bold City (FL)Chapter.

Natalie Barnes of the Crescent City (LA) Chapter was approachedto design the first award for the Earl G. Reubel award ceremony tohonor the vision of the late Earl G. Reubel, who had the vision of build-ing a legacy for his family through Kerma Medical Products, Inc.

The award, which Natalie designed, was given to the honoree thisyear in Richmond, Virginia during their annual Supplier Diversity Sym-posium. The Reubel award honors a woman or minority entrepreneurin healthcare who embodies the qualities that made Earl Reubel sospecial and such a force in the healthcare industry. The 2012 recipientwas Millie Maddox and the keynote speaker was Dr. Mae Jamison,former NASA astronaut, the first black woman in space.

It took six months for Link Natalie to create and complete the art-work. It is hand blown glass and the base is welded metal. The imagesare sand blasted into the glass. Natalie will continue to create theawards for the Reubel Awards ceremony and each will be unique,original and one of a kind.

Link Natalie started designing and creating art at a young age andher talent won her the honor of being named a member of the youngart group, Pieces of Power, headed by renowned artist RichardThomas. Currently, Natalie is expanding her artistic ambitions to in-clude functional metal art furniture. Some of those creations can beseen throughout New Orleans.

2012 recipient is Millie Maddox (L) and Link Natalie Barnes (R)

Natalie Barnes Designs

First Earl Reubel Award

the Southern AreaThe Natchez (MS) Chapter

is proud of the accomplish-ments of the city of NatchezTransit System Executive Di-rector, Sabrena Bartley. Asought after consultant onmobility and human services,Mrs. Bartley is highly recog-nized as an innovator andprogressive leader and ad-ministrator. In her position,she is the first African Ameri-can female department headfor the city of Natchez. She isnot only the Transit System Executive Director, but shealso is an ordained minister. She holds a Master’s de-gree in Divinity from Andersonville Theological Seminaryand is the pastor of East Pine African Methodist Episco-pal Church in Petal, Mississippi.

Joyce JonesATLANTA - The 318,000 stu-

dents enrolled in the UniversitySystem of Georgia’s (USG) 35

colleges and universities will havea new colleague in Dr. Joyce A.Jones. Jones was recently namedthe University System’s ViceChancellor for Student Affairs.

Not only will Joyce be a newface in the USG office, her posi-tion also is new. The position hasbeen elevated from Associate ViceChancellor to that of Vice Chan-cellor. The upgrade gives the po-sition greater authority in dealingwith student issues and policy andwas requested by campus studentleaders in conversations with Sys-tem officials and had the supportof Chancellor Hank Huckaby. Thehead of Student Affairs has the pri-

mary responsibility for generaloversight of a wide range of stu-dent services provided throughoutthe USG. The Office provides di-rect support for five major areas ofstudent administration: EnrollmentServices; Student Services; Stu-dent Life; Student Information; andSpecial Projects.

Jones was inducted into the Au-gusta (GA) Chapter in 2002 andhas served as Chair of the Inter-national Trends and ServicesFacet, Corresponding Secretaryand member of the Social Com-mittee, Scholarship Committeeand Financial Committee.

SamettaBrown to Head 1800 Student

CharterSchool

Congratulations to LinkSametta Rayburn Brownof the Crescent City (LA)Chapter who was chosento lead the four campusCapital One-New Beginnings Charter School.As the new chief executive officer, she will oversee

the network's four schools as well as central office.The schools enroll more than 1,800 students with acombined budget of $17 million.Link Sametta says she has a data-driven, yet team-oriented management style and looks forward toworking with the students.

Joyce Jones to Lead Georgia University System Student Affairs Operations

Natchez (MS) Chapter Salutes Sabrena Bartley

By SelmaRobinson-Ayers,Chair – Ethics andStandards Com-mittee

It is a scientific fact that for every ac-tion there is a reaction. In ethicalterms we call this “action and conse-quence.” Ethics is all about choosingright actions (morally and legally) tomaximize good consequences withthe very best outcomes.

Effective decision-making is at thecenter of “right actions and good con-sequences.” Factors such as valuesand integrity; knowledge and expert-ise; personality and emotions; conflict-ing loyalties; and the tendency torationalize situations – all influencehow we make ethical decisions.These factors often complicate mat-ters and greatly enhance the chancesof making bad decisions, thus dimin-ishing the prospect of right actionsand good consequences. Decisionsoften happen quickly, but conse-quences can last a lifetime.

Throughout Linkdom, ethical deci-sions are made each day that not onlyeffect chapters, but have an impactupon the overall reputation and suc-cess of our organization. The LinksCode of Ethics and Standards is builtupon a set of core values that aredeeply rooted within the organization’shistory and philosophy. It’s a valuableresource that provides a set of clearprinciples and guidelines to assistchapters in effective decision-making.

Test your ethical decision-makingskills in the chapter situationbelow! The actions and conse-quences could play out with relativelybenign, or more serious – repercus-sions, depending largely on howchapters (and members) react and re-spond. What would you do?

Ethical Decision: Using “Re-stricted” Funds to Host Chapter’sChristmas Party

During the October Meeting of theSt. John Knitty (SJK) Chapter of TheLinks, Incorporated, a contentious dis-

cussion transpired as to whether ornot the chapter could afford to host itsannual Christmas Party. It was notedby the Treasurer that there were insuf-ficient funds in the “unrestricted” fundsaccount to cover the expenses; shethen suggested an assessment.

Several members adamantly ex-pressed their unwillingness to be as-sessed, after which a motion wasmade and seconded by two chartermembers to use $3,000.00 that was“just sitting” in the “restricted” fundsaccount. The Treasurer stated thatthe “restricted” funds were proceedsfrom the chapter’s public fundraiserand that using such monies that weredesignated for charitable contributionswould clearly violate our policies.

Her concerns were downplayed,however – as numerous members(opposed to an assessment) sidedwith the charter members on theissue. After being assured of chaptersupport, one of the charter membersabruptly “called for the question” tocease further discussion, stating thatthe situation did not pose a problemsince the chapter could easily raisemoney to replace the funds; or (betteryet) defer donations till next year; or

forego awarding the funds, altogether.“After all, no one’s looking over ourshoulders; we have supported thecharity for over a decade; and whathappens in Knitty stays in Knitty,” sheproclaimed!

Notwithstanding her opposition, thePresident called for the vote. If themotion is passed, the St. John KnittyChapter would use $3,000.00 of “re-stricted” funds to host its ChristmasParty.

The composition of a Links chaptermust be noted as the sum total of itsmembers’ values and attributes –whether perfect or imperfect. It is,therefore, critical that a member rec-ognizes the important role she plays(collectively and individually) in anychapter decision-making to ensureshe is well-equipped to achieve excel-lence in all her actions, and in the con-sequences thereof.

Bottom-line: A chapter must al-ways strive for excellence in all itsdecision-making activities. Re-member, “…What happens inKnitty stays in Knitty” is likened toa famous cliché; however, THAT(action and consequence) only ap-plies to Vegas!

Consequences and Actions:Ethical Decisions That Effect Chapters

HOW WOULD YOU VOTE ?

Actions:

“Yes” Vote – Motion is passed by a majority vote; “restricted”funds used to host Christmas Party; chapter violates Codeof Ethics and other governing documents

Consequences:

• Disgruntled chapter member raises issue to Area • Area Ethics Complaint filed against chapter• Area Hearing convened with Area Executive Committee • Violations substantiated/Complaint upheld• Possible sanctions: Probation, Suspension, Expulsion• Other: “Restricted” funds must be replenished ($3K)

Applicable Ethics and Standards

Code Section(s)

Standard 2: Financial OperationsA) Use of Public Funds – Monies collected from the pub-

lic for service projects and other charitable activities shallbe used for the stated purposes only.C) Self-Dealing and Misappropriation of Funds – Mem-bers shall not use organizational funds for personal use,seek improper reimbursement or otherwise misappropri-ate funds of The Links Organization.

Related Core Values:Honesty/Truth, Integrity,

Responsibility and AccountabilityRelated Governing Documents: Constitution and Bylaws; Financial Handbook

by Sylvia PerryChair, CommunicationsCommunication is one of the

most important qualities one canfind in an exceptional leader. Itleads to motivation, inspiration, re-spect and trust among the body.

By communicating your thoughtsand concerns to our Link Sistersand colleagues correctly, a leaderis not only sharing ideas - she isalso motivating them to work as a

team, grow the committee/chapter and succeed collec-tively. As Communications Chair, I frequently find myselfsharing my ownstories of suc-cess with myteam in order toinspire them towork harder ontheir own re-spective tasks.Our continuouscommunicationworks reallywell, as we allmotivate and en-courage eachother to newheights. It alsoincreases ourproductivity levelas we push toremain ‘on thesame page’ at alltimes.

A leader whohas strong com-munication skillsis able to con-nect with others;building confidence and managing conflict. Conflict shouldbe resolved before it turns into such. In our respectiveleadership roles, take time to see where each individualis coming from. It does wonders in preventing future con-flict. One on one attention creates a safe opportunity forour members to communicate the problems that they arehaving with others, the ‘process’, leadership, and othertroubles. Once these issues are out in the open, effectiveleadership can manage the conflict by suggesting ways to

improve it. In return, team members feel confident in com-municating their issues with their leadership.

“Communication is an act of gaining understanding andcommitment from individuals, in order to learn from othersand build an exceptional organization,” said Beverly Y.Langford, professor and director of Business Communi-cations Programs at Georgia State University’s J. MackRobinson College of Business

A huge part of being a good communicator is being asuperb listener, and listening leads to gaining knowledgefrom other people. We have all been in situations where itappears the leadership simply isn’t listening to their mem-bership. That is unfortunate as listening is 90% of com-municating. Many people just want to be heard and if you

give them fifteen minutes of your time and re-ally listen, eventually they will trust and respectyou. Having trust and respect from your sistersmake the job much more enjoyable.

Without trust and respect you wouldn’t bemuch of a leader. Whether just starting out ina new role or well seasoned. always take thetime to listen and get to know each and every

one of your committee members personally.With proper nurturing, they will be able to seeyour leadership vision and hopefully mold a vi-sion of their own to contribute to the legacyyou all are creating. By listening we also gain

knowledge from our Sisters. Bottom line, clear communication is the most important

key to a leader’s success.To grow as a leader and chap-ter, you must learn how to be an effective, compellingcommunicator. And if you want to succeed in your role,you and your team have to master the art of clear com-munication together, as well. By using these few simplestrategies, you and your chapter members can reach newlevels of leadership excellence.

Communication is Key

Effective leaders must realize and acceptthat clear communication is always a two-way process. It’s not enough to speakclearly; you have to make sure you’rebeing heard and understood.

To facilitate this, use the following two-way communication primer:1. Prepare how you’ll communicate• Clarify the goal of the communication.• Plan carefully before sending it or meeting

in person.• Anticipate the receiver’s viewpoint and

feelings.2. Deliver the message• Express your meaning with conviction.• Relate the message to your larger goals.• Identify the action to be taken.• Confirm the other person understands.

3 .Receive the message• Keep an open mind.• Identify key points in the message.• Value constructive feedback and use it to

grow. • Confirm your understanding.

to Effective LeadershipEffective Leadership

by Kim-berly Sweet

Chair,Archives

Archivesare defined

as the documents or records re-lating to the activities, businessdealings, etc. of a person, family,corporation, association, commu-nity or nation, as well as the ac-tual place where those publicrecords or historical documentsare kept.As one who travels a great deal,

I need my records (both personaland business-related) at my fin-gertips. Smartphones, laptopsand iPads are much more thanjust phones and typewriters.These great resources can be theArchivist's best friends. Changingyour recordkeeping begins withchanging your thinking about howyou preserve chapter information.CHANGE "BOXES"

If your chapter is one that hasmoved its records from cardboardboxes to some sort of plastic orrubber tub, you are headed in theright direction, but not there yet.Disasters like hurricanes, torna-

does, floods or fires are bothtragic and increasingly common.At such a time, if your own homeor family is threatened, your lastthought will probably be chapterarchives. New documents shouldbe saved electronically. Existingfiles should be converted to elec-tronic ones. Trade the physicalbox for an electronic one. Chapterfiles, reports and photos are theimportant documents which notonly help organization operations,but also are instrumental in tellingour story to others. These items

can bestored inemail boxes,desktop filesand backedup to onlinestorage orjumpdrives.In this way,they are pre-served andcan be ac-cessed ortransferredto anyone

who needs them or wants to seethem.CHANGE "TOOLS"

While I do generally carry alarge purse, I always forget topack a camera. What I do gener-ally have is an iphone and aniPad. Using a smartphone ortablet to take photos at a chapterevent not only captures the eventbut also allows it to be immedi-ately transmitted electronically toothers and stored either online oron the device. Notes, names andimportant details can be writtenup, checked, saved and transmit-ted at the event by electronic de-

vices before the ink on your papernotepad dries. For those who aremore organized and use theircameras, keeping all your chapterphotos on one photo card is agood way to have all your imageseasily found. Having all the im-ages at hand makes it easier tosave them onto a computer fileand then have that information, inturn, backed up to a Cloud orDropbox file for an even higherlevel of preservation and access.CHANGE "KEYS"

Applying for a grant? Putting to-gether a proposal for a partner-ship? Often many membersmight need access to chapterdocuments, photos and informa-tion in order to complete assignedtasks. Giving the "keys" to justone person not only burdens her,but puts the chapter at a disad-vantage. A preferred option is tohave certain chapter documentsaccessible by many people.Chapter histories, mission state-ments, photos, testimonials andother commonly used and previ-ously agreed upon informationcan be available via secure web-site access or online storage sys-tems like the Cloud or Dropbox.

Remember that technology canbe a great partner in chronicling,storing and accessing chapter in-formation. Wherever your chap-ter may be in this process, beencouraged rather than discour-aged. Any step forward is a signif-icant move toward betterorganization, and greater informa-tion as we tell our collective storyof friendship, service and changeto both members and our commu-nities.

Using Technology to Chronicle Your Archives

by Daisy WalkerChair, ProgrammingThe theme of the 18th

Southern Area administra-tion is Effecting Change

Through the Power of Friendship and Service. Our pro-gram mission is to promote friendship and provide serv-ices that impact and transforms the communities weserve. Our vision is that The Southern Area of theLinks, Incorporated is an organization that providesglobal leadership and impactful service through a richlegacy of friendship and service. Another vision is thatall chapters will have transformational programming by2014. Are your programs community relevant? Areyour programs transformational? Is there integrationamong facets, and does your chapter leverage prob-lem-solving and resources? Does your chapter operatein silos? Do your chapter members have” buy in” forthe program’s success? The ultimate goal is umbrellaprogramming in all chapters simply because it involvesall five facets working together with a common theme.All the activities must be relative and relevant to thegoals of the program.

For successful program implementation, you mustfully comprehend the Service Delivery Model. There isexplicit program implementation vocabulary that youmust understand to have an effective process for es-tablishment.

There is a situation/problem that your pro-gram must address. Be sure to include yourprocess. Do you know and understandthe “programmatic lingo”? Does the chap-ter’s mission and vision drive your outcomes?What are your priorities and goals; do youknow them? What are your long term out-comes and your overall purposes? Youmust establish SMART Goals andthey must be: Spe-c i f i c ,

Measura-ble, Attain-

able, Realistic,

and Timely.What are you resources and inputs? Be sure to in-

clude financial data, volunteers, facilities, research,technology, supplies, materials, equipment, staff, time,trainers, partners, and all stakeholders. Include activi-ties that are a part of your activities. What resourcesdo you need? You may teach classes, provide semi-nars/counseling, facilitate support groups, host work-shops, and perform health screening, etc. Who are youparticipants in this process and who are you trying toreach?

Your outcomes must be impactful, and the chapter de-cides whether they are short, medium, or long term.Short Term: changes in learning-motivation, aware-ness, attitudes, skills, opinions, aspirations (1-2 years);medium Term: changes in Action-behavior, practice,decision-making, policies, social action (2-4 years),Long Term: changes in conditions-social, economic,civic, environmental (4+ years).

Chapters must be aware of assumptions in the Serv-ice Delivery Model process. Assumptions are condi-tions you expect to be present and, it is often theseunderlying assumptions that hinder success or produceless than expected results. Be sure you have a plan B.External Factors will also exist such as institutional,community, public policy, and physical environment.These factors are beyond your control.

How do you know your program is successful and willmake a difference? There must be an evaluation

which is an assessment of expected outcomesbased on expected input, specific activities and

participation and should relate to SMART GOALS.Were there any collaborative efforts with other com-

munity groups to plan and implement your programs?Did you determine your operational and sustainabilityprocesses? Does your chapter have a method ofmarketing and evaluating to communicate and publi-cize your program?It is the SA’s program team’s responsibility to work in

concert with the 78 local chapters to ensure a roadmapto success. It is our programming goal area wide tomake significant difference in the lives of families anda sustaining impact in the community. please don’t hes-itate to reach out to any of our facet chairs for assis-tance or questions.

Transformational Programming

What’s Your Plan? Key Elements of

Successful Program Implementation

Activity –single, fo-cused eventthat occurs; party.

THE ADVANTAGE–the Southern Area e-ZINEAlignment - the integration of multiple goals within an

organization to achieve an overarching mission or pri-ority of the parent organization.

Assessment – systematic process to acquire an ac-curate, thorough picture of the strengths and weak-nesses of a community to determine its programmaticneeds.

Assumption – beliefs we have about why our pro-gram will work.

Best Practice – a model program that has all of thecomponents of the Service Delivery Model.

Biennium Program Report – the annual chapterprogram report due each February 1 that covers twoprogrammatic years.

Branding – name, term, design, symbol, or any otherfeature that identifies an organization as distinct fromthose others.

Collaboration – cooperative arrangement in whichtwo or more parties (which may or may not have anyprevious relationship) work jointly towards a commongoal.

Community – a group of interacting people, living insome proximity (i.e., in space, time, or relationship).Community usually refers to a social unit larger than ahousehold that shares common values and has socialcohesion.

Event – a planned public or social occasion. An ac-tivity that takes place; an occurrence.

External Factors – outside forces that influence theimplementation and success of a program.

Facet – a programmatic branch of focus. Thereare five facets in The Links, Incorporated: Serv-ices To Youth, The Arts, National Trends & Serv-ices, International Trends & Services, and Health& Human Services.

Goal – a desired result a person or organizationenvisions, plans and commits to achieve within afinite time.

HBCU – acronym for Historically Black Collegesand Universities.

Initiative – programs designed and implementedin response to critical national issues that affectthe communities of color targeted by The Links, In-corporated, such as our crisis in education andhealth.

Inputs – resources invested in a program tomake it work; leads to outputs.

Integrated Program – a program comprised ofmore than one facet that works together with acore theme and engages the membership.

Key Communicators – groupings of sevenchapters with an Area Facet Chair as the leader.

Mentor – an individual, usually more experi-enced, who advises and guides a younger, less expe-rienced person.

Mission – a statement of the purpose of a companyor organization.

National Legacy Program – an exemplary programthat has been in the community for five years or more.

Objective - an end that can be reasonably achievedwithin an expected timeframe and with available re-sources.

Outcomes – changes or results as a result of pro-gramming.

Outputs – activities, products, methods and servicesused in programming; lead to outcomes.

Transformational Programming

Know Your Programming Li

Partnership - the relationship existing between twoor more persons/organization that comes together tocarry out a program/project/activity.Pilot Program –newly established, preliminary programs created toaddress an emerging or current nationwide issue thatis in alignment with the goals and priorities of TheLinks, Incorporated. The programs are conducted inorder to evaluate feasibility, time, cost, adverse events,and effect of the program.

Policy – a principle or rule to guide decisions andachieve rational outcomes.

Priorities – goals of a program.Program – a plan of action aimed at accomplishing

a clear objective, with details on what work is to bedone, by whom, when, and what means or resourceswill be used.

Situation – a problem or issue; a set of circum-stances.

S.M.A.R.T. Goals - Goals that are specific, measur-able, attainable, realistic and timely.

S.T.E.M. – acronym for Science, Technology, Engi-neering, Mathematics.

Service Delivery Model – a graphic thatshows the relationship between inputs, out-puts and outcomes relative to a problem weare trying to solve.

Signature Program – national programsthat epitomize the core values and mission ofThe Links, Incorporated and define its distinc-tiveness as a nonprofit, premiere women’sservice organization.

Stakeholder – person, group, organization,member or system that affects or can be af-fected by an organization’s actions.

Southern Area Website – the Internet sitethat hosts resources specific to all aspects ofthe Southern Area of The Links, Incorporated.http://www.salinks.org

Strategic Plan - an organization’s processof defining its strategy, or direction, and mak-ing decisions on allocating its resources topursue this strategy.

Sustainable – a program that can be de-veloped and maintained to have positive ef-fects over an extended period of time.

T a r g e tPopulation- groups ofpeople who

are to be reached through some action or intervention.The Links, Incorporated Website - the Internet

gateway to information about The Links, Incorporatedand repository of resources for the membership.http://www.linksinc.org

Transformational Programming - a process of pro-found and radical change that is irreversible intendedto cause positive change in the community. It orientsan organization in a new direction and takes it to anentirely different level of effectiveness.

Umbrella Program – a program of The Links, Incor-porated that includes all five program facets.

Values - beliefs that are shared among the stake-holders of an organization. Values drive an organiza-tion’s culture and priorities and provide a framework inwhich decisions are made.

Vision - outlines what the organization wants tobe, or how it wants the world in which it operatesto be (an “idealized” view of the world). It is a long-term view and concentrates on the future. It canbe emotive and is a source of inspiration

SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL A graphic that shows the relationship between inputs,outputs and outcomes relative to a problem we are tryingto solve. Situation - a problem or issue; a set of circumstances.Vision - outlines what the organization wants to be, or how

it wants the world in which it operates to be (an “idealized”view of the world). It is a long-term view and concentrates onthe future. It can be emotive and is a source of inspiration.

Mission - a statement of the purpose of a company or or-ganization.

Goal - a desired result a person or organization envisions,plans and commits to achieve within a finite time.

Inputs – resources invested in a program to make it work;leads to outputs.

Outputs – activities, products, methods and services usedin programming; lead to outcomes. Outcomes – changes or results as a result of programming. Assumption – beliefs we have about why our program will

work. External Factors – outside forces that influence the imple-

mentation and success of a program.

Transformational Programming

ingo for Efficient Reporting

by Karyn M. Combs

Chair, The Arts

Greetings Everyone! I am still “rocking and reeling”

from our awesome Leadership Summit in Savannah,

Georgia, October 4-7, 2012, and seeing so many great

Link Sisters “Leading with Excellence and Serving with

Grace” at our 38th National Assembly in Orlando,

Florida!

Like many of you, we returned to our chapter in Pen-

sacola on fire to immerse ourselves in implementing

our national initiatives into our

local programming. Yes, we can

do it and “move forward” as Art

Facet Chairs by planning Specific,

Measureable, Attainable, Realistic

and Timely (SMART) goals with

an art connection with Science,

Technology, Engineering and

Math (STEM) and Childhood Obe-

sity activities for 2012-2013.

The intent of this article is to pro-

vide you with additional ideas and

strategies to implement with youth

in your area. Therefore, one goal

during 2012-2013 is to communi-

cate monthly/bi-monthly via email,

or conference calls to share ac-

complishments that have had an

impact in your community in support of our National

and Southern Area Strategic Priorities in “The Arts.”

An example of this was shared at the Leadership

Summit, when the Art Facet Chair from the Tampa

Chapter sent an accomplishment via email of how her

chapter implemented STEM by engaging girls in mak-

ing lip gloss, where they measured and weighed in-

gredients to show everyday use for mathematics.

Another goal the Tampa chapter has is to educate

young women, who attend an inner city school, about

the Arts. The chapter has purchased cameras and

photo albums for the girls to use while exploring a Mu-

seum. The chapter also plans to use old pillow cases

to make dresses and skirts. This is to educate stu-

dents on how to be creative artistically when there are

limited funds available by recycling items such as pil-

low cases and other materials.

Last year a project that took place with our youth in

Okaloosa County was to make outfits out of trash

bags, where they put on a “stellar” fashion show for

the community. This is really “thinking outside of the

box!

Additionally, in our strategic plan for 2012-2013, the

Pensacola Chapter has partnered with a charter

school for the “Arts,” and

they have invited local and

visiting artists to engage K-

6 students in art techniques

to produce artwork that will

be featured in the school’s

new Art Gallery. There are

plans to have silent auc-

tions throughout the school

year to raise funds to sup-

port ongoing activities with

art integration and STEM.

We extend an invitation for

everyone to visit sunny

Florida and the charter

school to see the amazing

art that students have al-

ready produced!

Art connected with STEM provides meaningful ways

to engage youth in developing STEM skills through

creativity, while inspiring their passion for learning.

(Ref: STEMArts Curriculum Tool)

Once again, thank you for working tirelessly and

serving as Art Facet Chairs in your chapters to make

a difference through outreach in your communities to

inspire youth to have a deeper appreciation and un-

derstanding of the impact of art and the STEM con-

nection.

Truly, you are on the “cutting edge” opening avenues

for young people to pursue promising careers in STEM

in the 21st Century as we continue to implement our

National and Southern Area initiatives!

The Arts

Immersing National InitiativesInto Our Local Programming

by Brenda JamersonChair, Services to Youth

The Services to Youth Facet iscurrently presenting five National

Initiatives and two Signature Programs in support ofthe mission to enrich the lives of, and advocate for thebetterment of, African-American youth. These Initia-tives and Signature Programs are described below.Data captured from the 2010-2012 Program Reportsindicated several Southern Area chapters participatedin these initiatives/programs during that reporting pe-riod.

The primary goals of the Services to Youth Facet areas follows:

a. Promote early literacyb. Close the K-16 academic achievement gapc. Increase high school and college graduation ratesd. Implement local mentoring programs from kinder-

garten through collegee. Introduce and support Science, Technology, En-

gineering, and Mathematics (S.T.E.M) education andcareer readiness

f. Implement college readiness programsg. Award college scholarships and endowmentsh. Promote and support Historically Black Colleges

and Universities (HBCU’s)

The Services to Youth Facet has five national initiatives:

a. Mentoring Initiative Mentoring is a structured and trusting relationship

that brings young people together with caring adultswho offer guidance, support, and encouragementaimed at developing the skill set and character of thementee. The Links, Incorporated entered into a na-tional partnership with National Cares MentoringMovement (NCMM). Through this partnership, localchapters support NCMM’s commitment to closing thegap between the number of African-American adultmentors and the millions of willing African-Americanchildren on the waiting lists of mentoring organizationsthrough the nation. Chapter members mentor, recruit,register and support mentors in their communities.

Alexandria (VA) Charleston (SC)Columbia (SC) Charlotte (NC)

Fort Lauderdale (FL) Savannah (GA)Shreveport (LA) St. Petersburg (FL)

Tallahassee (FL)b. Young Achievers Initiative – 9th – 12th Grade –

“Developing the Whole Child”Young Achievers provides mentoring and leadership

training and development to help address the issueschallenging high school-aged African-American youth.Through a series of workshops and interactive pro-grams, the Young Achievers program supports a suc-cessful completion of middle school, and smoothes thetransition to high school, college and into chosen ca-reers. (No participating chapter data collected.)

c. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Technol-ogy (S.T.E.M.) Education and Career Readiness Ini-tiative

This initiative was crafted out of The Links, Incorpo-rated’s dedication to ensuring quality S.T.E.M. educa-tion at all grade levels so that youth may be exposedto and prepared to study for S.T.E.M. related careers.By preparing and encouraging students to attend com-munity colleges and universities with S.T.E.M. PRO-GRAMS, Links equip students of color with the skillsto compete and excel in a global workforce.

Augusta (GA) Brevard County (FL)Columbia (SC) Charlotte (NC)

Fort Lauderdale (FL) New Orleans (LA)Savannah (GA) Tampa (FL)

Wilmington (NC)

Services to YouthConnecting Our Facets to National Iniatives

d. Historically Black Colleges and Universities(HBCUs) Initiative

The goal of the National HBCU Initiative is to imple-ment and support efforts that align with PresidentBarack Obama’s plan to increase the retention andgraduation rates of students attending college by theyear 2020. This initiative will create synergy and com-plement program initiatives already underway in thefive program areas.

Wilson-Rocky Mount-Tarboro (NC) Charlotte (NCAugusta (GA) Fort Lauderdale (FL)

Fayetteville (NC) Piedmont (NC)Albany (GA) Greater Huntsville (AL)

e. Education Linkage Initiatives – “The Equationfor Excellence Program”

This initiative supports President Barack Obama’seducation initiative aimed at creating partnerships andalliances to educate and prepare youth for the 21stCentury workforce. The Links, Incorporated hasforged a national alliance with the Achieving theDream non-profit organization to launch the “Equa-tions for Excellence Program” with community col-leges and HBCUs. The program aims to increasesignificantly students’ attitudinal and intellectual col-

lege readiness at middle and high school grade levels,thus eventually lessening the need for developmentaleducation at the college level.

(No participating chapter data collected.)

The Services to Youth Facet supportstwo Signature Programs:

a. Links to Success: Children Achieving Excellence(K-3rd grades: “An Early Literacy Program”)

The goal of this program is to mentor and assist inclosing the achievement gap for minority students inK-3 with an emphasis on literacy.

Fort Lauderdale (FL) Gainesville (FL)Vicksburg (MS) Wilson-Rocky Mount-Tarboro (NC)b. Project L.E.A.D. – High Expectations – (4th -8th

grades: “Links Educate, Accommodate and Developwith High Expectations”)

The goal of this program is to close the academicachievement gap of middle grade students, while re-sponding to their social-emotional needs, encouraginghealth and fitness, introducing S.T.E.M. –related edu-cation, career options and financial literacy, and instill-ing high expectations of them.

Atlanta (GA) Fort Pierce (FL) Vicksburg (MS)

An Integrated Approach toPreparing OurYouth for the 21st Century Workforce

by Sharlyn SmithChair, International Trends

and Services Greetings my dear Link sis-

ters! It was wonderful to meetmany of you at our 38thNa-tional Assembly this past sum-

mer and, more recently, at our Southern AreaLeadership Summit. It was such a pleasure to dis-cuss the transformational International Trends andServices programs that our chapters are engagedin as we expand the Links presence globally. I amdelighted to share this information with all sistersin the Southern Area.

As we continue to engage in programs to meet

the educational, health and cultural needs of peo-ple of African descent, many chapters have re-sponded to the needs of the people of Haiti.Congratulations to the Wilmington (NC) Chapter forreceiving the first place award at our National As-sembly for its service to the CECM School inJacmel, Haiti. It was thrilling to have a SouthernArea chapter receive such a prestigious award.Many other chapters have also engaged in trans-formational programs to serve the people of Haiti.

Often joining with local partners, Southern Areachapters have shipped hundreds of Survival Kitsto Haiti. Collectively, The Links, Incorporated hassent over 14,000 Survival Kits. I encourage allchapters engaged in this and other national pro-grams, to submit your Program Reporting Form sothat the success of the program will be shared andmeasured. Southern Area chapters that have en-gaged in the Linking with Haiti program includeBrunswick (GA), Tampa (FL), St. Petersburg, (FL),

Azalea City (AL) and Brevard County (FL). At the national level, the National ITS Committee

has announced that the construction of the LinksMaternal Waiting Home in rural Bong, County,Liberia has been completed with only some of thefinishing work, installation of plumbing fixtures,electrical wirings and painting, now underway. TheLinks Maternal Waiting Home was made possibleby a donation of $46,000 to Africare by The LinksFoundation Incorporated. It consists of six bed-rooms and a suite for the certified midwife. It alsoincludes two washrooms fitted with modern flushtoilets and a large porch. Over the next few weeks,the construction of an external kitchen, annexed tothe main building, will be completed and the entire

home will be furnished. 1,100 postnatal Maama kits will also be distrib-uted. The Links Maternal Waiting Homewill be dedicated during the 2013 visitof the Links to Liberia. Congratulationsto all who have made this possible!

As we continue to broaden the Inter-national Trends and Services platformof The Links through programs de-signed to service the educational,health and cultural needs of people ofAfrican descent, four schools inLiberia have been adopted by TheLinks, Incorporated: School for the

Blind, the Todee School, Ann Sandell School, andAME University. We are also at the half way markof meeting our goal of providing 22,000 booksthrough our Books to Africa program. Thanks to allChapters who have contributed to this effort.

There are many opportunities for chapters to en-gage in transformational International Trends andServices programs. I invite you to visit our areawebsite, www.salinksinc.org, and our national web-site, www.linksinc.org, for further details on all theexciting programs designed to help chapters ex-pand our international platform. In particular, I di-rect your attention to the International Trends andServices Handbook found in the Member’s Onlysection of our national website. Please do not hes-itate to contact me should you have any questions.

Have a wonderful year in programming as we ex-pand the Links’ presence and work in friendship toprovide service.

International Trends & Services

Southern Area Chapters Make a Difference in Haiti and Abroad

By Cori B.CooperChair, Healthand HumanServices

Have you everheard someone say, “They got thatsugar…”? Well that’s diabetes folks!

There are 18.8 million people in theUnited States with diagnosed diabetes.and another 7 million people who don’teven know they have diabetes! If thosenumbers don’t scare you, a staggering79 million people in the United Statesalone have prediabetes - an increasedrisk for developing diabetes. It varies byethnicity too. African Americans havethe greatest prevalence at 12.6%, fol-lowed by Hispanics at 11.8%. AmongHispanics, Puerto Ricans have thegreatest prevalence at 13.8%. Non-His-panic Whites are lowest at 7.1%. Dia-betes is associated with obesity, heartdisease, stroke, and high blood pres-sure. It is also the leading cause of kid-ney failure and new cases of blindness.With these serious statistics, we needto make sure we work hard to be “sugar-free”.

Diabetes is diagnosed by measuring aperson’s blood glucose (sugar) level.There are many ways to diagnose dia-betes, but the most common way is afasting plasma glucose level greaterthan or equal to 126 mg/dl, which can beobtained by your health care provider.There are two types of diabetes, types 1

and 2. Type 1 diabetes is an absolutelack of insulin, the hormone that is re-sponsible for loweringblood sugar levels.Type 2 is a form of insulin resistance.The body still produces insulin, but hasan inability to use it properly, so bloodsugar stays elevated. Type 1 diabetes isan autoimmune disorder, whereas Type2 can be prevented.

So how do you stay “sugar-free”?Follow these tips to reduce your risk:

1. Exercise, exercise, exercise – Moveeveryday and make it fun.

2. Avoid processed foods (i.e.) chips,

candy, white bread, etc.Remember, if itswhite it ain’t right.

3. Eat more whole grains.4. Eat green, leafy vegetables.

5. Use natural sweeteners (i.e.) agave,stevia.

6. Avoid overeating.Unfortunately, there are risk factors for

diabetes we can’t change such as ageand family history. Therefore if you are45 years of age and older, or if you havea family history of diabetes, you are atgreater risk, even if you follow those

healthy tips. So now that you are free from the

“sugar blues”, what can you do to helpothers? November is American Dia-betes Month, and that means there aseveral community events across thecountry. Below are 5 ways you can eas-ily get involved with the American Dia-betes Association to help eradicate thedisease.:

1. Advocate2. Get walking3. Get riding4. Volunteer

5. DonateGetting started in your communities to

STOP diabetes, is extremely rewarding.The ADA even offers a website for youto print resources they have already pre-pared. Even better, the ADA has pro-gramming specifically targeting theAfrican American community. This year,the ADA promoted ID Day on November11th, Diabetes Sunday.

So get to work, eliminate the “sugarblues”, and create more “sugar-free”communities today!

CHECK OUT THESE RESOURCES TO ERADICATE DIABETES!American Diabetes Month Resourceshttp://www.diabetes.org/in-my-community/programs/american-diabetes-month/

African American ADA Programshttp://www.diabetes.org/in-my-community/programs/african-american-programs/

Become an Advocatehttp://www.stopdiabetes.com/advocacy-center/?loc=stopd-nav

Don’t Get the Sugar Blues

Health & Human Services

2012 Southern AreaLeadership Summit

October 4-7, 2012Savannah, Georgia

An Innovative Experience in Leadership

DaringDDoo ii nn gg !!

WÜxtÅ|Çz

Southern Area Leadership

Transforming lives by transforming leaders

As we enter the autumn season, it is a time to embrace change. We note the refreshing crispness in the air and the smoothing temperatures that have suddenly replaced the sweltering days of summer.Since we know that we welcome the change of the seasons, then you know that we are capable of embracing the information that was presented during the course of our leadership

summit. As an organization we are facing a transformational time in our history. Once we werea group of friends, eager and willing to impact our respective communities. Now, we

have morphed into a complex organization of powerful and effective women,leading and impacting our world in five specific “multi-faceted” areas. We

partner with international corporations and organizations. We have astrategic focus that permits programming to impact national issues that

adversely affect our communities. We use technology and socialmedia to convey our thoughts and ideas.

While we honor our rituals and traditions of the founding friends,we have evolved into a contemporary conglomerate and ladies; weare the new millennium women of the future that our foundingmothers dreamed of!

Therefore, it was time to hold a summit of Southern Area power-house women. The South, the heart of most African Americans,rooted in tradition but always surpassing expectations. We have

come together to assess our leadership skills; align them with theskills needed to lead our own lives, our chapters, and our global com-

munities through this new era. You asked for this type of gatheringand in her infinite wisdom, our Area Director, Eneid A. Francis, heard you

and responded. She dares us to be better than we are.But she did more than hear you; she cared enough to send the very best!

She looked among our 78 strong chapters, and identified two women that offerthis type of leadership development for top dollar across the country and provided it to

you for a nominal fee. For two full days, Links Faye Hargrove and Karen Dyer afforded atten-dees the opportunity to reflect upon their leadership skills, assess their roles and capacity as aleader, and to engage some of the sharpest minds in our organization to share, learn and growyour leadership skills, honing them into the razor-sharp tools needed to do what we do—leadour sisters in service to our communities.

With the spirit of knowing you were among sister-girlfriends and not the cut-throat colleaguesthat we may work with each day, we were as vulnerable as well as extraordinary. This is thepurpose that we found ourselves and the intense level of engagement was directly related toyour level of success during our leadership summit.

This was your time…it was all about us…to dream, dare and do! - Rosalind Fuse-Hall

Parliamentarian

Area DirectorEneid Francis

by Kenyonn DempsA leader here, a leader there, leaders everywhere!

This is exactly what was experienced at the South-ern Area Leadership Summit held October 4-6,2012, in Savannah, Georgia. Over 250 Links gath-ered at the Savannah Marriott to enrich their lead-ership skills, support their chapter’s strategic plans,and become the best Link they can be in friendshipand service. With two full days of workshops, inter-active team building activities, and a night full ofgood eats, dancing, and letting their hair down, theladies were introduced to this year’s theme: LinksDreaming, Daring, and Doing.

The opening session led by renowned leadershipexperts and Link sisters, Karen Dyer and Faye Har-grove, emphasized the relevance of;

Dreaming- Be a visionary - Holding your head in the clouds and placing

your feet on the ground, and - Remembering, if you sit on your dream… noth-

ing happensDaring - Having the spirit of boldness, and - Understanding that courageous conversations

are vital Doing - Taking action- Managing friendship levels, and - Setting and achieving strategic goalsLinks were inspired and empowered to be strong,

learn who they are as a leader and to celebrate theirstrengths and assess their weaknesses as oppor-tunities to improve. As a practical lesson, Linkswere asked to complete the assessment in Camp-bell’s Leadership Descriptor. The purpose of the as-sessment helped leaders think about the importantcomponents of contemporary leadership. Leaderswere asked to look at A)“self”, B) someone they seeas a good leader and C) someone they see as apoor leader and for each leadership statement,complete the survey using a Likert scale in the cat-egories of 1) Vision, 2) Management, 3) Empower-ment, 4) Diplomacy, 5) Feedback, and 6)Entrepreneurialism.

Links quickly learned who they are as a leader asthey were able to see what attributes create effec-tive leaders. It became evident that understandingyourself was the top priority in leading others. Asnoted in the summit, “We are measured not by what

Dreaming, Daring, Doing!

Dreaming, Daring, Doing!we are, but by the perception of what we seem to

be; not by what we say, but how we are heard, andnot by what we do, but how we appear to do it.”

Lessons in leadership were the focus at workshopsand though each workshop had an independent title,the goal of the Summit was to enhance our Link Sis-ter’s knowledge, abilities, and skills in being the bestleader she could be. A reminder noted in severalsessions was “leaders do not ever let friends fail.”As simple as a concept that is, it is complex in thesense that a leaders followers generally will not askfor clarification. They will proceed to reaction andjudgment leaving the leader holding the bag burdensand the less of the treasures.

The Southern Area had the pleasure of havingGlenda Newell-Harris, National Vice President, pres-ent to provide Lessons in Leadership. What anhonor it was for our leaders, to hear from her andspend time learning from her experiences. LinkGlenda shared her lifelong lessons in leadership.She noted:

1. A leader knows and shows the way 2. Understands that dreaming is not enough, BUT

will provide a guide in knowing the way3. Get motivated! Your followers need to see and

feel your enthusiasm4. Risk taking is part of the job. It’s what leaders

do so get used to it5. Listen, listen, and when you think you are

done… listen some more6. Be comfortable with power7. A leader knows when to hold and when to fold8. Know with power comes serious responsibility9. Spread the fame, take the blame10. View every opportunity to practice leadership11. Learn to laugh12. Increase your knowledge about the organiza-

tion13. Mentor a younger member; they come with

technology14. Be honest, and 15. Balance your assertive behaviors. What a powerful and appropriate message Link

Glenda prepared and we are thankful for her com-mitment to sharing with us her strategic techniquesof being a better leader.

The Leadership Summit was packed with work-shops including effective communication styles,strategic planning, and forums for presidents, vicepresidents, secretaries, and treasurers. Our Links

Dreaming, Daring, Doing!had time to grow as leaders, meet new people, fel-lowship with some old ones, and understand the or-ganization a little better than before. The speakerswere dynamic and the activities were engaging anda lot of fun.

One activity is particular asked for 4 groups of ap-proximately 9 ladies. A medium sized beach like ballwas placed on the floor and each group was askedto circulate the ball to each person in their without ithitting the floor and without the usage of any bodypart from their elbow up. Though the purpose of ac-tivity was teamwork and creativity, it really wasunique how creative each team maneuvered theirbody to pass the ball to one person to the next.Think about it for a moment… If you had a ball onthe floor and had to pick it up with out the use ofyour hands or your elbows, how would you do itAND how would you pass it to someone else?Hmmmm….

It was even more amazing to observe how closeour Link sister bodies could get to another and feelcomfortable in public. Wow! The camaraderie andfriendship was phenomenal. As the groups pro-gressed all finishing one after another, the lessonlearned trying again is necessary and a reality, butunderstanding that trying again does not mean youhave to do it the same way each time is vital inbeing effective.

See… In the groups, as the ladies would drop theball, start over, drop again and start over, somegroups learned early to change their technique.Contrary, other groups maintained their same levelof effort doing it the same way as before. WRONG!As a leader, take the risk, think out of the box, besmart about it, and make a change. Trust your gutand know that IF you have good ladies along yourside, you can not go wrong. Know that your chapteris on the right path to clearer roles and responsibil-ities, a climate of trust, openness, collaboration, andare capable of making effective decisions and re-solving conflict with friendship and service in mind.

There was very little time to spare as the Summitcontinued with more lessons of leadership. For ex-ample: Did you know… the best way to delegate isthrough using your chapter members’ natural tal-ents? And did you know that chapters should be im-plementing a go green action? Did you also knowthat the 11th edition of Robert Rules of Order hasbeen released and is ready to be purchased? AndI bet you did not know that there is a new online

Dreaming, Daring, Doing!

intake process. Did you know your chapter bylawsshould say what you really meant for them to sayversus the chapter making an educated guess andlastly did you know that “people do what peoplesee?” If you did not know those things, then that’s agood reason for you to join the Southern Area at thenext Leadership Summit. Nearly seven months of in-tense planning preceded the Leadership Summit.Links gained a better understanding of becoming abetter leader to take back to their chapters.

What would a weekend with yourLinks Sisters bewithout a little fun! Girls Night Out: A fun, let your hairdown, lift your spirits event included Links playingFriend Finder, Bid Whist Tournament, and a seafoodbuffet until you pop party. There was line dancing, ascavenger hunt and a good old-fashioned time withno strings attached and no expectations besideshaving a good time! Links met new people in the en-gaging “Friendship Finder” game and held their tick-ets all night to win dozens of prizes such as St. Johnitems, appliances, gift cards and books. If youmissed the Summit, you missed a refreshing treat;leadership Dreaming, Daring, and Doing!

Dreaming, Daring, Doing!

by Anne HerriottSecretaryThe Recording Sec-

retary is responsibleto take minutes andrecord all businessthat is transacted ateach regularly struc-tured meeting of herchapter. Shemay alsorecord the pro-ceedings of offi-cially “called orconference callmeetings.” Shealso prepares and disseminates the minutes in draftform for approval at the next meeting ofthe body. Theminutes are:

•A permanent record•A legal document•A record of accomplishments – what was consid-

ered and accomplished.

QUICK REFERENCEMINUTES AT A GLANCEIn the first paragraph note:1) The kind of meeting—general membership,

board of directors, executivecommittee, etc.

2) The name of theorganization and thedate, time, and loca-tion of the meeting –Ex. “The ExecutiveBoard of the FirstCounty Chapter (CA)of The Links, Incorpo-rated was called to

order on Satur-day, Septem-ber 3, 2012 at9:13 AM by theChapter Presi-dent and pre-siding officer

Link Janice Cutie and Link Jane Smartone, Record-ing Secretary.”

3) List of those in attendance (or if preferred byChapter, a sign‐in sheet may be attached to the min-

utes instead) with a note of whether there was a quo-rum present.

In the second paragraph note: any actions takenon the previously recorded minutes.

In subsequent paragraphs note:‐ Reports (include brief summary of Officer/Facet

Chairs Reports) Record name ofchair or individual presenter and summary of one

– two sentences. Recommendedthat you attach submitted reports to the minutes

rather than include in the minutes.‐ Financial reports should be noted as provided

however the financial information should not be in-cluded – attach this report‐ financial report is not

voted on or approved.‐ Motions and Results of votes

Old/New BusinessAdjournment

To review the full duties and profile of theChapter Secretary please view the Webinar fileon the National Website at:h t tp : / /member. l i nks inc .o rg /ama/pub-l ic /049/049/2012CHAPTERRECORD-INGSECRETARYWEBINARSERIES_

Succeeding as YourChapter Secretary

Secretarial Style

Welcome 78!Welcome 78!Tunica, Miss. - On the weekend of August 24-26,

2012, the Southern Area gained a new chapter. South-ern Area Director Eneid Francis joined National Pres-ident Margot Copeland in chartering the MississippiDelta (MS) Chapter of the Links, Incoporated.

The celebration began on Friday night with a festivereception in Clarksdale, Mississippi - the birthplace ofthe blues. Everyone from the Mayor to the local legis-tors and other community members joined in welcom-ing the chapter and The Links’ National President toClarksdale. During the event, a proclamation was readfrom State Senator Robert Jackson and Clarksdale-Mayor Henry Espy presented Link Margot Copelandwith a key to the city who gave remarks along withSouthern Area Director Eneid Francis. The soon to bechapter was formally introduced to the community bythe 1st Vice President, Wilma Wade, followed by livejazz and refreshments. Adding an extra flavor to theoccasion, the Links motorcade was accompanied bya police escort.

Festivities kicked off bright and early Saturday morn-ing as Links gathered from around the country to wit-ness the chartering ceremony that had been wellprepared by Southern Area Rituals Chair JuandaMaxwell and assisted by National Rituals Chair LarnellBurks Bagley.

Few dry eyes witnessed the event as the new Chap-ter of thirty-two took their solemn oath.

Immediately after proclaiming The Links, Incopo-

rated’s newest chapter, Link Margot led a champagnetoast to the new Links with National Vice PresidentGlenda Newell-Harris and Southern Area DirectorEneid Francis. Chapter presidents from throughoutMississippi were also present for the festivities. Afteran extensive photo session to commemorate the oc-casion, the host chapter presented a chartering brunchwhere Link Margot gave the keynote address and areachapters presented gifts to their new Link Sisters.

Clarksdale, Mississippi, has been defined as an re-gion that needs attention and change. The MississippiDelta town is 79 percent black and its residents sufferfrom high rates of obesity, teenage pregnancy andpoverty. The Mississippi Delta Chapter is hoping totransform some of those lives through their service.

The North Delta Connection began as an interestgroup in 2002. Its application was approved in July2011. Composed of a full roster of educators, healthprofessionals and business leaders, as an interestgroup, the North Delta Connection implemented aservice program at Higgins Middle School which men-tors young female students. The Young LITES (LadiesIn Training for Excellence and Services) program ad-dresses issues teens face including drug and alcoholabuse, teenage pregnancy, academic challenges andjuvenile crime. Sessions on healthy living, financial lit-eracy and voting have been held and continues todayas a component of their offical chapter program.

Mississippi Delta (MS) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated

Gala Weekend Highlights Chartering o

of the Mississippi Delta (MS) Chapter

By Jason AldermanFrom now until New Year's is prob-

ably when you have the leastamount of time to spare on mun-dane financial bookkeeping tasks.But if you can dedicate a few min-utes to review your benefits and taxpaperwork, you might be able toshave hundreds – or even thou-sands – of dollars off your 2012taxes.

Here are a few suggestions:If you haven't already maxed out

on contributions, ask your employerif you can make a catch-up contribu-tion to your 401(k), 403(b) or 457plan before year's end. Most peoplecan contribute up to $17,000 in 2012(a $500 increase over 2011), plus anadditional $5,500 if they're over 50.

If you contribute on a pretax basis,your taxable income is reduced,which in turn lowers your taxes. Ata minimum, if your employer of-fers matching contributions(essentially, free money),be sure to contributeat least enough totake full ad-vantage of

the match. If you participate in employer-

sponsored flexible spending ac-counts (FSAs), which let you usepretax dollars to pay for eligiblehealthcare and dependent care ex-penses, an important change iscoming next year: Beginning Janu-ary 1, 2013, the maximum annualcontribution for healthcare FSAs willshrink to $2,500 from the $5,000limit many employers currently offer;however, if your spouse has FSAs atwork, you still may contribute up to$2,500 to each account. Dependentcare account limits remain un-changed.

It's vital to calculate and use anyuntapped 2012 account balances

before your plan-year dead-line (sometimes up to 75

days into the followingyear); otherwise,

you'll forfeit the re-maining bal-

ance. If youhave a sur-

p l u s ,c o n -

s i d e rw h i c h

2013 ex-penses you

could pay beforeDecember 31, 2012.

And, keep the new limit in

mind when planning your 2013healthcare FSA.

You can use your healthcare FSAfor copayments, deductibles andmedical devices such as glasses,contact lenses and braces, amongother expenses; over-the-countermedicines are only eligible with adoctor's prescription (an exception ismade for insulin).

Charitable contributions. If youplan to itemize deductions on your2012 taxes, charitable contributionsmade to IRS-approved organiza-tions by December 31, 2012, aregenerally tax-deductible. If you'vegot extra cash now and want tolower your 2012 taxes even further,consider moving up donations youwould have made in 2013.

Gifts. Unless Congress intervenes,the federal income tax exemption forestate distributions and lifetime giftswill drop from the 2012 limit ($5.12million) to the pre-2011 level of $1million (for married couples, it dropsfrom $10.24 million to $2 million); inaddition, the tax rate on gifts or es-tate distributions above those limitswill increase from 35 percent in2012 to 55 percent in 2013.

One way to exceed the lifetime giftlimit – and avoid having to file a Gift

Tax Return – is by giving sepa-rate, annual gifts of up to

$13,000 per year, per person.(Married couples filing jointly

can give $26,000 per recipient.)Rules for gift and estate taxes are

complex, so read IRS Publication950 (at www.irs.gov) and consultyour financial advisor.

This isn't an ideal time to take onany additional tasks, but if some orall of these situations apply, youcould considerably lower your taxbill – wouldn't that be a great way tostart the New Year?

Last Minute Ways to Trim Your Taxes

by Dr. Juliane MalveauxNNPA ColumnistOkay, I’ll admit it. I am truly the Grinch who

wanted to steal Christmas. It takes me until aboutDecember 23 to get in the spirit, and I only feel ob-ligated to find gifts for children and close family. Ilike to give, which is why I share with a few chari-ties that are close to me. I like to connect, which iswhy I have a greeting card ritual. But all this crazyfrenzy after Thanksgiving, before Christmas salestuff truly repels me. And while I don’t want to puta damper on anybody’s sprit, I want to say that thisis the season to be careful.

After all, we live in a consumer-oriented society.When we spend, other people get paid. When wespend other people are blessed. But if you spendwhat you don’t have then you are sliding downyour own fiscal cliff, and you won’t have a pillow toprotect you. The average American will spendabout $900 this year on Christmas gifts and toys,but that means that half will spend more. ‘Tis theseason to be careful.

Some of the biggest scams come from charities.They will reach you through email, snail mail, andeven text mail. They may ask for a little or a lot.You’ve got to ask where your money is going.Some organizations take as much as 80 percent ofyour gift, which means that the people you want tohelp get just 20 percent of your money. Before yousend a penny, ask the right questions. Too manycharities lean on this time of year to make theirmoney, but if the whole truth is told, they are reallyleaning on this time of year to make a living. Check

these folks out online, andlook for their annual reports.If their overhead is morethan 15 percent, walk on by.

Another scam is the gar-bled name scam. You maythink you are giving to a wor-

thy program, such as the Po-lice Athletic League, only to

find that you are giving tothe non-registered Po-

lice Athletic Program.You may think youare giving to an

African American cause,only to find that a garbledname takes you some-

place else. Americans want to give, and AfricanAmericans are among the most generous, basedon the percent of income we give. But give withyour head and not with your heart, and ask solici-tors important questions.

One of the other scams is the sale scam. If youbuy it now, you will get a sale that will never, ever,in your lifetime be replicated. So standing line allnight for the 52-foot TV for $239, while the store hasonly 10. Find some furniture you like only to betold it is 50 percent off today, but not tomorrow.Retailers are playing on your greed and your panic.If you take your time, you might find an even betterdeal. And if seems too good to be true, it is.

Scruffy little children will come to your door thistime of year, asking for money for their church, formagazine subscriptions, for all form of causes. Youmay want to slip the child a few pennies, but knowthey aren’t going to make more than that with themagazine subscription scam, or with the churchsolicitation. In fact, most churches run their ownsolicitations, so maybe ask for the name of thechurch and call them before you make a donation.

I suppose I am the Grinch because I am dismayedthat our holiday season that supposedly celebratesthe birth of the Christ child has turned into a com-mercial orgy with people shopping for a full fiveweeks. It has also turned into a solicitation orgywith almost every organization you have everknown asking for end of year contribution. In themiddle of all this drama, the purpose of the holidayis swallowed.

I am weary of seeing frenzied faces anxious forthe next sale, or children (and grown folks) definingtheir worth by what goodies they pick up. I amweary of the folks who go into debt to prove apoint, to buy affection, to shower folks with gifts in-stead of with love. Can we be careful with our wal-lets and open with our hearts?

I hope that we will all remember and embrace themeaning of Christmas and not the crassness ofconsumerism.

Julianne Malveaux is a Washington, D.C.-based economist andwriter. She is President Emerita of Bennett College for Women inGreensboro, N.C.

Tis the Season

to be Careful

On the Guest List

By Ruth TerrellChair, Conference and Event

PlanningNovember has been designated as Friendship

Month. However, our focus on friendship is necessaryto help keep our relationships within the chapter strongand growing. Many chapters already have estab-lished friendship activities that work well, but if yourchapter would like to add something that may be newor different, here are 10 easy activities to consider tokeep friendship at the forefront throughout the year.

1. Plan a Founders Day Celebration and also honorAlumna and Platinum members.

2. Attend a church service as a chapter3. Allocate 10-15 minutes of a chapter meeting for a

Friendship Frenzy: Each member comes with an ideaof something she wants to do with someone else dur-ing the month: For the time allowed, members talkwith as many members as possible to see how manyyou can get to join in with your activity (or how manyactivities you can join); ideas include: a mid-weekmovie, take Alumna or Platinum members shoppingand lunch, select a “best seller” to read and discuss,go bowling.

4. Plan a beauty focus day, afternoon or evening!Lots of businesses give group discounts or will dohome parties; consider manicure, pedicure or reflex-ology sessions; don’t forget in-home beauty and shop-ping presentations…these may also garner funds!

5. At a meeting prior to November, create a SecretBuddy program, by assignment of secret selection;“Buddies” commit to making contact with the other per-

son with cards or other acts of kindness: The ”buddy”names may be shared at a later chapter meeting.

6. Do you have members who play, or would like tolearn to play a game or sport or who have interest in aparticular kind of music or activity? Using sign upsheets with the name of the activity at the top mem-bers may sign up for anything of interest; ideas includeGolf, Tennis, Bowling, Swimming, Bridge,; BroadwayPlays, Opera, Art Exhibits----the list is only limited byyour imagination and interest. One person is identifiedto plan the date and time for each activity.

7. Pot Luck Dinners are always fun and this is is onewith a twist, choose an unusual theme or differenttypes of food, someone to host, and a date; If youhave members who have lived in other countries orareas related to the theme or food, encourage them tobring artifacts and other memorabilia they have col-lected .

8. Afternoon Tea is always fun, but this time partnerwith a local nursing or assisted living facility and takethe Tea Party to them…the joy of sharing the experi-ence is sure to deepen your relationships with yoursisters and make a big difference for the residents(small useful gifts are also a great addition).

9. Host a Family Night activity to include ConnectingLinks and Heir-o-Links (card games, team sports,Bingo, skills demonstrations or any special skills andtalents of family members can be highlighted).

10. Use the Links Friendship Ceremony, it is a greatway to remind us of the importance of service andfriendship in our organization .

SSttrreennggtthheenniinngg tthhee BBoonndd10 Easy Friendship Activities

for November and Beyond!

365

Birmingham, Ala. - The Birmingham(AL) Chapter welcomed twelve (12)new members. Mia Cowan, MalenaCunningham, Martha Emmett,Monique Gardner-Witherspoon, AnneHooks, Bobbie Knight, Nyya Parson-Hudson, Deveta Peoples, Erica Pre-witt, Anabela Simon-Lee, DebraWeston-Pickens, and Bonika Wilsonwere inducted into the chapter on Sat-urday, June 2, 2012.

As Alabama’s first Links Chapter,since 1956 the chapter has continuedto be a leading organization in thecommunity in the areas of service andphilanthropy. The support of the com-munity and dedication of resourcefulmembers have resulted in programs,scholarships, and activities that have

benefited the Birmingham community. As part of the new members’ orienta-tion modular, the candidates created aproject that targeted one of the five na-tional programming facets, The Arts.

The project, entitled The Friends ofthe Arts, focused on enriching musiceducation in the Birmingham CitySchools. The group produced and pre-sented a video that outlined the impor-tance of music education in theschools. They also invited communityleaders for an exchange of ideas onenriching music education and per-formance in Birmingham City Schools.The event was held on May 15th at thehistoric Virginia Samford Theatre.

Following the induction ceremonychapter members and their guests par-

ticipated in a celebration reception atthe ArtPlay headquarters, an educa-tion and outreach initiative of UAB’sAlys Stephens Performing Arts Center.The chapter is an official Educationand Outreach Sponsor of ArtPlay.Members of the Membership, Ritualand Decorating Committees assistingwith the ceremony were: VanessaFalls - President, Jeanine PearsonJohnson- Membership Chair, CathyBradford - Membership Co-Chair, An-gelene Whatley, Marquita Davis, RicaLewis Payton, Camelia Holmes, - Rit-uals Chair, Gaynell Hendricks, TamaraTravis, Kim Hitchens - DecoratingChair, Diann Jackson and StephanieRayborn.

Birmingham (AL) Inducts 12 Into Linkdom

New Members L-R: Mia Cowan, Monique Gardner-Witherspoon, Deveta Peoples, Nyya Parson-Hud-son, Malena Cunningham, Debra Weston-Pickens, Erica Prewitt, Anne Hooks, Martha Emmett, BonikaWilson, Anabela Simon-Lee and Bobbie Knight.

Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, Ala - The Tuscaloosa (AL) Chapterheld its annual “Purple Reign” retreat on Saturday, Au-gust 25. Katrena Grant, Chapter President, facilitatedthe day-long retreat on the campus of the Universityof Alabama where members were dressed in shadesof purple.

Assembled members had an opportunity to hearhighlights from the 38th National Assembly in Orlando.In addition, program presentations were given by thefollowing guest presenters: Dr. Leslie Poss, Musical

Director and Conductor, Prentice Concert Chorale(The Arts Facet), Ms. Jackie Currie, Director of Stu-dent Development at Stillman College (NationalTrends and Services), Mr. Robert Burns, retired exec-utive (International Trends and Services), Dr. SamoryPruitt, Vice President for Community Affairs at the Uni-versity of Alabama (Services to Youth), and Dr. GaryWalton, Sumter County Health Center, Family Practice

(Health and Human Services). The highlight of the retreat was a luncheon where

Tuscaloosa Police Chief Steven Anderson served asthe guest speaker. Anderson was selected as Chief ofPolice by Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox and wassworn in on October 1, 2008, becoming the firstAfrican-American chief for the city's police department.Chief Anderson has spent his entire law enforcementcareer with the Tuscaloosa Police Department, begin-ning as a patrol officer in 1994. He brings to the job a

wealth of experience, a spirit ofcompassion and a dedication toequality. Chief Anderson spoke tothe membership about the state ofthe city and expressed his appre-ciation to the chapter for its work

in the community.Chapter members left the retreat rejuvenated with a

set of expected outcomes that will help transform theirChapter and their community. With a strong emphasison planning, assessment and outcomes, and a re-newed focus on reclamation, the Tuscaloosa (AL)Chapter hopes to make an even greater impact in theCity of Tuscaloosa.

Members of the Tuscaloosa (AL) Chapter with retreat luncheon speaker, Tuscaloosa Police Chief Steven Anderson (cen-ter, left) and program presenter Dr. Gary Walton (center, right).

Tuscaloosa (AL) Chapter Lets

Purple Reign During Annual Retreat

Alabama

Members of the Tuscaloosa (AL)Chapter wear purple, the color ofroyalty, to their annual retreat.

“Effectively, Communicating Link toLink” was the theme for the annualplanning retreat of the Birmingham(AL) Chapter. The meeting got off to alively start when President VanessaFalls led the thirty-one (31) memberspresent in a line dance to celebrategood times. Mia Cowan and EricaWilliams Prewitt helped new membersbreak the ice with older ones with twofun games. Thanks to the “pass theball” game, Birmingham Chaptermembers know a lot more personal in-formation about each other than be-fore.

Before the retreat, each memberwas asked to take a temperament as-sessment online - the Kiersey Tem-perament Sorter quiz. The quiz, alongwith an additional simple four questionquiz, helped members see the four dif-ferent temperaments present in thechapter: Guardians, Artisans, Idealistsand Rationals. In addition, the inform-

ative quizh e l p e dm e m b e r sunderstandwhy theyare differ-ent, learnhow to em-brace thosedifferencesand com-m u n i c a t emore effec-tively afterrecognizingthe differ-ences.

Chapter members learned that to in-crease the chances for success as anorganization, there must be sensitivityto the needs and concerns of all mem-bers who each communicate in theirown unique way. All ideas should belistened to, but members must realize

that the consensus of the organizationas a whole is what will be supported.

Josephine Dantzler, visiting from theTuscaloosa (AL) Chapter, led exer-cises on managing and resolving con-flicts. Chapter members were dividedinto four teams and given hypotheticalscenarios and asked if they wouldstand up, stand down or just let it gowhen a member did not follow protocolor exhibited behavior that is counter towhat other members found accept-able. These exercises spurred livelydiscussion on how to diplomatically dif-fuse situations that may impede theprogress of the organization.

The chapter’s 5 - year Strategic Planwas unveiled at the retreat. BrendaAdams led the chapter through a lookat upcoming projects and projectedoutcomes. She also encouraged mem-bers to be able to articulate the chap-ter’s Mission statement to othersoutside the organization.

After a working lunch, Daagye Hen-dricks presented the “Strike-a Pose”fashion show, where various styles ofLinks t-shirts were modeled. Theseshirts will be worn by chapter membersto various activities in the community.Towards the end of the retreat, chaptermembers gathered in breakout ses-sions by their respective facets to dis-cuss plans for future projects.

Alabama

Birmingham (AL) Retreat Focuses on Effective Communication

Sisters participate in team building activities.

Birmingham (AL) Chapter Helps Commemorate the Civil Rights MovementThe Birmingham (AL) Chapter has partnered with the Vulcan Park

and Museum to help local educators to focus on the events of 50 yearsago with Teaching 1963: Integrating Birmingham’s Civil Rights Legacyin the Social Studies Curriculum. This one-day symposium, held on Oc-tober 31, was organized to inspire participants to share with a new gen-eration the stories of triumph and struggle from the Civil RightsMovement. Participants acquired ready to implement components of agrade-appropriate one-week unit of study on the activities that tookplace in 1963 Birmingham. Local resources and cultural events suit-able for classroom or school-wide projects were explored.

Teaching 1963 featured Birmingham native, renowned educator andConnecting Link Freeman Hrabowski, III who spoke on his experienceas an educator and eyewitness to the Birmingham Campaign. A child-leader in the movement, Dr. Hrabowski, President of the University ofMaryland, Baltimore County, was featured in Spike Lee’s 1997 docu-mentary, Four Little Girls, .

Full scholarships were made available thanks to the generosity ofthe chapter and other corporate contributions. Professional develop-ment credit was offered through the University of Alabama at Birming-ham (UAB) Regional In-service Center.

Alabama

The Birmingham (AL) Chapter is continuing its part-nership with the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Cen-ter’s “ArtPlay” Program and the Birmingham CitySchools through its sponsorship of a Poets Workshopfor the 4th grade classes at Phillips Academy. Thechildren were mesmerized by the syncopated beats ofsongwriter and spoken word artist Sharrif Simmons ashe performed From Be-Bop to Hip-Hop while strum-ming on his gui-tar. Hecaptivated hisyoung audienceimmediately inpreparation fortheir journey“From the Pageto the Stage” in6 short weeks.B i r m i n g h a mchapter mem-bers attendedeach sessionand assisted byserving as asupportive audi-ence for thebudding youngartists and offer-ing other sup-port includingp h o t o g r a p h yand videographyto help docu-ment the project.

The PoetsWorkshop is oneof the chapter’s signature projects. Each week, for 5weeks, Mr. Simmons has challenged the 60+ studentsto think creatively, to see the world from different pointsof view and to learn how to say/ speak/ express theirthoughts on paper. Through imagery, sounds, music,dreams, mind pictures and so on, they have devel-oped their own rhythms and rhymes, cadence andfreestyle. As an exercise to improve their self-esteemand build confidence so that they could take their writ-

ings “from the Page to the Stage,” their first assign-ment was to explore the word courage and to writepoems about what it meant to them.

The class sessions were interactive and the childrenwere very inspired and engaged.

They heard the poetry of Langston Hughes, NikkiGiovanni, and Sonya Sanchez to name a few. Theywere taught to use their minds as imagination banks.

They would makedeposits by listen-ing and observingtheir environmentand then makewithdrawals whenideas are needed.The young spokenword artists learnedthe difference be-tween flying solo,and dancing with agroup; by writing in-dividual, as well aschoral poems.Whether standingalone, or participat-ing in an ensemble,they were able tofind their unique-ness and theirvoice.

The program,which culminatedon October 25,showcased how thestudents fromPhillips Academy

has developed into the “Next Poets” who can now takeit “from the Page to the Stage” possessing their ownunique voices and projecting their words in boldness,confidence and awe!

The young poets will also perform their works onstage at UAB’s Alys Stevens Center at a future date.The Birmingham (AL) Chapter plans to create a keep-sake book with samples of the amazing work of theseyoung poets.

Birmingham (AL) Takes Young Poets from the Page to the Stage

Birmingham (AL) Chapter members Anne Hooks, Gaynell Hen-dricks, Spoken Word artist Sharrif Simmons and Carnetta Davis.

Members of the Jacksonville (FL)Chapter supported the local Amer-ican Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) attits recent voter empowermentforum, part of the ACLU’s “Let MeVote” campaign. The Links tookpart in the Town Hall Event de-signed to inform the communitythrough vigorous dialogue and dis-cussions about overcoming newly-created barriers to the ballot box.The event was held on Wednes-day, October 3, 2012, at the Gate-way Mall Supervisor of Electionsoffice. Jacksonville was part of thenationwide ACLU campaign seek-ing to empower America’s most vul-nerable voters by gettingaccessible, accurate information tothem to prevent voting restrictionsfrom getting in their way.

Changes in Florida election laws

and procedures have made it moredifficult for some Floridians to vote.These barriers include a 2011 lawthat makes it more difficult for peo-ple to register to vote and restrictsearly voting and voter addresschanges; a state law requiringphoto ID at the polls; and new re-strictions to the state’s process forrestoration of civil rights for formerfelons. Portions of these laws havebeen challenged by groups includ-ing the ACLU of Florida. Whilesome barriers have been lifted,these new policies threaten to ex-clude thousands of Floridians fromparticipation in the voting process.The Forum was the culminatingevent in the local ACLU chapter’scommitment to increase voter par-ticipation and empowerment.

Several local community leaders

participated as panelists at the “LetMe Vote” event including DuvalCounty Asst. Public Defender:Melina Buncome, Duval CountySupervisor of Elections Jerry Hol-land, State Representative District14 & Special Asst to Mayor AlvinBrown Mia Jones, League ofWomen Voters Jacksonville Chap-ter President Angela DeMonbreun,Jacksonville Area Legal Aid Attor-ney Jennifer Jerome, and HouseDistrict 12 Candidate Karen Mo-rian.

The American Civil LibertiesUnion of Florida is freedom'swatchdog, working daily in thecourts, legislatures and communi-ties to defend individual rights andpersonal freedoms guaranteed bythe Constitution and the Bill ofRights.

Shown (L-R) at the voting event are Jacksonville (FL) chapter members Terri Stepter, Joyce Valcour,Anest McCarthy, Pat Bivins, Ava Parker, Marjoria Manning and Monique McCarthy.

Jacksonville (FL) Promotes GOTV

Florida

Florida

Bold City (FL) Enlightens Links Academy

Students on Leadership and STEM Education

by Marsha Oliver“I am responsible” is the title of

one of several handouts dissemi-nated to youth participating in theBold City (FL) Chapter’s Links’Leadership Academy opening ses-sion. The session was presentedby the Services to Youth facet.

“Responsibility is one of the mostimportant traits you will usethroughout your life,” said CurtisRicks, a middle school mathteacher who led a session on goalsduring the three-hour workshopheld October 27, 2012, on a Jack-sonville college campus. Ricks,who co-presented with a collegeadmissions representative, walkedthe 30 young men and womenthrough his educational career dis-playing his high school diploma,college degree, military awards andcertifications. “Whether you are fly-ing planes as I did while enlisted in

the Marines or playing football,math will be an integral part of yourlife,” said Ricks. “There are numer-ous careers available to personswho enjoy and have strong mathskills…you should explore them.”

Each of the students also partici-pated in an assessment that helpedthem identify their areas of strengthin a variety of leadership areas.Supportive, motivational, and ex-cellence are a few of the categoriesthat were followed by specific traitsand characteristics for which theyself-ranked.

With their areas of identifiedstrength, the youth teamed up withfellow classmates in a mock activitywhere they used various leadershiproles to complete designated tasks.Five groups and activities were as-sembled. Destiny Poole, Treasurerfor the mock “School Supply Drive”team, recommended to her group

that a fundraiser be held to collectmoney for printing, collection bar-rels and water. “How are we goingto get people to bring supplieswhen we don’t have supplies to letthem know we are having a drive?”Thought-provoking dialogue and in-teraction were held throughout theafternoon in the sessions.

“We are so incredibly proud of ourLeadership Academy students,”said Barbara Darby, President,Bold City Chapter of The Links.“They are demonstrating the typeof skills and attitudes that will becritical to their lives and our com-munities…we are very fortunate toshare in that development.”

The Chapter will present 13 Sat-urday workshops throughout theyear that include an internationalservice project (pillowcasedresses); health; arts and etiquettefor the two year program.

Guest speaker Curtis Ricks shares some of the memoirs of his life including multiple degrees, military records, pilot’slicense and DVDs from his film career.

The Southern Area

Green Pages are Available

Southern Area

GREENPAGES

Uniting the Southern Area throughUniting the Southern Area throughhobbies, interests and professionshobbies, interests and professions

Eneid A. Francis18th Southern Area Director

- Looking for expertise in a particular area?

- Establish a newfriendship withsomeone of a similiar hobby

- Need advice on visting a particular city?

- Can your chapterbenefit from sisterly advice and experience?

Visit the 2012-2013 edition of the Southern Area Green Pages located on the Southern Area website,salinksinc.org or by clicking here - GREEN PAGES

Jacksonville ChaptersJoin Forces for Breast

Cancer AwarenessJacksonville, Fla. - The Bold City and the Jacksonville

Chapters donned in their pink attire, demonstrated theirsisterly love for each other and all women as participantsin the annual Susan Komen race held on October 20,2012, in downtown Jacksonville.

Nearly a dozen members from both chapters walkedin the 5K race, commemorating and honoring those af-fected by breast cancer. Bold City Chapter PresidentBarbara Darby walked in celebration of Lois Gibson, along-time Jacksonville Chapter Links’ member who hasbattled the disease.

Following the walk, the Link Sisters joined together fora Victory Brunch where they enjoyed an afternoon of

great food, fellowship and fun (as seen in photo on left).

Florida

When members of The Fort Pierce (FL) Chapter heardof the family of Ramone and Latesha Morgan’s tragichouse fire, they were moved by compassion to make adifference.

In the early morning hours of October 30, after her hus-band had gone to work and the couple's two children werein school, Latesha fell asleep and was awaken by a neigh-bor's loud screams and knocks on the bedroom window toher house engulfed in flames. Latesha made it out of the

burning house without harm. However, the young family'shome, furniture, clothes, appliances, and other treasureswere all burned and a young family pet lost its life.

The Chapter presented the Morgans with a generousmonetary contribution to assist them as they begin a freshstart and rebuild their lives. The Fort Pierce (FL) Chapterof The Links, Incorporated is committed to transforminglives and impacting community through its five programfacets.

Kathryn Wilson, Chapter Vice President, Elizabeth Jackson, Chapter President, present a check tofire victims Ramone and Latesha Morgan with Link members Shirley Atkins and Venda Burgess.

Fort Pierce (FL) Aids Victims of Fire Tragedy

Participating Jacksonville area Links included (L-R)Barbara Darby, Marsha Oliver, Anne Gayle, SylviaPerry, Rometa Porter, Gail Kenney, Majoria Manning,and Marietta LeBlanc.

Florida

North Broward (FL) Chapter with honoree Xerona Clayton (center in green).

North Broward’s Women in Color ConferenceFeatures the Legendary Xerona Clayton

South Florida’s women of colorcommunity leaders met this summerfor the 2nd Annual Women of ColorEmpowerment Conference. Theleadership conference was held atthe newly built Urban League ofBroward County in Fort Lauderdale,Florida. The theme for the confer-ence was “Building RelationshipsUniting Leaders.” The conferencefeatured presentations from top lead-ers in the fields of health care, law,corporate, government, non-profits,communications and technology.

Organizations involved with plan-ning the leadership conference in-cluded: The North Broward County(FL) Chapter, Broward County Alum-nae Chapter of Delta Sigma ThetaSorority; The Right Group and theZeta Rho Omega Chapter of AlphaKappa Alpha Sorority.

The conference focused on edu-cating and motivating dynamicwomen of color to more effectivelylead organizations; launch effectivecampaigns and take full advantageof technology in today’s marketplace.There were various concurrent sem-inars throughout the day. This year,the conference luncheon speakerwas nationally recognized speakerXernona Clayton, President/CEO ofthe Trumpet Awards. Ms. Clayton isa former executive of Turner Broad-casting in Atlanta. Conference mem-bers also enjoyed famous jazz artistSimone (daughter of Nina Simone)who performed during the luncheon.The day ended with an inspirationalpresentation from Judy Smith, Amer-ica’s #1 Crisis Management Expertand the inspiration behind the hit tel-evision show “Scandal.” The confer-

ence drew federal, state and localleaders. Florida Supreme Court Jus-tice, Peggy Quince, was in atten-dance. The atmosphere was electricas leaders shared their successstrategies as educators, CEO’s,CFO’s, Entrepreneurs and profes-sionals from all areas.

The goal of the conference was tobuild on the previous year’s missionof getting women prepared forelected and appointed offices. Sev-eral women who attended the con-ference last year ran for public officewithin the tri-county area. Confer-ence Chair, Burnadette-NorrisWeeks stated “The conference wasa huge success and met all of ourexpectations. Knowledge is powerand when we share it, the sky is thelimit.”

Florida

The St Petersburg Chapter (FL)celebrated October as Breast Can-cer Awareness Month. As part oftheir monthly meeting for October,chapter members commemoratedthe observance of Breast CancerAwareness month by wearing PINKattire to their chapter meeting. Theycontinued their commitment to well-ness by sponsoring a Health Forumas shown in the poster held byNancy Bryant and Odessa Banks(left).

The 15th Annual African-AmericanHealth Forum was held in conjunc-tion with the chapter's Midtown Me-morial Wellness Walk.

The 2 mile walk/run is a symbolicactivity to recognize those cancersurvivors as well as remember thoselost to this devastating disease.

St. Pete (FL) Takes Wellness to Heart

Florida

Shown above are members of the St. Petersburg (FL) Chapter

St. Pete (FL) and Tampa (FL) Chapters

Partner to Make Difference in HaitiIn celebration of their respective

25th Anniversaries, members of theSt. Petersburg (FL) and the Tampa(FL) Chapters partnered togetherand packed over 500 Survival kitsfor the Haitian Missionary Project atLe Petit Chaperon Rouge School inCroix-des- Bouquets, Haiti. The In-ternational Trends and ServicesFacet provides outreach to womenand girls in Haiti who were affectedby the devastating 2010 earth-quake through the distribution ofWomen’s Survival Kits. At the re-cent 38th National Assembly, 4000Links assembled over 10,000 bags.

This initiative provides a directand deliverable service to the Hait-

ian community. With the suppliesneeded for personal hygiene anddaily living still difficult to secure,this initiative aims to rectify that byproviding basic items needed towomen and girls in Haiti. Each as-sembled kit contains fundamentalitems, such as toothbrushes, tooth-paste, soaps and washcloths. thatare too often taken for granted,along with hopefully secure asense of dignity in spite of circum-stances. The timing of this ship-ment is critically necessary as thesmall island country was pum-meled by Tropical Storm Isaac andthe school suffered catastrophicdamages. Local St. Petersburg

physician, Dr. Frederic Guerrier, ac-cepted the truck full of supplies andwill get them to Haiti as soon aspossible. Established in 1946, TheLinks, Incorporated is one of thenation’s oldest and largest volun-teer service organizations ofwomen who are committed to en-riching, sustaining and ensuring theculture and economic survival ofAfrican-Americans and other per-sons of African descent. The Links,Incorporated is an international not-for-profit corporation of accom-plished, dedicated women whocontribute more than 500,000 doc-umented hours of community.

Fort Pierce Chapter of Florida members attending the 38th General Assembly in Orlando, Florida.STANDING: Jovita Williams, Sheila Wallace, Taunya Bryant, Candace Stone, Myrna Bridges, TanishaGary and Gloria Gary. SEATED: Elizabeth Jackson and Kathryn Wilson.

Florida

During this time of a critical election year,Deputy Supervisor of Elections, Ms. Kherri An-derson, along with the Ft. Pierce Links Chapterregistered voters at their spring fashion showsponsored by the Ft Pierce Chapter.

The Fort Pierce Chapter partnered with local chaptersof the NAACP to combine forces and resources to en-courage voting in our comunities during the recentelection. Both organizations have been involved inregistering people to vote and providing informationabout the voting process. Shown above is ChapterPresident Elizabeth Jackson and President of the St.Lucie County chapter of the NAACP, Eddie Whitfieldsigning the agreement to work together.

Fort (FL) Pierce on the Move

This summer, the Greater Miami Chapter welcomed14 new members into its circle of friendship. Amongthe new members were four daughters of Links (DOL).The new member induction ceremony and luncheonwere held at the Four Seasons Hotel, and was led by9th National President, Link Regina Jolivette Frazier.

The Greater Miami Chapter's newest members are:Marcia Anderson, DOL Tori Anderson, Laila Brock,DOL Jessica McCrary Campbell, Tracey RobertsonCarter, Eunice Davis, Sabrina Thomas Knight, GepsieMetellus, Dr. Rozalyn Paschal, DOL Kamila Pritchett,Tracy Seaton, Monique Spence, DOL Nicole Strange-Martin and Annette Knowles Williams.

In anticipation of their induction, this creative and for-ward-thinking group of women developed the "Pop-Up

Exposure: Links to Leaders in Entrepreneurship" pro-gram, which exposed high school children in theGreater Miami area to the process of product devel-opment, marketing and pitching their project ideas totheir peers, and a panel of business leaders in theareas law, business and finance.

The project culminated with a public unveiling andcompetition which was featured on several newscasts.The winners of the day's product concept competitionreceived an iPad among other prizes.

The Greater Miami Chapter extends open arms tothese talented, diverse and brilliant women, and lookforward to working with them as we continue to imple-ment transformational programming, and expandfriendship's chain.

Greater Miami Welcomes 14 Into Their Sisterhood

Florida

On June 3, 2012, the FortPierce (FL) Chapter inductedthree new members. The chapterwas excited to have the followingnew Links to join us in friendshipand service: Rashondia Gaines,Lauren Gragg and Beverly Hin-ton.

Rashondia Gains and LaurenGragg are the daughters of LinksJovita Williams and LaBarbaraChenault, respectively. We lookforward to their participation in thechapter.

Fort Pierce Expands Sisterhood by Three

Pictured are Link Elizabeth Jackson (Chapter Presi-dent), with newly inducted Links Rashondia Gaines, Bev-erly Hinton and Lauren Gragg.

Florida Links Florida Links Day at the CapitalDay at the CapitalFriday April 5, 2012

Save the

DATE

Florida

Ft. Pierce (FL) Sponsors Donate a Bra Campaign

Hundreds of new and gently used bras were do-nated to be distributed through the Treasure Coastcommunity.

Link LaBarbara Chenault of Palm City, a breastcancer survivor, helped to spearhead this success-ful event.

The Fort Pierce Chapter wanted to demonstratetheir support for mothers, sisters, and daughters,who are breast cancer survivors or may be transi-tioning from a domestic violence situation.

The Fort Pierce (FL) Chapter asked the commu-nity toassist as they recognized October 2012 asBreast Cancer Awareness and Domestic ViolenceAwareness Month. Members, friends and support-ers were asked to donate new or gently used brasto women’s shelters along the Treasure Coast..There are some who may wonder “Who wouldwant a used bra?” Well, as one one brave womanput it, “I got out of violent situation with my life andmy children’s lives and it may sound stupid, but Inever thought to pack a bra.”

Southern Area Chapters...Effecting Change Through the

Power of Friendship and Service

Georgia

by Annie Gavin and Bunnie Jack-son-Ransom

ATLANTA, Ga. - In an effort toraise community awareness aboutthe need for “gifts of life” throughblood, bone marrow, organ and tis-sue donation, the Azalea City (GA)Chapter’s Health and Human Serv-ices Facet recently sponsored anOrgan and Tissue Transplanta-tion/Donation Symposium. Theevent was co-sponsored andhosted by the Cascade UnitedMethodist Church.

Titled “Share Life: Each One,Reach One,” the symposium wasdesigned to increase the number ofAfrican Americans participating indonor programs by presenting in-formation about organ/tissue dona-tion and transplantation, includingbone marrow and blood, in a theo-logically and scientifically soundenvironment. The symposium en-gaged the Cascade community insouthwest Atlanta, and constituentsfrom throughout the metropolitanarea, in a dialogue that raisedawareness of the need for blood,bone marrow, organ, and tissue do-nation in addition to celebratingorgan and tissue donors and recip-ients.

Dr. Marvin Moss, senior pastor atCascade, provided a theologicalperspective about organ donationsand transplantations, while Dr.Roderick Stevenson, a noted sur-geon, provided perspective from asurgeon’s point of view. Otherspeakers included representativesfrom the American Red Cross;LifeLink; and the National BoneMarrow Donor Program. SiblingsMichael and Jerome Russell head-

lined the symposium and sharedtheir personal testimonies as donorand recipient. Dr. Mackie Norris, Di-rector of the Health and WellnessMinistry at Cascade UnitedMethodist Church, and Link AnnieGavin, Chair of the Health andHuman Services Facet, were co-chairs of the symposium. Therewere 88 registrants which included28 Links from Azalea City Chapter.

The HHS facet is supporting theEast Point Police Department alongwith the Drug Enforcement Agency(DEA) in collecting unused or ex-pired medications which will beturned in on Saturday, September29, 2012. All chapter members arestrongly encouraged to bring theirunused and/or expired medicationsto the chapter meeting on Saturday,September 8th. HHS member,Geneva Isom-Gibson, is an ap-proved “collector” and is coordinat-

ing this effort. Also planned is theupcoming 4th Annual HBCU (SickleCell) Blood Drive that is beinghosted this year by Spelman Col-lege on Wednesday, September26th. Activities will include bloodand platelet donations, sickle celltesting, bone marrow screening,and organ donation registration.Brenda Aiken is coordinating thiseffort.

The Azalea City Chapter is led byMichele Scott Gandy, President,who stated, “Our chapter memberssupported this program with enthu-siasm. We selected CascadeChurch because so many of ourmembers are members of this con-gregation and we appreciate thepartnership between this faith-based organization and our chap-ter. This is an appropriate kick-offas we return to our 2012-2013 pro-gram year.”

Azalea City Links Present Organ & TissueTransplantation/Donation Symposium

Link Annie Gavin, Chair of the Azalea City Chapter Health and Human ServicesFacet and Dr. Mackie Norris, Chair of the Cascade United Methodist Church Healthand Wellness Committee.

The Magnolia (GA) Chapter’s candidates for induc-tion, Nicole Evans Jones, Jada Samra Manggrum andTerri Vismale-Morris, orchestrated and implemented anoratorical contest to meet their service project commit-ment for their May 5th induction. In conjunction with theServices to Youth Facet, the candidates selected theMagnolia Stars, 15 tenth grade students from the all-girls Coretta Scott King Young Women’s LeadershipAcademy in Atlanta, Ga., to participate in the competi-tion. The Magnolia Academy was started in the 2009-2010 school year by the chapter and its’ programparticipants are called the Magnolia Stars. In an effortto foster and provide role models for the girls, the chap-ter began hosting activities with the students twicemonthly to provide mentoring, leadership skills, self-re-spect, motivation, etiquette, health and wellness in ad-dition to other skills necessary to become responsibleparticipants in the world.

The oratorical contest was designed to celebrate andembrace the theme of “Young, Black and Confident.”Nine Magnolia Stars participated displaying their writingand oratorical skills. The competition, which was a firstfor many of the participants, helped to instill confidence

and empowerment when speaking in front of an audi-ence.

The Stars were judged on their delivery, content, poiseand effectiveness. Certificates were given to each par-ticipant and prizes were also awarded to the first place,(Jamaya Powell) second place, (Jasmine Woodard) andthird place (Dominique Sabir) winners. The candidatesheld a reception following the contest with parents,judges and chapter members.

As an integrated approach to prepare young womenfor the 21st century, the Magnolia Stars have been ex-posed to various activities and opportunities throughoutthe 2011-12 calendar year geared to promote the na-tional programs of the Services to Youth Facet. Plannedactivities and workshops were centered on collegepreparation (including a college tour and writers’ work-shop), decision-making, accomplishment of desiredgoals, health and wellness, etiquette and communityservice.

The Stars’ culminating activity this year was a high teaheld at the Davidson House, home of the President ofMorehouse College, hosted by Magnolia Link CherylFranklin and the Services to Youth Facet Committee.

Georgia

Magnolia (GA) Inductees Foster Leadership SkillsThe Magnolia Stars are shown at The Davidson House,

home of the President of Morehouse College.

Front row (Magnolia Stars Oratorical Contest winners) L toR: 1st place Jamaya Powell; 2nd place Jasmine Woodard;3rd place Dominique Sabir. Back row: Contest judge – Kim-berly Hayes; Magnolia Chapter President Samra Coote; Con-test judges – Link Vicki Lynn Crawford, Andra Hall; LinksCandidates – Jada Samra Manggrum, Terri Vismale-Morrisand Nicole Evans Jones.

Georgia

The LaGrange (GA) Chapter recently celebrated the annual Walk-A-Thon with two simultaneous groupswalking in separate parks on Saturday, September 15, 2012. The result of two seperate locations allowed thechapter to make more individuals aware of the organization and the work the LaGrange chapter is doing in thecommunity. The chapter also brings their commitment to healthy living to their Link Sisters. Throughout theircalendar year, members encourage each other to be mindful of the importance of regular exercise and nutritiousdiets so they can continue to be a benefit to their families, chapter, community and themselves through theirservice in The Links Incorporated.

LaGrange (GA) Incorporates SimultaneousWalks to Expand Walk-A-Thon Message

LaGrange (GA) Walk-A-Thon participanting Links (L-R) Ruby Thomas, President Eula Carroll, Mary Anderso, Beverly Hill-

Jackson, Cecelia Dean, Alisha Marie Scott, O’Livia Meeks, and Vice-President Bessie Jackson.

Georgia

Jennifer Jones, Lourie Pelham. Pam Elliott, Joyce Murray and Chapter President Deborah Lott

Camellia Rose (GA) Hosts Back to School Dental ScreeningsThe Camellia Rose (GA) Chapter conducted back-to-school dental screenings on September 5, 2012 at the

Walter Young YMCA. Dr. Marla Coleman and Dr. Glenda Hall screened 162 pre-school students with the as-sistance of other Link Sisters who filled out assessment forms/report cards, stuffed gift bags for the children,assisted students to and from the Dental Van and kept the children engaged watching cartoon video’s on oralhygiene.

The Camellia Rose (GA) Chapterconducted the kickoff for their YouthEmpowerment Program Septem-ber 13th at Jean Childs Youth Mid-dle School. After a brief program,Link sisters met students through afun filled bonding activity. Studentsintroduced each other and a Linksister to the group. The kickoff cul-minated with refreshments andtime for students to talk to eachother as well as to Link sisters.

The chapter developed this Um-brella program to help students ac-quire and broaden their knowledgein the areas of financial responsibil-ity, health issues, interpersonal re-

lationships, and self-esteem. Thegoal of the program is to help par-ticipating students increase theirself-confidence and assist them indeveloping a skill set that will en-able them to reach their full poten-tial in school and their community.

Twenty-two sixth grade studentsat Jean Childs Young MiddleSchool have been selected byschool staff to participate in the pro-gram. The students will learn aboutfinancial responsibility using TheOperation Hope program. They willbe ambassadors for The No Placefor Hate Program, which the chap-ter will implement school-wide.

Students will learn to make healthyfood choices as well as receive in-formation on other health and well-ness issues. Six character traits:trustworthiness, respect, responsi-bility, fairness, caring, and citizen-ship will also be addressed.

Chapter members will meet withstudents weekly from Septemberthrough March. The culmination ofthe school-wide “No Place for HateProgram” will be held in May. Staff,parents, and students will thenhave an opportunity to evaluate theprogram and provide feed-back onits effectiveness.

Chapter Kicks Off Youth Empowerment Program

Camellia Rose (GA) Rocks!

Georgia

The Brunswick Chapter (GA)hosted a” Pink Out Day” for BreastCancer Awareness on October 4,2012, at the Glynn Place Mall. Thefour-hour event consisted of educa-tional materials, mammogramscreenings done by SoutheastGeorgia Health Systems MobileUnit, and pink treats.

Seven vendors set up display ta-bles with giveaways and educa-tional materials. Eighty-sevenpeople signed the guest registryand participated in an educational

dialoguew i t ht h even-

dors. The vendors included theAmerican Cancer Society, Vet-eran’s Administration, Bells for Re-membrance, Grandparents RaisingGrandchildren, Area Agency onAging, MOM’s Meals, Aging Dis-ability Resource Connection, Com-munity Care Services Program andKatharina’s Medical Therapy. All ta-bles were beautifully decorated forthe occasion. One gentleman worea pink blazer and stated that hepurchased it just for the BreastCancer Awareness Day and en-joyed every compliment he re-

ceived.

This community activity has be-come an annual outreach for thechapter and there are plans to con-tinue to improve the event. Someof those in attendance are makingplans to attend next year’s BreastCancer Awareness “Pink Out” Day.Attendees were able to presenttheir physician’s orders to the mo-bile unit and have mammogramscreenings conducted on-site. Inthe future, more effort will be placedon encouraging women to obtainorders from their physician in ad-vance of the event, as well as di-recting them to resources and

waiver programs forbreast cancers c r e e n i n gservices.

This programyear, the Healthand HumanServices FacetCommittee istargeting onedisease eachmonth to conductoutreach and ed-ucation. The op-portunity to raiseawareness in theAfrican Americancommunities andeducate othersabout diseases isone way to helperadicate these dis-eases.

Brunswick (GA) ChapterPresents “Pink Out Day”

Louisiana

by Jinx BroussardProject LIFE, the Pontchartrain

(LA) Chapter’s umbrella program,received Best Practices accoladesduring the National Convention thissummer for the positive differenceit is making in the New Orleansmetropolitan area and in Haiti.

Two years ago, the PontchartrainChapter adopted the Just the RightAttitude (JTRA) food bank, a taxexempt, non-profit organization, inNew Orleans as the primary vehiclethrough which the members wouldimpact hunger and poverty in theNew Orleans metropolitan area.JTRA provides daily hot meals,weekly boxes of groceries andother services to individuals, fami-lies and residents of three seniorcitizen complexes free of charge.Annually, the JTRA food bankserves meals to thousands of indi-viduals with more than 42,000meals served in 2010 alone.

Since September 2010, the

Pontchartrain Chapter has pro-vided at least 3,000 pounds of fooditems directly from members. Thechapter has also recruited 15 part-ner organizations to hold fooddrives for JTRA, further increasingthe food that JTRA is able to pro-vide to those in need in the NewOrleans metropolitan area by 2,000pounds. These partners constitutea diverse group of entities, includ-ing universities, governmentalagencies, medical offices, busi-nesses, and civic, service, and so-cial organizations. The 5,000pounds of food that the chapter andits partners have contributed al-lowed JTRA to provide more than8,000 additional meals to those inneed in the New Orleans metropol-itan area.

The international component ofProject LIFE impacts hunger andpoverty in Haiti. The PontchartrainChapter adopted the Hope for Hait-ian Children Foundation, a non-

profit organization that operates theFoyer Espoir Pour Les Enfants Or-phanage and a day school for com-munity children in Delmas, Haiti.The orphanage has 39 children; theschool provides food and otherservices for an additional 76 chil-dren, for a total of 116 children. TheChapter has shipped shoes, cloth-ing, backpacks, toiletries, vitamins,books, toys, and other necessitiesto children in the orphanage. To im-pact hunger, the Chapter also pro-vided $1,000 to the Foundation forbulk food purchases.

Project LIFE enjoys 100% partic-ipation by Pontchartrain Chaptermembers and intends to continueuntil the need no longer exists.Through Project LIFE, thePontchartrain Chapter is combat-ting hunger and poverty and trans-forming lives by providingnourishing food to men, women,children and the elderly.

Partnerships and 100% Chapter Suppport Earn Ponchartrain(LA) Chapter National Honors for Programming Best Practices

Sam Wing Cleaners in New Orleans has partnered with thePontchartrain Chapter to host a food drive in support of Justthe Right Attitude Food Bank.

Link Cathy Boveland (right) delivers food to Just the RightAttitude Food Bank in New Orleans.

Louisiana

La Capitale (LA) Presents Wigs,

Martinis & BowtiesThe La Capitale (LA) Chapter presented their second

annual Wigs, Martinis, and Bow Ties Gala, a benefit forCancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge. The eventwas held at The Hartley/Vey Theatres, Shaw Center forthe Arts on Friday, October 5. This year's event paid trib-ute to the late Connecting Link Judge Ralph Tyson, whosuccumbed to cancer in July 2011.

The idea of an event to benefit individuals in cancertreatment was initiated and chaired by the late Link LynnDickerson, who succumbed to cancer before the 2011Gala, which was dedicated to her memory.

Wig stands representing the Gala's theme were deco-rated and arranged by eighth and ninth grade girls in theMentorship Academy. Wigs contributed by members andguests will be donated to Cancer Services for womenundergoing cancer treatment. John Boudreaux repre-sented Cancer Services at the event, which was chairedby Paula Clayton along with committee membersArminta Bolden, Joyce Metevia, Lois Holden, SoundraTemple-Johnson, Belinda Barron, Ashley Shelton, LenellYoung, and Patricia Tyson. The Silent Auction Commit-tee included Arminta Bolden, Rebecca Cureau, ErmaHines, and Doris Dawson, chair. Jacqui Vines serves aspresident of La Capitale Chapter.

Tyson Family with portrait of Judge Ralph E. Tyson: (L-R) Todd Tyson, Kyra Tyson, Gia Landry Tyson, Chris Tyson, LinkPatricia Tyson Eric Tyson, Link Jacqui Vines (President-La Capitale), Link Paula Clayton (Gala Chair and Vice President-LaCapitale), and John Boudreau (Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge).

Gala Committee: (L-R) Doris Dawson, Paula Clayton,Erma Hines. Back Row: Joyce Metevia, Arminta Bolden,Lois Holden, Lenell Young, Rebecca Cureau, Soundra Tem-

Silent Auction Committee (L-R) Doris Dawson, PaulaClayton, Erma Hines. Standing: Arminta Bolden and Re-becca Cureau.

The Crescent City (LA) Chapterhas been selected to receive agrant in support of STEM educa-tion to help eliminate the STEMacademic achievement gap forstudents of color. The grant ismade possible by the $250,000grant award that The Links Foun-dation, Incorporated received fromChevron.

The grant provides vital fundingto enhance one of the key pro-grams of The Links, Incorporated,"STEM - ULATING Left Brain andRight Brain." With a focus on stu-

dents from 6th to 12th grades, theprogram aims to enhance the cur-rent curriculum, emphasizingSTEM disciplines, engineeringand energy industry career readi-ness. The Links, Incorporated ex-pects to reach approximately1,200 students across the countrywith this academic enrichment.

A key enhancement of the pro-gram is the incorporation of theNASA STEM Application Content.The content includes educationaland professional development, aswell as teacher training tools.

"The number for students of colorin STEM related careers is signif-icantly low due to a lack of accessto sufficient STEM education,"said Eddie Bernice Johnson, chairof the National STEM CareerReadiness Initiative for The LinksIncorporated. "Our STEM - ULAT-ING Left Brain and Right Brainprogram helps to fill that void byproviding students with opportuni-ties to be exposed to and readiedfor STEM - related careers."

Louisiana

Shown L-R: (Seated) Irene Mumford Tucker, Dianne Neal Brandon, President Brenda Birkett and Evelyn Robinson Tellis(Standing) Natalie Tellis Robertson, Billie Delpit Cunningham, Judy Johnson-White, Mauretta Elbert, Carolyn Carter Collins,Katrice Albert, Patricia Turner Robinson and Vivian L. Kerr.

Baton Rouge (LA) Contributes to Dress for SuccessAs a part of the national strategic focus of The Links, Incorporated on Women’s Issues and Economic Em-

powerment, the Baton Rouge Chapter, through the National Trends and Services facet, collected donationsfrom members of dresses and business suits appropriate for interviews. The clothing was donated to the localbranch of “Dress for Success,” a national organization that helps low income women find jobs. This projectwas coordinated by National Trends Chair, Carolyn Carter Collins and liaison Natalie Tellis Robertson. Featuredin the photo are Links with part of the wardrobe collected at the September chapter meeting.

Crescent City Receives $20K to Advance STEM

Louisiana

(L-R) Project Chair Pat Turner Robinson, and Lisa-Woodruff White, Cheryl Hall DeRouen, Irene Mum-ford Tucker, Geraldine Locks Roberts, Helen Hedgemon, President Brenda Birkett, Diane Neal Brandon,Charlotte Marcos Henderson, Mauretta Wailes Albert, National Trends Chair Carolyn Carter Collins,Katrice Albert, and Helena Cunningham. Ernise Singleton photo

On October 20, the members of the Baton Rouge Chapter of The Links, Incorporated donated bras to Jess’Bra Closet, a nonprofit organization that assists females in the Greater Baton Rouge area by providing free,quality undergarments through community support and outreach. This project was coordinated by NationalTrends Chair, Carolyn Carter Collins and liaison Pat Turner Robinson.

Baton Rouge Chapter (LA) Contributes to Jess’ Bra Closet

The Baton Rouge (LA) Chap-ter recently sponsored a tableat the September 28thWomen’s Week Kick-OffLuncheon. A highlight of theluncheon was the unveiling ofthe exhibit, Louisiana Women:The Story in Dress, which fea-tured items donated by chaptermember Irene Mumford Tuckerfrom her late mother’swardrobe .

“When the time came tomake decisions about her per-sonal possessions, I cameacross several lovely designer

dresses packed away in layersof tissue paper. I could notbring myself to place them onthe “Goodwill” pile. I remem-bered reading an article aboutthe LSU Costume & TextileMuseum accepting certainitems that might be of historicalvalue. I gathered the piecesup, took them to the museumand was so pleased that theyhad found a permanent home,”commented Link Irene.

The donation led to AfricanAmericans being included inthe history of Louisiana Dress.

Sister Love:Baton Rouge (LA) Tributes a Legacy

Pam Divinci, Curator of the LSU Textile & Cos-tume Museum and Link Irene Mumford-Tuckerwith her mother’s semi-formal black dress and furbetween them.

More than a dozen members of the Crescent City(LA) Chapter participated in the Susan G. KomenRace for the Cure, Saturday October 20, at City Parkon the Roosevelt Mall in New Orleans. The chapterwalked and ran as a chapter in honor of Sister Links

Beverly Wright and Petrice Sams-Abiodun who weresuccessfully treated for breast cancer earlier this year.

Members were full of energy for the 3-mile racemeeting bright and early at the survivors’ tent to com-plete the "Walking in Honor" signs. They also woregreen bandanas and sun visors to complete their “Linklook” Crescent City member Camille Whitworth em-ceed the race that had more than 10 thousand partic-ipants in all.

The event was coordinated by Link Dottie Reese,past Komen Race Chair and now honorary boardmember, and Madlyn Bagneris. Under the auspicesof the Health and Human Services Facet, the chapterhas vowed to honor women who are stricken with can-cer, those who fight it, and those who lost their lives.Their commitment includes standing participation inthe race for many years to come.

The Susan G. Komen Race For a Cure strives tosave lives and end breast cancer forever by empow-ering people, ensuring quality of care for all and ener-gizing science to find the cures. The overall vision isto have a world without breast cancer.

Louisiana

The Crescent City (LA) Chapterreceived a big award in recognitionof its dedication and deep involve-ment in the educational future ofchildren. The Children's DefenseFund honored the Crescent CityChapter as a 2012 Beat the OddsChampion for Children at anawards ceremony at Xavier Univer-

sity in New Orleans, La.The program recognized the

chapter for its success in helping toguide, advise and mentor youngpeople who are overcomingtremendous obstacles in their lives.These young people go on todemonstrate personal and aca-demic excellence and give back to

their communities.The Children's Defense Fund rec-

ognized the organization for manyof its programs including the AMAPProgram, International StudentDay, efforts with combating child-hood obesity, and educating youngchildren of the risks and dangers ofAIDS/HIV.

Children’s Defense Fund Honors Crescent City (LA)

Crescent City (LA) Participates in Race for the Cure

Crescent City (LA) Chapter

Mississippi

(L-R) Gailya Porter, Janice Mitchell, Frances Ashley, Gwen Taylor, Dorothy Thompson, Laquita Brown, Mavis

James, Dorothy Stokes, Geraldine Chaney-Buie, Evelyn Johnson, Betty Mallett, and Theresa Green.

Jackson, Mississippi Links Walk for Sickle CellLinks chapters in the Jackson, Mississippi tri-county area joined together for a walk for the Sickle

Cell Foundation. The Jackson (MS) and LeFleurs Bluff (MS) Chapters walked to raise awareness andpresented a gift of close to $500 to assist the Sickle Cell Foundation in Jackson. Together, twenty-fourLinks walked more than 50 miles collectively for this worthy cause.

41st Southern Area ConferenceMay 8-11, 2012

Hyatt Regency

Miami, Florida

SAVE THE DATE

Mississippi

The Jackson (MS) Chapter helda successful Health Fair in Octoberat Isable Elementary School in col-laboration with the Jackson-HindsComprehensive Health Center. Ap-proximately ninety-one (91) partici-pants received health screenings.Two participants were encouragedto visit their primary physicians be-cause their health measures werefound to be at very critical levels.Each participant received the fol-lowing screenings: glucose, bloodpressure, BMI, stress level, choles-terol, and vision. Women partici-pants were instructed on the propertechniques to use during self-breast exams. Each participant re-

ceived gifts of tooth brushes, floss,other items and many helpful pam-phlets on how to improve one'shealth. The Jackson Chaptermatched Jackson-Hinds Compre-hensive Health Clinic's donation ofa $50 gift card to Wal-Mart.

Eighteen Link chapter membersparticipated and contributed to thetremendous success of the HealthFair. They include Links Ann Cal-houn, Carolyn Hackett, JuanitaSims Doty, Irene Jones, TerryceWalker, Mary Cox, Janice Mitchell,Pam Banks, Letitia Johnson, AlisaMosley, Evelyn Walker, DeniseOwens, Geraldine Chaney Buie,Jasmine Chapman, Limmie Flow-

ers, Laquita Brown and Natille Dun-can. The Jackson Chapter ProgramCoordinator is Limmie Flowers,Health and Human Services FacetChair and Co-Chair, GeraldineChaney Buie and Jasmine ReneeChapman. Dr. Jasmine Chapmanis the Executive Director of theJackson-Hinds ComprehensiveHealth Center and Dr. GeraldineChaney Buie counseled eachhealth care participant to give themrecommendations regarding the re-sults of their screenings. Dr. JosieBlake is the Principal of Isable Ele-mentary, the school adopted by theJackson, MS Chapter.

Jackson (MS) Hosts Health Fair

L to R – Jackson-Hinds Comprehensive Clinic Staff pose with Links Geraldine Chaney-Buie, Mary Cox,Laquita Brown, and Mavis James.

Jackson, Miss - The Jackson(MS) Chapter got off to a greatstart for the 2012-2013 year as theyheld its “kick-off” retreat on Satur-day, August 18th.

Patricia Larkins-Hicks, NationalCo-Director of Organizational Ef-fectiveness, for The Links, Incorpo-rated, facilitated the day-longretreat. Mavis James, chapterpresident, provided motivationaland inspirational opening remarksand gave the charge to the leader-ship and the membership. DeloresBolden Stamps, National Co-Direc-tor of Programs, introduced LinkHicks who is from Columbus, Ohio,

and is the author of the leadershipdevelopment book, Be YourB.E.S.T.

The Chapter’s Executive Boardparticipated in a Leadership retreatas they were involved in activitiescentered around the theme, “Howdoes B.E.S.T. increase leadershipeffectiveness”. Additionally, theyestablished preferred practices inMember Engagement, MeetingManagement and BalancingFriendship and Service. The chap-ter’s special guest for lunch wasDr. Josie Blake, Principal at IsableElementary and Mrs. DeborahSmith, Isable Liaison to the Links

Chapter. Isable is the JacksonChapter’s adopt-a-school andmany of the service projects are im-plemented at the school with thechildren, teachers, parents and thesurrounding community.

Chapter members left the retreatrejuvenated, with a set of expectedoutcomes that will help to trans-form their chapter and their com-munity. With the planning duringthe retreat, the Jackson (MS)Chapter will be able to have agreater community impact at Isableand in the City of Jackson.

(L-R) Patricia Larkins-Hicks, Retreat Facilitator; Deborah Smith, Isable Liaison to Links, Dr. JosieBlake, Principal of Isable; Mavis James, Jackson Chapter President; Dr. Delores Bolden-Stamps, Co-Director National Programs and Ivye Allen, Vice-President of Jackson Chapter.

Jackson (MS) Receives National Guidance on Organizational Effectiveness at Annual Retreat

Mississippi

Members of the newly chartered Mis-sissippi Delta (MS) Chapter recentlyheld orientation for the Young LITES(Ladies In Training for Excellence andServices) . As part of the new year’slaunch, the girls were given backpacksand crocks. This session was held fol-lowing the signing of the 2012-13Memorandum of Understanding withPrincipal Edwin Robinson, formalizedW. A. Higgins’ partnership with the Mis-sissippi Delta (MS) Chapter of TheLinks, Incorporated.

As an interest group known as theNorth Delta Connection, the chapterdesigned Young LITES, a comprehen-sive mentoring program to serve mid-dle school girls, as their signatureumbrella service program. Their serv-ice area includes several counties inthe Northwest region of Mississippi re-ferred to as the “Mississippi Delta”.

However, due to local dynamics andidentified needs, a decision was madeto launch the program in Clarksdale,Mississippi, which is in CoahomaCounty. W. A. Higgins Middle Schoolwith an enrollment of 100% Black stu-dents and a high poverty level was se-lected as the partnering school.Twenty-five 6th grade girls participatedin program activities throughout thelast school term.

With the Services to Youth Facetserving as the lead facet, an umbrellaapproach was used to craft transfor-mational programming pursuant to rel-evant data driven issues. Workingcollaboratively with the other fourfacets, the following goals were estab-lished to ensure the effectiveness ofthe Young LITES program:

• Improve participants’academic per-formance.

• Increase participants’ understand-ing and knowledge of local and globalenvironment issues that affect theirhealth and safety.

• Improve participants’ understandingand practices of appropriate schoolbehavior, healthy life choices’ financialliteracy, and social/emotional interac-tions.

• Improve participants’ knowledgeand understanding of civic and culturalawareness.

Following their induction as theSouthern Area’s 78th chapter, themembership of the Mississippi Delta(MS) Chapter will continue to work incollaboration with community partnersto engage the Young LITES in mean-ingful activities throughout the upcom-ing school year.

Mississippi Delta (MS) Young LITES Program for Young Women Kicks Off New Year

Mississippi

North Carolina

On Saturday, November 10, 2012, the TrianglePark (NC) Chapter hosted the Eighth AnnualFriendship Luncheon at the Embassy SuitesHotel in Cary, NC. In keeping with the Nationaldesignation of November as Friendship Month,the Friendship Luncheon is an event that isshared among three area Links Chapters:Durham (NC), Raleigh (NC) and Triangle ParkThe three chapters alternate hosting the Friend-ship Luncheon. This year the Triangle ParkChapter served as hostesses.

Triangle Park President Marguerite Peebles,emceed the event. Greetings were provided byShirley Wilkins-Nimmons, President of theRaleigh Chapter, and Desiree Palmer, Vice Pres-ident of the Durham Chapter as designee forPresident Faye Tate-Williams. The Link sistersenjoyed each other’s company as they partookof icebreakers, games, prizes, and a scrump-tious meal. In addition, a highlight of the after-noon was the Links Friendship Ceremony whichwas facilitated by Marcia Hobgood. The Friend-ship Luncheon was chaired by Stellyne Curtisand Norma Petway of the Triangle Park Chapter.

Triangle Park (NC)

Durham (NC)

Raleigh Park (NC)

Friendship LuncheonUnites Three Chapters for Friendship Month

South Carolina

The Orangeburg (SC) Sponsors “Links to a Healthy Lifestyle: Stimulating the Whole Child: Mind, Body, and Soul”

Believing that that the health ofAfrican-American youth is central toimproving the well-being of familiesand thriving communities, the Or-angeburg (SC) Chapter along withits partners – Orangeburg SchoolDistrict V, the Council on ChildhoodObesity Prevention, Claflin Univer-sity, South Carolina State Univer-sity, Clemson Extension Service,Project Life Positeen, the RegionalMedical Center, the Department ofHealth and Environmental Control,the Orangeburg Branch of theNAACP, personal trainers, and the-Orangeburg Area DevelopmentCenter, the site of the program-- re-cently sponsored thirty-one boysand girls in grades 3-5 in a fiveweek program with the goal of in-creasing education about the im-portance of eating a healthy dietand regular exercise.

Partial funding for the operation ofthe program came from a minigrant from The University of SouthCarolina, Institute for Partnershipsto Eliminate Health Disparities. In-kind and other funding were pro-vided by the Community Action

Board, the James Broadus Jamer-son VFW Post 8166, medical per-sonnel, politicians, and the chapter.

The participants were identifiedand recruited through collaborationwith Orangeburg School District Vand the Orangeburg Area Develop-ment Center.

According to Mrs. Carolyn Louis,Activity Director, “Links to a HealthyLifestyle: Stimulating the WholeChild: Mind, Body, and Soul” is de-signed as a long-range programwith implementation through 2014.The summer program served as apilot for assessment purposes withfull implementation in the fall 2012.Mrs. Brenda Jamerson, ChapterProgram Coordinator, said that theprogram utilized recognized andpublished workshop materials onObesity Prevention, and the pre-senters were experts in their re-spective fields. The activitiesincluded “Step into STEM,” whichfocused on Science, Technology,Engineering, and Mathematics ac-tivities designed to prepare youth tosucceed in the 21st Century workforce, promote early literacy, and

close the economic gap. Art activi-ties were included to provide a bet-ter understanding of the foodpyramid or plate; activities to in-crease awareness of civil behaviorand age appropriate conflict reso-lution in an effort to reduce inci-dents of peer-to-peer bullying andharassment. There was alsp dailyphysical activities including aero-bics, walking, running, Zumba, andvarious games that allow for physi-cal exertion.

Dr. Gloria McCutcheon, ChapterPresident, stated that according toDHEC statistics, 67% of adults inour state are either overweight orobese, and 57% of high school and48% of middle school students arenot active for at least 60 minutes aday. Statistics for OrangeburgCounty are even more disturbingwith 73% of adults overweight orobese. These statistics and thefocus on eliminating childhood obe-sity by the national Links organiza-tion and Mrs. Obama’s “Let’s Move”Campaign were the catalysts forimplementing this program for Or-angeburg’s young people.

The Columbia (SC) Chapterrecently awarded its annual$1,000 Mini-Grant Awards forEducators. Teachers, principalsand paraprofessionals in Rich-land County School DistrictsOne and Two.were eligible forthe award. The theme for 2012-2013 is “HEALTHYLIFESTYLES.” All grant propos-als from the awardees focusedon increasing skills needed topromote healthy eating andlifestyle choices for students.The program is designed tofund field trips, special projects,and resource materials/suppliesfor teachers of students. Thefunds may also be used to pur-chase fruits, vegetables andgarden supplies...

This year’s awardees areEmma Ball, Columbia HighSchool; Freddie Harrell, JohnP. Thomas ElementarySchool: and Adrian D. Samp-son, Caughman Road Ele-mentary School; and CharniceStarks Ray, WJ Keenan HighSchool

According to the chapterpresident, Mary Miller McClel-lan, “the Columbia (SC) Chap-ter is proud of its role inchildhood obesity prevention.Education and early interven-tion are essential to helpingfamilies combat potential obe-sity problems.” Founded in1952, the chapter is celebrat-ing its 60th anniversary.

For additional information,please visit the chapter’s web-site: www.columbiasclinks.org

South Carolina

SEATED L-R: Emma Ball, Teacher, Adrian D. Sampson, School Counselor, Selina La-timore, Principal of John P. Thomas Elementary School and Charnice Starks Ray,Teacher.; STANDING: Meghan Walker, Esq., Doris Leevy Johnson, Dr. Janet Mason,Mary Miller McClellan, Chapter President and Sylvia Jackson, Committee Chairper-son.

Columbia (SC) Awards Thousandsin Mini Grants to Educators

Charleston (SC) Recognized on Facebook

South Carolina

Charleston (SC) Chapter

Adds Three New Members

Three new members were in-ducted into the Charleston (SC)Chapter of The Links, Incorporated.Dr. Erika T. Brown, Director of theDivision of Institutional Informaticsin the Office of the Vice-Presidentfor Academic Affairs & Provost atMUSC; Dr. Cheri L. Franklin, inter-nal medicine physician,Charlestowne Internal Medicine,Roper St. Francis Healthcare andCicely McCray, school liaison offi-cer, US Air Force, Department ofDefense, Joint Base Charlestonjoined the thirty-nine member chap-ter.

Link Erika, a native of Atlanta,GA, has been a member of the fac-

ulty at MUSC since 2004. In addi-tion to her position as Director ofthe Division of Institutional Infor-matics, Dr. Brown also serves asan assistant professor in the De-partment of Pathology and Labora-tory Medicine where shespecializes in breast cancer re-search.

Link Cheri is a native of George-town, SC,who has been employedby Roper St. Francis Healthcaresince 2010 and also serves as aconsultant/attending physician forCare Improvement Plus/XL Home;consultant to Ahava Hospice andassociate medical director withCarePro Hospice.

Link Cicely, a native of Dayton(OH), has been employed as theschool liaison officer for the US AirForce, Department of Defense,Joint Base Charleston for threeyears. Joint Base Charleston,comprised of the Charleston AirForce Base and the NavalWeapons Station, merged on Octo-ber 1, 2010. She is currently work-ing on writing/publishing her firstbook which is a collection of origi-nal prose, poetry, tributes and orig-inal stories.

The chapter is proud to welcomethe new sisters into their friend-ship circle.

Charelston (SC) Chapter

South Carolina

The Columbia (SC) Chapter recently awarded its2012 Links Scholarship recipients. The students se-lected to receive their scholarship are among Amer-

ica’s best and brightest and have all demonstratedexceptional achievement and academic excellence.

Chapter members met and honored the scholarshiprecipients at an elegant celebration luncheon at theCapital City Club in Columbia. The 2012 ColumbiaLinks Scholar recipient’s are: Nathanial Abraham III, agraduate of W.J. Keenan High School, who will attend

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in the fall; NiyaAnderson, a graduate of Lower Richland High Schoolwill enroll in the Honors College at Claflin University in

August 2012; Franshawn Mack, a gradu-ate of Lower Richland High School willenroll in South Carolina State Universityand Aleya Faulks, a graduate of DreherHigh School will matriculate at the Univer-sity of South Carolina/Columbia. Certifi-

cates of congratulations were presented to all of therecipients.

The Links Scholarship Committee was chaired byLorin Palmer and co-chaired by Jill Davis.

To learn more about the programs and activities ofthe Columbia Chapter, please visit its website atwww.columbiasclinks.org.

Shown above is Chapter President Mary Miller McClellan flanked by scholarship recipients and the chapter’s scholarship comittee.

Columbia (SC) Awards Scholarships to Area Youth

The Columbia Chapter was founded in 1952 and is celebratingits 60th anniversary this year.

JuneOur Link sister Louise G. Hart,

Asheville (NC) Chapter passedJune 1, 2012. Link Louise was acharter member of the Asheville(NC) Chapter in 1988. She will bemissed, but her contributions arelasting memories.

Link Vivian Giles Chambers ofthe Charlotte (NC) Chapter transi-tioned June 2012. May Link Cham-bers rest in peace.

Charter member Link TheresaPrince Williams of the Vicksburg(MS) passed June 29, 2012. LinkWilliams had been a member for27 dedicated years.

JulyLink Hallie Perry of the Colum-

bus (SC) Chapter passed in July2012. She will greatly be missedand may we keep her and her fam-ily in our prayers.

Links Karen Moore of the Dog-woodCity (GA) Chapter and RobinAlston of the Metro-Manhattan(NY) Chapter mourn the loss oftheir mother, Link Barbara Moore.Link Barbara Moore of the Durham(NC) Chapter and our 12th South-ern Area Director served uncondi-tionally on various committeesthroughout Linkdom. Her spirit,service, and friendship will bemissed.

The Natchez (MS) Chapter

mourns the loss of Ruby MasonGaylor as she passed on July 2,2012.

The Jacksonville (FL) Chapter issaddened by the loss of BettyAsque Davis. Link Davis vibrantspirit touched many and will begreatly missed.

The Charleston (SC) Chapter issaddened by the loss of MaeDeEsperanza Myers Brown. LinkBrown passed on July 8, 2012.

Baton Rouge (LA) Chaptermourns the loss of Barbara Clan-ton as she transitioned on July 17,2012.

The Montgomery (AL) Chapterchain has been broken with theloss of Thelma McWilliams Glassas she transitioned on July 24,2012. Link Glass’s will and spiritwill be forever cherished.

Words of condolences to theBirmingham (AL) Chapter for theloss of platinum member DixieGardner Harris; mother of alumnamember Tamara Harris Johnson.Link Harris passed July 31, 2012.

Clemmie Webber of the Or-angeburg (SC) Chapter passedJuly 25, 2012. She will be missedand may she rest in peace.

October Cozetta Buckley of the Jackson

(MS) Chapter transitioned on Oc-tober 27, 2012. Link Buckley will bemissed and may she rest in peace.

The West Palm Beach (FL)Chapter is saddened by the pass-ing of Elizabeth A. Taylor. LinkElizabeth passed on October 9,2012.

Alumna member of the BatonRouge (LA) Chapter Link BarbaraWells transitioned on October 28,2012. May she rest in peace.

Our Link sister Joy San WalkerBrown, Atlanta (GA) Chapter hastransitioned and October 25, 2012.She will be missed, but her contri-butions will be remembered.

November Link Rubye Bull, inducted in the

Spartanburg (SC) Chapter andAlumna member of the St. Peters-burg (FL) Chapter transitioned No-vember 11, 2012. May Link Bullrest in peace.

Link Thelma Angelthy of theNatchez (MS) Chapter was laid torest and will be missed. She was apast president and was loved andrespected by her chapter.

The Tallahassee Chapter (FL)Chapter morns the loss of FrancisR. Thomas. Link Thomas passedthis month at the beautiful age of91. May she rest in peace.

In Memoriam

OOuurr MMiissss ii nngg RRoosseess

Vice DirectorTamara Y. Lee

Tuskegee (AL) Chapter

vicedirector@salinksinc.org

SecretaryAnne T. Herriott

Miami (FL) Chapter

secretary@salinksinc.org

TreasurerJanice R. Nelson

Bold City (FL) Chapter

treasurer@salinksinc.org

ParliamentarianRosalind Fuse- Hall

Tallahassee (FL) Chapter

parliamentarian@salinksinc.org

Chair, Nominating

CommitteeOphelia Nicholson

Shreveport (LA) Chapter

nominatingchair@salinksinc.org

Southern Area Rep.

The Links Foundation, Inc.

Bessie Isom

Greater Mobile (AL) Chapter

linksfoundationrep@salinksinc.org

Financial SecretaryCharlotte Henderson

Baton Rouge (LA) Chapter

financialsec@salinksinc.org

Chair, ProgramsDaisy R. Walker

Charlotte (NC) Chapter

programschair@salinksinc.org

Assistant Chair, ProgramsMignon Breaux Early

Greenville (SC) Chapter

asstprogramschair@salinksinc.org

Chair, National Trends

& ServicesDenise M. Cooper

Savannah (GA) Chapter

nationaltrendschair@salinksinc.org

Chair, Legislative Issues,

Public Affairs and Disas-

ter ReliefMarguerite Archie- Hudson

Charleston (SC) Chapter

publicaffairschair@salinksinc.org

Chair, Services to YouthBrenda T. Jamerson

Orangeburg (SC) Chapter

youthchair@salinksinc.org

Education LinkageLucinda R. Sullivan

Augusta (GA) Chapter

educationchair@salinksinc.org

Chair, International

Trends & ServicesSharlyn Wilson Smith

Nassau (Bahamas) Chapter

internationaltrends@salinksinc.org

Chair, The ArtsKaryn M. Combs

Pensacola (FL) Chapter

artschair@salinksinc.org

Chair, Health

& Human ServicesCori M. Brock

Pontchartrain (LA) Chapter

healthchair@salinksinc.org

Chair, Ethics and

StandardsSelma Robinson-Ayers

St. Petersburg (FL) Chapter

ethicschair@salinksinc.org

Chair, Organizational

EffectivenessFaye Hargrove

Augusta (GA) Chapter

effectivenesschair@salinksinc.org

Chair, ArchivesKimberly Sweet

LeFleur’s Bluff (MS) Chapter

archiveschair@salinksinc.org

Chair, Awards and

RecognitionMaxine Smith

Charleston (SC) Chapter

awardschair@salinksinc.org

Chair, CommunicationsSylvia Perry

Bold City (FL) Chapter

communicationschair@salinksinc.org

Chair, Conference

& Event PlanningRuth H. Terrell

Fayetteville (NC) Chapter

conferencechair@salinksinc.org

Chair, ProtocolJune W. Michaux

Durham (NC) Chapter

protocolchair@salinksinc.org

Chair, RitualsJuanda F. Maxwell

Selma (AL) Chapter

ritualschair@salinksinc.org

Chair, TechnologyMelissa Adams

Bold City (FL) Chapter

techchair@salinksinc.org

Chair, VendorsNatille E. Duncan

Jackson (MS) Chapter

vendorschair@salinksinc.org

As a pledge for my administration, we will have an open door policyfor all Links. The Executive Committee is here to discuss everythingfrom membership issues and facet questions to grant writing and protocol.

If you have a question or concern for any member of the leadershipteam, feel free to contact us. Eneid

Southern Area Exec.Committee Directory

Area Director:Area Director: Eneid A. Francis

Pontchartrain (LA) Chapter

(H) 504.284.3660 (F) 877.284.3660 Southernareadirector@salinksinc.org

Hello my Sisters!I hope you have enjoyed our fall issue of The Advantage. The Southern Area's Communications Team has worked

very hard to provide quality, informative publications for our sisters and we hope it shows. Unfortunately, due to thepreparation required for our Leadership Summit, we were unable to bring you this edition any sooner. In the course ofa year, your team has brought you eight issues of the Advantage, the inaugural edition of the Green Pages and a customSouthern Area Datebook.

For each of us in the world of Links, the legacy of friendship and service can be a labor of love. With successfulcareers, family obligations and other responsibilities, we continue to work within our chapters to contribute to our com-munities. Within this realm, we find our sense of purpose. That same realization is what fuels us year after year, to reded-icate ourselves to Linkdom. Ideally, it's almost like an inner passion shared with others, that you know you made adifference in someone's day or even life. Sooner or later, attending your meetings along with achieving your 48 servicehour requirement, are an integrated part of your life. Most of my dearest friends are my Link sisters, and with muchadmiration I can say together, we make things happen. I look at their talents and contributions and am proud to callthem my sisters. As we embark on a new beginning in 2013, take a moment to reflect on your Links' sense of purpose,exhale and smile. If you don't feel you have a purpose - find one. Like most things in life, the more you put into something,the more you will get back from it. The ride is not always easy, but the journey is a special one you can be proud of.Happy Holidays, Sylvia Perry

ADVANTAGEII nn ss ii dd ee the

Southern Area Communications Team

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONSWe encourage you to submit your in-

formation by the 20th of the month forinclusion in future issues. Informationcan be sent from chapter members aswell as Chapter CommunicationsChairs to their regional chair shownabove. Members of the Area Communi-cations Team are in contact with theirregion’s chapter CommunicationsChairs to ensure a channel of commu-nication is maintained.

Be in the Advantage1. Stories/articles on your various

programs - Please submit QUALITYhigh resolution photographs in .jpeg or.bmp format and details surroundingyour program. If there are less than fivepeople in the picture, please includenames (L-R) for EVERYONE (including

children) on the photo. “Cell phone”quality photos will not be published/ac-cepted.

2. Upcoming dates. Is your chaptercelebrating an anniversary, hosting afundraiser or having a special event?Share the news with your sisters! Younever know just who may come. Pleasebe sure to include a contact number andemail address for more information.

3. Post-event information. After yourspecial events, please feel free to shareyour photos and details.

4. Going Places. Have you recently re-ceived a promotion? Celebrated a sig-nificant milestone? Getting married?Graduating? Expecting? Elected to pub-lic office? Retiring? We want to know!Share with your Area sisters as we joinin celebrating your accomplishment.

EDITOR’S NOTE

REGION 1 REGION 2 REGION 3

KIM LaMOTTELa Capitale (LA)

Louisiana and Georgia LinkKimberly

LaMotte@yahoo.com

JOY WALLACESt. Pete (FL)

Florida, S. Carolinaand the Bahamas

wallacejoy27@yahoo.com

NATILLE DUNCANJackson (MS)

Miss., N. Carolina and Alabama

krossdun@yahoo.com

KENYONN DEMPSJacksonville (FL)Features and

Special Projects

SYLVIA PERRYBold City (FL)

Chair