Talk Timaru - Altrusa International District Fifteen...Jennys Jottings Page 14 – onference 21 Page...

Talk Timaru April May June 2020

Altrusa – United to serve our community with dignity

and aroha

Altrusa International of Timaru Email President: [email protected] Email Editor: [email protected] Postal Address PO Box 4146 Highfield Timaru 7942 Meetings held at Women’s Community Centre Butler Street Timaru 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 5.30pm District Fifteen Website www.altrusa.org.nz International Website www.altrusa.org

Contents

Page 1 – Title Page Page 2 – Donna’s Dialogue Page 3 – Board Members Dates to Diary

Page 4 – Incoming Board Committee Chatter

Page 6 – Club Projects & Fundraisers

Page 8 – Bubble Talk

Page 10 – Accent & Int’l News

Page 11 – District Fifteen

Page 12 – 49 Years Young

Page 13 – Birthday wishes

Page 14 – Secret Buddies Page 16 – Conference ‘21 Jenny’s Jottings Page 14 – Conference ‘21

mailto:[email protected]


http://www.altrusa.org.nz/

http://www.altrusa.org/

Lots of things to learn about ourselves and how we manage things, like how to be at home with either ourselves or

family with no escape plan for a nice lunch or coffee with a friend. That has also been a good thing to strengthen

family bonds, but I acknowledge it isn’t always a bed of roses. Sometimes it’s just plain tough and feels more than a

tad unfair. Just when you need contact the most, we weren’t able to show up.

Maybe you have learnt new skills as well as fine turning some old ones. I learnt how to crochet a child’s cardigan for

Glenda to send to Malawi. Because I’ve been desperate to do something for someone else, I am also making a

blanket for a lady in Christchurch to give to one of her autistic students – that I already knew how to do but it’s a

different pattern to what I’ve used before. Thank you YouTube tutorials!!

Technology awareness has also increased as I had to learn how to be in a Zoom meeting online. It wasn’t as hard as I

thought it would be and I would encourage you to virtually grab a buddy and try this type of communicating as a

committee until we can meet in person. I know it’s not the same, but for those willing and able, let’s have a go!

We could have a Membership Muster this way or have a fun evening catch up. There are a few ways to try it – Zoom

or Messenger come to mind. With a little practice, perhaps we could have a proper business meeting!

Thank you all for keeping in touch with each other as we negotiate these waters.

Moving forward, we really need to think outside the square of how we continue to raise funds for our community

without putting ourselves or anyone else at any undue risk in the immediate future. Right now, what can we do from

home? Discuss ideas and innovations with your committee, even friends and family.

The other day I took Lochey to play the pipes across the road from the hospital, as a lady I went to school with was in

there and I arranged it with her daughter as a surprise. Because of her compromised immunity AND because of

Covid-19 she had no one physically with her to support her at a very vulnerable time.

This act was carried out within the new physical restrictions of distancing on the street but had the ability to spread

love on every note and reached many patients, staff and people passing by. Applause and calls of thanks rang out

after each tune and it made the day of the very person it was intended to reach.

Isn’t that what we are all about?

Serving our community, building each other up, sharing the love.

Donna’s Dialogue

Welcome to moving out of Level 4 and into Level 3! It has been both easy and hard, but we are getting there one day at a time. Keep up the good work.

It’s been a huge learning curve for us all, hasn’t it? We have had to adjust to staying at home (most of us – huge shout out to essential workers and teachers!), maybe tidied some cupboards, cleaned the closets, done some maintenance, created something, gone for walks, stressed at the supermarkets, had lockdown birthdays and celebrations.

Song of choice is Rachel Platten’s ‘Fight Song’ for kicking Covid to the curb and energising ourselves for a brand new Altrusa year soon!

Kind regards

Dates to Diary

May

31 Subs due

June

2 Board meeting at Donna’s

6 Membership Muster at Zest

9 Business meeting

23 Programme meeting

July



14 Business meeting

Club AGM


August



11 Business meeting


Please be aware any of these dates could

change as we move through the levels!

2019 -2020 Board Members

President

Donna McColl

President Elect

Donna McColl

Minute Secretary

Lois Kirkwood

Corresponding Secretary

Nola Searle

Treasurer

Raewyn Hutton

Directors

Heather McDonald

Maureen Skinner

Karen Liddy

Irene Shearer

Immediate Past President

Raewyn Hutton

2019 -2020 Committee Chairs

Service

Jenny Bevin

Literacy Betty Weavers

Membership

May Mason

Communication

Glenda Galletly

Incoming President Donna McColl President Elect Min Secretary Marilyn Ross Corres Secretary Karen Liddy Treasurer Karyn Buckman Directors Heather MacDonald Shelley Brewster Robyn Brien Imm P President Raewyn Hutton

Commit

Communication – Glenda

March 9th to 14th Altrusa Awareness Week at the Timaru Library. We had an interesting display of our many projects, this helps to make the community aware of our role with in South Canterbury and Internationally. The give-away information seemed to be of interest to many, and needed to be replaced several times. During these unusual times communication to members and family was and is still of up most importance. The last four weeks, on a Wednesday, Communication has sent out an email of general chatter and a ‘Thought for the Day’ I was delighted with the response that flooded back almost as soon as I emailed, it was really exciting to hear of your family and your activities you had found to keep you busy. Hope my message gave you a little giggle. Look after your nearest and dearest.

Committee Chatter

Literacy Committee – Betty Not much to report because of the Lockdown. We will be catering for our Birthday Party and Changeover but will just have to wait and see what Lockdown 3 and 2 bring, in regards to numbers and when we can gather. The committee will get onto this as soon as we are able.

Our Incoming Board for 2020-2021

Service Committee – Jenny

As we move through the levels of Covid-19, I hope you are all doing well and keeping yourself safe. While we are missing the camaraderie of meeting and socialising, it is for everyone’s benefit that we do this now! We were unable to run the normal Easter raffle & unable to deliver the love letters made in February but they will go to the Children’s ward as soon as we get the nod. The remainder of the love letters have been laminated. What will our ‘new normal’ look like post Covid-19? I am hoping we will be able to resume Altrusa service in pretty much the same way as we have always done, with our usual love and attention to detail, as in the past.

Membership Committee – May

Greetings all, on behalf of our team, I send cheerful wishes for continued cheerfulness regardless of the situation we find ourselves in. Orientation as planned by us did not eventuate and I had the intention of sending some questions and info out to you all in stages, but……my scanner refused to work. So you ‘dodged a bullet’ there!? Over the past month I have made it my pleasure and committee duty to talk to each member and have done so more than once to some. You all seem to have been kept busy, cheerful and optimistic. However, for me this past week has begun to pall and I may have to resort to washing the kitchen floor soon! It would be great for each/all of us to pool ideas as to how we can assist our communities and/or show appreciation of all the front line workers from the confines of our homes. So think on that one please.

Club

Days for Girls - Jenny March 7th

saw our meeting room transformed into a busy working space for Days for Girls, where under the

leadership of Carol we once again produced quality items destined to give women and girls’ dignity and the chance to learn and work by not being stigmatised. We were pleased to welcome ladies from the Geraldine Patchwork group as well as Waimate Inner Wheel and others from our community who have the passion for helping us with this project. A collection of feminine hygiene products were collected with one carton being delivered to the Women’s Refuge and another to go to Family Works when we are able to safely deliver.

Club Projects and Fundraisers

I am hoping another sewing bee will be arranged

once we are able to do so safely and we find a

venue as our rooms may not be available

Sponsored Student - Emmanuel Likaomba - Glenda

Emmamuel is in his final year of his sponsorship from Altrusa.

He very much appreciates the opportunity Altrusa has given him with his education to help better the future for him

and his family.

School reports are very good, attendance also very good and Emmanuel is working hard.

We cannot ask much more from this handsome young man. I am sure you all wish him well in the years ahead.

A Bring and Buy at our February programme meeting raised $100 which allowed us to buy 10 fleece tops for the

Malawi after school programme which will be taken to over there by Lynley Marett when overseas travel is allowed.

Subscriptions are due soon!

From Treasurer Raewyn -

Just a reminder that your annual subscription for 2020-21 is due by the 31st May 2020.

$110.00 to be paid into account 03 0887 0243643 00 with your name as a reference please.

From our bubbles – what did we do during Level 4 Lockdown? Mary – what have I been occupied doing inside our bubble? Our son arrived home from Perth on 4 March so of

course he has been part of our bubble. David loves cooking so we discuss food. Barry says it’s like listening to a foreign language! On too cold a days when not in the garden – clean silver – clean cupboards – change curtains around [faded side to the inside but can’t do that again] – short walks, read a few books – keep in touch with family. Looking forward to when the bubble bursts [I have a pin handy] and lots of retail therapy. Stay well, stay safe and be strong.

Maureen - I have done a lot of knitting to fill in time as I watch programmes on Netflix. I have just got it, so an

opportune time to watch it. Always knit when watching TV. To be fair I had already started the green one before the lockdown started. These nice days I have been raking leaves and going for walks.

Bubble Talk

Judith J shares a poem Garden of Friendship - When I feel a bit lonely or just a bit low, To lighten my spirits out gardening I go! It's a garden of friendship. Each plant that I tend, reminds me of someone and each one a friend. When I gaze on the beauty, friend's faces I see. I think of the plants they have given to me, the bulbs and the seedlings, the cuttings and all. If it wasn't for friends, I'd have no flowers at all! In my garden of friendship, midst colour and scent, My friends are all with me and I am content!

Glenda shared a Wednesday Thought with us for the first four weeks of lock down so here is her first one in case

you missed it! Strength Women are funny creatures. They’re emotional and cry. Can’t stand a mouse and scream and shout if a spider passes by. Amid loneliness, panic and confusion She will show you just what strength she has. When you have tears in your eyes, Like a breath of fresh air, she will be there. Her strength, kindness and love for friends and family you cannot buy.

Jenny – since no gym classes I have been

walking up or down the road depending on the mood at the gate and taking in the sounds and smells of my locality beyond the town boundary. I have knitted two beanies for the Shine Trust; the third is on the needles but isn’t growing all that much of late. Quinces and beetroot have taken some time - I still don’t think I have perfected quince paste as yet!

International Day of Families is celebrated on the 15th May every year.

In 1993, the General Assembly decided in a resolution (A/RES/47/237) that 15 May of every year should be observed as The International Day of Families. This day provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase the knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting families.

Although families all over the world have transformed greatly over the past decades in terms of their structure and as a result of global trends and demographic changes, the United Nations still recognizes the family as the basic unit of society. It has inspired a series of awareness-raising events, including national family days. In many countries, this day is an opportunity to highlight different areas of interest and importance to families.

From Beverly Hardy – International President 2019 - 2021

An Altrusa Accent

International News

© https://www.un.org/en/events/familyday/

Greetings Altrusa Members,

As we live through these turbulent times, I feel my heart swell as I witness the

amazing activities that our individual clubs and members are doing to reach out and

help those in need during this global pandemic. I have received emails and pictures of

Altrusans throughout our organization who are doing extremely helpful things. You

are making protective products for health care workers, first responders and others

who are in need of your masks, etc. Additionally, food is being provided along with

financial assistance to people who have been devastated by COVID-19.

I know we are all very disappointed that 12 of our 14 Districts have had to cancel their

District Conferences. Our Governors (The Dreamweavers) along with their District

Board members and Conference Committees literally pulled “Rabbits out of Hats” by

working with hotels to cancel their venues without huge losses of funds to their

Districts. Please know we all owe enormous gratitude to them for their tireless efforts

in protecting our membership!

All my love and respect to everyone in our Altrusa Nation.

Abridged from latest

Compass

http://undocs.org/A/RES/47/237

Governor Maria’s theme for the biennium is ‘Embrace the Journey’

With no Conference news to report, here is the history of the Peace Quilt.

The story of the Altrusa Peace Quilt which was to be auctioned at Conference 2020

At the District Fifteen Conference in May 2003, held in Queenstown, the Hibiscus Coast Club put out a challenge to all clubs in District Fifteen to take part in making a Peace Quilt.

The fabric was chosen from Grandmother’s Garden, a shop on the outskirts of Hamilton which specialises in patchwork and fabric, sourcing many of their fabrics from the USA.

The colours of blue and cream were chosen, blue being Altrusa’s colour. Each club purchased a fabric pack and was asked to make a ten inch square, if possible depicting the area of their club.

The Hibiscus Coast club then eagerly waited for the squares to be returned. 23 clubs took part as well as Mary Check from Live Oak in Florida who was visiting NZ as a Career Exchangee.

District Fifteen News

When all the squares were returned, Hibiscus club had the task of putting the quilt together. It was amazing to see how many different designs could come out of the same fabric packs. Each and every square was very different and unique.

Once stitched together, the quilt was taken to a Dutch lady, Yoke Martens at Finally Finished Quilts. When she learned it was a peace quilt, she instantly suggested using the laurel leaf pattern.

The quilt was auctioned each year at District Fifteen Conference with the successful Club holding the quilt for a year. The funds raised went to a worthwhile cause decided by the club which had previously held it.

Can you guess our patchwork square?

Altrusa Timaru 49 years young!

Happy Birthday Altrusa International of Timaru

Altrusa Timaru held its inaugural dinner on 24 April 1971 with 26 ladies attending. This led to the chartering of our Club on 11 March 1972. Prior to that, a gathering of like-minded women met in August 1970 with the first 'official' meeting in November1970. Clubs had already been established in the four main centres. Christchurch Club helped Timaru and likewise in 1975 we helped Oamaru to form an Altrusa Club. Community service has always been the mainstay of the club, and throughout the nearly five decades many community groups and organisations, have benefited from Altrusa's support, either financially or in practical ways. The club's very first projects were providing Christmas parcels for 11 needy families, and giving an inflatable life-sized training model to St John.

The Inaugral Dinner held 24 April 1971

We celebrated 40 years from our Charter date at the Theatre Royal in

2012. District Fifteen Governor, at the time, Patricia O’Donnell said we

weren’t to be scared of the ‘F’ word!

We surprised 4 local organisations with a $400 donation to each as our

birthday gift to them – Diabetes SC, Hospice SC, St John Ambulance and

Timaru Public Library.

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

May

18 Maureen Skinner

June

4 Heather MacDonald

18 Jan Hart

July

2 Lois Kirkwood

3 Evelyn Robinson

August

16 Joan Watson

20 Cushla Connolly

Our Best Wishes to

Helen - you are always in

our thoughts.

Grateful Thanks. I wish to thank all those members of Altrusa who came to visit, made phone calls, sent cards , or brought flowers or made contact somehow when I had my operation and consequent treatment. Thanks to those who made it to Christchurch. It was much appreciated. We especially appreciated the lovely food some of you provided, it was scrumptious, and we felt really spoilt. Thank you for the lovely flowers and goody bag from the club. It is not until those trying times that you really appreciate the help from others, and the care and friendship I have received was amazing. Thank you so much. Thank you to my secret buddy who must know me well for posting a Code cracker and Puzzle Book to Christchurch. Also for my Easter gift - lovely and smelly. Betty Thank you to my Secret Buddy for the Easter gift and also the other Buddies who have left little surprises on my mat or in the letterbox. They have brought cheer during a time that has had challenging moments. THANK YOU! May Thank you very much for the very thoughtful card I received. It was very much appreciated. Joan Other thanks were circulated via email of Easter gifts arriving in letterboxes via the Easter Bunny who was classified as an essential worker by the Prime Minister! There could be still a few more to be delivered after lockdown is lifted!

IS THE "SECRET BUDDIES SCHEME" APPROPRIATE FOR THE TIMES? In my role of "Secret Buddies" Co-ordinator, I have been in contact with the majority of our membership during the Covid-19 lockdown/isolation period checking on member’s well-being. I have been very interested in comments made to me and feedback received regarding the "Secret Buddies" Scheme as it was originally my intention to raise this matter at the next Orientation Evening which unfortunately the Membership Committee had to postpone due to the circumstances prevailing at the present time. At my request, President Donna raised this matter, by way of audio visual link, during a Board Meeting held on Tuesday, 21 April 2020. Four options were submitted to the Board for their consideration, namely - 1. To continue the scheme in the same format. 2. To scrap it altogether. 3. Members have the freedom to opt out of the scheme altogether, or not join at all (option already available to membership) or 4. Whether the scheme should be restructured/tweaked in some way. If so how? Considerable time was spent in discussing the subject, in particular Option 4. It was the Board's considered opinion that perhaps the scheme should go back to basics, keeping it simple by - (a) Keeping an eye on their Secret Buddy's welfare by helping her out, by reporting any health issue etc that may require club support, or more support in another way. (b) Doing something special for their birthday, keeping cost to $10 or under. Traditions are very important to people and the Board saw no reason why a small gift at Christmastime and Easter shouldn't be given to their Secret Buddy. (c) By thinking outside the box. Simple ideas like a poem, a few words of encouragement, a flower from the garden left in the letterbox, some baking or home-made jam - generally just thinking about the person and what they would like.

Secret Buddy Thanks

For the convenience of members, Editor Jenny has reprinted an article published in the April/May 2018 edition of "Timaru Tales", titled "The Role of the Secret Buddy". I have been Secret Buddies Co-ordinator for some eighteen years and it is my personal opinion and belief that the scheme has changed very little over those years, other than the value of gifts increasing from $5 to $10/$15. In that same period the cost of cards has risen from $3 to $6/$7 when purchased from retail stores. If you have any thoughts on the subject matter, please do not hesitate to contact me on [email protected] or by phoning me on (03 688-6037 asap as our new Secret Buddy year begins on 1 July 2020. Take care and be safe. Judith Johnson, SECRET BUDDIES CO-ORDINATOR.

Article as printed in the 2018 April/May Newsletter


Jenn

Dear Everyone,

Covid-19, a word we barely knew anything about as we were planning a show of winter fashion, selling Easter raffle

tickets, celebrating our 49th birthday and attending District Fifteen conference in Wellington, when all of a sudden

Covid-19 became very real. Then the inevitable happened in NZ, with Lockdown Level 4 becoming our new normal

as we stayed home in our ‘bubbles’ to stay safe and save lives. Our lives changed from socialising to isolating and

social distancing BUT we did it for the good of our families, friends and New Zealand.

We learnt to fill our days with walking or biking, spotting bears along the way, reading, craft work, gardening, baking,

puzzles, phoning, texting, video chatting to keep in touch and we learnt new skills – using Zoom for virtual meetings

or catch ups BUT we missed deeply seeing family and friends, meeting as a Club, sharing meals, having coffees, going

to the movies, a visit to the hairdressers and travelling to name a few.

As I stood at the gate at 6am on ANZAC day, amid a foggy darkness with just the sound of stags roaring and a rooster

crowing I thought of all those men and women who have fought and continue to fight for the freedom we enjoy

today – many of them not returning but laid to rest in a foreign land, the families who didn’t know for months if their

loved ones would ever return.

Yes, at the moment we are doing what we need to do for NZ even though it is tough and we are itching to get back

to helping our community again. That day will come and many will need our help as we recover from Covid-19.

Stay safe

Jenny’s Jottings as Editor

Talk Timaru - Altrusa International District Fifteen...Jennys Jottings Page 14 – onference 21 Page...

Documents

Transcript of Talk Timaru - Altrusa International District Fifteen...Jennys Jottings Page 14 – onference 21 Page...