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President
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Ronnie Wassill
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Spring is in the air. It's a time for fresh energy and ideas, and that is happening at ALH. Thanks to everyone for participating and sharing your ideas at our recent annual Evaluations meetings. A Shout Out to Helen Taufa'asau for organizing them so well again this year. There are plenty of ideas to follow-up on. The various Philanthropic Programs are winding up for the year, and we can all be proud of their achievements. It is our members' enthusiasm and dedication to ALH that will propel us into the future. Speaking of the future, a big "Thank You" to our Nominating Committee for their work in gathering a slate of nominees for the incoming Board of Directors for 2017-2018. You'll find this list further down in the Newsletter, and members will vote at our next Regular Meeting on April 12 at Mid Pacific Country Club in Lanikai.
If you are looking for evidence of fresh energy, then head on over to the Thrift Shop and check out the upstairs. Thanks to the vision, determination and hard work of Diann King, who spearheaded the project, the Upstairs received a facelift to the storage and work areas. We bought a few new storage racks, and reorganized several sections. That cleared up some window space and transformed the area into a bright and orderly workplace. Thanks to everyone who participated in this project.
Membership with Assistance League enriches all our lives - be sure to share your story with friends and contacts. And invite them to join this amazing organization.
Thanks for all you do - for each other, and for the people of Hawaii.
Ronnie
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Please send your service hours to Karen McClelland. There are only two months left in our fiscal year and it is important that ALH receive credit for all the hard work that you do.
Karen's email is: karenmccle@gmail.com.
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Vice President
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Nancy Sparacino
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We welcome our newest member, Sandra Nada, to Assistance League of Hawaii.
Sandra works for Hawaiian Electric Company and coordinates volunteer groups at Institute for Human Services. She is a busy woman, but still has time to help out upstairs at the Thrift Shop on some Saturdays. Her contact information is below.
Sandra Nada
3141 Magnolia Place
Honolulu, HI 96816
Phone: 808-428-8814
sandra.nada@hawaiianelectric.com
Membership Update:
Ginger Cox, who joined ALH last June, has recently moved to Colorado. She said that she enjoyed her time with our organization, but she is off to new adventures. We wish Ginger a fond aloha.
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Nominating Committee: Slate of Nominees for
Board of Directors 2017-2018*
President Nancy Sparacino
Vice President Gerri Migita
Secretary Helen Taufa'asau
Treasurer Coni Holland
Elective Standing Committee Chairmen
Education Open
Finance Margie Van Swearingen
Fundraising Dot Mason
Philanthropic Programs Cathy Young
Public Relations Ronnie Wassill
Strategic Planning Miho Teipel
Thrift Shop Sharon Ehrhorn
*Assistance League of Hawaii voting members will vote on this slate of candidates at the April 12, 2017 meeting at Mid Pacific Country Club.
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Hospitality
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Miho Teipel
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ALH Regular Meeting
APRIL 12, 2017
Mid Pacific Country Club
266 Kaelepulu Dr, Kailua, HI 96734
10:30 A.M.
CHOICE OF:
1. Caesar Salad with Chicken
2. Club sandwich with curly fries.
3. Veggie sandwich with fruit.
Beverages included: coffee, tea, and iced tea service.
Please RSVP to
Andrea Cyriacks at 754-2367 OR acyriacks@earthlink.net
Cost: $25.00
Deadline: April. 7, 2017
(MEMBERS WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR COST OF MEAL IF NOT CANCELLED BEFORE
DEADLINE)
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The Aiea Small Group Meeting, left to right: Marti Frensley, Ronnie Wassill (seated), Marge Fabre, LaVonne Holmberg, Betty Parinas, and Jan Howes (seated) |
Strategic
Planning
Helen Taufa'asau
Mahalo to all who attended one of our evaluation meetings on March 8, 2017. It was a great opportunity to gather in a small-group setting and share thoughts and ideas for continuing to make our programs the best that they can be. As always, feedback from the members was upbeat and constructive. Members enjoyed the "Helping Hands and Touching Hearts" activity that will be shared at our next meeting on April 12th.
A special thanks to LaVonne Holmberg, Teri Fritz, Nancy Sparacino, Peggy Monnell, Dot Mason, and Sandy Wells who provided us with wonderful venues - their homes! Holding small-group meetings near where people live made it possible for a lot of members to attend. It also provided a comfortable setting in which to "talk story" and share suggestions and comments for improvement and/or change.
Our committee is in the process of writing an evaluation summary report that will be shared with all of you. This summary will help form the basis of the action plan for the coming year. If you were not able to attend one of these meetings, and have some idea or comment you would like to add to the conversation, please email them to Helen Taufa'asau at coppertaufaasau@hotmail.com, no later than Monday, April 3, 2016.
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Finance
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Margie
Van Swearingen
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The proposed budget for 2017-2018 has been reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors.
It will be presented to the membership at the April 12, 2017 meeting and voted upon at the May 10, 2017 meeting.
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Treasurer
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Coni Holland
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Calling All Members
It's Dues Payment Time!
You are all cordially invited to join Assistance League of Hawaii for 2017-2018. You can do this by paying your yearly dues:
Sixty dollars ($60.00) for Voting Members, $70.00 for Non-Voting members. We will gladly accept checks for your dues by hand delivery at the April 12, 2017 Regular Meeting, or by US Mail to Assistance League of Hawaii, 1505 Young St., Honolulu HI 96826 Attention: Treasurer
Please make your dues check payable to Assistance League of Hawaii before May 15, 2017. We greatly appreciate your prompt response to this request.
Your annual dues are used to fund membership activities such as recognition of members and donors, and the President's gift.
BTW, did you know that you can deduct your dues, the miles you travel to and from the Thrift Shop, as well as the money you plunk into the parking meters on your income tax?
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Philanthropic
Programs
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Dot Mason
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Our Programs are the reason we exist. Our amazing thrift shop enables those programs to grow. Did you know that every time you help out upstairs with sorting, pricing, or stocking you are actually participating in our Share Program?
Share takes good usable donations that we cannot sell in the shop and distributes them to other charities that can use them. Our merchandise that we sell is in excellent condition. Sometimes there is a slight stain or a frayed edge on a towel or a pair of men's trousers. This will be given to the Institute for Human Services (IHS) or the River of Life for use by their homeless clients. Eye glasses go to the Lion's Club because they can redistribute them. Toiletries go to Youth Outreach or Next Step Shelter. Coffee mugs are much appreciated at IHS. We cannot count as Share items the books that go to Friends of the Library or the items that go to Cerebral Palsy because these items are repaired and resold. Our Share chairman, Sandy Wells, is always on the lookout for others who can use items that aren't saleable but are still useable.
You do not hear a lot about Share, but it serves many, many persons of need throughout the year.
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Operation
School Bell
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Gerri Migita
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We are just about finished with our Operation School Bell activities for this school year ...YYYEEEHHHH! I thank all of you who participated in any or all seven (Yes 7!) events and hope that you went away with a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment that WE MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE in the school children's lives. Although our last Walmart In-Store Shopping Event was over in January, there were still a couple of schools who requested tee shirts but have not completed ordering them until now.
Kahalu'u School wrote:
"How can we begin to thank you??? Gerri, you and your Assistance League has definitely made a significant impact on the behavior and unification of our students... It's funny how a tee-shirt can bring children (and staff) together...
Our Kahalu'u shirt, represents pride, cooperation, and togetherness. When our kids feel a part of our Kahalu'u Ohana, their behavior is greatly improved... We emphasis pride in being from Kahalu'u. Pride in being a part of an Ohana, and pride in working together. Field trips are the perfect time to see and even feel the unity and pride our students have while showing off our amazing shirts.
It's a sad but true fact that we have several families who live in their cars, live in a home with very few items, and live with no " personal items." For some of our kiddos, this shirt represents a personal item that belongs to them. This shirt teaches them that they are a part of a group of people who love them, and care about them.
I know that your generosity and kindness is discussed by each teacher to our students... We are so honored that you allow us to teach our children the " Pass It On" lesson. Someday, these Kahalu'u Keiki will in turn come back to make a difference in other communities. Your Support and Aloha is inspiring.
❤️❤️❤️ Mahalo Gerri and Ladies... Love, the children of Kahalu'u"
Notes like these inspire us to continue Operation School Bell program, keep up the good work in our communities, and help school children succeed in life! MAHALO, NUI LOA!
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We Care
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Mary Kay Junk
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With the help of some amazing ladies, Lullaby packed 300 layettes that went to Castle, Kaiser, and Kapiolani Hospitals. A huge Mahalo goes to
Pat Dixon, Dot Mason, Barbara Baker, and
Pat Sanborn.
Our next shipment of Malama Bears will be arriving at the end of April or early May.
The Next Step Birthday Party did not take place this year due to changes at the shelter. Hopefully we will find another way to assistn the homeless.
Our last Lullaby Packing for the year will be on Wednesday, April 26 at 9:00 at my home, 461 Iliwahi Loop, Kailua, HI 96734.
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Operation
Wildlife
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Betty Parinas
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OWLs were busy with five presentations at Oahu schools in March, including Lanakila Elementary, Mokapu, Kaneohe Marine Base, Kaneohe, Kalihi Elementary, Lanikai Elementary and Ka'ala Elementary in Wahiawa!!
The Maui trip will be March 27-31. Gerri Migita and Joy Corbett will make this trip. The Molokai trip will take place in April and a team will go to Hana on Maui this year as well!!
At our March 6th OWL meeting, it was decided that only two OWLs are needed to man the booth at the Honolulu Zoo on Thursday mornings (9:00 a.m. -12:00 noon), but if another OWL would like to come and help, they are very welcome.
This month there are four schools scheduled on Oahu: Kalihi Kai Elementary, Mary, Star of the Sea School, Jefferson Elementary and Ma'ema'e Elementary.
We invite any ALH member who would like to see our presentation; just call Kathy Takemoto at 256-1549. Please come by!
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Andrea Cyriacks delivering the Endangered Species presentation in Hilo.
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Tutu
Tutorial
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LaVonne Holmberg
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Tutus at Work
We celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday at Pu'uhale Elementary School on March 14th. Ronnie Wassill was one of the guests along with the Farrington football team, reading to the classes...a fun time.
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Thrift Shop
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Sharon Ehrhorn
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There is a Thrift Shop meeting on Wednesday, March 29th in the Ohana Room at 9:30 a.m.
All members who work in the shop, upstairs or down, are urged to attend, as well as any members who are THINKING of participating. The shop is a rewarding, fun and busy place, with many different jobs that need another pair of hands.
Below is a wonderful photo of four of our "downstairs" volunteers, J
oyce McQueen, Diana Poteet, Trish Kiladis, and
Helen Taufa'asau.
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Fundraising
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Mary Monohon
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Where do monetary donations go? Any monetary donations to the Assistance League in the form of checks, grants, memoriams - even the coins from our Pennies for Programs cans -- are deposited into our savings account for our philanthropic program, Operation School Bell. If you want to designate your donation to a specific area such as mortgage reduction or one of the other philanthropic programs such as We Care, Share, Operation Wildlife or Tutu Tutorial, you must specify that on your check or donation.
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Chapter
Correspondent
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Andrea Cyriacks
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Thank you letters for monetary donations were sent to Ann & Jordan Popper and Nita Williams for their donations in memory of
Sandi Portnoy
. Letters were also sent to
Margie Van Swearingen
for her donation in memory of Debbie Muirhead's mother and Sharon Ehrhorn for her large donation. A thank you letter was sent to Diann King for her donation of time and money for staging one of our display windows that tells our story to the public. An acknowledgement letter was sent to Jeffrey Portnoy letting him know the names of the people that donated to ALH in memory of his wife, Sandi. A sympathy card was sent to Debbie Muirhead for the loss of her mother.
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Share
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Sandy Wells
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The Share program has donated $13,950 worth of goods to the community, serving 9989 individuals.
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Thrift Shop Calendar for April, 2017
Please contact
Nancy Sparacino at nsparacino_sms@yahoo.com or 436-5305 if you can fill in where "
HELP!" is indicated or if you need to make a change to the calendar. This is also important if you sign up or change the calendar WHILE you are at the Thrift Shop. A big Mahalo from Nancy!
APRIL
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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Saturday
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1
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K. McClelland
G. Migita
E. Dihel 9-12:00
K. Kehoe 12-3:30
P. Monell
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4
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5
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6
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7
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8
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L. Berger 9-11:30
M. Murphy 9-12:00
P. Dixon
A. Ranaldo 12-3:30
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closed
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D. Poteet
M. Fabre 9:30-1:00
P. Morris 9:30-1:00
P.M. HELP!
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D. Poteet
HELP!
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K. McClelland
G. Migita
E. Dihel 9-12:00
P. Monell
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11
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12
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14
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15
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L. Berger 9-11:30
M. Teipel
M. Torreano 12-3:30
M. Murphy 9-12:00
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Reg. Mtg.
@
Mid-Pac CC
10:30 a.m.
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D. Poteet
HELP!
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D. Poteet
L. Berger 9-11:30
HELP!
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K. McClelland
G. Migita
E. Dihel 9-12:00
K. Kehoe 12-3:30
P. Monell
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18
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19
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20
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21
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22
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M. Teipel
M. Torreano 12-3:30
M. Murphy 9-12:00
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closed
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D. Poteet
M. Fabre 9:30-1:00
HELP!
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D. Poteet
E. Dihel 9-12:00
HELP!
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K. McClelland
G. Migita
K. Kehoe 12-3:30
P. Monell
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25
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26
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27
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28
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29
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M. Teipel
M. Torreano 12-3:30
M. Murphy 9-12:00
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closed
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D. Poteet
HELP!
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D. Poteet
E. Dihel 9-12:00
HELP!
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K. McClelland
G. Migita
P. Monell
K. Kehoe 12-3:30
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Karen McClelland is urging all working members to send her your hours. There are only two more months in our fiscal year. Please contact Karen at karenmccle@gmail.com.
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