Soroptimist Pinellas County, Florida, USA newsletter

Meeting Place is the Grand Hotel,
formerly the Radisson Hotel - Clearwater Central.
20967 US Hwy 19 North Clearwater, Florida. 33767

This is located just north of Perkins Restaurant on the service road. Dinner and social from 5:30 to 7PM. At 7PM we will adjourn to a meeting room nearby on the 1st floor.

Agenda
Election of Officers
The slate is as follows:

President: Susan Kinney Lowell, Vice Pres- Phyllis Cloman, Secretary- Pat Arbutine

Treasurer – Linda Taminini, Director/Corresponding - Marsha McGrath

Director- Mel Chase - Delegate -Terry Sue Turner, Delegate-Karen Curry

Nominations will be accepted from the floor.

This will also be a Strategic planning meeting.

President Susan's Letter

Ah, the President’s letter … another opportunity to once again welcome our four new members, Dede, Katy, Sue and Gretchen. We look forward to helping each of you have a wonderful Soroptimist experience as you learn about us and we learn about you! We will welcome all of your suggestions and input as we build our 2009-2010 plan for SI of Upper Pinellas. We will begin on Tuesday, April 28^th as we continue our strategic plan, so put on your thinking caps and let’s ALL bring ideas and suggestions to the meeting and make next year another exciting Soroptimist experience.

Betsi, Terry Sue and I are looking forward to the honor of representing each of you at the Southern Region Conference in Huntsville. We leave on Tuesday, the 21^st of April … so we can really be ready!! We will bring back much information and renewed Soroptimist enthusiasm. Be sure and ask us all about it on the 28^th!!

Our scheduled speaker for the April meeting has had to postpone her program due to personal business, but we will be sure to get her on our fall schedule. Speaking of speakers, if any of you have suggestions for guest speakers, please let us know so we can invite them to share their programs with our club.

Looking forward to seeing each of you on the 28^th,

Yours in Soroptimists,

Susan

Below you will find our Calendar, Lists of our Officers, Committees and Members, Some Committee Reports, Birthdays and other Current Announcements.

A new feature - "A little bit of fun!!!"
We deserve a treat and a laugh once in a while.

At the very bottom of this page are Current SIA and SI International Projects. There are live links to SIA for more info. Please page down to read.

Previous meeting minutes and the treasurer's report will be attachments on the email that brought you the link to this page.h

The
Way We Were
2007 -2008
If you want to know
our personal history,
Click above.

THE BEST FOR WOMEN

Officers: 2008-2009 President: Susan Kinney Lowell Secretary: Pat Arbutine Corresponding Secretary: Betsi Lewis Treasurer: Linda Tamanini Director 2 Year Term: Mel Chase2009 Director 2 Year Term: Phyllis Cloman 2010 Delegate: Terry Sue Turner Delegate Martha Gray			Committee Assignments 2008 -2009 Women Honoring Women: Phyllis Cloman Women Opportunity Award: Marsha McGrath Violet Richardson Award: Cathy Wagner Telephone & Parliamentarian: Terry Sue Turner Directory : Karen Curry Publicity: Betsi Lewis Growth & Development: Linda Tamanini Scoup - SOLT: Pat Arbutine Programs : Susan Kinney Lowell

Birthdays Marsha M 1/06 Pegi M-1/16 Judy P - 1/25 Jeanne G-1/27 Nancy C.-3/19 Alice S -5/5 Paula H-5/14 Cathy W - 5/15 Ellen J - 6/13 Karen- 1/ 27 Martha G-7/19 Linda- 9/04 Terry Sue T -9/4 Phyllis 9/06 Pat A. - 9/13 Susan K-9/23 Mel C. -10/8 Grace S - 11/22 Betsi L- 12/
Calendar 2008-2009
Women Honoring Women Feb. 21st. Clearwater Country Club	Meeting: February 24th (A nominating committee will be formed.)	Meeting: March 24th (Slate of Officers will be presented) Speaker: Katie McGill from Dress for Success	Service Funds Due March 31st Dues should be paid April 1st. Board Meetings April 19,2009 Everyone is Welcome!! If Interested Email Here.	April 23-26 Southern Region Conference Huntsville, Alabama	Meeting: April 28th: (Election of Officers) This will also be a Strategic planning meeting.
Board Meetings May 17,2009- Place: Mel Chase's Home Everyone is Welcome!! If Interested Email Here.	Meeting May 26th: at The Grand Hotel Presentation of Women's Opportunity Award, Violet Richardson, & Making a Difference for Women	June 6 -Joint Officer Installation Meeting Hostess : SI Holiday Isles Place: "Middleground" Restaurant Treasure Island June 23rd Regular Club Meeting	July 28th Club Meeting.	August	September 22nd Meeting.
October 16 -17 District II Meeting Hostess Holiday Isles	October 27th Meeting	November 24th Meeting	December Christmas Party	January 26, 2010 Meeting

E Mail Us

Link to Southern Region Accent - March, 2009

A little bit of FUN!!!!
A treat and a laugh!

This came from the Soroptimist Chatline.

The doctor, after an examination, sighed and said, 'I've got some bad news. You have cancer, and
you'd best put your affairs in order.'

The woman was shocked, but managed to compose herself and
walk into the waiting room where her daughter
had been waiting.

'Well, daughter, we women celebrate when
things are good, and we celebrate when things don't go
so well. In this case, things aren't well. I have
cancer. So, let's head to the club and have a martini.'

After 3 or 4 martinis, the two were feeling a
little less somber. There were some laughs and more
martinis. They were eventually approached by some of the
woman's old friends, who were curious as to what the two were celebrating.

The woman told her friends they were drinking
to her impending end, 'I've been diagnosed with
AIDS.'

The friends were aghast, gave the woman their
condolences and beat a hasty retreat.

After the friends left, the woman's
daughter leaned over and whispered, 'Momma, I thought
you said you were dying of cancer, and you just told your
friends you were dying of AIDS! Why did you do that??'

'Because I don't want any of those bitches sleeping with your father after I'm gone.'

Dedicated to Dorothy Quick who loved to share her Soroptimist wisdom with us.

You may read SIA Annual report at the SIA Website. Go to the newsroom.

S.O.L.T.

Soroptimists STOP Trafficking,

SIA is pleased to announce Soroptimists STOP Trafficking, a new public awareness project addressing the trafficking of women and girls for sexual exploitation. This new project will provide information cards about sexual trafficking for participating clubs to distribute in the community. In addition, clubs will work to raise awareness through media and public events. The project has been created in response to overwhelming input from clubs and members indicating a desire for an SIA project that addresses this serious global issue.
The project will launch in the United States on Friday, January 11, 2008, the first National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness. The launch will begin with a public event at which clubs are asked to distribute specially designed flyers in transportation centers in their area: airports, train stations or bus depots. The event will focus on the public awareness message: "Someone in this transportation center may be here against her will," and will provide an excellent opportunity for public awareness and to gain media exposure.
Participating clubs will be provided with professionally designed cards and flyers; club instructions for the project and launch event; and public awareness materials to ensure the project is a success. The materials will be available in all SIA languages. If your club would like to participate or has any questions, contact siahq@soroptimist.org

Project Sierra -$80000 has been donated so far for this project. 5/2008

Sierra is a four year partnership between Soroptimist International and Hope and Homes for Children which will transform the lives of some of the most deprived children and women in the world.

Project Sierra: A Family And A Future aims to raise £1 million ($2million USD) to help disadvantaged women and children in Sierra Leone face their futures with confidence.

By strengthening families at risk of breakdown, helping young children living on the streets return home and empowering vulnerable young mothers, Project Sierra will enable more children to grow up in a caring family environment - giving them the opportunity to fulfill their potential.

To learn how Project Sierra will achieve this, visit the Project Overview section.

Disaster Relief Fund for Women and Girls

Soroptimist's Disaster Relief Fund for Women and Girls targets the special needs of women and girls during natural and man-made disasters. Women and girls are particularly vulnerable during disasters and lack access to resources. They also have special abilities to respond to disasters, which is often overlooked. Soroptimist's disaster relief program mitigates the barriers facing women/girls during disasters. In addition, the program honors the commitments made by the United Nations in the Beijing Platform for Action and the Outcome Statement of the 46th Session on the Commission on the Status of Women. Soroptimist grants funds to local clubs for use in communities needing disaster relief. Funds are pooled from voluntary contributions sent in from Soroptimist members throughout the world. Soroptimist recently disbursed disaster relief grants to: the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to support Iraqi educational programs for returning women refugees; the Ramona, California, Soroptimist club to help women recovering from the fires in Southern California; and women in El Chaco, Ecuador, to help rebuild the community's farming infrastructure following an earthquake.

Service Funds

Service Funds are due on March 31st of each FISCAL year. (These funds are for the currant fiscal year.) Remember that you are responsible each year for $100 in service funds. You may raise these either by writing a check, advertising in our WHW ad booklet, or by using our banner to have your own fundraiser. All funds raised under our banner must come to our service fund. Each person that participates in an ad hoc fundraiser is still responsible for a total of $100 in service funds.
(Example. 3 members hold a garage sale. They raise $310. The total amount must come to our service fund. All 3 members have covered their service funds. But if 3 members raise $270, each member is still responsible for $10 more to cover their service funds.)

Live your dreams

The following information is from the Soroptimists International of America Website. To read more info, Just click here.. Despite much progress during the last century, women and girls throughout the world continue to face serious challenges. While they represent about one-half of the world'spopulation, women suffer disproportionately from many social problems. Approximately 70 percent of the 1.3 billion people who live on $1 a day are women. More women between the ages of 15 and 44 die due to gender-based violence than cancer, malaria, car accidents and war combined. About 90 million girls around the world are deprived of primary education. These are but a few statistics illuminating the obstacles facing women and girls around the world. Soroptimist created the Live Your Dream campaign to raise awareness about these challenges and inspire women from all walks of life to realize their full potential.

Good Search

Contribute through GoodSearch
GoodSearch is a Yahoo-powered search engine that donates 50 percent of its advertising revenue (about a penny per search) to the user's favorite charity. Ours, of course, is SIA. The pennies add up quickly. Consider that if only 1,000 members, friends and staff search the Internet just twice a day, Soroptimist could earn $7,300 a year - just for doing something we do every day! If we think bigger, for example, 10,000 users searching twice a day will earn Soroptimist $73,000 a year! All you have to do is visit www.goodsearch.com and download the GoodSearch toolbar. Enter 'Soroptimist' in the 'My Charity' field and then every time you search the net on your computer, don't forget to use GoodSearch! Thank you for using GoodSearch to help Soroptimist fund our programs that improve the lives for women and girls. Let's see how much we can get those pennies to add up!
Note from Pat: This is not Yahoo's standard bar

LINK TO THE UPPER PINELLAS HOME PAGE

LINK TO TAMPA BAY AREA SOROPTIMIST PAGE

Link To SCOUP Index

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Copyright 2009. Soroptimist International of Upper Pinellas County

This newsletter sponsored by The Silver Queen