A Bling Thing

Members of Chapter BF, Rapid City, South Dakota, held a successful ways and means fundraiser called “A Bling Thing.” Members were asked to donate from their own jewelry collections any pieces that were no longer loved or worn. Many members went above and beyond and donated antiques, expensive gems, collector items, funky costume pieces and adornments picked up while traveling. The ways and means committee, made up of Priscilla Schmidt, Patty Lampy, Kathy DeMersseman and Lettie Mortimer, collected the beautiful baubles. They took many pieces to a jeweler who offered to catalog, appraise and clean the gems. The committee members also took a modeling class to learn how to fashionably pose with the higher quality sparklers.

“A Bling Thing” was the event to attend as members were treated to a wonderful lunch, fruity drinks, door prizes and musical performances by sister Mollie O. Krafka. Committee members beautifully displayed the jewelry throughout hostess Judy Antior’s home. Some gems were sold “as is” and some were sold silent-auction style. The main event to witness was the modeling sisters on the catwalk of the open auction. Mollie O. acted as the auctioneer and sisters generously bid for wanted treasures with $3,241 raised for P.E.O. projects.

Brunch Showcases Recipes from Cottey Cookbook

Chapter CW in Lawrence, Kansas, held a social brunch featuring “The Best of Cottey Cooking” cookbook. Tables were set to reflect the Easter/ spring season. Each plate held a table favor of a different package of seeds. To mix up members in order to get better acquainted, each sister was assigned a seat based on a seed package. The star of the brunch was the Cottey cookbook. The three hostesses made seven recipes from the cookbook for the brunch—Breakfast Strata, Mushroom and Spinach Salad, Asian Coleslaw, Cheese Biscuits, Pina Colada Muffins, Blue Ribbon Carrot Cake and Snickers Bars. The food was displayed with signs so members would know which recipe from the book they were sampling. All agreed that each recipe was yummy, but there was no agreement as to which was best—as each dish was unique and excellent. While several had already purchased the book, others now plan to either get one for themselves or as a gift for others.

Loving Touch

Chapter SU, Susanville, California, recently presented a program designed to support loving sisterhood. Past president Kelly Fairbank, a certified massage therapist and yoga instructor, provided tips to feeling relaxed, including advice to drink four 16-ounce bottles of water a day and to frequently soak in a hot bath with Epsom salts and an essential oil as an added luxury. She demonstrated methods of deep breathing and the power of stretching to relax the neck, shoulders and hips. Kelly advised each sister to use a hot pack on tight, sore muscles and demonstrated how to make our own from an old sock, half-filled with rice that can be heated for a minute or two in the microwave. She presented her more elaborate homemade hot pack to a lucky sister whose name was drawn at the meeting.

Chapter members were then paired and taught basic tenets of massage, not only to help increase circulation, ease tension, lower blood pressure and flush toxins, but also to demonstrate the power of touch. Each pair massaged each other's upper back, neck, jaw and ears and were delighted with the state of well-being that resulted from giving and receiving loving touch. Sisters left the meeting feeling peaceful and even closer to each other.

Street Fair Draws Crowd

Given approval from the city to close a street, the ways and means committee of chapter IA, Burlingame, California, made plans to hold a street fair. Over three months of preparation went into making this fundraiser a huge success.

Colorful patio umbrellas lined the street and large canopies down the middle of the street displayed new items, collectibles and furniture. Matching tablecloths covered 26 tables. All merchandise was clean, ironed, repaired and well displayed. Linens were tied with ribbons, books were neatly arranged by categories and scented geraniums were grown by chapter members and sold. Children’s toys, designer clothes and jewelry were top sellers. An effective attraction was a professional clown who donated her time entertaining children throughout the day.

Publicity, generosity and organization made this event a success. One member paid for ads that covered the entire Bay Area. Members who could not help for the day of the sale contributed to expenses; other members solicited gift cards from merchants for auction. Inventory was pre-priced and boxed according to the content. At 6:30 a.m., 23 people came to set up. Cowboy hats identified the sales people. Items not sold were taken to a second-hand store and donated to a mission project. Sales netted $3,738 for P.E.O. projects.

A Holiday Auction

Forty-eight members of Chapter AL, West Palm Beach, Florida, were present at the 2010 Christmas auction for P.E.O. projects. Four members conducted a two-hour live auction where anything and everything was sold, including homemade goodies such as rum cake and pickles. Handmade items were also big sellers—many members placed a bid on the set of eight quilted placemats. Everyone looked forward to one BIL’s handiwork contributions—one year he made a pair of reindeer plant holders and this year he built a large wooden-sided wagon printed with “P.E.O. Flyer” placed in a silent auction which continued from the time of arrival to the conclusion of lunch. Even though Chapter AL members prepared for the auction all year long by accumulating and/or making items, they recommend this method of fundraising.

Bouquets of Friends

Chapter X, Albuquerque, New Mexico, became increasingly frustrated with the difficulties of integrating and really getting to know new members, continuing to
involve members who had difficulty attending meetings and strengthening the bonds of sisterhood so important to the chapter. While members wanted meeting time to be streamlined, they also had difficulty spending quality time with individuals. Membership represented a wide geographical area where many members weren’t a planned meeting. Something needed to be done.

The membership committee under the leadership of Darlene Evers created a plan. First, members were separated into several groups with similar characteristics. These included those who had been members for a long time, those who were relatively new members, those who were able to attend meetings regularly and those who were unable to attend regularly. From these divisions, groups of approximately six members were created. Called “Bouquets of Friends,” these groups were charged with setting up some type of social get-together between meetings. When selecting leaders to be in charge of setting the first meeting for each group, Darlene said, “I was encouraged by the willingness of volunteers from each group to become the group leader.”

At the next meeting members were encouraged to share some of the things their groups had done. Some groups chose meeting at a restaurant for lunch, some groups included BILs, some groups met at a member’s home and some met at a local museum. While not all group members were able to attend the meetings, the get-togethers were enjoyed. One group leader commented, “It’s fun to see the diversity among the groups. It gives us new ideas for our own groups.”

Soon the “Bouquets of Friends” will be selecting names for their groups. At the end of two years the groups will be reconstituted to increase familiarity among Chapter X members and further strengthen the bonds of sisterhood.