PO Box 8834
Portland, ME 04104 USA
The Altrusagram
Altrusa International Foundation of Portland, Maine, Inc.
www.altrusadistrict1.com
& follow the links to the Portland club's site, or
October 2016
from the President
Change. The leaves are changing, we're changing out our summer
clothes for winter clothes, we'll be voting on our new leaders next
month, even the time will change soon.
Altrusa's keys of Flexibility, Inclusion, Clarity also seem to be about
embracing change. I've been thinking about how Altrusa has
changed since I became a member. One big change is that we no
longer classify our members by profession and limit membership
based on those classifications. While the intent of the classification
system was good, to promote professional diversity, eliminating it
allows clubs to be more flexible in accepting new members.
We're being blessed right now with an influx of new members.
Thank you to the sponsors for bringing in these new Altrusans. Let's
embrace them and make their experience with Altrusa a worthwhile
one.
Our situations change too as time goes along. Families, jobs, health
all dictate how much time we have for Altrusa. As former District
One Governor Susannah Leslie always says, "Life happens." For
some members that may mean that they are not able to participate
in as many service or fundraiser projects as they have in the past,
or may not be able to make all the meetings. This is fine; no one is
expected to do everything. Everyone's contributions are valued.
Some change will never be easy though, as when we lose a loved
friend like Sue E King. And while the level of grief will change over
time, the good memories and affection we feel for her will not.
Marie
“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” ― Alan Watts
Upcoming Dates
Mon, 10/31Board Meeting 6:00
Marie P's office
Wed, 11/2Business Meeting 6:15
Clarion Hotel
Sat, 11/5District One Workshop
8:30 - 4:00Manchester, CT
Wed, 11/9"Booksgiving" 1:00-4:00
Waldron Way~see details inside~
Thu, 11/10Serving Supper
4:30-7:00 St Peter's
Wed, 11/16Program Meeting 6:15
Fireside Inn~ Membership Committee's program. Bring a friend! ~
Happy
Thanksgiving!
Mon, 12/5Board Meeting 6:00
Marie P's office
Wed, 12/7Business Meeting 6:15
Clarion Hotel
Page 1
Vision StatementAltrusa: Leaders in service, expanding leadership opportunities
and providing service to communities worldwide.
Mission StatementAltrusa International, Inc. of Portland, Maine is a club of diverse
professionals dedicated to providing service to our communities, focusing on literacy, fellowship and leadership development.
The 2016 - 2017 Board
President: : Marie Pike
Vice President: Geraldine Dongo
Secretary: Fran Breton
Treasurer: Wanda Pettersen
Director: Karen Valley
Director: Sarah Weeks
Immed. Past President: Pam Lemieux
Parliamentarian: Judith Reidman
Committee Chairpersons
Communications: Gerry Dongo
and Karen Valley
Finance: Pam Lemieux
Membership: Patricia Maxim
Service: Anita Chandler
Social: Marie Pike
Sue E King passed away October 4, 2016. Sue loved her family, her
friends, her animal grand-babies. She loved trips to Vermont with her
husband Lou, enjoying the view from the Eastern Promenade with him,
making cards with her friends and she loved Altrusa. Sue became an
Altrusan in 1997. She served as chairperson on many committees, on the
board in many capacities, and served as President in 2008 - 2010.
Susan E King
1949 - 2016
Sue's enthusiasm for Altrusa led to her
recruiting five members to the club:
Janet Rowe (1999), Kristie Haas
(2000), Diann Carroll (2000), Leslie
Stewart (2002), and Gail Mazzone
(2010). She never recruited her
mother, Lois Rodgers, but she did so
love to have her mother join us at
events. They are pictured here at an
Altrusa Christmas party in 2014.
Sue loved going to District
Conferences and Workshops, greeted
everyone she met with a warm smile
and hug, and became close friends
with many of the Altrusans at these
events. She also loved to attend
other clubs' events. She is pictured
here with Monica Bennett of the
Meredith club and fellow Portland
Altrusan Karen Valley when she,
Karen & Marie Pike had a grand time
at the Meredith club's annual Festival
of the Tree in 2013.
Sue will be much missed by her loving family, devoted friends, and all the
Altrusans who knew her and loved her.
Page 2
Literacy Day 2016 project
As we have in prior years we collected
gently-used adult and young-adult books
from the membership and donated them
to incarcerated populations.
We contacted three facilities:
the Long Creek Youth Development
Center, the Maine (Windham)
Correctional Center and the Cumberland
County Jail. There was no response from
Long Creek. We gave the Windham
Correctional Center 75 books, including
7 Goosebumps. The prisoners love
these books because of low reading
level but also the younger ones
remember reading these books in their
youth. We also gave the Cumberland
County 75 books. Again their interest in
Goosebumps and other YA books was
very high.
Portland Altrusans were very generous
with their books . The County and the
Correctional Center are very appreciative
of our giving of books for the inmates.
Arlene H
We were very fortunate to have Portland's Superintendent of Schools Xavier
Botana join us for our October 19th program meeting.
Xavier shared with us his family's experiences immigrating from Cuba. He
remembers that they received a warm welcome to this country. Based on his
grandfather's and mother's career paths once they moved here, he realized
early on that education was the key to success.
These are the reasons he is passionate about education and about fostering
diversity. In addition to administrative positions, Xavier worked previously as
an ESL teacher. He has worked in Chicago, the "other" Portland, and
Michigan City, Indiana. Those jobs and places have prepared him well for his
work here in Portland, the state's largest and most diverse school system,
attended by speakers of over 60 different languages. He lauded our work
with our ABC program where we read to and give books to kindergartners,
many of whom are learning English as a second language.
pictured above with Xavier are the Altrusa teachers, both current and
former, who were at the meeting. Left to right: Katie K, Susan F K, Xavier B,
Martha D and Carolyn H.
If you know of a nonprofit organization that could use some books, please direct them to our www.altrusaportlandgivesbooks.org website to fill out a
book request form.
From the Communications
Committee
Gratitude to Ann Babbitt for stepping up
again to do the brochures and
yearbooks!! Cheer cheer!!!
We are planning on meeting with all
committee members, including new
member Debbie Lemieux, to discuss,
among other things, a proposal from
Yelp.
Gerry D
Page 3
ATTENTION !!
The Membership Committee needs your help to have
a successful MEMBERSHIP DRIVE at our next program
meeting (November 16th).
Please bring a guest / prospective member for a free meal
and some discussion about who Altrusa is and what we do.
We continue to be excited about our newest members:
Bonnie Chappell -- sponsored by Trish Maxim
Fran Jensen -- sponsored by Judith Reidman
Debbie Lemieux -- sponsored by Pam Lemieux
who have paid their dues and were already in action
at the 'Empty Bowl' supper.
The Board also recently approved the application of
Sharon Davis -- sponsored by Fran Breton
& Wanda Pettersen. (See below.)
We had two terrific guests at our October
Program meeting:
Judy Howes -- sponsored by Anita Chandler
Liz Adams -- sponsored by Katie Klein
These successful sponsors are spreading the word of
Altrusa everywhere. Even if they don't succeed in
attracting a new member, they are getting the name
of "ALTRUSA" out there.
Congratulations on the successes and THANK YOU
to everyone who keeps trying.
Trish M
New Member Application!
The Board and Membership Committee is pleased to
announce that we have received an application for
membership from Sharon Davis. Sharon is sponsored by Fran
Breton and Wanda Pettersen. She is retired from the sheriff's
and lives in Portland. Sharon says that she wants "to give to
the community and join new friends." Sounds like us!
Altrusa Calendar Raffle Ticket Sales of to a Good
Start
After receiving the many generous prize donations from the Portland Altrusans we were able to put together a diverse and high valued Calendar Raffle. There are great prizes assigned to every day of January 2017 for $10 per ticket. Anyone buying a ticket is eligible for all 31 drawings.
It was ready and available for sale at the Empty Bowl Supper on October 22nd. As a result we sold 24 raffle tickets that night! That is a good start to our annual fundraiser that supports our many scholarships and literacy/ community projects.
Now we members need to pick up the ball and start selling raffle tickets to our family and friends. The calendar raffle is available in the Altrusagram (see the last page). Also, Marie will be making a pdf copy for distribution to all Portland Altrusans. Please send copies of the pdf to family and friends on your personal email list.
We have two months to sell tickets. Just a reminder: “The Raffle Ticket makes a good stocking stuffer.” J
Pam L
Hello, Marcia. We are thinking of you!
Page 4
On Saturday, October 22nd, we
sponsored an Empty Bowl Supper at
Woodfords Congregational Church
hall. We had close to 130 people
(counting children, and we do!)
attend this annual event. The
Portland Altrusans prepared 16
different homemade soups and
many sinfully delicious desserts.
Some Altrusans even brought
homemade breads to supplement
the bread donated from Big Sky
Bakery. Coffee, iced tea and
lemonade were also available.
While many Altrusans were filling soup
bowls, others manned the bread and
drinks table, Trish Maxim had the task of
warming up the pots of soup between
crockpot refills and several Altrusans were
very busy rinsing out soup bowls to allow
participants to try out different soup
recipes (or just go back for seconds on one
they really liked).
The expenses to put on this function are covered
100% by the Portland Altrusa Club so that every
dollar donated to the Empty Bowl Supper can be
passed on to Project Feed, a local food
pantry. This year the Portland Altrusa Club will be
giving Project Feed a check for $1,190. This is a
40% increase over what we raised in 2015.
A big Thank You goes out to all of the Portland
Altrusans who donated food and time to this
worthy event. It certainly paid off, and I think you’ll
agree we had a lot of FUN doing it.
Pam L
Project FEED to Receive $1,190 from 2016 Empty Bowl Supper!Biddeford-Saco Altrusans Denise Doyon &
Sarah Moore attended. Former Altrusan
Deb Smith was there too. Many family
members and friends stopped by. Altrusa
friend Barbara Harvey came by early to
donate since she couldn't be there.
Derlene Perley from Project FEED helped
spread the word. Big Sky Bread donated
their wonderful breads.
Thank you to them and everyone else
who supported our fundraiser.
The cleanup at the end of the event
went very quickly. With the muscles
provided by Lemieux men, the tables
were folded up, chairs were stacked
and everything was stored in record
Page 5
Altrusans were on hand October 15th at the St Peter's Fill the Van event.
In addition to helping with food donation drop-offs we talked up Altrusa
and pitched the Empty Bowl event. Pictured left to right: Mary Jo D, Anita
C, Wanda P, Marie P, Katie K and Nicki G.
Remember!
'CLYNK" Bags Available
at All Altrusa Meetings
Please see Pam Lemieux to pick up an Altrusa ‘CLYNK’
bag. You fill the bag with returnable cans and bottles and turn
them in at the CLYNK recycle center located at your local
Hannaford store or you can give them back to Pam and she will
drop them at an appropriate CLYNK recycle center.
REMEMBER!
Record your service hours for our 100th Anniversary! Thank
you.
Happy Birthday, Fran!
Trish M, Pam L, and Theresa M
attended Fran Dyro's surprise 75th
birthday party on October 15th.
REMEMBER!
If you shop Amazon, use Amazon Smile and designate Portland
Altrusa as the recipient so that we get a donation for every
dollar you spend.
The holidays are coming -- you know you'll be shopping!
BOOKSGIVING
Invitations are going out to nonprofits, school
librarians and first-year teachers to our
Booksgiving event on Wednesday, November 9th
from 1 to 5pm at Waldron Way.
We will be helping the attendees choose books
from our inventory that they can use in their
programs, libraries and classrooms. Just another
way of sharing the donations received from the
generous customers of Books-A-Million bookdrives.
If you have an organization or teacher in mind who
could be invited let Anita C know asap.
A sign-up sheet will be circulated at the November
business meeting for members who can work the
event.
Barron Center Garden
The second fall clean-up was done
on October 12th. Once the leaves
have all fallen a third workday will
be scheduled.
Page 6
Page 7
The Altrusagram
Don't forget to log in your service hours. To input hours just click on the link that was
sent with this newsletter.
Service Hours Form
It's not too late to register
for theDISTRICT ONE ALTRUSA WORKSHOP
Saturday, November 5th, 2016
Sponsored by Altrusa International
of Greater Hartford
at Dave & Busters in Manchester, CT
This is going to be a fun one!
Some of us are planning to carpool down on Friday afternoon, coming back Saturday evening. If you are interested in joining us let Marie P or Pam L know. We'll discuss this at the next business meeting as
well.
Altrusa is an international non-profit
organization, making our local communities
better through leadership, partnership, and
service. We are civic-minded people who
strive to create better communities
worldwide.
The deadline for Altrusagram articles is by
end of day on the Friday after the program
meeting - please be helpful by keeping to the
deadline. (Earlier submissions are, of course,
welcome!)
Please send articles, pictures, dates of
upcoming events, etc... to the editor Marie
Pike at [email protected]
A reminder of the cancellation policy for
Program Meetings: members have a
standing reservation and must cancel if
not attending.
To cancel, call Joanne Doherty (730-1479)
before noon of the Monday prior to the
meeting. Members who miss but do not
cancel will be charged for meals that were
guaranteed.
Future District & International Events
District One Workshop - Saturday, November 5, 2016 - to be hosted by Altrusa of Greater Hartford and held in Manchester, CT
District Conference - April 28-30, 2017 - to be hosted by Northeastern CT club and held in Mystic, CT
International Convention - July 21 - 24, 2017 - Nashville, TN - 100th year celebration!
January 2017Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
& RestaurantMuseum or Symphony
Tickets
$25 Gift
$70 Value Certificate Certificate Certificate Certificate Certificate
29 30 31 To enter the raffle, cut off the stub on the side of this calendar, fill it
out with your information and mail it to Altrusa, P.O. Box 8834,
Portland, Maine 04104 , with a $10 check, payable to Altrusa of
Portland Maine , or you can save the cost of a stamp and give it directly
to a Portland Altrusan. & Breakfast for 2
Certificate $530 Value
Night at
Willow's Holiday InnPizza
$100By The Bay
Chili Longfellow Amato's Hannaford's OlivePetSmartChowder Supermarket Garden
$100Challenge book store
$25 Gift $25 Gift $25 Gift $25 Gift $25 Gift
Certificate Certificate
27 28tickets
CIT
Y:
& Restaurant book store
Hannaford's Willow'sNonesuch
Skillin'sDiMillo's Floating Restaurant
$25 Gift $25 Gift $25 Gift $25 Gift $25 Gift
Supermarket Pizza
$100Greenhouses
Certificate
23
NA
ME
:
19 20 21
$50
222 preview
24 25 26
Certificate Certificate
Card Certificate $90 Value Certificate Certificate $200 Value
ST
AT
E:15 16 17 18
AD
DR
ES
S:
ZIP
CO
DE
:
Restaurant Stay in
BAM DiMillo's Deluxe Room
and 3 hour session
$100Portland
Cinemagic planning, planting,
and/or weeding
$20 Gift Certificate Dunkin
Donuts
Master Gardener
Floating Restaurant Harbor Hotel$25 Gift $25 Gift $25 Gift $25 Gift
8
Chili's9 10 Nicki Griffin 11 12
Certificate Certificate Certificate $60 Value Certificate Certificate
13 14One Night
Greenhouses Supermarket & Applebee's
$50book store Restaurant
Skillin'sNonesuch Reiki
Treatment
Hannaford's A.C. Moore4 One Hour 5 6
$30 Gift $25 Gift $25 Gift $25 Gift $25 Gift
Parkers
Restaurant
Altrusa International Inc. of Portland, MaineCalendar Raffle
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2017
Each Raffle Entry is ONLY $10 All Raffle Entries are eligible for EVERY daily drawing.
31 Chances to win CASH and PRIZES!!!All proceeds from this raffle will be used to fund the annual vocational and educational scholarships, our many literacy focused projects, and the several
community programs sponsored by our club.
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The Portland Altrusa Club appreciates your support.
1 2 3$10 Gift
7Card for