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a Mission Statement aAssistance League of Huntington Beach is a non-profit, volunteer organization dedicated to improving the

quality of life for children and adults in the community.

August 2016

Project Self Sufficiency Awards

Huntington Beach’s Project Self Sufficiency participants were honored at a dinner June 24, 2016 and awarded $15,500 from Assistance League of Huntington Beach along with checks from other sources. (See story on page 2)

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President’s MessageSummer is sizzling and Assistance League of Huntington Beach is too! Our groups are unbelievably industrious. It is very exciting and I am so proud!

Check out our new website! The public portion of the website is terrific and engaging. The “under construction” portion for members will soon improve and grow our capacity to communicate “in-house” and function more efficiently. We offer many thanks to Pat Seiler, Michelle, Mazurk and Diane Dwyer for the hundred hours (and counting) that have gone in to making our website a reality.

The Grant Committee has completed several grant applications as well as a particularly intensive participation with the Orange County Community Foundation website. This affiliation will help our organization make an even bigger impact now and for years to come. Thank you Barbara Thacker and your Grants Committee team!

These are only two areas where we are hard at work, involving just a small handful of our 330+ members. The enthusiasm is flowing and so many of you have “hit the ground running” to make 2016-2017 a year for the record books. Thank you to all!

Several of our women are getting ready to attend National Conference in Dallas next month. Hopefully many more will begin to think seriously about the 2017-2018 Conference next year in San Francisco. This is an opportunity to interface with others from all over the United States and hear about their challenges, find new solutions, and enjoy the camaraderie.

Thank you, thank you for the amazing beginning to a stellar year. a

Marilyn J. CavenerPresident, Assistance League 2016-2017

Project Self-SufficiencyProject Self-Sufficiency (PSS) is a Huntington Beach program which began in 1985. For over 30 years it has been assisting low-income single parents in achieving economic independence through education, training and personal development. The Project Self-Sufficiency Foundation (PSSF) was created in 1994 to partner with the City of Huntington Beach Community Services Department and the local community to raise funds for PSS clients. PSSF provides assistance for tuition and books, childcare, transportation, housing, food and financial counseling, as well as maintaining a supply pantry for items not covered under Cal Fresh.

This year, Assistance League of Huntington Beach will give $20,000 to PSS clients in educational scholarships. PSS families are also able to be clothed once a year under our Operation New Beginnings Program. Our Assisteens® have taken a huge interest in the PSS program. They also donate $500 towards educational scholarships. Additionally, the Assisteens have a program called “Birthday in a Bag” where they provide all the fixings for a birthday cake, gift card, balloons, candles and more in a beautiful party bag.

These bags are kept in the PSS office and when a PSS child has a birthday, they may come to the office and grab a bag. This may be the only gift they get for their birthday and it means a lot to them. One of the most fun programs the Assisteens do is the “PSS Parent Gift Program.” During the year they collect small gift items, wrapping paper and ribbons. All of this is brought to the PSS Holiday Party and set up in a separate room away from the parents. Each PSS child may come in and select a gift for their parent and gift wrap it. These children don’t have to money to buy their parents gifts and they are so excited to be able to give their mom or dad something for the holidays.

PSS is indeed fortunate to have partnerships with community organizations such as Assistance League of Huntington Beach. a

Laura Syzdek3rd V.P. Philanthropic

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DreamCatchersIt was a gorgeous evening Wednesday, August 10, when DreamCatchers were honored to hold their regular meeting at the new Senior Center in Central Park. An enormous thank you to Martha Nishida, who initiated arranging a tour of the facility with Randy Pesqueira, Executive Director. You must visit at your earliest convenience. You will not be disappointed. Several members arrived saying “This place is incredible and such a beautiful facility!”

Randy and Michelle Yerke, Care Manager Director, welcomed us and thanked us profusely for all that we have done and continue to do for the needy seniors in our community. They took us on tour of the facility and even went through the caterer’s dream kitchen.

Since 2003, when Support Our Seniors began, DreamCatchers have provided grocery gift cards, OCTA bus passes, and holiday/spring gift bags to seniors. We receive many touching thank you notes. We recently received a thank you note from a woman who enjoyed the spring gift bag but really enjoyed the bag of prunes most!

Thanks to Marilyn Cavener, Susan Bjork, Carolyn Cassell, and Diane Dwyer for attending our meeting. When I mentioned “those other ladies visiting,” I was quickly reminded by Susan that we are all sisters. I think they only came so they could go on the tour! (NO, they didn’t!) They each had welcoming words for us and important business to impart. We welcome all Chapter members to visit any of our meetings.

All DreamCatchers were disappointed to learn Myrna Mandell resigned as our liaison due to health reasons. She was one of our biggest cheerleaders and always gave us high praise. We will miss Myrna and wish her a speedy recovery. We are excited to welcome Lynne Wilhelm as our liaison, introduced by Marilyn Cavener.

Our philanthropic program chairman and her co-chairs have been busy throughout the summer with meetings, organizing for the new year, and shopping – we all thoroughly enjoy spending our monies for our programs and communities.

We awarded two members their yearly service pins: Mary Dugan received her 5-year pin and Sandee Freemon received her 10-year pin. Congratulations, Ladies.

Insert pictures – Mary is in blue and Sandee black & white

We have had sadness this past month. Pat Wolff recently loss her husband to sepsis. He suffered for 2 weeks at Hoag before he passed. It has been a shock to Pat but she is glad he is out of pain and at peace. And our member, Sharon Small, a brave courageous woman, succumbed to cancer on Friday, August 11. I am so proud of our membership who have sent emails, cards, and are providing support to both of these families. Pat told me she could not believe the outpouring of love and concern she has felt from the DreamCatchers during this difficult time. Sharon’s husband told a member, that he has read every card multiple times and the words are so beautiful. Please keep these two families in your thoughts during this difficult time. a

Lari ThomasDreamCatchers’ Chairman

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength , while loving someone deeply gives you courage .” ― Lao Tzu

DreamCatchers’ next meeting is Wednesday

September 14.

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Thrift Shop NewsThe Thrift Shop has had a very busy and successful summer, thanks to all of you.

The new organization is in place and the managers are a strong team. Your management team in the back room is Danielle Rivera with Maryann Boryszewski, and Marilyn Davidson, the Thrift Shop sales floor, Fran Meyers with Carolyn Butler and Kim Bersch and the Corner Boutique, Elma Valdes with Susan Heins and Irene Cotton. These ladies stepped up to lead the Thrift Shop. Thank you for giving them your complete support. They will be open to your suggestions and ideas.

We have been rearranging the Thrift Shop to widen the aisles and streamline the racks so the we can accommodate our customers with wheelchairs and walkers. This is an ongoing project. We have had a deep cleaning of the entire shop and room 100.

The Thrift Shop as been very busy not only with the daily running of the shop, but with a number of special events. We’ve had a very successful 4th of July sale, a Red Hat event and sale for over 60 ladies from various Red Hat clubs, a very special sale of vintage baby merchandise, a half-price sale of most of the shop, and now are preparing for the Back-to-School sale.

Our wonderful donors have showered us with an abundance of merchandise so that we can have the best Thrift Shop ever. We’ve also had several large donations of new items, very cute night lights, over 300 new backpacks and totes, 100 pairs of new shoes, and decorative Christmas ornaments. Thank you community, Resa Evans, and Costco.

None of this would be possible without the members of the chapter, DreamCatchers, and Assisteens. We thank you for your kind and loving hearts and willing hands. Thank so much to Cathy Ruiz who manages the scheduling of workers.

The Thrift Shop is the most important asset of Assistance League of Huntington Beach and what makes it possible to fund our philanthropic programs and improve the lives of children and adults in our community. a

Doris KennedyThift Shop Chairman

Circle FundThis year is the 25th Anniversary of Circle Fund. If you're not familiar with Circle Fund, it is the only fundraiser for our national organization. Donations made to Circle Fund help to pay for leadership training, Assistance League National and Assisteens conferences, branding/marketing for the national website, board and chapter development and more.

I will be selling Circle Fund pins at our first meeting of the year on September 12.

• For a donation of $25 or more you will receive a beautiful Circle Fund pin

• For a donation of $250 or more (VIP Level ) you receive a Circle Fund pin and this years newly-designed bling shirt

So, bring your checkbooks to the meeting. Cash will not be accepted at the September meeting. Let’s show national how great we are in Huntington Beach. a

Carolyn CassellCircle Fund Representative

MembershipLadies, have you invited a friend, neighbor, acquaintance, or relative to our Informational Coffee on September 22 at 10:00 a.m. We are depending on you to spread the word about our wonderful organization. If you know someone who you would like to receive an invitation, please send their contact information to:

Debbie Payne at: alhbmembership@gmail.com a

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4th of July Parade

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Senior Center Grand Opening - July 10

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SeptemberBirthdays!

Next Monthly Meeting: Monday, September 12

at the new Senior Center

GOT NEWS?Assistance League HB members who have information they’d like to announce in the newsletter can submit via email to Ami Racin:photosbyami@gmail.com

Marilyn CavenerPresident

Hedy KnightPresident ElectCarole Daniels

1st V.P. MembershipPat Guidotti

2nd V.P. Resource DevelopmentLaura Szydek

3rd V.P. PhilanthropicBert Beck

Recording SecretaryRosanne Freilich

Educational DevelopmentSandi Woest

TreasurerMichelle Mazurk

Marketing CommunicationsJoan Klubnik

Strategic PlanningMary Ann Chicots

Finance Jeanne Boetto

FacilitiesMyrna Mandell

DreamCatchers LiaisonMary Ackman

Assisteens® CoordinatorJacquie BethelParliamentarian AUXILIARIESDreamCatchers

Lari Thomas, Chairman

ADVISORY COUNCILBruce Berman

Dr. Daniel BryanKevin ChildeIan Collins

Barbara DelgleizeBruce GreenwoodDr. Carol Hansen

Mayor Jim KatapodisSharon Maines

Shawna McKee, Attorney at LawDr. Steve McLaughlin

Dr. Cyndi PaikScott Sackin

Dr. Jennifer Shepard

Newsletter Editor Ami Racin

2016-207 Board

u Jean Soto ...................... 9/5 u Kay McDonald .............. 9/5 u Lou Stellrecht ............... 9/7 u Mary Dugan ................. 9/9 u Lari Thomas .................. 9/10 u Mary DeSloover ........... 9/12 u Denise Voigt ................. 9/14 u Janice McKee ............... 9/15 u Julianne Smith .............. 9/15 u Sandy Peck ................... 9/16 u Joanne Cironi ............... 9/17 u Pam Weissman ............. 9/17 u Jan Marshall ................. 9/18 u Cathrine Ida ................. 9/19 u Fran Meyers ................. 9/20 u Stacy Koressel .............. 9/20 u Wendy Sanders ............ 9/20 u Mary Ann Chicots ......... 9/21 u Lou Ann Wiese ............. 9/22 u Peggy Barnes ................ 9/23 u Lynne Wilhelm ............. 9/26 u Sarah Atkinson ............. 9/29 u Marlene Ryan ............... 9/30