January 2019, SIBR Eblast #5


Soroptimist International of Bidwell Rancho-Chico is a group of professional women who strive to make our community and world a better place for women and girls.
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A Message From our President

Happy New Year SIBR! I hope you all had a special holiday season. I really enjoyed relaxing at our annual holiday party and we had an amazing Santa Project this year. Kudos to the Santa Project committee; the new layout was fabulous. We have faced incredible challenges and opportunities in 2018. Now is time to reflect and look forward to a bright future. Be sure to read the summary from our Camp Fire Disaster Relief committee to get updated on how SIBR is helping those affected. Remember that the January meetings are pushed back a week. Our business meeting is on the third week and our speaker meeting is on the fifth week. There are many more bright spots ahead for 2019, and I wouldn't’t want to share it with anyone other than some of my favorite people – you! Coming up in our near future is our awards banquet, and it’s not too early to start thinking about the Dream It Be It project coming up this spring, and it’s going to be the best one yet, I just know it!

With great enthusiasm for the new year,

Angie Little


As we approach the close of 2018, SI President Mariet Verhoef-Cohen shares a video message with Soroptimists around the world.
#Soroptimist #Leadership #SpotlightSoroptimist
SI Presidents Message for 2019


Thank you for the generous donations that have come in from Soroptimist clubs and friends worldwide!
 SI Bidwell Rancho and SI Chico have split the donations and have started distributing the funds to the people and places in and around Paradise, impacted by the Camp Fire. Please read SIBR's Camp Fire Relief Committee update below.
#SoroptimistStrong

Donate

 


 

Soroptimist Sierra Nevada Region News


 
Let’s start planning. This year’s conference is April 26-28, 2019 at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa, Reno, Nevada.
 
This year’s conference is going to be a great experience for you. The Region Board and Committees, our Sponsors and our many volunteers are all putting our passion into what will be a great conference. Presentations of the Region’s business, including proposed amendments to the governing documents. Our Official Visitor will be SIA Secretary/Treasurer Pat McCay. It is an honor to have SI President Mariet Verhoef-Cohen attending our conference. We also have Dr. Ciriaco “Cid” Pinedo, President/CEO of Children’s Fund who will speak about accessing education for Women and Girls who are underserved. We will have some great entertainment on Friday night. Are you excited yet???
 
Time to reserve your room at the Atlantis!! Remember, the volleyball tournament competes for rooms at this time of year, so it is important for you to book your room now!! You can call into the Reservations Department at (800) 723-6500 and provide group code SNRVR19. You can book online by clicking here.
 
I am still looking for two things: 
 
Sponsors for lunches and breakfasts, we need these so that we can reduce the meal costs to attendees. If you know of anyone, please have them contact me at snrgovelect@soroptimistsnr.org. The Sponsorship Packet is available here.
 
If you would like to join our group of volunteers who help make the conference a great experience, please reach out to me at (775) 544-3733 or snrgovelect@soroptimistsnr.org and let me know if there is something specific you would like to do.
 
Wishing you each of you loads of fun festivities during the month of December and huge successes for 2019 in finding your passions and living your dreams.
 
Best Sarah Carrasco, Governor Elect/Conference Coordinator.

Soroptimist International of the Americas News

Looking to our Future

Are you making New Year’s resolutions for 2019? We are! One of our resolutions is to recruit 10 Soroptimists to join the Laurel Legacy, a recognition program for members who include Soroptimist in their estate planning. By making this commitment to future generations of women and girls, you also receive a beautiful pin, as well as recognition at Soroptimist events.

“I long to leave this world far better than it was when I started my journey.” — Tonya Clark, Laurel Legacy member

Will you join us in looking to our future?

We tried #GivingYouABreak …

If you missed Danielle “Development Assistant” Marino’s #GivingYouABreak video, you missed our #GivingTuesday (11/27/2018) plan to spend the day expressing gratitude. And Soroptimists kept giving us more reasons to be grateful! Twenty people started Facebook fundraisers on our behalf, bringing in more than $7,700 for our global Dream Programs in a single day.

When we say we appreciate our volunteers and couldn’t change lives without them, we mean it!

A Visionary Woman: Marie Kennedy

We recently profiled Marie Kennedy on SIA’s Facebook page about why she believes in the importance of supporting women and girls through Soroptimist. Marie is a 5-year member of the 1921 Visionaries, Soroptimist’s recognition society for members who give for five consecutive years or more. To start your journey toward becoming a 1921 Visionary, be sure to make a gift !

Santa Project December 15th, 2018
Committee:
Co- Chairs: Susan Bandstra and Maxine Guynn
Members: Karen Marlatt, Kim Sayers, Traci Williams

SIBR had another fun and successful evening, teaming up with Chico Area Recreation and Park District  , providing another magical experience for about 110 children. The event was held at the Dorothy F. Johnson Center and Dorothy Johnson herself came by and had her picture taken with Santa. If you like to learn more when the center was started and its history Click Here!

The children got to spend some time with Santa, do several Christmas crafts, set up by Inspire S-Club. In between they were able to pick a toy, some books, coloring books with crayons, scarfs, hats and toothbrushes. There were also plenty cookies, String cheese, mandarins and juice!
Santa Project Video


 
Committee Updates!

Camp Fire Disaster Relief Committee
Chair: Tracie Williams
Members: Sally Mendez, Angie Little, Maxine Guynn, Betsy Spears

So far the Camp Fire Disaster Relief committee has disbursed or at least allocated $7000 directly to families who have been affected. The committee recently met with a single mother of five who is trying to help her children adapt to their new normal. While they did not lose their home, there is quite a bit of smoke damage and the children had to change schools. Her first thought after we handed her a check was to purchase new pillows. The simple things. Also, through the S Club at Inspire, we have learned of two students have lost their homes. We will be distributing Visa gift cards to each once school reconvenes in January. Additionally, there are two other women we will be helping. Each one lost their jobs due to the fire. One has a daughter who is experiencing post traumatic issues and the other has two daughters to support. We will be distributing Visa gift cards to each. If any club member learns of someone who has been affected and feel we may be able to help, please forward the information to any committee member.

( left to right: Tracie Williams, Richan Talley, Sally Mendez, Angie Little and 4 of Richan's children)
 

Fundraising Committee Update
Chair: Della Miller

Members: Sheron Box, Sarah Fry, and Dawn Letner

 The Fundraising Committee met at a coffee shop on November 11 to review past fundraising events and discuss options for future fundraisers.  Due to the number of fundraisers planned this season for the Campfire victims, we decided that events in the spring would be more appropriate. For now, we are working to sell the remaining 18 “Strong is the New Pretty” books as the make nice Christmas gifts.  For spring, we are looking into a TBar takeover and are researching a wine tasting event as well as other possibilities.

Dream it, be it Committee
Chair: Babette Maiss
Members: Maxine Guynn, Kim Sayers

The Dream it, Be it Committee will start planning the event at Fairview High School in January! The event will be held in March/April. SI Bidwell Rancho will be teaming up with SI Chico on this again! This year we are planning on maybe inviting some community members who will speak on the different topics, provided in the curriculum.
We are still looking for a couple members to sign up and help out with the planning stages!

Fairview High School Committee
Chair: Judi Merlo
Members: Melanie Austen, Susan Bandstra

 

One thing we have been doing for Fair View High School has been to donate bus passes.  This allows them to be given to students who have difficulty getting to and from school, especially in bad weather.  We gave the school four hundred two-ride bus passes for this last semester, and we will be doing the same for the upcoming semester.  When we met with school officials several years ago and asked what we could do for the school, it was suggested that we help get some of the students to and from school.  We spend about $1500 of our budget per year on bus passes.
 
In the Spring, our committee begins to look at scholarship(s) for Fair View High School students. We have been going through the Chico Community Scholarship Association, who collect applications from students at the high schools who are requesting financial assistance.  We then have the opportunity to review the applications from Fair View students and decide who to award the funds to.  We spend $1500 of our budget per year on scholarship(s). 

Focus Committee
Chair: Linda Lucena
Members: Sarah Fry, Sherry Holbrook, Judi Merlo, Karen Marlatt, Yvette Sanfilippo

 

This year we had $3,000 to award. The committee has already awarded the funds to the two organizations below. A representative from each has been invited to our Awards dinner in the Spring.

Organization: Jesus Center

Project: Storage Sheds for the transitional homes (Myrtle House and Lily House) for women and children. As the winter months are approaching there is a critical need for storage for car seats and strollers in a dry and secure area. Currently using a bedroom in each home but these will soon by occupied by women/children.

Organization: Chico Children’s School Fund

Project: An ongoing project of providing basic needs for school children in the Chico Unified School District. When contacted by school staff from a number of Chico schools Dave Colburn purchases essentials; shoes, clothing, and hygiene items. He states he can ear-mark funds for girls only.

Holiday Committee
Co-Chairs: Yvette Sanfilippo and Gayle Luna
Members: Melanie Austen, Susan Bandstra, Maxine Guynn, Erica Trejo, Judi Merlo

The Holiday Committee started with collecting non-perishable food for the Community Food Drive.  Thanks to our members we were able to donate a lot.  I dropped off the food to Raley's East Ave. on Thursday December 13th.

Next was the Jesus Center Sabbath House Project.  Thanks to a hefty budget voted in by our great members a few years ago, we were not only able to help Sabbath House, we added Holly House, Myrtle House, House of Hope, Sage House and St. Joseph Lily House.  These are transitional homes for homeless women.  One house has women with their baby.  We purchased a $25 Gift Card for each woman, shopped for their $25 wish list item and then wrapped everything. Whew, and there were were thirty two women!


 
 

Upcoming Events

Board Meeting
January 8th, 2019
5:45pm

Sheron's Office
60 Landing Circle, Chico, Ca 95973

Business Meeting
January 15th, 2019
5:30pm - 7pm

Panighetti's Eatery, 95973, 1851 Esplanade, Chico, CA 95926, USA

Speaker Meeting
January 29th, 2019
5:30pm - 7pm

Panighetti's Eatery, 95973, 1851 Esplanade, Chico, CA 95926, USA
We will hear from Tracie Hannick, who started a non profit "Project Hope",
after her bout with breast cancer. It was founded in 2016 to help the many women, men and families affected by breast cancer.
Click here for more information



 




Fridy Night Flamingle
February 1st, 2019
6pm - 9pm

Rolling Hills Casino
2655 Everett Freeman Way, Corning, CA 96021

6pm No Host Food & Drink, Friendship and Fun




District Winter Meeting
February 2nd, 2019
9am - 2pm
Rolling Hills Casino
2655 Everett Freeman Way, Corning, CA 96021







 
Soroptimist International of Bidwell Rancho's Calendar
Every month we will introduce a Member!
Meet Kim Sayers, RSC Accociates, INC, Secretary 

 

I have enjoyed being a Soroptimist for 17 years now and Oh My!, how time flies!  I joined soroptimist in 2001 because I wanted to belong to an organization that could make a difference for people in “real time”.  My career at the time was more than full time but I wanted to do more than just belong to networking organizations.  Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed them and would do that all over again.  It just wasn’t satisfying my need to do something philanthropic.  

 

I started working for a property management company in 1993, RSC Associates, Inc., and have worked as a Regional Property Manager for them since 1996.  I have actually worked in property management since I was 19 years old, 1982!, for a friend and just fell into it as a career.   I studied Business with an accounting emphasis and fell in love with the Chico area way back in 1981.  

 

As a member of SIBR I have served my club as Secretary, President Elect and President.  I am now serving as Secretary for a second time and I love it all over again.  Each officer position had it’s unique challenges and rewards and the overall experience of serving our club at that level has been a life time highlight.  

 

I have also served the Sierra Nevada Region as Nominating Committee member 2009-2010, District Director 2010-2012, Region Nominating Committee Coordinator 2013-2015, and most recently, as Fundraising Coordinator 2016-2018.  I also assisted with the Celebration of Life for our Region Conference in 2015.

 

I have enjoyed all of the officer and committee positions I have had a privilege to serve in and I feel like with each new accomplishment I fall in love with Soroptimist all over again.  There is no greater feeling than tackling something that feels like a huge challenge and growing with the experience.

Soroptimist Orientation and Leadership Training
Dash of SOLT.......



Best Practices for Emailing Club Members

There are many ways to relay messages and information with members in your club or region. You might call or text them if you don’t see them in person. Chances are though, you fall back on one tried and true method of communication: email.

In a world where there are many technology options to communicate, email remains extremely popular. It’s estimated that BILLIONS of emails are sent every day. Email is a great way to reach every member in your club or to send important documents to your Board. However, without the benefit of face-to-face contact, the intent of our meaning has a greater chance of being skewed.

In order to enhance your communication skills and make sure your message is successfully received, consider a few tips from The Business Etiquette Bible by Scott Steinberg:

Tone, context and subtle nuances can be lost in translation.
Take time to reread what you are about to send. Is it possible that innocent question or statement could be misunderstood? Might it be misread and cause hurt feelings? Consider picking up the phone if these questions raise a red flag.

Be mindful of your words.
While it is possible to “recall” some emails once they are sent, most likely when you hit send, the email is gone for good. What you’ve said can’t be undone and will be sent to the recipients and anyone you’ve copied.

Always think “ANYONE could read this email.”
Ask yourself if you would be “OK” if someone you cared about read your email. Think about saying the words of your email in public. Because email can be forwarded, it’s possible your words could make their way around your club and any inappropriate comments may reflect negatively on your character.

Check the “To” and “CC” lines.
Take notice that you have typed in the correct recipients. Sometimes, emails will automatically populate email address that you frequently use. If you aren’t careful, you could be sending an email to the wrong person. You may want your email to go to Jane Smith, a member of your club but the system automatically populates your email to go to Jane Smalley, your business client.

The subject line is important.
Keep your subject directly related to what your email is about. For example, maybe you shared a recipe with your Board for a dessert you brought to the last meeting. Your treasurer replied “thanks” and you responded to that email titled: “RE: My Amazing Chocolate Cake Recipe” asking for the latest club budget report. The email may sit in your treasure’s inbox for a while because she thinks you are replying about the cake!

Use “Reply All” sparingly.
The “Reply All” button sends your message to everyone who has been copied on the email. Take a moment to consider if everyone needs your reply – especially if you are just saying, “Thank you for this information.” Remember, billions of emails are sent every day. Less is more!

Be timely about responding to emails.
Try to respond within a day you receive the email. If the email requires more than a quick reply, send an email back to the sender letting them know you will get back with them as soon as possible. Simply saying, “I’m under a deadline right now, but I’ll get back to you by Thursday,” is a courtesy that lets them know you’ve received their request.

Take a vacation – you deserve it! But let the world know.
Attending your region conference or the SIA Convention? Set up an automatic response for when you won’t be available. Let senders know that you are away from your computer and won’t be checking your email until ________ (date). This is another courtesy that lets senders know you aren’t ignoring them.


Email is a great way to deliver a unified message to your club quickly and share important information. You may find for certain types of communications, email may be the best way to communicate with members and these are just a few ways you can improve your email etiquette. Think about using the above tips to increase your email skills and model best practices.

You may find when you use email effectively; your club can complete projects more quickly and more successfully. As an added bonus, you will boost the club’s teamwork and members will see the value of what they can accomplish together!



Source:
Etiquette Expert: The Right Way to Send Email in 2018: https://parade.com/640069/scott_steinberg/etiquette-expert-the-right-way-to-send-email-in-2018/

 



Notes from the Editor

I am still looking for some volunteers to sign up for our Member Spotlight! This is a great way to get to know one another better! Please take a look what month is open and sign up.
Sign Up Sheet
Remember! This is our Newsletter!! I appreciate all of your input and help with articles. 
Please try to get everything to me by the end of each month to get the Eblast send off in time to make the regional Newsletter!
Happy 2019!!

Babette (eblast@sibidwellrancho.org)
Wishing you a Happy Birthday!!
01/03  Sarah Fry
 01/06 Kim Sayers
 01/06  Erica Trejo
    01/07 Sally Mendez
       01/11 Melanie Austen
      01/21 Celeste Garcia
 
Click on image below to visit the Soroptimist Store

Helpful Links
Soroptimist Sierra Nevada Region: https://www.soroptimistsnr.org/
Soroptimist International of the America: https://www.soroptimist.org/
Live Your Dream Award: Club Resources
Dream it, Be it: Club Resources
Copyright © Soroptimist International of Bidwell Rancho, All rights reserved.


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Soroptimist International of Bidwell Rancho, P.O.Box 9170, Chico, CA 95927

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