Tuesday, my family went from calm to crisis. My youngest cousin, mother of two boys aged 7 and 9, was admitted to the hospital with severe anemia, a hemoglobin of 6 gm and dropping! Two surgeries later, she had received a total of eleven pints of blood, plus platelets, and a diagnosis of an aggressive cancer. As I waited at home, I was thankful that I could donate blood and had given recently. Ironically, her younger brother, praying in the hospital waiting room, couldn't help her by giving blood. He is in a long term monogamous gay relationship, and according to the guidelines recommended by the Red Cross, the American Association of Blood Banks and the other professional groups most knowledgeable about the safety of our blood supply, he should be allowed to give blood. However, the FDA has ignored advances in medical science and still discriminates against gay men in their blood donation policy. For the benefit of all those who need blood, as well as my cousin Allan and all the other gay men who would like to give blood, think about making a stop at the Piedmont Blood Center on Main Street during your holiday shopping! No apt needed, takes about an hour. /Social Concerns chair, Alice Sutton
Friday, December 18, 2009
Dec. 1, 2009. Changing the Way We Do Social Justice
Present: Alice Sutton (chair), Don Rollins (interim minister), members Abby Fowler, Teretha Fowler, PK Weiss, Launa Blackburn and Ed Wilde, and guest Jinx Jenkins
We briefly discussed December issues at the end of the meeting:
*Launa and P.K. are coordinating Christmas at Park Hills for particular children who need gifts. P.K. is looking for volunteers for lunch duty on Dec. 11th so teachers can enjoy a holiday lunch. She has sent this notice to the Happenings. Anyone can volunteer for this, whether or not they have previously been at Park Hills.
*We are assisting Merike Tamm in her Book Fair, Dec. 6th, which will include books for Park Hills students.
*Dec. 17th Thursday Eve SPIHN (Spartanburg Interfaith Hospitality Network) dinner is coming up at Fernwood Baptist Church. Our committee members will provide the dinner this time for 3 mothers and their 8 children between 2 and 10 years old: Alice (chili), Abby (bread, salad), Launa (dessert) and also Jinx (fruit salad) (did I miss someone?). We can meet at our church at 5:00 with our dishes, and Alice will deliver them to Fernwood Baptist. We don’t need to bring drinks. Launa and her brother will be overnight hosts, so Launa can bring her dessert direct to Fernwood Baptist. We will look for another covenant group or small group for the next dinner, in February.
*We voted unanimously to recommend to the Board that 100% of the Christmas Eve collection go to Total Ministries to support their many programs. Alice will send an email to Karen Mitchell asking her to bring this to the Board’s attention (done).
*The second Sunday in January, ShareThePlate will be collected for Park Hills School.
*In early January, we will survey the congregation with ideas for ShareThePlate for Feb-April only, with a handout in the bulletin as well as the Happenings and Unison. (Launa, this should be very easy because the congregation is already familiar with the concept.) Beginning in May, we will be implementing the new plan, which may, or may not, include ShareThePlate.
We have a To Do List: we each need to give some thought to the 3 local issues and 3 global issues (discussed in workshop) and email initial ideas to Alice (Ed has already sent his--Thanks, Ed!)
Workshop Topic: Changing the Way We Do Social Justice
*We voted again unanimously to adopt this new model for Social Concerns.
Here is most of Don’s outline with my notes on what we talked about as we went through it.
PROPOSED “GARDINER” MODEL /Don Rollins December 2009
“A summary of the model Don encountered several years ago, as part of a UUA-sponsored, social justice program. (tweaked here and there)
The primary goals are:
1. To engage the greater congregation in designing, delivering and assessing its justice programming.
2. To give direction and focus to the committee(s) charged to lead the congregation in its justice ministries.
3. To better utilize justice resources – human, financial or otherwise.
4. To allow for, but minimize, any additional areas of emphasis related to justice work.
The Model:
1. Justice work is divided into two broad categories: Local and Global.
Local issues are those that have to do with the immediate area, and may or may not involve partnership with an agency or another congregation. Examples: food pantries; soup kitchens; shelters; Habitat for Humanity.
Currently, almost everything we are doing at UUSC is on the local level
Global issues are those that involve the congregation in efforts that are outside its “parish”.
Examples: slave trafficking; women and children affected by war; climate change; Amnesty International.
2. The Committee identifies three possible issues for each of the two categories (six, total), complete with a short plan for each issue. Plans should include estimated necessary resources and responsibilities.
3. An educational plan is designed and implemented at least six weeks in advance of the next Annual Meeting (or otherwise duly called congregational meeting), describing the new model, any related bylaw amendment proposals, six identified issues and plans for each.
NOTES: the social concerns committee decides on three issues in each group and spends several months educating the congregation in these issues. This can be done with 10:00 classes in depth, perhaps two issues at each, also with info in happenings, unison, bulletin, and on Social Concerns bulletin board. We also discussed the need to change our committee name to Social Justice committee, in keeping with including the global perspective. This can also be presented on and voted on at the Annual Meeting or earlier called meeting, at this point projected for ~April (maybe). This educational process helps get more people involved in the issues on different levels.
4. Committee members attend 2010 Annual Meeting (or other duly called meeting) prepared to present and explain the new model.
5. The congregation votes, in accordance with the legal processes, to make any necessary bylaw changes. NOTES: only a majority of members present is needed for approval.
6. The congregation votes to identify two areas of focus, one, local and the other, global.
NOTES: This includes presenting a BUDGET needed for each proposal, which would be included in the proposal, so the congregation votes on the budget.
The same issue can be chosen for both local and global. We had some discussion over the length of each campaign, one year vs. two years, whether one year was enough time, vs. the excitement value of a new issue every year. We will think about this and revisit it at our January meeting. Committee members will also brainstorm about possible issues and email their ideas to Alice.
7. The Committee begins it work, complete with means of assessment and progress reports.
NOTES: The selection of new issues is a good time for new committee members to join. If work is not completed within the 12 months, the committee may continue somewhat beyond that point, but reports to the church as appropriate through the year and at the conclusion of the year. There could be a spin-off subcommittee for the issue.
8. The Committee, beginning in April of that church year, prepares the justice proposal for the congregation’s new justice plan.
NOTES: The Social Justice committee would, again, choose 3 issues for global and 3 issues for local, educate the congregation, and present for a vote at the Annual Meeting in spring 2011.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Remember Special Workshop!
Social Concerns Meeting Tuesday Dec. 1, 7:00 pm
Interim minister Don Rollins will lead a special workshop on a new model for Social Justice activities in a congregation, a model with the power to increase congregational involvement and commitment to issues. Please attend if you are a committee member or interested in being a committee member.Part 3, Blood Bank Policy
As I left the Piedmont Blood Center on Main Street, I enjoyed that self-satisfied, yes, even smug feeling that I had done my civic duty! I dropped into the Center at my convenience and, in less than an hour, was in and out. I think everyone who can safely give blood, should. It saves lives and for most people, it’s an easy way to help others.
The Food and Drug Adminsitration (FDA) blood donation policy denies gay and bisexual men this opportunity to help others and contribute to the common good. If medical science hadn’t advanced since the 1980’s, this would be a necessary ban, along with similar bans against Haitians and Africans and, in Washington DC, all African American women (this group now has a frighteningly high risk of contracting HIV/AIDS). Of these, only people from a few African countries are banned from donating. Of course, medical science has advanced since then. In fact,
The American Association of Blood Banks (AABB)
America’s Blood Centers (ABC)
and the American Red Cross (ARC)
have all been calling for the ban’s revision since 1997—that’s 12 years!
In March 2006, the FDA held a workshop on this issue. Dr. Steven Kleinman, Senior Medical Advisor for the American Red Cross, stated then that “current duplicate testing using NAT and serologic methods allow detection of HIV- infected donors between 10 and 21 days after exposure. .. It does not appear rational to broadly differentiate sexual transmission via male-to-male sexual activity from that via heterosexual activity on scientific grounds... To many, this differentiation is unfair and discriminatory.” Yet, the FDA, ignored the recommendations of all four professional groups and took no action to revise the ban.
So, why is there a ban against gay men donating blood?
What do you think?
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Part 2. FDA Policy on Blood Bank Donors exclusions is outdated
What organizations in the US are most knowledgeable and concerned about preventing HIV/AIDS? The Medicine Association (HIVMA) of the Infectious Diseases Society of America would be at the top of the list. It represents over 2,600 physicians, scientists and other health care professionals who practice on the frontline of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
HIVMA explains that all blood donations today are tested with the Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAT) for HIV. The NAT detects HIV beginning 11 days after a person has contracted it. In 2004 HIVMA stated that “the accuracy and reliability of the NAT …call for significant revisions to the current donor screening guidelines. It is discriminatory and unnecessary to continue to exclude any man who has had sex with another man since 1977 from donating blood.”
HIVMA recommends that the blood donor screening procedures be revised to ask all potential donors to exclude themselves if they have recently engaged in unprotected sex with a partner of unknown HIV status or used a syringe not prescribed by a physician to take drugs or steroids. To err on the side of caution, HIVMA states, “recently” might be defined as the previous six months. … Why is the ban still in place? More next week … *HIVMA’s full statement at http://www.hivma.org/Content.aspx?id=2788
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Social Concerns Meeting Tuesday Dec. 1, 7:00
Interim minister Don Rollins will lead a special workshop on a new model for Social Justice activities in a congregation, a model with the power to increase congregational involvement and commitment to issues. Please attend if you are a committee member or interested in being a committee member.
FDA Blood Donation Policy Information
The Social Concerns committee will be submitting a weekly paragraph to the bulletin & happenings to educate the congregation on this topic. Here is No. 1:
Did you know that well over 10% of men are banned for life from donating blood? In the 1980’s, when HIV/AIDs first became a problem, the FDA banned Haitians, intravenous drug users, and men who had had sex with another man from donating blood. However, the ability to detect HIV in blood donations has become very good. In 1990, Haitians protested their blanket exclusion from blood donations as racism, and Haitians were taken off this list. However, all men who have had sex with another man (even once) since 1977 are still banned for life from donating blood. Is that necessary for the safety of our blood supply? Since 1997, AABB (the American Association of Blood Banks) has advocated that this lifetime ban should be lifted. For more info, see http://www.aabb.org/Content/Members_Area/Members_Area_Regulatory/Donor_Suitability/bpacdefernat030906.htm …Why is the ban still in place? More next week …
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Social Concerns Minutes October 28, 2009
We briefly reviewed October activities and November plans:
*Wed. Oct. 21st. Love, Knit & Crochet had its second meeting. We are knitting/crocheting scarves for the homeless from now till Christmas, meeting on the third Wednesdayat 6:30. We hope more will join us.
*Oct. 1st & 3rd. SPIHN (Spartanburg Interfaith Hospitality Network): The Diane Dixon Covenant Group prepared dinner for six guests at Fernwood Baptist Church, and Launa Blackburn and her brother were overnight hosts at Fernwood Baptist Church. Abby Fowler agreed to lead the next dinner, in December. We will look for another covenant group or small group for the following one, in February.
*Pink Sunday: Alice spoke briefly about this breast cancer awareness day at the Oct. 25th service and material was available for interested church members. This material is on the social concerns table.
*Nov. 1st Connie Godenick will begin a monthly Sunday morning health program for our congregation, and also open to the community. Connie and Alice will lead a vegetarian Wonderful Wednesday in November.
This month’s Topics
1. Don Rollins spoke on a particular model for Social Justice activities in a congregation, a model with the power to increase congregational involvement and commitment to issues. Don offered to assist us with this if we wish, and then left for another meeting. We decided we want to work with this model, so will schedule a special meeting in November with Don on how to implement this, with the goal of information-gathering, educating the congregation, and then offering resolutions at the May Congregational meeting.
2. PK gave us an update on the excellent work that Brandon David and fellow students are doing to fight school-district sanctioned religious speech & prayer at school events.
3. PK also reported, from Launa Blackburn, that Park Hills School is NOT accepting new volunteers at this time due to increased cost of background checks and the availability of Americorps volunteers. However, previously screened volunteers are still very welcome.
4. Alice shared the Board’s request that we educate the congregation about the FDA Blood Bank policy and the resolution proposed by David Stack. He shared with us additional information on this clearly discriminatory ban. We discussed this, and all members present agreed to undertake this educational effort and discussed a step-by-step process using the Bulletin, the Happenings, and culminating in a 10:00 am meeting in January, some time prior to the Congregational meeting
5. ShareThePlate: Alice reported that the Board heard the recommendations from the Social Concern and Finance Committees and postponed action. The members of the Board were uncomfortable with the social concerns language because it was not explicit enough. Karen and Nancy Mandlove are working on the phrasing. No decision as yet.
Social Concerns members are anxious for a speedy decision so that we can, hopefully, resume ShareThePlate. Cindy mentioned the favorable attention our church received at the Asheville UU for our ShareThePlate checks on display.
5. Placement of Collection Barrels: We need to find a place—will consider this later.
6. Teretha Fowler presented information on prescription drug assistance available to low income people for a fee of only $20/ year. We posted this information on the Social Concerns bulletin board.
7. The committee approved Flu Epidemic/No hugs reminder signs for the church doors. These are posted.
Present: Alice Sutton (chair), Don Rollins (interim minister), members Abby Fowler, Teretha Fowler, PK Weiss, Cindy Howe, and Ed Wilde, and guests David Stack and Michael Rainey
Sunday, October 4, 2009
October Social Concerns Calendar
Love, Knit & Crochet Wed. Oct. 21st, 6:30. We are making scarves for the homeless between now and Christmas. Come with your hook or needles, yarn is provided. Everyone is welcome ~ we will teach beginners.
Social Concerns Committee's Next Meeting: Oct. 28th, 6:30. Topics: Don Rollins will talk about social concerns; blood drives & discrimination against MSM, update from Brandon on youth concerns, update from Launa on Park Hill, and other ideas and concerns brought by members. No meetings in Nov. & Dec.
Wed. Sept. 23rd. Social Concerns Meeting 6:30
Corrected Minutes (thanks, committee members!)
Update on activities of September-October
This month’s topics include: Youth activities, ShareThePlate, Critter Connections, Discrimination against Gay Men by FDA in accepting blood donations and others.
What is “Social Concerns”? Nationally, UU churches have committees, variously called Social Concerns, Social Action, and Social Justice, with efforts similar to ours. They usually stress, as we do, “think globally and act locally.”
Present: Alice Sutton, chair; Don Rollins, minister; Launa Blackburn, Park Hills Liaison; Brandon David, youth rep; Kim Danner, board liaison; additional members Ed Wilde, Abby Fowler, P. K. Weis, Palma and Mitchell Eisner, and Cynthia Howe; and supporters Bobbie Schoss and David Stack.
Update on activities of September-October:
*Total Ministries: Penny Hatchell calls Total Ministries when the food barrel is full. Previously, Meg Barnhouse sometimes gave food directly to needy applicants from the barrel, and Penny has continued that through the summer. We had a consensus that it was better to refer to Total Ministries but agreed that DON ROLLINS should decide whether he wished to continue this tradition or preferred that all applicants go direct to Total Ministries: Discussion w/ DON: he wants to follow the church recommendation. We recommend that he refer all to Total Ministries & Free Lunch at Second Pres. *Wed. Sept. 16th. Love, Knit & Crochet had its first meeting. We will knit/crochet scarves for the homeless from now till Christmas, meeting monthly. We hope more will join us.
*Ruth Stanton offered info on pending legislation for public education & voter registration on Sept. 20th.
*Launa Blackburn spoke at the Sept. 20th service on Park Hills partnership to recruit volunteers and put calendar on bulletin board.
*Alice spoke about Social Concerns committee after service. Also bought organizations directory.
*Oct. 1st & 3rd. SPIHN (Spartanburg Interfaith Hospitality Network): UU church commitment to Fernwood Baptist Church is to provide one meal to the homeless family/families hosted. Dixon Covenant Group will provide Th. Oct 1 meal and Launa will be a Saturday overnight host.
*Breast Cancer Awareness & Memorial: Sally Hicks has ordered Pink Sunday materials for us and Alice will speak about this at Oct. 25th service.
*Nov. 1st Connie Godenick will begin a monthly Sunday morning health program for our congregation, and also open to the community.
This month’s Topics
1. ShareThePlate: we all thought this was very worthwhile last year. Did we really lose money doing this? Ed Wilde explained the Finance Committee recommendation of 7/09. They recommended that “any plate amount over $80 each Sunday will be given to the charity of the month in addition to checks and contributions given to the church in the charity’s name.” This was calculated based on church pledges and the pattern of giving, to hopefully meet budget.
We felt that this phrasing was very awkward and also would not encourage people to give that extra amount for charities that the previous Share the Plate plan did. However, we acknowledged the financial realities that make the previous Share the Plate plan more generous than we can afford at this time. After much discussion, we reached a consensus and make this recommendation to the Board:
That we share the plate every Sunday with the following phrasing: This month, the ___________(charity) will receive all designated checks or money placed in the donation envelopes and labeled for _________, as well as a portion of the loose cash and change put in the collection plate.” We would like to continue to have each recipient organization speak at one service for a few minutes, and would also like that org. to have a table with info. in the fellowship hall at least one week in the month.
Further, we designate Park Hills School as our next Share The Plate recipient. We will do a new congregational survey and choose additional recipients in October and January. Launa agreed to create this survey.
2. Bobbie Schoss shared information on “Critter Connections,” an animal foster-and-adoption NPO in Spartanburg. This is a good place for people looking for pets or who would like to foster a pet, and also a good candidate for Share The Plate.
3.David Stack shared information about the lifetime exclusion of blood donations from men having sex with men (MSM). The American Red Cross, the American Assoc. for Blood Banks and America’s Blood Centers have urged the FDA to revise the ban because of technological advances ensuring the safety of the blood supply with a revised plan. This discrimination has led some to call for banning blood drives from some locations. We agreed that all members present will research and think about this topic and discuss this at our Oct. meeting. Launa will discuss this issue with Rick Hahnenburg & Margaret Schmidt, who have been involved in recent blood drives, and invite them to our next meeting.
4. Brandon David shared his ideas on how our youth would like to contribute to our church, first, by helping with fundraising, and second, with our help to expedite community volunteer activities. He also spoke about the need for more recreational youth activities in our community, and we discussed some ideas on how youth recreation and fundraising could be combined. We thought the youth could make a wonderful contribution to the auction by teaming up to offer hours of work. Our new fundraising committee clearly needs a youth member, too! Don, P. K. and Launa will take initial steps to help with ideas such as a youth coffee house or dance, and volunteer help at after school activities at Park Hills School. Alice & Launa will be happy to talk to a youth group about community activities after Alice has attended upcoming neighborhood assoc. meetings.
5. Brandon also spoke about the Respect and Equality Petition with 600+ signers presented by high school students at the District 6 School District Board meeting. This was in response to a very exclusive prayer-speech given at last spring’s graduation at Dorman High. Subsequently, the School Board lost the petition. The Social Concerns committee support this petition and agree that Brandon, et al, should have a table in the Fellowship Hall on a Sunday very soon, to give our church members the opportunity to sign a new petition. Brandon will let us know when he would like to have a table in the Fellowship Hall (soon).
6. Launa shared her concerns about declining contributions to the Total Ministries Food Barrel. She would like the barrels put in a more visible location. Alice will bring barrel locations and other housekeeping concerns up at the next COC meeting.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Wed. Sept. 23rd. Social Concerns Next Meeting 6:30 (4th Wednesday).
Topics include: Youth activities, SPIHN dinner, ShareThePlate, Critter Connections, and others.
All interested members and friends are welcome.
Wed. Sept. 16th. Love, Knit & Crochet first meeting. For fellowship, creation of prayer shawls, baby blankets, etc. Open to youth and adults. Come to learn to knit or crochet and make warm scarves for the homeless, a blanket for a premature baby, a shawl for a sick person. Or join us for camaraderie while you work on your own projects. If you need to purchase your first knitting needles, buy size 10 or 11; crochet hook, buy size J or K. BEGINNERS, you do not need to bring yarn to the meeting, but you do need to bring hook or needles.
Next meeting: Oct. 21st, 6:30. Our fall group project is knitting scarves for the homeless.
Sunday, Sept. 20th Community Fair
*Launa Blackburn will speak on Park Hills Volunteer needs & opportunities from the pulpit for 5 minutes, and volunteers will wear special nametags “ask me about Park Hills”
Alice Sutton will speak at the Community Fair about Social Concerns as a whole and opportunities to volunteer.
*Ruth Stanton will share info on legislative efforts to improve public education and offer voter reg. & address updates via a table in the fellowship hall.
OCT 1st. Provide 1 dinner for SPIHN (Spartanburg Interfaith Hospitality Network): UU church commitment to Fernwood Baptist Church to provide one meal to the homeless family/families hosted. Although we have provided restaurant meals and take-out pizza most recently, we agreed we needed to do a low-budget meal, i.e., homemade mac&cheese, etc. How about a simple home-cooked meal and a great dessert?
Present: Alice Sutton (chair), Abby Fowler, Connie Godenick, Sally Hicks, Cindy Howe, Bobbie Schoss, P.K. Weiss. Unable to attend: Launa Blackburn, Teretha Fowler, Ruth Stanton, Ed Wilde
Purpose: To promote and coordinate social concerns efforts, especially to make participation easier for our church members
1) What is “Social Concerns”? Nationally, UU churches have committees, variously called Social Concerns, Social Action, and Social Justice, with efforts similar to ours, but with enough differences to make their statements interesting reading. They usually stress, as we do, “think globally and act locally.”
2) We reviewed our congregation’s activities in social concerns for the past year and previously, including continuing commitments:
*First Pride March: members of our congregation had a major responsibility for this wonderful event! Social concerns activities don’t have to spring from our committee.
*Adoption of Park Hills School: Launa Blackburn and PK Weiss spearhead this work. See end of minutes for August activity at ***.
*St. Luke’s Clinic: Teretha Fowler coordinates volunteer participation here one evening a month. If 1-2 additional people are interested in helping interview patients, this would be a plus. If 4-6 people were interested, we could take another evening.
*Total Ministries: Penny Hatchell calls Total Ministries when the food barrel is full. Previously, Meg Barnhouse sometimes gave food directly to needy applicants from the barrel, and Penny has continued that through the summer. We agreed that DON ROLLINS should decide whether he wished to continue this tradition or preferred that all applicants go direct to Total Ministries.
*SPIHN (Spartanburg Interfaith Hospitality Network): UU church commitment to Fernwood Baptist Church to provide one meal to the homeless family/families hosted. Their next event is Sept. 27-30. Although we have provided restaurant meals and take-out pizza most recently, we agreed we needed to do a low-budget meal, i.e., homemade mac&cheese, etc. How about a simple home-cooked meal and a great dessert?
*ShareThePlate: we all thought this was very worthwhile last year. We want to focus on this at our next meeting and make a thoughtful recommendation to the BOARD, so we have requested that the board make no decision on this until then.
*In previous years, groups, including youth groups, volunteered at Habitat for Humanity housebuilding and at Second Pres. Church serving free lunches, among others. We would like one or more YOUTH REPRESENTATIVES at our meetings to discuss what the youth would like to do or are already doing as volunteers. P.K. will discuss with Kathleen Anderson. Connie pulled her daughter, Laura, into our meeting to share her work with the Mayor’s Service Board, a volunteer group open to all high school youth in Spartanburg county—sounds like a great group! Thank you, Laura, for speaking to us!
Also, we'd like to invite any of the high schoolers who would like to participate in the Social Concerns committee at church to attend the next meeting: Wednesday, September 23 at 6:30 p.m. (at the church).
4) New Social Concerns Activities & Plans:
*Bobbie will present information on “Critter Connections” at the next meeting.
*Ruth Stanton would like to share info on legislative efforts to improve public education (http://www.goodbyeminimallyadequate.com/) and offer voter registration via a table in the foyer for 1-2 Sundays late in September. Our committee felt this was worthwhile, but was concerned that we had too much going on in September. We would like BOARD feedback on this.
*Connie shared her desire to help both our congregation and others become healthier through better nutrition. We health professionals will talk about this further and report at our next meeting.
*Alice shared her discussion with David Stack: we want to start a knitting/crocheting fellowship group open for people of all ages, those who want to learn either skill, or already know how & want to participate in making prayer shawls, baby blankets, or similar for charity, or simply knit and chat. Several committee members would like to join the group. Alice & David are both free only on the 3rd Wed. after dinner.
*Communications Issues: sharing information on what members are involved in and offering other opportunities is an ongoing need. Although monetary donations to charities are important, activities are more important. Alice will purchase a copy of Directory of Opportunities from the library and we will keep it in the Social Concerns Mailbox (please return it there if you look at it!)
(Sept. 15th note: DONE, but the directory was "borrowed"-- we hope it will make its way home to the mailbox.)
We discussed ways for committee members to communicate w/ Alice and for Alice to share that information via Unison, etc. and a webpage. We see the main function of the committee chair as handling communication.)
*Right now: Recruitment Plan for Park Hills: Since it is the beginning of the school year, we want to quickly recognize Park Hills volunteers who have been working there in August and give others the opportunity to get involved. We will make special nametags for that day for volunteers to wear that say “Ask me about Park Hills.”
***P.K. provided a list of August Park Hills volunteers who have held a “Back to School Breakfast” for faculty and staff, and put together information packets for 400 students and their parents. This was forwarded to Joyce. We have been contributing school supplies to the Park Hills barrel in the fellowship hall. Volunteers are needed for classroom help, lunch buddies, field trips, etc.
