Assistance League of Hawaii Regular Meeting
Wednesday January 12, 2022 • Virtual by Zoom • 10:30 am
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Assistance League of Hawaii – January 2022 |
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Transforming Lives - Strengthening Community |
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STUDENTS SHOW THEIR APPRECIATION TO ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF HAWAII: Last month the Counselor of Waipahu Elementary School brought us these student-made notes and Christmas ornaments to thank us for the school logo t-shirts that we provided for them. |
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At Assistance League of Hawaii time marches on. Our programs continue to adapt to the times. There are many opportunities for you to be involved.
At the next Regular Meeting on January 12, we will be electing a new Nominating Committee to seek out our next year's leaders. Perhaps you would like to be in that group that will shape next year's activities and events! Nominating meetings will be virtual, by phone or in person ---, wherever you feel most comfortable. Please consider joining in this committee to help shape our year to come.
Also please consider a board position or program committee chair for this next year. Do not be afraid because you “don’t know what to do”. We have notebooks for each job with detailed descriptions of what to do each month and a great group of members, many of whom have done these jobs in the past. No one will let you fail. We just can’t count on the “same old” people to make things happen. Please dig deep and see what time you can offer our organization this next year.
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Aloha for Hawaii Charities Campaign Ends Soon – Gear Up for Change For Change |
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Happy New Year! We hope that 2022 brings blessings to all of us with good health and good luck.
We thank our member volunteers that have supported the Aloha for Hawaii Charities campaign. The campaign officially ends on January 19, 2022. Should you wish to donate, remember Aloha for Hawaii Charities will partially match any donations naming the Assistance League Hawaii as the beneficiary. The funds from this campaign will support our mission with Operation School Bell. We are close to meeting our goal. For more information and to donate, click on the following link.
In 2022, the Resource Development committee will initiate the “Change for Change” banks for members who wish to participate. This year, the Resource Development committee discussed providing additional support for the Waikiki Teen Center. They provide help to hundreds of homeless teens, runaway teens, and street-identified youth.
The committee decided that the donations from “Change For Change” will augment the efforts of We Care. The additional funding will be used to purchase basic need items for donation to the Center.
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The campaign will run from February to April 2022, so set those special banks for “change” close to your bed stands and other frequented areas. Committee members will distribute these banks at our face-to-face meetings or by committee member volunteers leading this project; Carol Hasegawa, Joan Helbling, and Linda Andersen.
Finally, it’s that time of the year for grant writing. The committee will be working on the annual grant this year. We will also be seeking mini grants from local donors and businesses. The goal is to get the word out to our local businesses on the philanthropic programs of the Assistance League Hawaii and the outreach it makes to our communities' neediest.
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Philanthropic Programs Outlook |
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OPERATION SCHOOL BELL:
Chairs - Laurelyn Berger / Andrea Cyriacks
Operation School Bell will start delivering Kokua Clothing Boxes to schools during January. We have a few volunteers for these deliveries, but we need more. If you would like to help, please text or call Laurelyn at (808) 382-6678. Your assistance would be appreciated.
OPERATION WILDLIFE: Chair - Hazel Sumile
Operation Wildlife (OWL) is on track to start doing presentations at Oahu schools in late January or early February. OWL still needs members to assist with this fun and educational experience. Please contact Hazel at (808) 722-7897 or email her at hazelsumile@gmail.com to let her know of your interest.
WE CARE: Chairs - Paula Allen / Linda Tsark
In early December Pat Dixon delivered a microwave oven and threshold rugs to a Hale Kipa recipient, transitioning from foster care. On December 20, Linda McColgan, Gloria McGehee-Koel and Linda Tsark delivered Christmas wish list essentials totaling $820 to Youth Outreach in Waikiki. Items delivered included backpacks, rubber slippers, toothbrushes, underwear, deodorants, hand sanitizers, small games, canned meats, canned fruits, and Christmas candy.
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Assistance League of Hawaii finances continue to be strong due to the success of the thrift shop and the loyal support of our donors.
As we go into the new year, please review your current budget status. Consider your committee’s needs for next year. The Annual Finance Budget Meeting will be on Wednesday, February. 23, 2022 at 9:30 am in the O’hana Room.
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Perhaps we can collectively “pat ourselves on our backs” for doing so well in addressing and meeting the unusual challenges of operating the Thrift Shop in 2021.
Thanks to all the dedicated workers – upstairs and down – who made a successful year possible under the circumstances. Members have been willing to put in extra hours when needed. Suggestions and changes made positive impacts on the Shop. Fellowship and fun continued and we had a wonderful Christmas gathering.
We sold most of our Christmas items and we already have a few nice donations that came in late that are sitting in the bins for next year. In spite of Omicron we kept to our regular schedule and sales were good.
Will 2022 be better or worse ? – we don’t really know. But we do know that we have dedicated volunteers who will rise to the occasion and power on. We plan to keep the present hours of Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. We have been fortunate to welcome student volunteers from McKinley and MidPacific Institute. We even have relatives of members offering to volunteer.
On behalf of the Thrift Shop Committee, I would like to offer genuine thanks for your support and hard work through 2021. Let us look forward to a successful 2022
Great News: The sales total for the month of December was $23,802.70. This is terrific considering we were closed on the Saturdays (Christmas and New Year's Day).
Photo inset above: Some of the Bid Box items for auction now to January 18, 2022.
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January 2022 Thrift Shop Calendar
The Thrift Shop is open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays
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Your Monthly Service Hours |
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Where there’s a will, there’s a way! Despite all the challenges of COVID-19, our amazing members have donated more than 13,000 hours of service in the last 11 months! Please make every effort to send me your hours. Just email vandwfay@mac.com or phone me at (808) 282-0878.
Many thanks, Vicki Fay
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Fun at Our Christmas Party |
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It was a mid-morning celebration of the Christmas holiday at Laurelyn Berger's residence on December 8 where many of us gathered to meet in a casual, relaxed setting complete with a potluck meal.
In the photo above several of us got to meet our newest member volunteeer, Dianne Girard on the far left. To her right are Linda Tsark, Ku’ulei Pai, Mitzi Murphy and Jane Winslow.
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Top Left Photo: Jim McClelland, Trish Kiladis, Margie Van Swearingen (back); Front: Gloria McGehee-Koel, Mary Monohon Top Right Photo: Arden Moore, our hostess Laurelyn Berger. Bottom Left: Paula Allen, Reiko Stiver, Bottom Right: Sheri Sunabe, Carol Hasegawa, Hazel Sumile, Joy Corbett.
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Amazon.com donates 0.5% of qualifying AmazonSmile purchases to the charitable organization of your choice. Why not choose Assistance League of Hawaii? Here’s how it works:
2) Sign in with your Amazon.com credentials (Amazon Prime can be used too.)
3) Select Assistance League of Hawaii as the charitable organization.
4) Start shopping!
5) You can add a bookmark for smile.amazon.com to make it easier to return again to shop at AmazonSmile.
Once you have Assistance League of Hawaii registered with your Amazon Smile account, every time you shop at Amazon that .5% of your purchases help us!
Thanks to customers that shop using AmazonSmile, everyday purchases make an impact. So far, AmazonSmile has donated $487.04 to Assistance League of Hawaii as of November 2021.
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Newsletter Editor: Melvin Ah Ching assistanceleaguehimarketing@gmail.com
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