Philadelphia Chapter Newsletter  
IN THIS ISSUE
CHECK OUT TTN EVENTS CALENDAR 
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS TO OUR TTN FAMILY!

Lynn Condon
LouAnn Cozzens Westall
Grazina Crisman
Jan Kolchinsky
Robbee Perlman
Florence Warner
Paula Wolf

WELCOME Orientation 
for New Members - Online

TTN Talk for New & Prospective Members

See a friend's name on the list?  Contact them via  TTN Member Directory .
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR MEMBERSHIP DUES 
TTN provides a limited amount of aid to assist in the payment of membership dues for those in challenging situations.

Contact Susan Collins, TTN Executive Director, about possible financial assistance .  
CHAPTER EVENTS
Look at our up-to-date
Events Calendar to see what's coming up.

For Member-only events, you must be logged into your TTN account.

Register quickly to reserve your spot.  
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS   (SIGs)

Find complete list of SIGs and let us know ideas for new groups.
 SIGs

RESOURCES FOR YOU
IN AND AROUND TOWN
STAY CONNECTED
QUICK LINKS

*The Transition Network - National

 

*TTN Resource Center 

 


*Contact Us

WEBSITE 2.0
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JUNE 2017
TTN at the Devon Horse Show
The start of the Summer season is the time to plan outings and beach excursions and get together with friends and family. 

This Summer our Philadelphia TTN Chapter has many events planned giving you more opportunities to socialize and network with your TTN friends. All June events are listed in the left-hand column (note Foodie Group on June 13, Longwood Gardens on June 26 and a number of community Volunteer Opportunities). Click here to access the full Events Calendar.

This month's newsletter features an article about the recent Peer Group liaison meeting and the fun community project which the Mercer-Bucks Peer Group did together.  And be sure to see which non-profit organization is the recipient of the 2017 Giving Circle grant.

We need your help to reach out to other women and invite them to experience and enjoy the many benefits of TTN Philadelphia Chapter membership.

If you have a story you want to share or an experience you had with other TTN members, please contact me.  Have a wonderful Summer.

Chair, TTN Philadelphia      
Special Interest Groups:  SIG Corner 
New Biking Group SIG hits the Schuylkill River Trail!
Please consider these new Special Interest Groups (SIGS):

1. Wine Lovers, Too: 
The original Wine Lovers SIG proved so popular that we outgrew our space. So we started a new one. Wine Lovers, Too is now up and running and will meet the 3rd Thursday of the month, 4:30PM - 6:00PM.  Meetings will be held in members' homes, and the groups will combine forces for events whenever feasible.  First meeting is scheduled for June 15th. New members are welcome!  The contacts are Nancy Gordon at ngordon1@sbcglobal.net) and Donna Sutsko at dcsutsko@gmail.com.

2. Suburban Movie Group: 
This group plans to attend a monthly matinee at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute (BMFI) and then go to a nearby café to discuss the film over coffee or dinner. If you find it easier to get to Bryn Mawr than into town, this might be for you. If you live in town, the regional rail provides convenient access. If interested, please contact Alice Milrod at alice.milrod@gmail.com.

And how about getting active? The Biking Group meets every Monday at 10 starting under the Walnut Street Bridge and bikes toward the Art Museum. Although hampered by rain for the past few weeks, they are looking forward to new members and good weather. Contact Elena Cappella at bklynsig@gmail.com

And the Jogging Group is looking for those interested in the slow jog. Or the fast walk. Contact Joanne Bowes at jb@bowescentral.com.  Let's not forget about the "oldies: Schulykill Walkers (every Friday at 9) and Walk n'Talk (first Monday and third Thursday). Check the website for contact info. No excuse to not burn some calories while socializing!!

Click HERE for complete list of Philadelphia SIGs.
Giving Circle Announces 2017 Awardee 
Check Presentation Ceremony to Rebuilding Together Philadelphia
On May 18, the TTN Giving Circle voted to award its 2017 grant to Rebuilding Together Philadelphia, an organization which brings volunteers and communities together to improve the homes and lives of low-income homeowners.  

2017 was Giving Circle's most successful year with more donors that ever and we were able to increase our grant to $15,000.  Our grant will support "VoTech in the House!", a program that matches vocational students with low-income seniors to make free home repairs. 

Less than a week after the vote, TTN Philadelphia's Giving Circle participated in a check granting ceremony at The Philadelphia Foundation on May 24. Pictured above are Stephanie Seldin, Executive Director, and Peter Hardy, Board President, from Rebuilding Together Philadelphia, along with TTN's Julie Currie, Laura Reignier, Susan Kaplan, Susan Vineberg, Elayne Bloom and Mary Klein. 

To find out more about the VoTech project and the wonderful work Rebuilding Together does across the greater Philadelphia area, Giving Circle will conduct Fall Kickoff Meetings in Center City and the Mainline.   Stephanie Seldin, Executive Director, will be our featured speaker.

The Philadelphia Giving Circle is a unique project within TTN nationally and we are incredibly proud of what the Giving Circle has accomplished in 2017.  Many thanks to the generous members of the Giving Circle and to our dedicated, hardworking Grants Committee who made it all possible.  

For more information and to get involved, contact Susan Vineberg, Giving Circle Committee Chair.  
Peer Group Liaison Meeting Update and Mercer Bucks Peer Group Community Project
Mercer Bucks Peer Group Community Project 
On May 24th, Liaisons from 18 Transition Peer Groups (TPG) all around our area met to exchange ideas and strengthen their groups.  One theme that came up was that once the peer groups feel a connection and sense of community, they enjoy finding worthwhile and fun activities to share outside of their meetings. These activities increase the bonds that are developed among the women. Although the liaison from Mercer Bucks, Linda Scatton, was not able to attend this meeting, she shared information about something her peer group has done. 

"In follow-up to several discussions about how we might do something for our communities, Mercer-Bucks member Donna Garcia contacted the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) and learned that the facility would welcome lunch bags for its child patrons. The website clearly indicated what should go in the bags and how the sandwiches should be put together.  We purchased all necessary ingredients and set to work preparing and stuffing the bags with juice, cookies, fruit, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  An enjoyable, if messy, project, it proved an unexpected challenge for one of our members who was born and raised abroad and had never made or eaten a PB&J sandwich.  But she was game and soon perfected her technique.  In the end, however, we were unable to persuade her to try this American childhood delicacy.  Member Lynda Meshkov later delivered our 60 lunch bags to TASK.  We continue our search for more ways to contribute to our local communities."

The liaisons loved hearing about this idea. They had a good laugh wondering how the Mercer-Bucks group helped their European member to understand all the intricacies of PB&J! They hope to connect at a future event to get the details.

If you are interested in learning more about Peer Groups please contact Marcia Goldstein at mkrates@comcast.net.  We create a sense of community within our groups and beyond.
TTN Member Featured in the New York Times
In case you missed it, our very own Karen Kanter (of Caring Collaborative, SIGestions fame) and her long-time partner, Stan Tobin, were featured in a recent New York Times article in the Health Section titled  More Older Couples are "Shacking Up".

Karen and Stan have been a couple since 2002 and have shared a home since 2004, but they are not married.  "We love each other and want to be together, and we've made the commitment to stay together until death parts us", Ms. Kanter said. 

Click HERE to read this article which resonates with many of us at this point in our lives.