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Assistance League of Hawaii - October 2020
Transforming Lives - Strengthening Community
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Zooming New Optimism for a Better October
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Things are finally returning to normal in Honolulu somewhat. COVID-19 restrictions are relaxed and the Thrift Shop has reopened, much to the delight of our loyal customers. Many thanks to those members and volunteers that culled and reorganized the store shelves. The store looks amazing!
A big Mahalo to those of you that donated to our annual KWAK fundraising event through Foodland's Give Aloha program. As you know, our Thrift Shop is the main source of income for our programs, so anything received is gratefully appreciated. The total tally will be forthcoming. Kudos to Carol Jones for spearheading this event.
By now you hopefully have received the latest copy of our community newsletter. Thanks to Ronnie Wassill and Gerri Migita and her Marketing Communications Committee for putting together such an important marketing piece. Please share with your friends and family. Extra copies are available at the Thrift Shop. It is a great conversation piece and you never know who might be downsizing or know someone with donations for the shop. Members are our best form of advertisement! October is the month for sorting through our Christmas donations. With groups limited to 5, we will be sharing the new plans for this year's preparation for the shop holiday display. Sharon Ehrhorn will have the details, so please stay tuned.
We had 33 members join us for a ZOOM September member meeting. Please save October 14 at 10:30 am (HST) to ZOOM with us. It is fun and EASY! If you are not familiar with ZOOM, please ask. I can help you over the phone and practice ahead of time. Hope to "see" you then! |
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Resource Development
Carol Jones
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Collect and Save Pennies For Our Programs
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Kokua With Aloha Kala (KWAK)
Give Aloha Fundraiser
Our KWAK fundraiser, through Foodland's Give Aloha program, has come to an end, and we should have an update on how much money we have been able to raise very soon. Charity Walk The annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk has been cancelled for this year. Hopefully, they will be able to have it scheduled for 2021. Pennies for Programs Pennies for Programs is a simple idea, which raises some extra funds for Assistance League of Hawaii. In the past, we have provided decorated coin cans for our members at our Regular Meeting/Luncheons; they take them home and toss in their spare change. When the cans are full, they are returned to the Thrift Shop and another empty can is provided. All that loose change really adds up! Because we will not be having in-person Meetings in the near future, you can pick up a coin can at the Thrift Shop or you can create a can or jar of your own to save your coins for Assistance League. If you cannot make it to the Thrift Shop, please let me know, and I will pick up your filled coin collection. The photo above shows my idea to collect coins, that I have sitting on the shelf in the hallway, so I can drop in any coins that I may get. Remember, every penny counts. |
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Strategic Planning
Helen Taufa'asau
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But We Have Always Done It This Way!
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Well, that doesn't work these days, does it? There is not much in our lives today that is working the way it was six months ago.
The last six months have promoted, encouraged, and in some cases forced us to change. The Strategic Planning Committee met in September and updated our Action Plan. Some of the updates were the result of input provided by you at our small-group evaluation meetings last March, but a lot of changes came about due to the need to relook at how we provide services in our community during the pandemic.
We have learned that part of the strategic planning process is to always anticipate the need for contingency plans related to our strategies and goals. The objective of contingency planning is to encourage us to think about major contingencies and possible responses. This year we have addressed these contingencies in our Action Plan.
It is normal to have some apprehension related to change, but in many ways, it is exciting to find out how well we have been adapting - definitely a positive outcome of our current situation! What a terrific opportunity this pandemic has given us to see and try things differently, be open to creative, new solutions and ideas.
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Vice President
Sheri Sunabe
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Member Contact List, Opening the Newsletter and a Helpful Resource
Aloha everyone. The Membership Committee met last month and hoped to give everyone a copy of the Member Contact List at our September Regular Meeting. Since this was not to be, we decided to email the Contact List to every member. Hard copies will be mailed to members who are off the "grid".
We will also be contacting our members who have yet to open their monthly Assistance League of Hawaii Newsletter. We hope to ensure that all members have the skills to access the Newsletter.
Tidbit - Help Is On The Way is a nonprofit corporation that was formed to provide deliveries to those who should stay home during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have hundreds of volunteers who are ready to deliver items island wide. They do not shop or handle funds but are happy to direct clients to resources that can help if needed. The client can request service to bring items to you, while staying at home. If interested, contact them at hihelpisontheway.org.
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Holiday Items Out and More Coming Soon
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The Thrift Shop reopened on Saturday, September 26 and we had a very good day! Everyone was glad to be back. We will continue opening on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 9:30-1:00. This allows us to operate with one shift of workers. Because our expenditures have dropped due to school closings, we can manage very well financially being open only two days for the immediate future.
Our Halloween items are on display. Waiting upstairs are several bins full of Christmas items. A decision about a "Christmas Work Party", as we have done in the past, has not yet been made. Of course it will depend upon the wisdom of the mayor and governor. We will send out a special email once we have decided on the best course of action.
If you have not visited the shop during the past few months, you will be amazed at the changes that have taken place. Thanks to Ku'ulei Pai, Peggy Monell and Isobel Schafer (community volunteer extrodinaire), areas have been rearranged and displays have been set up.
On September 28 we received a donation of 20 boxes from First Hawaiian Bank (perhaps from an estate sale). They were put in the Ohana Room, similar to what we did with the large donation from Eilene Urquhart. That means there will always be some unpacking and sorting to do, and volunteers are welcome.
We continue to receive donations when open. Members can bring in donations when they come to the shop. Thanks to so many of you who come and sort the full bins and organize the donations, we have been able to keep things moving quite smoothly.
The Kaheka Street area and emergency door (a favorite place for the homeless) continues to be a problem. However, we are looking into several options to secure the area, and the police have been called several times.
Our members have been so supportive and helpful during this stressful time. The Thrift Shop Committee is very grateful for all the help and ideas that have been given.
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October 2020 Thrift Shop Calendar
Downstairs Schedule * All Shifts 9:00 am to 1:15 pm
Regular Meeting on Wednesday, October 14, Starting at 10:30 AM
This is a virtual meeting using the ZOOM conferencing app.
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Service Hours by Karen McClelland
Your Monthly Service Hours
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Thank you for your diligence in submitting your service hours every month. It is very important for National Assistance League use and to demonstrate the good work that we do. Please send your hours to me at the end of every month so I can enter them onto the spreadsheet. Only the total is necessary. For those of you who worked during the summer and forgot to give them to me, please include those. Let me know if you need assistance in submitting the hours.
Thank you, Karen McClelland 808-741-7249. Your hours can also be sent by email to: karenmccle@gmail.com
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Support Assistance League of Hawaii when you buy from Amazon.com. Click here to learn more!
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Newsletter Editor & Contact: Melvin Ah Ching
assistanceleaguehimarketing@gmail.com * 801-810-7135
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