Assistance League of Hawaii Strategic Planning Meetings
Wednesday March 9, 2022 • 10:30 AM
Various Locations and online via Zoom!
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Assistance League of Hawaii – March 2022 |
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Transforming Lives - Strengthening Community |
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MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Operation School Bell® Literacy Services members have a very active presence at Pu'uhale Elementary School Library, where they spend a lot of time engaged with student reading and learning. Details further down in our newsletter. Clockwise top left - Helen Taufa'asau, Gloria McGehee-Koel, Carol Hasegawa, and LaVonne Holmberg.
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March is an Important Month |
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This month is important for all of us to gather for the Strategic Planning on March 9. This will be our member meeting this month. Please refer to Cathy Kissel’s detailed article in this newsletter for more information. Everyone should pick a home to visit with other members to strategize about our year to come. It is important to get everyone’s viewpoint this year so please mark your calendars and join us.
Programs as you will see in this newsletter are happening and Operation Wildlife (OWL) could use some help on Oahu. Please read Hazel Sumile’s article below. The “new” OWL is very detailed and easy to step into as a newbie. Please consider volunteering with our 4th graders for this important lesson.
Members are the heart and soul of our Assistance League. No one person can do it alone. We need all our talents to make our chapter work. Thank you for all you do.
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Strategic Planning Evaluation Meetings Slated for March |
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We are excited to welcome our members back to in-home evaluation meetings! Save Wednesday, March 9 on your calendars as our date to return for another year of forward thinking, great idea gatherings. Meetings start at 10:30 AM.
For those of you who haven't had the opportunity to attend these meetings, they are a great way for us to meet in a small group setting to share ideas and suggestions for our chapter's future. You are all vital to the success of Assistance League Hawaii!
Evaluation Meetings-Locations & Contact Numbers follow:
Hawaii Kai- 7007 Hawaii Kai Drive A-13 Hostess: Nancy Sparacino 808-436-5305
Makiki- 999 Wilder Ave. #705, Hostess: Dot Mason 808-526-4008
Puuhale Library- 345 Puuhale Road, Hostess: Hazel Sumile 808-722-7897
Waikiki- 3068 La Pietra Circle, Hostess: Arden Moore 808-922-1011
Windward- 323 Ka'Elepulu Drive, Hostess: Ku'ulei Pai 808-518-7899
Many thanks to our volunteer hostesses Dot, Nancy, Kuu'lei, Arden and Hazel.
I will be hosting a Zoom meeting for anyone not available to attend in person. E-mail me at Cathykissel@gmail.com if you are interested in attending by Zoom. All of our locations will begin the meeting on Zoom to catch up on any current business.
Since this is March, we will celebrate the “Spring Blooms”. Please wear your favorite Spring hats for our contest.
If you haven't had the opportunity to sign up please call me at (808) 392-1213 or send me an email.
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Fiscal Budget Up For Review |
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The Finance Committee met to review finances and develop the 2022-2023 Fiscal Budget. All Committees shared information in the development of the budget. The proposed budget will be presented to the Membership at the April 13, 2022 meeting, requiring one month’s time for review. It will be voted upon at the May 11, 2022 meeting.
A sub-committee is working to develop a plan to invest surplus Assistance League of Hawaii savings funds in order to gain a more positive return on these funds. We appreciate Betty Burrell’s assistance in this effort.
Membership will have the opportunity to approve any investment plans before they are finalized.
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New Members and
Community Volunteers
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A Big Mahalo to McKinley LEO and Farrington Interact Clubs for volunteering their high school students. Much is accomplished by these young enthusiasts who have big hearts and a desire to serve our community. You'll see more of them on Saturday shifts at the Thrift Shop.
Kudos to Bryan from Mid-Pacific Institute. He is our meticulous hard worker who is a consistent presence on Wednesdays.
Welcome to Assistance League of Hawaii! We have Nancy Mason, Erika Lindenbergh and Gail Waite as new members, who are joining our ranks to volunteer the Thrift Shop. They have all had fascinating lives and stories to share. Please welcome them with Aloha.
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New OWL Video Ready
for School Presentations
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The 2022 Operation Wildlife video is completed, teachers' lesson plans are done, and volunteers have been given an orientation. We are now ready for lift-off this month.
Not to worry, though; if you would like to come help out but didn't make the Orientation, just let me know. You can come as an observer and see what's what for the first time, then you can help out after that!
Above the OWL committee members review the new video.
Contact me at hazelsumile@gmail.com if you are interested!
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Lullaby Layettes and
Kokua Clothing Boxes
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The We Care Committee members had a packing party for Lullabye Layettes on Monday, February 28 at Mary Kay Junk’s home in Kailua. Thank you to all who participated.
The last of the 41 Kokua Clothing Boxes were delivered in February. Laurelyn Berger shared a sweet story to tell at our February meeting. She delivered a clothing box recently to Pope Elementary in Waimanalo.
One of the office ladies reminisced about our clothing deliveries made back in the day, when clothing was delivered to schools for Operation School Bell instead of the in-store events. She said that one of the recipients of those clothes years ago, a little boy who needed weekly cleanups and new clothes, is now a dad and brings his kids to Pope. He remembered the office lady and her kindness helping him with OSB clothing and her personal attention.
His two children now go to Pope and he thanked her for helping him get through school in those hard times. She was the reason he stayed in school.
Hats off to our chapter and the members who made an impact in the lives of children, who are now grown adults. You do make the difference! Mahalo Nui Loa!
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Operation School Bell – Literacy Services
Making a Difference at Pu‘uhale Elementary School Library
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For more than ten years now, member volunteer LaVonne Holmberg has been volunteering at the Pu'uhale Elementary School library, reading books to groups of children and helping them to borrow books to read at home. Over the past several years, other Assistance League of Hawaii volunteers have faithfully been working side by side with LaVonne to ensure that the Pu'uhale students have access to rich literature on a weekly basis.
There is now a group of volunteers who regularly provide instruction, assistance, and support to the children as well as their teachers and other staff members. Gloria McGehee-Kohl, Carol Hasegawa, Linda Andersen, Helen Taufa’asau, Joan Helbling, and Hazel Sumile work alongside LaVonne to keep the library running.
Besides reading to the children, introducing literature genres such as fairy tales, biography, and non-fiction works, the librarians introduce cultural traditions to help students develop a greater understanding and appreciation of the diversity within their community. We conduct book talks, listen to students as they share their reading, encourage them to speak to the group while sharing, and help them identify their interests and seek books that address them.
In addition to directly working with students on books and reading, there is a need for ensuring that circulation of books can continue. Otherwise, books will become stagnant as they wait to be processed through the system. Keeping up with the ongoing circulation tasks (checking books out, checking books in, shelving books, fixing tears, etc.) is a key part of working in the library.
The ladies will tell you that working as a team to help students is what makes this regular volunteer role so rewarding. The library is a priority for us on Tuesdays and Thursdays!
If you are interested in becoming a Pu'uhale School Library volunteer, contact us. 808-946-1505.
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Marketing Update: NextDoor and YouTube |
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Assistance League of Hawaii will be advertising twice a month on NextDoor. Please share these ads with your friends and neighbors. This type of sharing is a great way to promote on NextDoor.
Our YouTube channel is re-established. When asked how he found us, a new customer said, “on YouTube”! Our social media vehicles extend the reach of Assistance League of Hawaii’s mission and our various campaigns.
There is not much content on our YouTube channel yet, but we can use it to showcase our programs with short or long-form videos. YouTube is a great repository for sharing and posterity.
The channel has three playlists. They are:
Channel 1: This is for our in-house produced videos, anything that is produced by members or the committees. The horizontal formatted content is ideal not only for TVs and computer monitors, but can be utilized on tablets and phones, without showing those annoying black spaces typical on most vertically oriented videos.
Channel 2: At this time we have more content here since this is the one that pulls content in from other producers with the subject matter about us. You will see content from National Assistance League, locally produced videos that were featured on the news or independent producers. If interested we can also pull in video content from other Assistance League chapters.
Channel 3: The YouTube Shorts channel is where the vertical, on-the-fly videos, made with your cell phone, can be placed. YouTube Shorts is Google's attempt to compete with TikTok.
If you have video content that you think would be good to feature on our YouTube channels, please contact our Marketing Committee. Finally, when you visit our channel be sure to hit that Subscribe button and give us a “thumbs up” on any of our videos. It helps us with our reach and generates more viewer interest.
Our YouTube videos can also be embedded to our website and Facebook page. Speaking of which…
Our top Facebook posts for this month were:
- Kokua Box post with photos from 2 school deliveries.
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Star Advertiser article mentioning us in “A love letter to Hawaii and its culture”
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Change 4 Change
Now to April 15
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The committee is pleased to report an excellent beginning for the Change 4 Change campaign focusing on the Youth Outreach (YO!) Program. At the monthly luncheon in February, we heard from two representatives of “YO!” expressing how grateful they are for the support from the Assistance League of Hawaii.
The Resource Committee’s goal is to help support the summer needs that draw an increased number of homeless youths seeking assistance. Mahalo, to all the members who contributed at the February luncheon meeting, where over $40.00 was donated.
There are 18 banks still available at the Thrift Shop that members can pick up on Saturdays. If members prefer, they may donate by writing a check directly to the Assistance League of Hawaii and indicating that it is earmarked for Youth Outreach (YO!) 2022.
The Resource Committee hopes every member participates in donating their change from now to April 15, 2022.
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Updates to Our
Thrift Shop Operations
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Waxing of the Thrift Shop floors (upstairs and down) has been completed. It took three days: Saturday afternoon (Feb.19),Sunday (Feb.20), and Monday (Feb. 21). Putting everything back in its proper place was a daunting project, especially upstairs. However, thanks to Arden Moore, Ellen Dihel, Peggy Monell, Andrea Cyriacks, Ku’ulei Pai, Nancy Sparacino and me, the task was accomplished.
The Thrift Shop Committee made a few decisions at our last meeting on February 16. Here are the changes/reminders we should all be aware of:
- When working downstairs, members should wear ALH logo shirts or ALH aprons.
- We will discontinue selling crafts, except for nice fabrics, craft kits and yarn.
- We will discontinue selling folders, notebooks and school supplies.
- All sales items must be priced upstairs. Cashiers or others should not go upstairs in search of specific items requested by customers, unless there are special circumstances.
- The dressing room will continue to remain closed.
- All donations should be accepted unless they appear on the “Do Not Donate List”
- Sorters will be made aware of the various organizations we are sharing with.
- Make a special effort to have customers leave their large bags behind the counter.
- Cashiers and others should be vigilant of shoplifters.
Thank you all for your continued hard work and support.
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March 2022 Thrift Shop Calendar
The Thrift Shop is open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays
Strategic Planning Meetings: March 9 - 10:30am - See article
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At our wonderful February Valentine's meeting I announced that we had recorded more than 10,000 service hours since June. Well, we're already over 11,000 and there's no stopping us! Please send me your hours and get us over 12,000.
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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Assistance League of Hawaii's February Meeting was held at the Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant, where business was mixed with fun for the first time this year. Going beyond the constraints of virtual Zoom meetings was a welcome break for those in attendance, and we actually got some work done too! Clockwise, left to right in the photos: Linda Tsark, Hazel Sumile, Joan Helbling (the pirate) and member Mitzi Murphy and her daughter. Photos by Reiko Stiver. |
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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!
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Newsletter Editor: Melvin Ah Ching assistanceleaguehimarketing@gmail.com
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