South Area Quota Newsletter
Winter 2005 – 2006
Congratulations, SAMY Award Winners!
An awards program was introduced during the South Area Meeting, held in Memphis , October 13 – 16, 2005 . Named SAMY for South Area Milestone of the Year, the awards were created in the areas of Speech and Hearing, Disadvantaged Women and Children, Recruitment, Retention, Fund Raising, and Fellowship and Fun to recognize outstanding activities of our clubs since the last South Area Meeting.
Clubs winning first place received $50 and honorable mention received a certificate. The bonus for clubs this year was that these presentations were made by Quota International President Carolyn Rice. This year's winners were
Service: Hearing and Speech
First Place : East Memphis , Tennessee
Honorable Mention: Curacao
Service: Disadvantaged Women and Children
First Place : Curacao
Honorable Mention: Fort Lauderdale
Recruitment
First Place : Valdosta , Georgia
Honorable Mention: East Memphis , TN
Retention
First Place : East Memphis , Tennessee
Fund Raising
First Place : Valdosta , Georgia
Honorable Mention: Bossier City , Louisiana
Fellowship and Fun
First Place : Paris , Tennessee
Honorable Mention: Southeast Texas
Vicki Miller (QI of MS Gulf Coast) introduced us to these great projects through an inspiring Power Point presentation, using photos provided with the applications. Almost half of our clubs submitted at least one application, which is pretty remarkable for a new program, but confirms our belief that our clubs want to share information about those projects of which they are most proud. You can learn more about the individual projects by getting in touch with the club presidents. Their contact information can be found in the contact section of the South Area web site. www.quotasoutharea.com.
This year's applications were judged by non-Quotarians experienced with volunteer activities. Their judgments were made in accordance with the specific guidelines they were given. The judges were impressed with the competition, creativity and far-reaching efforts of our Quota clubs, but mentioned that those which scored best were those that clearly answered the questions on the application form and offered opportunities for whole club participation. It sounds like good advice for those clubs interested in applying for SAMY's in the future or for the Quota International Excellence Awards. Since there's no connection between these two programs, this may have been a good start for those clubs that want to submit their projects for the Excellence Awards. This competition certainly showed all of us at SAM that South Area Quotarians are imaginative, enthusiastic and effective.
Hurricane Relief Donations
If you read the report of the 2005 South Area Meeting in the Meetings section on our website, www.quotasoutharea.com , you will see that the devastation of much of coastal Mississippi and Texas left by hurricanes Katrina and Rita hung like an omnipresent spirit over the meeting. Since that time, another hurricane has caused extensive damage to southern Florida . After Katrina, Quota International established a hurricane relief fund to enable clubs and individuals who wanted to donate directly to our clubs in those areas that are providing assistance to those most in need. By making this a part of the We Share Foundation program, the money is tax deductible in the U.S. and goes directly to those specific projects.
As of December 1, 2005 , donations to this fund have reached $44,021.16. We South Area Quotarians have to be grateful for this response, this assistance, and to be comforted by this remarkable evidence of the caring and sharing spirit of Quotarains worldwide. I urge you to visit the Quota International website, www.quota.org , for more information.
QI Expands Club-To-Club Service Program
The Board of Trustees of the We Share Foundation has approved 14 projects for the 2006 Club-to-Club program. The six new projects and their sponsoring Quota International clubs are Char-Wood Fuel Project (Bacolod, Philippines), Empowerment Development Program for Disadvantaged Women (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), Stitch for a Living (Legazpi-Mayon, Philippines), Provingd Vocational Skills a the Special Education Center (Manduae, Philippines), “Stuka Prisiri” or To Learn with Pleasure (Suriname, Suriname), and An Interactive Library for Hearing Impaired Individuals (Iloilo, Philippines).
The eight continuing projects include: Audiogram Project and Educational support for HART (Ba, Fiji), Sawang Calero and Guba Day Care Centers and Feeding Programs (Cebu, Philippines), Mindanao Neonatal Hearing Screening Center (Davao City, Philippines), Charitable Dispensary and Vocational Training Center (DLF City, India), Empowering Women through Livelihood and Skills Training (Manila, Philippines), Deafness Resource Library (Manila South, Philippines), Quota Home for Abandoned and Destitute Women (New Delhi, India), and Home for the Aged, Preschool, dispensary, and Orphanage (Sainik Farm, India).
Quotarians are giving people, but it's clear from the report of hurricane relief donations that we want to give to those projects that are most worthy and those which can assure that our donations are actually spent on the designated projects. If you have ever questioned the worthiness of these projects, you'll be convinced after reading what Quota Executive Director Kathleen Treiber wrote to the Board after returning from the recent trip to India to meet with the clubs and review their projects.
“First, my most overwhelming impression was a feeling of gratitude and admiration for the passion and commitment of our Indian members who are dedicated to helping those in need in their country. It would be easy to close your eyes, throw up your hands and say, it is beyond us. It is beyond me. The problems and the poverty are too great in severity and in numbers for me to make a difference. Fortunately that is not their mindset and they are doing amazing work. The Club to Club programs are reaching out to street children, young women from disadvantaged circumstances, old people who would be on the street, poor everywhere who don't have access to proper medical treatment, and I could go on and on. They are making a difference and the numbers of those in need are staggering. Everywhere you looked were people in desperate living conditions, conditions worse than I had ever seen. I was very moved and very impressed by the dedication to service of the members I met.”
Still Thinking 30
One way to grow quota is to support the development of a potential new club by branching. The South Area is proud to have a new branch this year, the Sint Eustatius Branch of Quota International of Curacao, Netherland, Antilles . This branch was formed in May 2005. Members of the Sint Eustatius Branch, QI of Curacao and District 42 Governor Noris Van Lis Donata are congratulated for this achievement.
This raises the number of branches in the South Area to three. Remember that the Carolina Piedmont Branch of QI of Greensboro, NC, USA, and the Central Florida Branch of QI of Plantation, FL, USA, were formed last year and are still going strong.
As of December 1, 2004 , the South Area had 1,026 members; this year, 996. Last year 13 of our 37 clubs had at least 30 members; this year, 12. From reading the monthly data, it appears retention needs a lot more attention from all of us. The District Dynamo contest doesn't end until March 31, so clubs still have time to recruit.
Dues Due January 31,2006
International dues notices have been sent to all clubs either through mail or email. You should be busy collecting those dues now from your members since they must be postmarked to Quota International headquarters no later than January 31,2006 . And don't forget to send $100 advance convention fee.
Q-MART 2006
What can be better than a new, unique shopping opportunity? Quota is holding its first annual quota International Online Silent Auction, February 1 – 28, 2006 . All proceeds will support the Wanda Frey Joiner Development Fund. Quota members, clubs, districts, areas and businesses have been invited to donate items valued between $50 and $1000 for the auction. More information is available at www.quota.org
And, don't forget to go online and bid in February!
Plan Now for Quota Cares Month
March 2006
Has your club decided on its project/activity for March, Quota Cares Month? It's a great way to honor Quota service, strengthen the club and serve your community. These projects give Quota much recognition in the community, which also helps us reach our membership goals. Visit www.wesharefoundation.org for more information on how various clubs have helped their communities and have received recognition by participation in the international competition
QUOTA INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION 2006
July 21 – 24, 2006
Conrad Jupiters Hotel
Gold Coast , Queensland , Australia
There is no better way to ignite/rekindle the spirit of Quota than attending an international convention. This one promises to be one of the best. It's located in beautiful surroundings and will be attended by the most beautiful people – Quotarians. Not only will there be a great program and fabulous fellowship, but we'll be there when South Area's Enid Croes-Marugg is installed as Quota Intenational President for 2006 – 2007. (www.quota.org.)
Is there something going on in your club or district that the rest of the south Area needs to hear about? Just let me know. E-mail me at rphannie@aol.com or rosemaryhannie@cox.net .
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