: The Voice of Florida ESA January 2010
INSIDE THIS ISSUE / Sharon Roberts, Editor
Janice Harmon, Editor
Officer Reports
1→President’s letter
2→1st Vice President
2→Recording Secretary
3→Treasurer
3→Philanthropic Director
3→Educational Director
4→Circleof Life
4→Disaster Fund
4→Foundation Counselor
4→Care Connection
Chapter Chatter
10→Alpha Nu
10→Alpha Rho
11→Beta Beta
11→Chi Omega
11→Delta Alpha
11→Epsilon Lambda
12→Eta Rho
12→Gamma Rho
13→Kappa Nu
14→Lambda Xi
14→Theta Tau
Other News
5→SERC Awards
5→Yearbook Corrections
5→Next Jonquil Deadline
5→Next Lamp Deadline
5→Obituary
(Sandy Davenport)
6→2010 Convention
7→2010 Convention
Registration form
8→2010 Leadership
9→2010 Leadership
Registration form
15→Recommend A
Friend Form / Center Stage With Sherry
Happy New Year! I sure hope your holidays are filled with much love and joy, I know mine will be.
Can you believe it. Another year has come and gone. As we start this New Year let us not forget what ESA means to each of us. Remember to share that feeling with others so ESA will continue to grow. You can either send your Recommend a Friend form to Pinky or invite someone to a chapter meeting or function. Now more than ever, in these difficult times, people need to be a part of something as wonderful as ESA. Not only are you given the opportunity to make a difference in someone else’s life, but also the personal growth and love you receive in return cannot be measured.
If you missed Mid-Year you missed an awesome meeting, if I do say so myself. I can’t thank the members of Theta Tau enough for being such gracious hostesses. And to the participants, job well done. If I were you I would make plans now to attend Leadership in March with Epsilon Lambda. Don’t be a wallflower - come have fun and dance with us.
In November I attended SERC in New Orleans with 7 Florida sisters and oh what fun we had. We even ……. (come to Leadership to find out more)!!!
Thank you to all who supported the national ESA Hope for Heroes campaign in November I’ve heard about some of the great events the chapters around the state participated in. Also in November some of the Florida chapters in Ft. Myers participated in a successful Give Thanks Walk for St. Jude. I’m sure a few contacts were made at these events that will benefit the membership growth in Florida. Keep up the good works and keep on dancing.
“You can dance anywhere, even if only in your heart.” (unknown author)
FLORIDA STATE COUNCIL BOARD
Sherry Newgent, President
Pinky Barbour, First Vice President
Mary Jay Bauer, Second Vice President
Rhonda Coy, Corresponding Secretary
Kayla Andux, Recording Secretary
Robin Allred, Treasurer
Paula Kelly, Philanthropic Director
Mona King, Educational Director
Jan Billias, Jr. Past President/Disaster Fund
Barbara Fry, Audit Chairman
Beth McCoy, Awards Chairman
Michele Fliss & Brenda Wesp, Care Connection
Dawn Marie Arnold, Chaplain
Julie Freitag, Circle of Life Coordinator
Mary Sosa, Easter Seals Coordinator
Jane Elliott, Foundation Counselor
Barbara Kalm, Parliamentarian
Alisha Hulslander, Scrapbook Coordinator
Dee Ammons, SERC Coordinator
Linda King, Webmaster
Barbara Kellard, PPA/Credentials Chairman
Jan Lee, Executive Adviser
OFFICER REPORTS
Pinky Barbour
1st Vice President
I have a great idea!!!
At this time of year, when you all have your address books out, for your Christmas mailings....why not fill out a "Recommend A Friend Form" for ESA....I am sure you have a relative, friend, classmate, business associate, daughter or son-in-law, grandchild, college bound, etc....someone who could really benefit from the many opportunities of ESA...just think for a minute of a friendship, memory or experience that you have to cherish, because of ESA! Wouldn't it be great to "pay it forward"?
Maybe you will get or have gotten a Christmas Card from someone that you have forgotten about who would make a great new member. (Some of you received a form from me at Mid Year, and maybe have misplaced it...and for thosewho missed out for Mid Year, I have attached the form.) Please do not second guess their decision....there are lots of wonderful chapters throughout the US that would be a great fit for them! It might be just what they need in their lives! They can be anywhere in the US; in college, (there are lots of chapters at colleges, especially in North Carolina) or right here in Florida....We have target areas in Boca Raton, Clermont, Tallahassee (FSU & FAMU), Bradenton, Leesburg, The Villages, Jacksonville, Pensacola, Panhandle, Zephyrhills and Dade City. We are making appeals throughout the US...so what better way to groom the next generation of ESA, than to get new blood and energy involved????
Please help me! If each one of you gave me at least one name, that would be wonderful! Please do not put it off....please do it now! Just think of the special pride you will feel when they pledge! You can either send the info to me by e-mail, snail mail or fax it to me at 352-394-4622. We can make a difference in the world, through ESA!
Kayla Andux
Recording Secretary
Hello my fellow dancers!! I don’t know about you but I have been “on toe” about the up coming state meetings! I can’t wait to see YOU at Leadership and LX. I hope everyone had a great holiday and wish the very best of luck in the New Year! Like always, if you have any questions or if I can help in any way please contact me anytime.
Robin Allred
Treasurer
Whew …. Another year has come and gone. I hope everyone had a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year! Where does the time go?? I am hoping to receive some checks in the mail for new members in the next few months from those of you who took Pinky’s advice and invited the people on your Christmas card list to learn more about ESA – what a gift! Let me take this opportunity to welcome back Melanie McMahan and say thank you Gamma Rho for your reinstatement. Now I am gearing up to see everyone at Leadership – I love our state meetings because I miss everyone so much and can’t wait to see you. If you haven’t been in a while please make an effort to join us in Cocoa Beach on March 20th I know we will have a great time and it would be awesome to see you again.
As always contact me anytime with any questions you may have, please note ESA in the subject line .
Paula Kelly
Philanthropic Director
Please remember—do not confuse the Florida School for the Deaf & the Blind with the Florida Sheriff’s Youth Ranch. Oh wait, that’s me who gets it confused. Sorry. Anyway,
The deadline for the third quarter Philanthropic report was December 31. Next one: The final report MUST BE RECEIVED BY ME BY MARCH 31, 2010.
As reported at Mid-Year, the Florida School for the Deaf & the Blind has outreach services. The one they need the most monetary help with is the early intervention program—Birth to 3, a/k/a Parent Infant Program (PIP). The flyer with the full information is now on the Florida ESA Website. “The first months and years of a child’s life provide the foundation for later learning.” Research tells us the period from birth through age five is a critical window for development. Children learn from their environment—absorbing language, thinking skills and social skills as they experience the world with their families and caregivers. . . . Qualified early interventionists provide support for families and caregivers to help them recognize” the needs and aid their child in developing learning skills. For the blind this means helping the child to learn through the senses orientation and mobility skills (rolling over teaches space). For the deaf/hard of hearing, this means helping the child to communicate through oral and sign language, and/or the aid of cochlear implants and hearing aids. It would help the School immensely if your FSD&B donations were designated to go the PIP program.
So far your questions have been extremely minimal. I guess by now most of you know the drill. However, if not, please feel free to ask me by phone 727-460-6176 or e-mail pkelly4@ tampabay.rr.com. It has been a very interesting and rewarding year and I thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve in this capacity.
Mona King
Educational Director
I’m enjoying my ‘Dance to the Music’ as I see the creative educational programs that your chapters have delivered. It is the rhythm, of each of your talents that lends to the beat of the chapter and the state council and ESA. Put just as much enthusiasm into learning new things as you do helping others and having fun with each other. Everyone is doing a great job of turning in their programs on time. I look forward to handing out Gold Link Awards to the Educational Directors. Keep up the good work
I want to wish you the blessings of Christmas, with family and friends and the best of the New Year… with health and happiness and the time to enjoy them. Remember to catch the beat and Dance to the Music!!
If you have questions, I can be reached in the evening at 904-269-5610.
Julie Freitag
Circle of Life
It’s been a busy couple of months since Mid-Year! The Give Thanks Walk on November 21st was a huge success! The Ft. Myers walk has raised over $22,000 to date with Team ESA being the 3rd largest contributor! Thanks Gamma Rho and Beta Omega for all of your efforts! Beta Omega also held a Wine & Dine For Life dinner on November 21st raising $30,000! WOW! Thanks Beta Omega…that’s AWESOME! Don’t forget to send in your Booked Event forms. You can do this on the ESA website or send me a Booked Event form. Alpha Nu has two events booked: February 18 & 19th is a Radiothon and March 5th is a Trike-A-Thon. Everyone is doing a fantastic job…keep up the good work! Let’s put Florida on the Front Row at IC Convention in 2010!
Jan Billias
Disaster Fund
I know this is the time of year when you feel as though you have literally given until it hurts. I saw the pearl below, and decided this really sums it up, and I hope you will be uplifted and encouraged in the reading of it too.
If your chapter has not made a contribution this year, please consider, even a small amount before year end.
They may seethe good you do as self serving
Continue to do good.
They may see your generosity as grandstanding.
Continue to be generous.
They may see your warm and caring nature as weakness
Continue to be warm and caring.
For you see, in the end,
It is between you and God.
It never was between you and them anyway.
Jane Elliott
Foundation Counselor
This is the busiest time of the year for ESA Foundation counselors all over the country. We are beginning the scholarship drive. The scholarship application was posted on the website on October 15th and I have been sending copies and directions to schools all over the state since then.
Last week I received the first application and have now received over 20! This is a much better start than last year. By this time last year I didn’t have any. They are coming from all over the state and I have had calls and emails with lots of questions.
Please direct anyone you know who could use a scholarship to our website or email me with the address and I will send a hard copy to them. We have graduate as well as undergraduate scholarships and endowments available. In fact there are 31 available to residents of Florida. Most are for $500 to $1000.
Please help me get as many applicants as I can by spreading the word. This is a great time for ESA Foundation. Application must be postmarked by February 1st.
Michele Fliss
Brenda Wesp
Care Connection
The Florida Care Connection wishes everyone a happy and healthy holiday season! This time of year is a great occasion to present that special someone with their "Care to Share" campaign card, smiley button and candy!We introduced this campaign at Midyear to provide an opportunity to say thanks to someone for providing caring services. These items can be given to anyone –a fellow member, chapter, community organization, family member, etc. Let the recipient know you appreciate their support and tell them why. Each chapter was given a goody bag at Midyear that contained the above items to pass to each member. Remember to take a moment to send your tribute to our webmaster ( so it can be published on our Florida ESA Website (www.esaflorida.net). Check the web site to find out who is being honored. You never know it could be YOU!!!
Thanks again, for all your support of the Hope for Heroes Campaign! It was a wonderful success in providing recognition for ourmilitaryand also provided great opportunities to share ESA with our local communities. We are looking forward to hearing stories and seeing photos of your events in the Lamp, on the website and at Leadership!