Club News

A regular meeting of Chapter J was held at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 17, at the Timmins Dining Room of Halcyon House with Alice Edgin and Chris Marshall serving as co-hostesses to the 14 members in attendance.

Prior to the business meeting, Chris Marshall, with assistance from Marketing Director Susan Wellington, enthusiastically told the group about all the renovations and new construction taking place at Halcyon House and led a tour of part of the area, too. Chris stated that there are three new buildings: Rosewood, another memory care home, and Sagewood and Wedgewood, which will replace the current nursing facility. The latter will be torn down to make way for green space and parking. Each new household will have 18 private bedroom suites, in addition to a kitchen area, a dining area, and a living area, as well as other special activity areas. Chris said much research, study and planning has taken place to ensure that their new spaces best meet the needs and wants of their residents. She also told that throughout this entire project they tried to support local businesses as much as possible through using local contractors for building materials, as builders, for furnishings and in the landscaping. There were several other renovation projects which Chris also shared about including a new yoga area, another restaurant and improved office space and entrance. Chris, Susan and all the Halcyon House staff are very excited for the projects to be completed so they can begin to share their beautiful, new and improved facility.

President Lynn Loula presided over the short business meeting.

Treasurer Debbie Leith shared her report and encouraged the members to pay their 2017 dues. Corresponding Secretary Jo Ross shared some chapter information she had received.

Program: Pres. Loula shared that the next regularly scheduled meeting will be in her home at 6:30 p.m., Dec. 1. The program will be the fun, fund raiser for the club?s projects: Make It, Bake It and Fake It.

A committee report was shared by Mary Chmelar concerning the need-based, International Peace Scholar Program. Mary told about several international women who were scholars and who came to the U.S. from their native countries to pursue their graduate degrees, with the promise that they would return to their native countries. One woman from Mexico studied climate change, one from Ghana received her Ph.D. in economics, and another from Australia studied public policy. Another IPS scholar from Egypt received her master?s degree in public health, focusing on epidemiology. All these women are making a difference in their home countries thanks to the P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship program, established in 1949. In closing, Mary shared that this past year over $1,000,000 was awarded to 184 scholars from 75 countries, each scholar receiving about $9,000.

In new business Marde McConnell shared about the Saturday Kitchen project, a project which provides a free meal for anyone in the community each Saturday. Marde asked members if they might be interested in taking a 2017 Saturday date. There was some discussion, with many members indicating they would help with such an event. President Lynn and Marde are going to contact the other area PEO chapters to see if they might be interested in working on this as a joint project.

Prior to the end of the business meeting, Ella May Ruppert shared that member Helen and Carl Dallmeyer just had celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary.