ALTRUSA INTERNATIONAL, INC. OF MONTROSE, COLORADO
2010-2011 has been and will continue to be a very active year for Altrusa International, Inc. of Montrose. We are considered the premier service club in the local area. We have received our Distinguished Club patch for the 17th consecutive year. Our theme this year is “ALTRUSANS-Building a Stronger Community”. We began our year celebrating our 35th anniversary with a birthday luncheon.
COMMUNICATIONS-
Yearbook- We moved back to printing our yearbooks for the members. The website distribution did not work for all members. We now have both options available for members.
Website- We have expanded our web presence with Facebook, and our Club is now “Friends” with 240 people and organizations as of January 31, 2011.
Publicity- Facebook has greatly expanded our ability to publicize fundraisers and inform people about our projects. We continue to work positively with the local media on publicity as well, with over 25 articles or photos of Altrusa activities appearing in the Daily Press between June 1 and January 31.
Telephone/E-Mail- Communications with members is done primarily through email with the exception of a few who do not have computer access.
Newsletter- Our newsletter is published several times a year to all members.
Everyone is encouraged to submit articles to it. Board members complete an article every month on different things that are happening in the Club. The committee has added a parliamentary as well as a “Page from the Past” section to the newsletter.
FINANCE –
Golf Tournament- - The fundraising started in June, 2010 to benefit the Lifeline project. Our biggest challenge with this Tournament is planning the dates so that we have no competition from other special events at local golf courses. We were able to net $5,584.
Holiday Festival- This was held in November, 2010, with a net of $15,531.35. The festival continues to be a popular community event.
Spring Luncheon- This is planned for March 26, 2011, with the theme of “Music Makes Memories”. Expenses to the Club have increased for this event which necessitates some adjustments for us but we hope to make a profit of approximately $11,660.
Internal Fund-Raising- We have not had any internal raffles this year thus far. A member initiated a “Pot of Gold” fundraiser. Members collected scrap gold and this member turned the collection in for a total of $2344. The dollars will help fund member registration fees to the 2011 District Ten Conference being held in Montrose. $784.70 worth of nuts was sold during the Christmas season to members, families, and at the Basement Boutique. The funds raised will help defray future 2011 conference and convention costs.
Grants- Our grants committee has been busy writing grants. We have received $250 from DMEA and $250 from Wal*Mart. These funds directly benefit Love Hug Bears and Lifeline.
SERVICE-
We started the year with a brainstorming session to create new ideas for committees. The committees reviewed the ideas and made their plan for the year. Our various service chairs have been extremely busy. Our meeting schedule this year has the service committees meeting on the second Tuesday and fund-raising committees meet on the fourth Tuesday in order to allow members to attend the different meetings.
Service Committee- All of the sub-committees submitted their proposed budgets which were incorporated into the 2010-2011 Service Committee budget that was approved by the club. Total projected sources of funds were $39,390 of which $6,500 were made available from undesignated reserves. Thus far we have funded the following community services:
• All Points Transit $1,000.00
• Bosom Buddies $500.00
• Camp Good Grief $250.00
• Eating disorder Support Group $200.00
• Fore-Kin Trails Genealogy Society $200.00
• Habitat for Humanity $230.00
• Kids Aid Montrose $200.00
• Senior Community Meals Program $208.00
• MHS Senior Graduation Party $250.00
• Montrose Community Thanksgiving Dinners $500.00
• Montrose Fire Protection District $200.00
• Montrose Police Department $100.00
• Montrose High School Lead the Way Program $200.00
• Christmas Day Meals for Shut-Ins $100.00
• Montrose Elementary Schools After School Program $300.00
• Dolphin House $300.00
Environmental-(1) Sponsored the 2nd Annual Kids on Wheels featuring a challenge for kids to ride their bikes to school. There were weekly gift certificates presented and two bicycles given away. (2)Annual bulb planting to help beautify city owned Cerise and Baldridge Park. (3) Zero Waste Luncheon on Earth Day. (4) Highway clean-up had 16 members, 1 husband, and a son completing 1 mile of highway clean up.
ASTRA- The Montrose ASTRA Club took 1st place in the ASTRA Club Service Award for the 5th year straight. This young group has been active in helping with the Sharing Ministries, Kids Aid, participated in the Bosom Buddies Walk, and will hold a baby food drive in the near future. They also sponsored an ASTRA after hour’s event to encourage the new freshman to become members of their club. Youth purchased 30 gifts for children from 2 months old to 16 years old for Christmas. They cut boughs, made and sold wreaths to purchase these presents. The Club also purchased food prior to the holidays for three less fortunate families.
Our Club started an ASTRA Club in Olathe with 13 girls and 8 boys. They were initiated and leaders installed with a Club made lasagna dinner.
Bell-Ringing- Rang bells for Salvation Army December 5 at local stores.
Christmas Baskets-Provided gifts and foods to one needy family with three children before the Holidays.
Educational Services-Provided 5 scholarships to local youth attending Brigham Young University, Colorado State University, Mesa State on the Montrose Campus, and the Delta-Montrose Technical School.
Lifeline-Continues to provide communication devices for elderly and disabled to enable them to live at home. Currently we have 107 units in service (with 9 people on the waiting list) in the eastern Montrose County area. The program currently has replaced all units that were in need of replacement.
Literacy- (1) Cut 208 buddy bags, 416 straps for bags and Altrusans sewed the bags together. Makes and distributes “Buddy Bags” to area clinics, Tri County Resources, doctor’s offices, etc. (2) Collects books for Seasons Reading project and gives them to Montrose County Health and Human Services. (3) Honors local teachers on a monthly basis with the Apple Teacher Award. (4) Provide the Adult Education Center with scholarship money for continuing education and GED. (5) MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY- The title for this year’s project was “Making a Difference through Early Childhood Education” The event was held at Lion’s Park. It was geared toward young children, their parents, caregivers, and teachers. There was a puppet show, bookmobile, books given out in Spanish and English, face painting and a total of 31 volunteers made this event happen for our community.
Love-Hug Bears-The committee has furnished 640 stuffed animals to our local hospital for children in ER and having surgery.
Tender Touch Turbans- Provides turbans to cancer patients who have lost hair due to medication. The Committee has given out 12 turbans since June.
Member Issues- The committee was very active in the annual Bosom Buddy walk. Members helped set-up, clean-up, prepare food for serving, and complete registration the day of the walk.
International Relations- (1)Pakistan water filtration project: In the wake of the massive flooding in Pakistan several water filtration projects were researched and one selected where we had full confidence. We donated $300 which was matched by $450 from individuals. 5 volunteer hours (2)Healing the Children: Hosted Dr. Winkler as an all club speaker. Committee members have gathered toothbrushes and toothpaste to send with him to Dominican Republic and/or Vietnam, and are seeking donations of children's pain medications. We have partnered with ASTRA who is donating Baby Beanies. 4 hours so far. This project will not be completed until mid March. (3)Himalayan Project: In process of supporting an impoverished region in Sikim. We will be collecting and sending warm clothing and school supplies to northern Nepal again. (4)Pennies for Peace: We are in the process of researching the possibilities of a permanent coin collection system in partnership with the library or high school. (5)Kiva: Ongoing loans and rollover of funds to support micro financing of entrepreneurs in numerous countries. (6)5 UN date presentations to the club have been completed. (7)Helping Haiti Project: Hosted all club speaker and sent $300 committee budget funds matched by $300 to combat cholera in Haiti for a total of $600.
MEMBERSHIP-
Our current membership stands at 80 including two emeritus members.
The annual member survey has been distributed, eliciting feed back to determine how to continue to best serve our members and community. Results from the survey will be compiled and disseminated within the next few weeks.
The Holiday Party committee produced an excellent luncheon on 12/14 for the enjoyment of the members.
Orientation/Initiation- These committees strive to explain Altrusan principals to new members and make them all feel welcome to our organization.
Courtesy- Honors birthdays, sends sympathy, get well cards as needed.
The Conference 2011 committee is hard at work planning for the conference to be held in Montrose in May. The annual conference will be held this year on May 5th – 7th in Montrose. The theme for the conference is “Tickled Pink in Montrose”.
Strategic Planning: The plan did not change this year.
Kaye Hotsenpiller, President 2010-2011
Altrusa International Inc. of Montrose, Colorado
