Archive for the ‘Asides’ Category

Good evening! Karen Snow and I are honored and excited to serve as your Giving Circle Co-Presidents this year, and we are looking forward to a great year because of the efforts of many women who made the commitment to be part of the Giving Circle Board and leadership team.  So I’d like to introduce this group and then say a few things about the upcoming year.

I’ll start by thanking Peggy Morrison-Curtis for being willing to serve as President ALL BY HERSELF and for helping the Circle grow a pretty remarkable community gift in the midst of a recession that feels endless.   Peggy will remain on the Board with Holly Sloan as President Ex-Officio.  Thank you both for your leadership!

Now, I would like to introduce the officers since there are a couple of new ones in addition to Karen and me. Read the rest of this entry »

A lot has been going on in the last couple of months! But there were so many emails about gifts, elections and the Spring Celebration and elections that we opted not to send a newsletter for May.  It is time to catch up….

Our Spring Celebration was a lovely event! Many thanks to Lori Morris for so generously hosting us in her beautiful garden.

For those of you who were unable to attend, we announced this year’s Community Gifts…$50,000 dedicated to sustaining and expanding playgroups in Alexandria and another $10,000 for Developmental Gifts…and also the new Board of Directors and Officers.  Details about the Board and this year’s gifts are on the web site.

The Developmental Gift application process is now open! We’ve already notified many agencies and organizations but please feel free to let others know.

Next year’s Officers and Management Committee are already planning for next year and have identified some new and different volunteer needs.  Please read on to find out more about them and don’t be shy about getting in touch for more information if you are interested or know someone who would be a good fit.

Also, there will be Circle Time in June to kick off the summer. This month’s event will be Wednesday, June 16 from 9:00 am to 11:00 am at Panera located at 3201 Duke Street.  Come as you are, with or without children, for a coffee break.

In the next newsletter you receive, the Notes section will be from our new Co-Presidents, Cathleen Phelps and Karen Snow.  It is hard to believe my term is at an end and that I am graduating to Ex-Officio!  Thank you, all, for your hard work, your support and your commitment to giving every child in Alexandria the best possible start.  Have a glorious and happy summer!

Despite the snow last month, there is a lot going on!

Take a moment to learn about the work Giving Circle member, Sherry Delaney, is doing with The Safety Net Project.  The Safety Net Project is a program of her own creation and based on a philosophy similar to that of our Giving Circle. This is an inspiring story, so grab a cup of tea and scroll down to find out more.

We have some fun opportunities for service and socialization coming up:

- Membership Open House on March 2, 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the home of Caren Camp, 208 S. St. Asaph Street.
- Baskets for Books on March 6 from 10:00 am to noon at the home of Jenny Considine, Jefferson Court between S. Pitt and S. Royal off Wilkes St.
- Book Sort on March 14 from 1:00 to 4:00 pm at Wright to Read, 414 N. Washington St. Suite 101.
- Circle Time on Tuesday, March 16 at 7:00 pm at the Del Merei Grill, 3106 Mount Vernon Avenue (where Calvert Grill used to be).

Continue reading for more details about these events.  And go ahead and mark your calendars now….after all this snow, I bet many of us could use a little fun!

Happy New Year!

Whether or not you make resolutions, it’s natural to think about new things to do in the year ahead, and I invite you to expand your involvement in The Giving Circle.   You might:

• have a house party, perhaps co-hosting with a friend, to introduce prospective members to The Giving Circle;
• or join a committee – the Membership, Community Service, and Gift Committees are the engines that make The Giving Circle run;
• or become involved with one of our gift beneficiaries.  Your involvement will help make the results of your financial contribution more real and tangible to you

Even if you can give just a little bit of time, as with your monetary gifts, over time it can add up to a big difference.

Within 60 days, we will finalize our leadership slate for 2010-2011. When you receive the Call for Nominations, consider taking this next step.  If you are already involved, consider a Director-at-Large or an Officer position.  If you email me with your questions and interests, I will put you in touch with the people to get you started.

December’s “Circle Time” was fun so we are doing it again.  Please save the date for our next informal gathering at Mancini’s on Friday, January 15, 2010 from 9:00 to 11:00. Stop by whenever you can, bring your children if you like.  The only thing on the agenda is coffee, catch up and to gather ideas for other places to meet as well as an evening option for a future Circle Time.

Read on for important Giving Circle news, and I hope to see you on the 15th!

It’s December already! How did that happen? Already I feel the whirlwind of activity and anticipation rising! It’s a good time to take a deep breath, sit for a minute and enjoy reading here about the progress towards raising next year’s gift funds, the amazing initiative our members have around community service, and some other events and opportunities going on in Alexandria. After you’ve done that, allow me to offer a couple of ways to trim your holiday to-do list:

* Please take a moment to send in your membership contribution either by check or online. If this item is still on your list, it is “low hanging fruit” and easy to cross off. If you’ve already sent in a contribution, thank you!  And if you can find a way to give a little more, that would be outstanding. Your individual contributions, regardless of the size, are critical to ensuring the Giving Circle can make a gift supporting sustainable change for Alexandria’s children.

* Come meet me for some “circle time” on December 15. How many times have you said to another Giving Circle member, “Let’s get together for coffee!” (or lunch?, or for a glass of wine?) but then never set it up?  I bet lots of you have done this.  I know I have.  So consider it set up!  I am inviting you to attend what I hope will become a monthly social gathering of Giving Circle members.  Put it in your calendars now: Tuesday, December 15, 9:00 to 10:30, La Madeleine at 500 King St in Old Town. The agenda is to socialize and catch up. If you can bring your renewal check, that would be great!  If you need to bring children, it’s fine.  If you can only stay 15 minutes, that’s fine too.  And if you can’t make it this month, we’d love to see you next month.   Cast your vote on what time of day is best for you.

Thank you for all you do for the Giving Circle and our community.  Enjoy a wonderful holiday with your family and friends!  I hope to see you on Tuesday the 15th.