Thursday, April 17, 2014

April News

Dear Palo Alto Auxiliary Members,
 
Even though we don't traditionally hold a general meeting in April, we still have many members working on PAA Projects.  Our board met this week and reviewed the ongoing projects as well as the recent meeting of the Association of Auxiliaries . Treasurer June Schiller has offered to update the calendar on our website so that will be a great place to look for event dates, times and locations.
 
Our next general meeting will be Tuesday, May 20th at Lucie Stern Center in Palo Alto at 1 PM. Our guest speaker will be Grace Gengoux, PhD, BCBA on the subject of Autism in children. Dr. Gengoux is an  assistant professor with the Child and Adolescent Psychology Clinic at LPCH. As Autism is something about which we hear much but know little, it should be a fascinating subject.  We would love to have a good turnout so please come and bring a friend. Guests are always welcome!
 
Membership continues to rise as dues are paid. We now have 149 paid members. Mary Koeppen will attempt to contact those missing from last year. Welcome back to Carolyn Roland, a former member. 
 
Our most important current and  an ongoing project is Restaurants with Heart ably directed by Marlene Bollhoffer. With the help of Deborah and Roger Potash, Karen Stevens, Audrey Polster and others, they continue to find restaurants and convince them to let us share in their profits. This month the site will be Kabul Afghan Cuisine in San Carlos on Monday and Wednesday, April 28th and 30th.  Please look at our website page for the times and menu and how to sign up. It's easy and very profitable to PAA. Why not invite a friend or neighbor to join you for lunch or dinner?
 
The RwH gang have also started a new trend: the California Pizza Kitchen in Palo Alto is offering to give us 20% of all checks of patrons who come with the flyer naming PAA as the beneficiary from May 12th to May 15th. Just download a flyer (paper color doesn't matter) or pick up one from Marlene and have a pizza for lunch or dinner. Take-out is possible, too, but don't forget the flyer.
 
Thora's Thimbles and the American Girl Fashion Show committee are not meeting in April but will start up again in May.
 
Cookbook impresario Luisa Pliska reports a special price for Mother's and Father's Days of $18 a book.  We have just under 700 more to sell from the 10,000 published. If you'd like to help Luisa, please let her know.  Let's get this job finished!
 
On a somber note, we were all very sad to hear of the death of our longtime member, Shirlee Stites. We'll miss her willing help in so many areas and her ever cheerful smile very much. Her family is holding a memorial service on May 24th at 12 PM.  Gerry Nelson has graciously offered to take over the Bears and Books project next fall. Erika Crowley and Ginny Wilson will take over the photography jobs.

In Affiliate news, Luisa reports that helping with Packard Pantry is now easier as there are helpers to lift boxes at the pick up station at Second Harvest Food Bank and at LPCH  where the valets will lift boxes between their regular duties. Packers are needed at LPCH for a short time every second and fourth Thursday morning. The Teen Van group would like help writing grants as well as toiletries. Hearts and Hands continues to coordinate donations.
 
We have been asked to list events of our sister auxiliaries:
     Allied Arts has a new vintage gift area if you have any treasures   you'd   like to donate or purchase.
     Charter's next sale is this weekend: April 18 and 19th
     San Francisco has sent a save the date for their Jewel Ball next November 1st.
     San Jose has Half-Price Days on April 24 and 25 and new window displays with LPCH patient photos.
     San Mateo-Burlingame has a Game Day scheduled for June 18th.
In Association news: Nancy, Sarah and Luisa attended the April 7 meeting of the Association of Auxiliaries, we heard about new "branding" for LPCH - logo and symbolic colors, a new special project proposal and endowment updates and proposals. We can explain these much better in person so come to the general meeting.  LPCH has a new website at www.stanfordchildrens.org.
 
Please remember to check our own website at www.paloaltoauxiliary.com. It has everything from  news in the President's Blog, Restaurants- with-Heart menus,  to event dates and times and great photos.
We wish each of you a happy and healthy spring,
Sarah and Nancy 

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