Friday, May 6, 2016

May Newsletter


PAA is getting social!

The biggest “take-away” from our last Membership Meeting was that our members missed the camaraderie of the past. So, we are dusting off our party clothes and getting into the planning!

In a lively discussion, the members came up with a backyard Summer Cocktail Party. It would be both social and raise money for the Hospital! The idea is to have small bites, drinks, music, lots of tables and chairs, spouses, friends, … a silent auction, a “tip jar”…

The venue is set, my place in Los Altos, the date to be determined shortly. You will be getting an invite soon. Start thinking of what you might like to add to the silent auction…dinners at your club?, nights at a cabin/summer place/ time share?, wine from your cellar (that’s where I’ll be heading), a service you can offer?...be creative!

A great way to have fun and raise money for the Hospital!

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Our next Membership Meeting will be held after lunch at Divino Restaurant, Belmont on May 24. Those interested in a fabulous, authentic Italian lunch will meet earlier at noon. Please go to the PAA website, click the Divino information section.  You can sign up online, pay online, or wait to pay when you attend.  If you prefer to make your reservation by phone, call the PAA number, 364-2588 ext 4 or Karen Stevens @ 327-6809. (flyer attached)

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I went on the Nursing Excellence Simulation Center tour held in April and it was amazing. They do great work there creating critical medical scenarios that nurses may encounter daily or rarely. Using the 2 dummies they have, they make these scenarios a powerful learning experience. The dummies are sadly out of date, so our focus this year is to fund updated ones and the technology to get this positive training to as many nurses as possible.

Another tour is scheduled for 4 PM, May 20 at The Center For Nursing Excellence, 4700 Bohannon Dr., Menlo Park. RSVP to Eve Shaw eve.shaw@lpfch.org


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Packard Pantry is continuing this month with Erika Crowley and others filling in for Luisa while she recuperates. Luisa had successful heart surgery this past Monday. She is already out of ICU and charming her way into the hearts of the medical staff! She would appreciate emails and cards, but no visitors. She has plans to be “back at work” soon. Can’t keep a good dynamo down!

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Thora’s Thimbles continues to deliver a multitude of comfort items to the Hospital and their patients…from the small comfort of a “lovey” to hold in times of stress to the enormity of the time and care given to the creation of a gurney cover. The thanks PAA gets in your name is tear-worthy.

If you are handy with a needle, please think about joining them! Contact Ellen Smith ellensmith94022@gmail.com

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American Girl committee work has begun. This year’s newest doll will be launched in July…..Melody an African-American girl from 60’s Detroit.

We will begin casting calls for models at The American Girl Store later in the summer. All gearing up for our Rainforest inspired shows set for Friday, November 11 and Saturday, November 12 at Christ Episcopal Church, Los Altos.

In 2017 Mattel (the parent company of American Girl) will change how fashion shows are run. We are one of the few charities under the current system to be able to continue! All shows will be run in conjunction with an American Girl Store and the funds donated to that store’s charity. Well, we are fortunate that our local store has LPCH as their charity and that they will need and do want our help. This may turn out to be a big win for us, as they have a huge database of likely customers while we have always struggled to find cheap ways to reach potential patrons. But that is all in the distant future! (We have this year’s show to run!)

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Teen Van News One of our newer members, Cindy Dumesney and her teen-age daughter, Sophia helped pack toiletry kits at Allied Arts recently. Sophia and her friends had collected appropriate items to add to the kits. What a wonderful way for teens to help each other! The Dumesneys are anxious to do more and invite other teen/mum combos to join!  (They even got a mention at the Association of Auxiliaries Board Meeting!)

Many members of Palo Alto Auxiliary have had concerns about teen mental health issues and lack of facilities in our area.  The hospital reported back to us and is working to improve this, focusing on mental health issues for children and adolescents. I want to share some articles. 

Teen Psychiatric Facility could Open at El Camino Hospital in Mountain View. Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford is mentioned. Mountain View Voice,  4/12/16


Schools Target Asian Parental Expectations. Rona Hu, MD, clinical associate professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Steven Sust, MD, co-chief fellow, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences (child and adolescent psychiatry), Amia Nash,  Stanford Health 4 All intern (Stanford Prevention Research Center) SJ Mercury, 4/9/16

Jane Andrews, a Monday Cook who has been with PAA since 1987, had a stroke last month. She is still living at home with the help of care. She just turned 95 in April!

I look forward to seeing you all soon….either at Divino’s, the Summer Cocktail Party, or a committee meeting…or all of the above!

Nan





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