September 2020 Newsletter
Dear PAA Members,
Once again, I hope this finds you well and coping fairly comfortably with what seems to be our new normal. Many of us, like Luisa Pliska, have been purging closets and then trying to find a charity open to receiving donations. Susan Kirtley was swimming 40 laps a day before the air quality got so bad. Maybe she is back at it now. Sue Alvarez has been re-doing a fixer-upper and lots of gardening.
Sarah Beetem answered my question of activities with the following:
“When my son and daughter in-law gave me a book called Grandmother’s Journal, I realized that I wish my grandmother, or even my mother, had filled out something similar. Now that the prior generations are gone, I wonder what life was like for them. Not the major things like graduations or marriages, that I can research, but the small details like party phone lines, cutting Christmas trees, or surviving the last pandemic. I decided that now would be a great time to write about my life and leave a written record because by the time my grandchildren are old enough to be curious, I may not be here to tell them the stories of my life. I can just remember listening to funny radio programs with my maternal grandma when she babysat us. I remember her stories of riding a horse to high school and riding in wagons across Los Angeles County to camp on the beach, but I wish I knew much more about her life. (1882 – 1965) Why not take time now to write a tape record some of your memories for your future family members? It doesn’t have to be a special journal or to answer specific questions; just put down some things you remember. If they don’t care about them now, they might care later on.”
By now, you have received your invitation to our Annual Membership Tea on Tuesday, October 20th at 2:00 p.m. via Zoom. We hope all of you will make yourself a cup of tea and join us. If you have not used Zoom, previously, perhaps you can find a friend (I always ask a grandchild) to help walk you through the process before October 20th. I will send an email invitation link on the 19th. As always, we will be honoring all our long-term members. Those for special mention will be:
60 years (joined PAA in 1960)
Bobbie Dolton
55 years (joined in 1965)
Gaye Bruce-Ferronato Jo Ann Pfost
Lorraine Hultquist
50 years (1970)
Liz Bowman Bonnie Miller
45 years (1975)
Sabra Dexter Barbara Mattson
Sue Pettigrew Ruth Wood
40 years (1980)
Ann Bennett Jane Bradley
Ellen Smith
35 years (1985)
Eloise Bodine Audrey Polster
30 years (1990)
Karen Sutherland
25 years (1995)
Nayla Sleiman
20 years (2000)
Luisa Pliska Barbara Sheldon
15 years (2005)
Barbara Alexander Sarah Beetem
Marlene Bollhoffer Nancy Bronstein
Sally Edmondson Marlene Hom
Susan Kirtley Dallas Manning
Karen Stevens Mary Ann York
With so many of Auxiliary events having to be canceled, we are excited to tell you about the Holiday Faire planned by all seven auxiliaries and to be held outdoors at Allied Arts Guild on Sunday, November 8th from 11:00 to 4:00. Here’s a chance to start your holiday decorations and purchase distinctive Christmas gifts. Each auxiliary will have very special items for your shopping fun. Palo Alto Auxiliary’s booth will feature beautiful Fall and Christmas wreaths. All precautions recommended by the CDC, the State and San Mateo County will be observed to secure safety for everyone. We are looking for some volunteer help so call Nancy Larsson or me (Marilyn Anderson) to offer your help.
You may remember that the joint auxiliaries’ 2020 special project at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital was pathology research to identify appropriate neuroblastoma treatment. We were all excited about that project and fully funded it early in the year. That allowed the auxiliaries to direct some funding to assist front line workers at the hospital who were substantially impacted by Covid 19. The Summer Scamper raised $10,000 to fund Patient Relations’ comfort bags for parents of patients. Your donations are now needed to help Child Life make our young patients more comfortable in these especially difficult days in the hospital.
Be generous!
We recently received a couple memorial donations from family members of Patricia Mangan. Some of you may remember Patricia who, according to those family members, really enjoyed working at the restaurant. The family also ordered cookbooks to have a bit of Patricia’s experience.
Again, I hope you are doing well and look forward to seeing you at the Tea and the Holiday Faire.
Marilyn
