Volunteering is truly a joy! May Blog

....Volunteering is truly a joy. We can help others and think well of ourselves in so doing...

May 1, 2011

Good morning, Dear Members and Welcome to Spring:

First, I apologize for the late President’s Blog. Usually it is ready for you by the first of the month but since I returned from New York I have had unending computer problems. I am a dinosaur when it comes to computers and have had to wait for assistance from the computer gurus. Because of this I asked Joan Heye to email you all with this VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE which NEEDS YOUR TIMELY RESPONSE.

MAY 17, GENERAL MEETING WILL BE OUR TOUR AND LUNCHEON AT THE LUCILE PACKARD CHILDRENS HOSPITAL

By 10:30-11:00 am: PARK AT BLAKE WILBER PARKING GARAGE (You will have exit passes so parking will be free – carpooling is strongly encouraged.) PROCEED TO LPCH LOBBY FOR NAMETAGS AND TOUR SELECTION.

11:00 am: GATHER IN LPCH AUDITORIUM FOR SPEAKERS (Jill Sullivan: presenting an update on the incredibly beautiful Phase II then following will be Dr. Bernie Dannenberg, Director of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, LPCH)

11:45 amTOURS OF PACKARD HOSPITAL (Two tour groups will go to the NICU and the Forever Young Zone and one will go to the Ford Center for Surgical Services and the Chapel.)

12:30 pm: LUNCH IN BING DINING ROOM – third floor of Stanford Hospital

LUNCH WILL BE $22.00 for a lovely entrée salad, bread, drinks and gratuity and ending with an incredible White Chocolate Brioche Pudding with Black Maple Hill Bourbon Syrup!

WE NEED TO SEND SUE HNILO OUR LIST OF ATTENDEES BY MAY 9^TH to give to the caterer and to print our nametags. NAMETAGS ARE NEEDED FOR US TO TOUR THE HOSPITAL.

PLEASE SEND YOUR CHECKS FOR $22.00 TO DALLAS MANNING AT 836 PINE HILL ROAD, STANFORD, CA 94305, BEFORE MAY 9^TH.

VINTAGE GIRLS LUNCHEON was held on April 14^th at the lovely University Club in Palo Alto, colorfully decorated with vintage memorabilia. Our members (many wearing hats) had a delightful afternoon, sharing fond memories with our Roving Reporter BJ SORENSON. The 48 members attending represented 1,653 years – yes, years, not hours - of volunteer time! Many thanks to GERRY NELSON and her committee for coordinating this annual event.

Here are a few photos from the event (click on photos to enlarge) --- make sure you view all the photos at Shirlee Stites' new photo gallery (see below for info):

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One of our goals this year is to enhance our websites. SHIRLEE STITES is doing an incredible job as our private photographer giving us a grand addition to the website. Our Webmaster, BOB STEVENS has modified the photogallery page on the website to include Shirlee’s gallery, Smugmug! Our PAA home page will show the date the galleries and the blog are updated. If you have photos to share you may send them to Shirlee for possible future inclusion.

MOTHER’S DAY BOOK SALES: Our thanks to BECKY YUNG for arranging 6 venues where we can sell TASTES, TALES AND TRADITIONS. Offering their time to sell at the tables are MARAH BREHAUT, SARAH BEETEM, MARZETTE WOODS, MALKAH CAROTHERS SHARON BRUGOS, NORMA CANCE, MARY KOEPPEN, BETTY NG, BECKY HERSELF AND ME. These table sales are of particular importance since we will not be placing any ads in the newspapers for this Mother’s Day.

DIRECTORY UPDATE: Once again, many thanks to JOAN HEYE, SHARON BRUGOS and MARY KOEPPEN for their continued efforts to update our directory. Thank you to KAREN STEVENS and BETSY BULLARD for hours of proofreading. The membership will be notified of additions and corrections as they occur.

RESTAURANTS WITH HEART continues to enjoy great success. Photos of the evening at Iron Gate will be available on Shirlee Stites’ photo gallery. MARLENE BOLHOFFER and DEBORAH POTASH are working diligently to fine tune this delightful project. Several diners at the Iron Gate failed to leave a gratuity and the owner expressed concern. His suggestion to include the gratuity in the meal price seemed a good and simple solution. Thus, the new RWH prices of $24 for lunch and $35 for dinner will include an 18% gratuity. It is hoped that this change will clarify any confusion regarding gratuities.

MATINEE MAIDENS: I met with GERRY NELSON, our Special Events, chair, and she is very excited about this new fundraising project. The plan is to get special group rates to local live theater productions that would enable us to raise money. Those interested in working on this delightful project please contact Gerry or me.

NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF AUXILIARIES

Celebration events for LPCH’s 20^th Anniversary began on April 7^th, with a luncheon at the Los Altos Country Club for all current and past presidents since Packard Hospital opened in June 1991. PAA was well represented. Dr. Harvey Cohen was master of ceremonies and guest speakers were Dr. Elliott Krane, Director of the Pain Management Service and Sandy Sentivany-Collins, RN clinical nurse specialist. A special appearance was made buy Carly. Carly is a specially trained K-9 who works with the children to help them through their difficult days at the hospital.

JUNE 26^TH marks another event for LPCH's 20^th Birthday celebration - A grand outdoor community “Birthday party.” Of the 80 booths that will be on the Stanford campus, one large one is for the seven auxiliaries. This is our opportunity to publicize who we are, what we do and increase interest in people becoming members. We will need volunteers to make this a success. Please contact me if you would like to help on June 26^th. All auxiliaries will have special responsibilities and will donate door prizes representing what they do. I will share more details in subsequent blogs and general meetings.

SARAH BEETEM and I have been attending the Steering Committee meetings and have offered two tickets to the American Girl event and a copy of “Tastes Tales and Traditions” for the drawings. It will also be PAA’s responsibility to provide 2000 Swedish Ginger Cookies for that day. San Mateo County requires that any food items distributed to the public must be made and packaged in a licensed kitchen. We have finally found a commercial kitchen where we will be able to bake them all in one day. MARY HICKS has agreed to chair this project. More detail on this later. For now, if you are interested in helping us bake and package the cookies please contact me (Mary will be out of town until the middle of June.) I look forward to hearing from our wonderful cooks!

ALLIED ARTS GUILD AUXILIARY is hosting its annual fundraiser, Tally Hoedown on Sept 10, 5:30-11:pm at the Menlo Circus Club in Menlo Park. They invite each auxiliary to have one model participate in the Kate Spade fashion show on that day. They will need to know who they will be as soon as possible. We have such a bevy of beauties in our membership, how are we going to choose just one!! If you are interested in representing PAA, please let me know by May 8.

PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR (See events page for details)

May 3 – Pillow Sewing and Knitting at Thora’s

May 17 – Annual Tour and Luncheon at LPCH

May 23,24 – RWH at Spalti Ristorante 417 California Street in Palo Alto.

June 21 – general meeting (venue to be announced)

DID YOU KNOW?

- SUE HNILO’S son, Andy who lives in LA, was struck by a car and sustained serious injuries, including a broken jaw and a collapsed lung. His craniofacial surgeon actually trained at LPCH under one of their best reconstructive surgeons. Andy has been released from the hospital. He is facing a long period of recovery. but doing miraculously well.

- IRENE BELL’S husband, Phil, passed away in April. A gift of $50 was made to LPCH in his name. If you wish to write a personal note, Irene’s address is in the directory in the Associate Members section.

- Our May birthday ladies are ROSAMOND MARTIN, KATHY SQUELLATI AND MARGARET STAFFORD.

- MOLLY PAULSEN had her birthday party at The Restaurant when she was 16.

- All U.S. Children’s Hospitals were started by women.

- STEPHANIE BEACH makes copies of our emails and mails them to all our ladies who do not have computers. Many thanks, Stephanie - this is so appreciated.

-Many Children’s Hospitals no longer allow public tours because of security reasons. It is such a privilege to have this private tour offered to us. Please invite spouses, and friends to share in this special luxury which comes but once a year. We have invited two perspective members to join us.

Thank you all for your emails and suggestions. Please remember that I always welcome your thoughts and desires for PAA.

See you all at the Children’s Hospital on May 17^th.

Luisa

... We seven auxiliaries are one common thread in the tapestry of a child's life...

April 1, 2011

Good morning, Dear Members,

Since last we "talked" - we have not been idle…

On the Ides of March, we enjoyed a lovely lunch and held our meeting at the beautiful Forum in Cupertino. Many thanks to ELIZABETH MODENA, ROSAMOND MARTIN AND BETTY CLANCY for their gracious hospitality.

On March 8, nine of us visited the LPCH Teen Van at East Palo Alto High School in East Menlo Park. This 38 ft mobile home was converted to a mobile medical unit complete with two exam rooms, a reception/pharmacy area and a consultation room. The van rotates twice a month through six sites from San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties providing medical care for under served and at-risk teens.

This program is three fold: comprehensive medical care, research and training. The research being done is far reaching and benefits all involved with psychosocial and nutritional issues of young adolescents. The training of medical students and residents enables them to learn hands-on the very best in the practice of community medicine for under served youth.

Click to enlarge

KAREN STEVENS, JOANN PFOST, MARZETTE WOODS, DEBORAH POTASH, DR. SETH AMMERMAN, THORA RICHARDSON, DR. MARGARET DEANESLY, LUISA PLISKA, ELLEN LATOUR AND SHIRLEE STITES GERRY NELSON is missing from the photo because she took the picture.

Dr. Seth Ammerman created this program that serves as a lifeline for these young adults - a group that research has indicated are the most under served population of children. He spent over an hour with us and arranged for us to meet his staff (an RN, a social worker, a dietitian and a registrar/driver.) This multidisciplinary staff provides more than comprehensive exams and free medications. They focus on prevention and early intervention and deliver a sense of purpose helping many of these youths turn their lives around. All this free of charge and without passing judgment.

Our donations to the Teen Van enabled them to purchase stadiometers for height measurement (these had yet to be delivered, )a hemoglobinometer which was being calibrated at LPCH and the medical weight machines which we did get to see.

Luisa Pliska, Dr. Deanesley & Gerry Nelson

Dr. Ammerman made a special point to tell us how much the teddy bears, pillows and blankets are appreciated by the teens. I believe his exact words were “Keep them coming!” THORA RICHARDSON, SHIRLEE STITES AND YOUR COMMITTEES TAKE A BOW!)

You cannot help but walk away from this visit without a renewed sense of pride in what we do to support LPCH. Thank you, DEBORAH POSTASH for arranging this visit.

“One Common Thread” was the theme of a luncheon at Stanford“for women who give” which DEBORAH AND I attended on March 16. Invitees were representatives from the auxiliaries, other volunteers, staff, physicians, nurses and doctors. All had one common goal, “ one common thread” - the care of the children at LPCH. Guest speakers were Susan Packard Orr, Susan Ford Dorsey, Claudia Mueller, MD, PhD. Each underscored how important is the work that is being done and that we do.

PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR (see website Events page for details)

• April 5 – Pillow sewing and knitting will be held at SUSAN HULL’S HOUSE
• April 14 – Vintage Gals Luncheon at University Club of Palo Alto
• April 25 and 26 – Restaurants With Heart at Iron Gate in Belmont

UPDATE ON OUR GOALS:

• Special thanks to CATHERINE MCGILVRAY who arranged for us to use the lovely Fireside Room at the Lucie Stern Community Center on Middlefield in Palo Alto. We have reserved the room for September 20 and November 15. When we find a venue for the June meeting we will have met our goal to find an appropriate place for meetings

• As of this writing, 17 members who would have been dropped from our Directory responded to the second dues notice and renewed their membership. Thank you to all who renewed and to SHARON BRUGOS, THE MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE AND MARY KOEPPEN for making this happen. Mary tells me checks are still coming in.

• Regarding new fund raising projects: We have been invited to participate in Allied Arts Guild’s Holiday Market. We will sell cookbooks and any other items. SHARON BRUGOS has offered to chair this event and hopes to get our knitters, quilters and crafters busy making boutique items. More on this in subsequent Blogs.

• Also, thought is being given to starting “MATINEE MAIDENS” a fundraising project wherein we attend plays at local professional and community theaters. I would like to hear your thoughts on this before we start work on the logistics. And if any of you would be interested in working on this project please let me know.

NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF AUXILIARIES:

This year LPCH will be 20 years old. Two of the many events celebrating this 20^th birthday are:

• APRIL 7 – A luncheon at Los Altos Golf and Country Club hosted by LPCH and the Foundation. Invitees are those who served as their auxiliary’s president since the hospital opened in 1991. For PAA that means AUDREY LAYMAN, RUTH WOOD, ELLEN LATOUR, CATHERINE MCGILVRAY, KAREN SUTHERLAND, JOAN HEYE, THORA RICHARDSON, SUE-ELLEN NAUGHLER, CARLYN KEELEY, GAIL SACHS, SHARON BRUGOS, DEBORAH POTASH AND LUISA PLISKA. Gail will fly in from San Diego and Joan from Texas.

• SUNDAY JUNE 26, A free celebration open to the community to take place on the Stanford campus. The Association of Auxiliaries will share a booth where we jointly promote our fundraising events, publicize our work and our history and invite prospective new members. Each auxiliary is asked to provide two volunteers to work on the steering committee to help determine booth decoration, a staffing schedule shared among the 7 auxiliaries and any handouts to offer. More information on this will be in future Blogs. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BEING ON THIS STEERING COMMITTEE, PLEASE CONTACT ME. This appears to be a fun, not difficult, nor long lasting assignment to be shared with 6 other auxiliaries. AND YOU ARE NEEDED.

At every meeting of all the auxiliaries, I am made so aware of the fact that we are, indeed, one very important common thread in the tapestry of a child’s life. I wish you could all come to those meetings to see how our one common goal enhances the camaraderie and mutual support.

• APRIL 7 AND APRIL 14 The San Jose Auxiliary is having two fundraising Beethoven Concerts at Le Petit Trianon Theater in San Jose. If you would like to purchase tickets please call 650-964-4000 or register online at http://audiohigh.eventbrite.com/.

DID YOU KNOW THAT:

• MALKAH CAROTHERS’ grandson, Shiloh Fernandez (yes, that is his real name) is in the movie Red Riding Hood which is playing in the theaters now. His role - Peter the Woodsman.

• DOLLY MINARD died last July five weeks short of reaching the age of 103. She was one of the “Tea Bag” ladies made famous by being mentioned in Herb Caen’s column. She had been paying her dues for 72 years. At her memorial her daughter served snacks using recipes from TASTES, TALES AND TRADITIONS. Her daughter wrote that she and her siblings remember Dolly bringing home the orange toast sticks on the days she worked.
• On the Children’s Museum grounds next to our Lucie Stern Community Center meeting place there is a lovely spot with a bench that has a brass plaque with our ELEANOR SETTLE’s name on it!

• For those who are computer dinosaurs a group of students created a website www.TeachParentsTech.org which has 40 short free videos in five categories with step by step instructions to watch when your children or grandchildren aren’t available to show you how!

BIRTHDAY WISHES: Unfortunately, I have no one listed for the month of April. How can that be! So this is a generic Happy Birthday to all the April birthday girls. I know you’re out there!

Have a lovely time at the Vintage Gals Luncheon. I will not be able to join you because I will be in New York for two delightful events. My daughter-in-law’s non-profit organization is having it’s fund raising gala and I’ll also be attending my son’s show. He is the musical director for “War Horses” which premieres at Lincoln Center on April 14.

Please remember, dear members, I always welcome your thoughts and ideas for PAA.

Luisa

Update on meetings, PAA donations for 2010 & more

March 1, 2011

Good Morning, Dear Members,

Many thanks to all who made the trek to Redwood City for our meeting at Harry’s Hofbrau.  We had a delightful time and shared a great deal of information.  Not the least of which were our goals for 2011:  to recruit members; to find an appropriate meeting venue; to sell the remaining cookbooks – meeting our goal of 10,000 sold; to support all our projects including our new endeavor “Restaurants with Heart and to enhance the use of our Website.  In our general meetings and in this blog, I will keep you apprised of the progress on each of our goals.

I’d like to share this note I received from Victoria Applegate.  Victoria is the V.P. and Director for all the auxiliaries. 

“Palo Alto auxiliary’s numbers are remarkable, especially when you add the extraordinary support from the membership.  You’ve all worked so hard to continue and broaden your events, and to create successful new fundraisers like Restaurants with Heart.  Your members are very generous on a personal level, too, with their financial donations and their heartfelt gifts of bears and pillows and tote bags and so much more.  Please accept our deepest thanks.”

Doesn’t that make you feel good all over!!

Now, here are ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS NEEDING YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION:

·      MARCH 15 General meeting  is 1:00-3:00 at the Forum, 23500 Cristo Rey Drive in Cupertino. Lunch is at noon. If you would like lunch, Elizabeth Modina will need to have your check and reservation or you can call her by March 8^th (650) 625-0761. Please write your check for $20.00 made out to Elizabeth Modina. (Lunch is $15.00 plus $47.50 for service which will be divided amongst the number of those having lunch.  You will be reimbursed should it be less than $20.00).  You may call her or write your entrée choice at the bottom of your check.  Entrée choices are:

FRUIT PLATE: 
Assorted Fresh Fruit with choice of Cottage Cheese
Tuna, Chicken or Shrimp Salad
or
FORUM COBB SALAD:
Diced Chicken, Avocado, Egg, Tomato, Cucumber & Blue Cheese, Bacon & Choice of Dressing 
or
CHICKEN QUESADILLA:
Grilled Chicken  Monterey Jack Cheese in a Flour Tortilla, service with Salsa & Guacamole

·      MARCH 8 Teen Van Visit.  Noon at East Palo Alto High School IN MENLO PARK. 475 Pope Street, Menlo Park.  Parking in front of high school and on side streets.  Van is at rear of school  Walk through the breezeway from the front to the back of the school to reach the Teen Van. Dr. Ammerman will give us a tour and Dr. Margaret Deanesly will join us. Members can bring travel size toiletries or gift cards for the teens.  (For suggestions see the PS at the end of the February Blog)For those who wish to have lunch before or after the noon tour, Mike’s Café is near, 150 Middlefield Road (near Willow Road) in Menlo Park.

·      APRIL 19 GENERAL MEETING has been rescheduled to the VINTAGE GALS LUNCHEON on APRIL 14. We will have just a few announcements at the luncheon (which Gerry tells me is for all who would like to come, not just the “Vintagers”).

·      MARCH 22^ND AND 23^RD  Restaurants with Heart selection is BONA Restaurant in Menlo Park, offering exquisite Polish cuisine fit for Queen Bona, 16^th century queen of Poland.  Details and registration are our website.

It has been an incredibly busy month since last we “talked”.  Just a few notes from the many Association of Auxiliaries meetings I have had to attend.  There will be more in detail on the April Blog.  This is the 2010 report from the Association of Auxiliaries

        

2010 Gift Report

Palo Alto Auxiliary

Palo Alto Auxiliary contributions:                  $   60,340.00

Direct contributions from members:                300,939.31  

                                    TOTAL:               $ 361,279.31

92 members, or 38% of membership, donated directly out of 240 member total

Cumulative giving from seven Auxiliaries:

Total Auxiliaries contributions for 2010:                 $   988,279

Total member contributions for 2010:               697,863

                                    TOTAL:               $1,686,142

Venue Update:  Work continues on finding the right place for us to meet. Thanks to all who have investigated and/or sent in suggestions.  Know that all suggestions are being followed up on. Report will be given at membership meeting.

DID YOU KNOW:

• Roger and Deborah Potash are the designers/creators of our lovely Restaurants with Heart flyers.
• That all our sister auxiliaries wanted a copy of our PAA Brochure to create one for their auxiliary.
• That many from our sister auxiliaries made reservations to our restaurants
• That Charter Auxiliary has come to all our restaurants. Their Rummage Sales are Fridays 11am-2pm and Saturdays 9am-1pm 1228 Douglas Ave., Redwood City.
• I have heard from no March birthday gals. We have no members born in March?  My goodness!  Please send me your birthday month so we can celebrate with you.
• That Dallas Manning will custom make a pieced jacket for you for $200 plus fabric and donate that $200 to LPCH!

See you all at the Teen Van Tour on the 8^th and at the Forum on the 15^th.  Until then,

Luisa Pliska

President Luisa Pliska - We are an ageless, vibrant, undaunted and fun group

Good morning, Dear Members,

This is my first Blog as your President, please indulge me while I share a few thoughts with you before we get to the news and announcements.  For years I have been telling you what an outstanding group of women you/we are.  This has not been idle talk.  Allow me to show you what my eyes see.

When we joined PAA it was not only because of our mission – raising funds for Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital -but also because we enjoyed working together, cooking, serving and holding special events. For 70 years we successfully operated our restaurant.  Several years ago, the restaurant was closed and we were left with no restaurant and no weekly camaraderie.  Some members left PAA. We were devastated and for several years we became known as “that group that used to run the Allied Arts Guild Restaurant.”

Well, take a look at us now.  Yes, we are that group but we are much more!  We are also the group that runs Restaurants with Heart; the group that produced a national award-winning cookbook and sold almost 10,000 copies to date.  We continue to sew cough pillows and blankets, collect books, build teddy bears and make tote bags for the children at the hospital.  We put on the highly successful American Girl Tea and Fashion Show and host guest speakers at our successful lecture series. We continue to find new venues where we can have that camaraderie and continue to raise funds for those needy children at LPCH.

Now that you have seen yourselves/us through my eyes - be filled with pride. We have indeed reinvented ourselves. We are an ageless, vibrant, undaunted and fun group. Our hearts have a native intelligence.  Let’s tap into that intelligence and support our existing projects and create new ones. Sign up to work on these projects and enjoy time with each other again.  There is a job for everyone. The project leaders will find just the right one for you. Together we can make this a magnificent year for the Palo Alto Auxiliary.

Now, to the business at hand:

As you may know, we no longer have our meeting place at Nordstrom’s.  They will be using that space for retail. For two months we have been feverishly looking for places where we can meet.  Until we can find a place that is not too far south, nor too far north we will be a merry band of traveling troubadours! If you have suggestions,please contact me.

FEBRUARY 15^TH  we shall meet at HARRY’S HOFBRAU, 1909 EL CAMINO REAL, REDWOOD CITY. 1:00 – 3:00pm. If you wish to have lunch before hand, plan to arrive at 11:30am.  It is cafeteria style (many choices and all of them good) You are welcome to bring your trays into the meeting room.

MARCH 15^TH Elizabeth (Betty) Modina has arranged for us to meet at THE FORUM, 23500 CRISTO REY DRIVE, CUPERTINO . THIS MEETING WILL BE 1-3:30.  Lunch is available in the green room at 12 noon.  Reservations needed call Elizabeth (Bette) Modina - see PS for more info & phone #.  We will be on the second floor and there is an elevator.

At the beginning of each month I will give details on subsequent meeting places. So, please check our website regularly.

RESTAURANTS WITH HEART continues to be a success.  Many thanks to all who have come and brought family and friends.

FEBRUARY 21 AND 22, THE MANDERIN GOURMET, 420 RAMONA STREET IN PALO ALTO will offer lunch and dinner.  Please check the website home page for details.

BONA RESTAURANT IN MENLO PARK will be our MARCH 22 AND 23 RWH. Look for details in my March Blog

 GENTLE REMINDERS: We will send out a second dues notice.  Please remember to send in your dues as soon as possible.  We will be editing the directory and want to be sure your name is included.  We welcome some of our former members to return and enjoy working with each other once again for so worthy a cause.

Also – please send me your birthday MONTH. Phone: 650.593.9334 or 1567 Escondido Way, Belmont 94002 or email: luisapliska@comcast.net

I am pleased to welcome two new members to our Board: DALLAS MANNING will be our Social Chairperson and Nancy Bronstein is Corresponding Secretary. I am equally pleased to announce that SHIRLEE STITES will be our “official” photographer for special events. Please check the website for more information about them and our new board. All of us are welcome to take photos at our events or behind the scenes (ERIKA CROWLEY has given us many such photos ) Hopefully she will continue as I am sure Shirlee cannot get to everything.  Once again -we welcome our three new members: CAROLANN BRLECIC, BARBARA BRAUN  from San Mateo and ERMINIA CALTABIANO of Watsonville.

Click to enlarge - 2010 Board: L-R - Sarah Beetem, Kathy Squellati, Luisa Pliska, Audrey Polster, Susan Kirtley, Marzette Woods and Deborah Potash

JANUARY 18, we held our Annual Membership Meeting and Luncheon at Michaels at Shoreline on January 18^th Shirlee made her “paparazzi” debut taking photos of our 2010 outgoing Board and the new 2011 Board.  

PRESIDENT: LUISA PLISKA
1^st VP KATHY SQUELLATI

2^nd VP SHARON BRUGOS  (absent)

TREASURER: SARAH BEETEM 

RECORDING SEC’TY: SUSAN KIRTLEY 

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY: NANCY BRONSTEIN

VOTING/DIRECTOR/PARLIAMENTARIAN; DEBORAH POTASH

PUBLICITY CHAIR: LUISA PLISKA

SOCIAL CHAIR: DALLAS MANNING

2011 Board: Sarah Beetem, Nancy Bronstein, Kathy Squellati, Luisa Pliska, Susan Kirtley, Deborah Potash -
click to enlarge

Many thanks to MARZERTTE WOODS, KAREN STEVENS AND AUDREY POLSTER. for their fine work during their tenure on the 2010 Board.

Two husbands were honored for their work for PAA.  ROGER POTASH for  his incredible work setting up our virtual office and BOB STEVENS (in absentia) for developing our beautiful website and being our webmaster.  We are eternally grateful to both of them. A donation of $100 each in their name has been donated to the hospital.

Roger and Deborah Potash

Photos of and roses for our handsome past presidents:CAROLYN KEELEY, THORA RICHARDSON, CATHERINE MCGILVRAY, RUTH WOOD, ROSAMOND MARTIN, JACKIE CLARK, MARZETTE K WOODS, B.J. SORENSEN, SHARON BRUGOS (absent) and DEBORAHA POTASH.

Click on image to to enlarge

Roses and photos of our project leaders: SHIRLEE STITES, GERRY NELSON, MARLENE BOLHOFFER, THORA RICHARDSON AND SARAH BEETEM.

Click to enlarge - Names above are in order

I welcome your thoughts and desires for PAA.  Please feel free to contact me.  See you all at Harry’s Hofbrau on the 15^th.  Until then,

Luisa Pliska

President, Palo Alto Auxiliary

P.S. For those who would like lunch, Elizabeth(Bette) Modina has arranged for us to have lunch  at noon in the Green Room. Lunch is $15.00 plus $47.50 for service (this 47.50 will be divided amongst the number of those having lunch.)  Bette will let us know how much we each owe her after she has all the reservations.  For those who were not at the general meeting,you will need to call Bette and make your reservation and choice of entree prior to the meeting. Checks should be made out to Elizabeth Modina  She also will accept cash.

TEEN VAN VISIT on MARCH 8 is at noon at East Palo Alto HIgh School IN MENLO PARK. The address is 475 Pope Street, MENLO PARK. There is parking in front of the high school and on side streets.  The Van is located at the rear of the high school.  Walk through the breezeway from the front to the back of the school to reach the Teen Van.

The students will be at lunch but Dr. Seth Ammerman will be there to give us a tour.  Dr. Margaret Deanesly will also join us. Members can bring travel size toiletries for the teens. Other suggestions are gift cards from Target or movie passes which can be purchased at Costco.  NO SOAP please (too messy in their kits once they are wet) but shower gels are okay.

New Year's Greetings

Happy New Year!

I hope you all enjoyed very happy, healthy and safe holidays.

Since my last blog, we held the very successful American Girl Fashion Show and Tea Party November 12th and 13th. Many thanks to the countless hours of organizing, planning, publicity, and hard work in setting up and conducting this two-day event by Sarah Beetem, Committee Chair, and to each of her committee members, with special thanks to MaryAnn York, Thora Richardson, Susan Kirtley.

PAA members enjoyed a very lovely Christmas Buffet Luncheon at the University Club on December 8th, sponsored by our very gracious Catherine McGilvray. Everyone in attendance expressed their enjoyment and hope that it will become an annual event. Both the festive holiday decorations and delicious and extensive buffet were impressive and delighted all.

We have a full schedule for January. We begin our new year with the January Restaurants with Heart dinners on January 10th and 11th, at Copenhagen Restaurant and Bar in Redwood City. Copenhagen is a popular restaurant serving delicious home style food. I hope that you will make reservations and encourage your friends and neighbors to do so as well.

The PAA Annual Membership Meeting and Luncheon will take place at Michaels at Shoreline on January 18th. We will say good bye to our 2010 Executive Board, and welcome our 2011 President, Luisa Pliska, and her Board. I will be a member of the new Board as past President and Voting Director/Parliamentarian.

It has been my pleasure and honor to serve you as PAA President for the past two years. I feel that we have made some significant changes and improvements in our organization. PAA has created an efficient and effective virtual office. With the help of our webmaster, Bob Stevens, we have this beautifully designed and impressive website. I encourage you all to regularly visit and contribute to our website. We also have successfully launched our new fund raising project, Restaurants With Heart. This monthly dining out program, which began last August, now has restaurants scheduled through September, 2011. Restaurant owners have responded enthusiastically to our program, so I think it has great potential to become a major source of fund raising.

This is my final blog as your president. Please look forward to our new president's message next month on this page.

Deborah Potash

P.A.A. October Update

P.A.A. celebrated its Annual Membership Tea on October 12th. The Annual Membership Tea is the event at which P.A.A. members are honored for their years of service and dedication. This year we honored 17 members, and welcomed three new members. The event was attended by 80 members. The lovely decorations were done by our member Nancy Bronstein. The extensive and delicious menu was prepared entirely by PAA members using recipes from our award winning cookbook Taste, Tales and Traditions. The preparation and presentation was equal to any professional caterer. Attendees were impressed and happy that the Tea was done entirely by our members. Photographs of the tea will be posted.

The Restaurants With Heart October dinners at Mythos Restaurant in San Carlos, were very successful and well attended by 96 diners, many of whom remarked on how delicious the food was, and that the service was excellent. Restaurants With Heart is presenting their fourth dinner event at Flaming Fresco Restaurant, 823 Hamilton, Redwood City, on Tuesday November 9th and Wednesday, November 10th. Go to the Restaurants With Heart page at this website to make your reservations. Flaming Fresco has a warm and friendly atmosphere, and features authentic family Mexican recipes, which surpass typical Mexican fare, and are delicious and unique. If you enjoy Mexican cuisine, please join us at Flaming Fresco in November.

Deborah Potash,

President, Palo Alto Auxiliary

Fall Events and Volunteer Opportunities

Welcome to Fall, and the upcoming October events on the PAA calendar.

On Tuesday, October 5th, 10 am, Thora Richardson will host the Cough Pillow/Blanket Workshop at her home. Call Thora to let her know if you plan to attend.

On Saturday, October 9th, 9 am to 3 pm, PAA will have a Cookbook Sales table the San Jose Auxiliary's annual Pumpkin Patch event. If you would like to help sell cookbooks, please call Becky Yung, who is in charge of our cookbook sales tables. The Pumpkin Patch is a wonderful event and well worth attending. Its a huge success every year, and raises a great deal of money for LPCH.

The next date to note on your calendar is October 12th, the PAA Annual Membership Tea, which will be held at Holbrook Palmer Park at 2:00 pm. This is the event at which we honor members for their years of service to PAA. Mary Hicks has planned a delicious menu, which will be catered by our own PAA members. Nancy Bronstein will make lovely Fall floral arrangements for the tea.

On October 12th and 13th, the Restaurants With Heart dinners will be held at Mythos Restaurant in San Carlos. Mythos serves delicious Mediterranean/Greek cuisine. I encourage you to go our events page which has the announcement and the reservation information. You can now make and pay for your reservation very easily online. Although on-line reservations and payment are preferred, you may still secure reservations by mailing in a check or phoning our PAA number (364-2588, ext. 4) and leaving a message with reservation information.

There are many volunteering opportunities in PAA for your consideration. For example,

Marlene Bolhoffer, Chair of the Restaurants With Heart Committee, will have a sign up sheet at the Membership Tea, asking for members to volunteer to help with the operation of this fund raising effort. Marlene would welcome a call from you if you can help.

Another immediate volunteer need is to form the Nominating Committee, which will determine the slate of candidates for the 2011 Board. If you are interested in serving on the Committee, please call Sharon Brugos.

We are happy to welcome three new members to PAA, Ermie Caltabiano, Carolann Brlecic and Barbara Braun.

Deborah Potash,
President, PAA