DCYF Drive-By Christmas Party by Altrusa of Carroll County

 Our Altrusa members worked hard with the staff at DCYF to plan and prepare a Christmas Party for all the foster families and children in Carroll County.  With the health and safety concerns from the Covid pandemic, our party became a Drive-By event with families picking up school bags filled with wrapped books, crafts and cookies - one for each child.  Held at the First Congregational Church of Ossipee, Santa (Rob Owen) assisted in passing out the gifts.  Unfortunately, only 3 cars of families came to our party so the DCYF staff will distribute the remaining bags.

Altrusans packing gift bags

Santa passing bags to a foster family.

Altrusa Event Changes

 Altrusa Meeting, December 1st will go Virtual:

The December meeting, originally scheduled for December 1st at Runnells Hall, will be held via Zoom.  Watch for details in your email.

Book Wrapping, November 28th at Runnells Hall, has been cancelled.

Foster Family Drive-By Christmas Party will be held Saturday, December 12th from 1 - 3 pm at the First Congregational Church of Ossipee, Center Ossipee, NH.  

Foster Families can drive through the parking lot and pick up a new school bag containing books, crafts and treats for each child.

Supporting End 68-Hours of Hunger Program

 On Monday, November 23, seven members from our Club met at Kennett Middle School to organize foods for the End 68-Hours of Hunger program.  The organization will be distributing gift cards to the families for the Thanksgiving Holiday and time of Virtual Learning, so the many food items gathered in the recent Food Drive were organized and readied for next month.

Rolling Pink Rally!

Our Club continues to support the American Cancer Society by fundraising and participating in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event every October.  This year there were some changes to the event with a Rolling Pink Rally replacing the 5K Run/Walk,  but our team still did well in raising funds for the American Cancer Society.  We had 3 members, Cathy B., Lisa M., and Beth W., and 2 cars entered in the Rolling Pink Rally.  The weather was great and big smiles were everywhere!

 

In-person meeting and New Officers

   On October 6th,  Altrusa members gathered for their first in-person meeting at Runnells Hall since the onset of the pandemic.  With temperatures taken, hand sanitizer and distancing with masks all 18 attendees felt very comfortable.  There were many smiles (behind masks) and happy conversations as friends met and chatted.  We discussed our ongoing service projects, with plans for:

• Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Rolling Pink Rally - October 15th
• Packing bags for End 68-Hours of Hunger - Oct. 24, Nov. 23, Dec. 21
• DCYF Foster Family Christmas Party - December 12th

   We also installed our new officers and Board members, welcoming Nancy Spaulding as President, Ellen Andreano as Vice President, Cathy Baybutt as Treasurer and Cathy Sholtanis as Secretary.  Cindy Hyatt, Pat McCoy and Beth Wheatley Dyson took on the role of Directors. 

   Our Club was also recognized with several awards: Distinguished Club Award, First Place for our Newsletter, and Second Place for adding new members.

Welcome to our new Board.

First meeting of the Fall

We're Back... At the Farmer's Market October 3

 After a successful first try, Altrusa of Carroll County will be back at the Tamworth Farmer's Market on Saturday, October 3rd with a booth selling crafts, gift items, jams and jellies.  The Market will be held at the Brett School in Tamworth with many booths and local items available.  Come check it out!

Helping to End 68-Hours of Hunger

 At our usual 4th Thursday of the month, a group of us arrived at Kennett Middle School to pack bags of food for area students for the End 68-Hours of Hunger Project.  This week we packed 60 bags which will be distributed to the area schools for children in need.  This is an important service project during which we can chat and socialize at a safe distance.

Farmer's Market Success!

 We had a fun time at the Tamworth Farmer's Market on Saturday, September 19th.  It was a bright and sunny day with Diane, Cathy B., Kathy S., Ellen, Nancy, Cindy, Ruth, and Peg setting up and working the booth.  Members of the Altrusa Meredith Club stopped by and it was fun to connect with them.  Thank you to all who baked, sewed, crafted and donated!  It was a great success with a total of $570.75 in sales and donations.  Shall we do this again?

Cones for a Cause Day - A warm, sunny success

 It was a perfect day for an ice cream!  Many thanks to Trails End Ice Cream Shop for supporting Altrusa of Carroll County by providing us with a Cones for a Cause benefit.  Not only did we receive donations, we also received a percentage of all ice cream sold today - and it was a perfect, hot end-of-summer day! And what delicious ice cream they have! We also provided free early reader books to all the children who came, which prompted questions about our literacy programs from the parents.

Upcoming Events... Save the Date!

      Wednesday, September 9, 2020 - Cones for a Cause at Trail's End Ice Cream Shop at the Scenic Vista in Intervale.  On that day, a percentage of all cones sold will be donated to Altrusa's Literacy programs.  Remind all your friends and family that a delicious ice cream cone is a must that day!

      Saturday, September 19, 2020 - Tamworth Farmer's Market booth.  Located at the Brett School parking lot, Altrusa will have a booth with assorted crafts, baked goods, preserves and gift items available for sale.  All proceeds will go to our service projects.  Come and check out the Farmer's Market!

      Sunday, October 18, 2020 -  Making Strides Against Breast Cancer -  Rolling Pink Rally
In place of the Making Strides fundraiser walk, this year a Rolling Pink Rally will be held from 10:00 to 11:00 in North Conway.  Teams are asked to decorate vehicles in pink and join the rally which will travel Rt. 16 and the North-South Road escorted by the police.  We agreed to meet at the Memorial Hospital parking lot at 9:40 to decorate the vehicles.  Have you signed up online to be a part of our team, either with a donation or to participate?

A Walk in the Pine Barrens

On Monday, 6 of our members took a walk through the Ossipee Pine Barrens Preserve in Madison, NH - a fun time to re-connect while keeping distant and enjoying the fresh air!  It was hot out but the walk was easy and we ended with some delicious ice cream at Bobby-Sue's Homemade Ice Cream Shop in Freedom.  Delicious!

Carroll County Altrusa Summer Plans

On Monday, July 13th, the Board met in Cathy B's backyard to work on plans to continue our service projects while maintaining health standards.  The Board organized some fun gatherings as well as opportunities to serve our community.  All members, friends and families are invited to the following activities.
Fun Activities:
Mini Golf Fun Event - Monday, July 20th, 11AM  Pirates Cove, North Conway  Contact Diane if interested
Afternoon Walk - August 24th, 2PM, Ossipee Pine Barrens, Rt. 41, Silver Lake  Contact Beth if interested

Service Projects:
Support Our Soldiers - July 20th, District Service Project, writing cards for our soldiers. Contact Cathy B. if interested
End 68 Hours of Hunger - packing bags of food on July 23 and August 27, 10 AM  Kennett Middle School  Contact Pat K. if interested

Fundraising Projects:
Cones for a Cause - Sept. 9th, 1PM - 8PM at Trail's End Ice Cream Shop, Intervale.  Contact Beth if interested
Tamworth Farmers' Market - Sept. 19th, 9AM - 1PM, Plant/Bake/Craft Sale. Brett School, Tamworth.  Contact Cindy if interested

Helping Jen's Friends while laughing over mini-golf

On Wednesday, June 17th, a group of 10 Altrusans and friends supported a fundraiser for Jen's Friends Cancer Foundation while having fun playing mini-golf at Pirate's Cove.  Pirate's Cove donated 100% of the ticket cost along with other donations to Jen's Friends to assist local families in their battle against cancer.  All of the money raised goes directly to the cancer patient and her/his family to provide supplemental financial assistance.  It was fun to get together outdoors, laugh and help Jen's Friends at the same time.   I still think the highest score should have won!

Packing Bags for End 68-Hours of Hunger

On May 28th our dedicated group of 9 Altrusans met at Kennett Middle School to continue to help the program End 68-Hours of Hunger by packing bags of food for children in need.  These bags will be delivered to the children along with the packed school lunch sent home to each child.
With so many members helping, we were able to quickly pack about 75 bags.

Calendar cancellations and changes

At the Altrusa of Carroll County teleconference Board meeting yesterday, our event and meeting schedule was reviewed in light of the current Covid-19 health and restriction information.  The following changes have been made:

• The Tri-Club Birthday Party dinner is postponed until May, 2021
• The Club Annual Dinner at The Preserve is canceled
• Installation of officers will take place at the next regular meeting, perhaps in September or October (hopefully).  The elected officers will assume their new roles on June 1, 2020 as described in the by-laws.
• The fundraiser sale of hot-dogs at the Gibson Center Craft Fair on Memorial Day weekend is canceled.

Our Altrusa members are still finding ways to serve our communities by sewing and donating face-masks, knitting infant caps for the hospital, sewing book bags and more - great work ladies!!  Remember to keep track of your time spent on these projects as they all count toward our total volunteer service hours.  

Calendar changes and cancellations

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and health concerns, the following Altrusa of Carroll County events have been canceled:

• April meeting has been canceled
• District One Spring Conference, April 24-25 has been canceled
• Gibson Center Volunteer Luncheon at which we serve has been canceled
• June Plant Sale in cooperation with the Cook Library, Tamworth has been canceled

March Meeting Events

Our March meeting provided us with an opportunity to learn more about the new Mt. Washington Valley Adult Day Center with guest speakers Tammy Drew and Julie Van Dyne.  The Mt. Washington Valley Adult Day Center is a 14,000 square foot facility the provides senior care services in a comfortable home-like setting. Some of the services offered are:

• a common room for group activities and socializing
• a kitchen and dining room for lunch and snacks
• Hair salon
• Art room
• gardens

Julie, a former Altrusan, currently provides nursing services at the Day Center.  We are excited to support their programs with a donation.

We also enjoyed the special event of the initiation of  Dreaner Sanford as a new member of Altrusa of Carroll County.  She was introduced to all by her sponsor, Peg Poirier.  Welcome Dreaner!

New Member and Guest Speakers

Nancy welcoming our guests, Barbara Reilly and Melanie Shaw of Sand Dollar Foundation.

Cathy Sholtanis welcomes Anne to our Club.

On February 4th Altrusa of Carroll County members met and welcomed our newest member, Anne McKenna.  Anne has been helping our group pack food for End 68-Hours of Hunger and is now officially an Altrusan!

We also welcomed as guest speakers Melanie Shaw and Barbara Reilly of The Sand Dollar Foundation. Introduced by Nancy Spaulding, Melanie, founder of the new non-profit, explained how the organization seeks to help those battling cancer obtain support of alternative therapies.

Pond Hockey Tournament to benefit the Laura Foundation

Saturday was a full day with many Altrusa members volunteering on the ice selling food at the Pond Hockey Tournament at King Pine in Madison.  Every year, the Laura Foundation for Autism and Epilepsy hosts this event as a major fundraiser and raised $80,000 on the one day event.  Wow, was it busy!  There were 84 hockey teams, both boys and girls teams, competing on the ice from all over the country, with a team from Atlanta, Georgia!  We spoke with the father who was the coach of the Atlanta team, and he shared that he grew up in Buffalo, NY always skating on ponds.  Now that he and his family live in Atlanta, he said, this was a great opportunity for the kids to experience skating outdoors on the pond.  We watched the kids trudge down the hill from the parking lot, and when one boy arrived at the edge of the glistening pond he stopped and exclaimed, "This is the best day of my life!"  Unfortunately, the second day of the Tournament, Sunday, was canceled due to warm weather and too much water on the ice.

Lisa, Ruth and Kathy setting up the breakfast food.

Banner outside the tent crediting all the supporters of the event.

Welcome New Members!

On Tuesday, January 7th, Altrusa of Carroll County welcomed 2 new members, Betty Schneider and Betsy Spencer, to our Club. During the warm induction ceremony, Betsy was introduced by Cathy Baybutt and Betty, known for her wonderful baking at the Swedish Bakery, was introduced by Peg Poirier.