Friday, October 31, 2008

From National President ~ Pam Gee

The chapters have begun this year with exciting meetings and a renewal of friendships and fellowship. We have such a treasure in this sorority - share that treasure with others! I hope each of you will invite a friend to a meeting - perhaps as a prospective member, but also to show others what a great time we have with one another. As we prepare for our annual convention in June 2009, it's disheartening to see that our numbers are dwindling. It's time for a little vitamin PAK to renew and revitalize us!

What can you do?

~ Talk about PAK to your friends and colleagues
~ Invite a friend to a meeting
~ Use the newspaper, not only to advertise your meetings, but to share opportunities for photos of programs or events.

Spread the word! We share jokes, e-mail funnies, inspirational messages, and pictures of our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. It's time to share PAK!

News from the chapters for October 2008
Denver Delta ~ Denver Deltas have enjoyed interesting programs such as a study of native Coloradan artist Rubel Jaramillo and a look at current issues in Germany presented by Isolde Meyer's sister, Doris Wissell. They celebrated Founder's Day at the Tea House in Golden, CO. Denver Delta Chapter members had a hot and busy summer this year. It has been an unusually hot summer for Denverites with a record 20 days over 90 degrees. The chapter had no meetings for four months due to members being out of town or busy entertaining visitors.

Gennie McCloskey's son and family from Nova Scotia visited for three months this summer. Her son's job required that he attend a six-week trapeze course that was offered here in Denver. She also had a visit from her granddaughter and grandson. They traveled from Korea, where they both teach English.

Betty Shea stayed home most of the summer, defending her beautiful flower garden from the ravages of the intense heat.

Walburga Salazar was also unavailable for Keynote information. We believe she is visiting her son in Virginia. She has been very busy this summer assisting several elderly and disabled people with daily living activities.

Isolde Meyer has had several visitors this summer. Her sister and daughter-in-law, and another good friend came from Germany. They took several sight-seeing trips through many of Colorado's picturesque mountain towns, including Telluride, Cortex, and Estes Park. They also managed to squeeze in a few shopping trips downtown!

Vicksburg Alpha ~ Vicksburg Alpha Chapter began the new year with a delightful luncheon meeting at Toney's Master Gardener and write Miriam Jabour entertained the group with information on fall garden.

Lucille Ables enjoyed her annual "Sisters Trip" to Williamsburg, VA, in May. Five sisters and two daughters (the chauffeurs) enjoyed a week together touring all the local places of interest and remembering their "growing up" years. Weather was perfect. In July, Lucille made a quick weekend trip to Canton, GA, for meet her their great-grandchild (all boys) born July 2. She had a great time loving, feeding, and rocking him. She said he was a good baby and wished hers had been that goo! All the family got together with a dinner at a quaint little restaurant in the mountains. It was a short visit, but she enjoyed being with all her family there.

Louise Carr and husband George celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on July 15, 2008. Congratulations!

Illma Williams and her husband, Milton, celebrated their 60th anniversary on August 15. We wish then all many more years of wedded bliss!

Sue Rowlett is celebrating the fact that her son Sidney has moved back to Vicksburg from Las Vegas.

Prior to her second knee replacement in early August, Pam Gee got in some traveling. She and her traveling buddy, Meredith Mahalak, traveled to England in May. They spend several days in London seeing the King Tut exhibit at the Millennium Dome, shopping on Portabello Road, enjoying a concert at St. Martin's in the Fields, and much more. They then joined a tour which took them through Cambridge, york, Edinburgh, and the Lake District before heading home. In July, she and granddaughter Anna Catherine, along with son Chris and grandson Michael, met her brother, his wife, and his children and grandchildren in Galena, IL, for a family get-together. They visited her childhood home of Decorah, IA, and enjoyed great fun, food, and family for a few days.

Keep PAK Rat Ellis Koury, husband of Frances Koury, in your prayers. Ellis has been in and our of the hospital lately.

Former Alpha PAK Rat John Anderson died September 14. Our sympathies are extended to his daughter, Dian.

Vicksburg Beta ~ Beta members still mourn the loss of former Beta and National PAK President Wanda Duvernet who died in June. She will be greatly missed.

Joe Gerache opened Beta's year with a program on Civil War surgeons and medicine.

Vicksburg Delta ~ Marrilyn Anthony's husband, Harris, retired in June and has been working diligently at his hobby of gardening. Merrilyn has benefited from both the food produced and the visual pleasure of his flowers and yard. They have been busy getting plans together for his mother's 90th birthday in October at her home, which is a cottage behind their house. They have also made several trips to Atlanta to visit daughter Adrienne, her husband, 18 month old daughter Finley, and grand-dog Ridge. She has been working long and hard at work as Diane had a mastectomy. She is doing well through chemo.

Butch and Debrah Clanton's children, Blair McWhirter and Blake Clanton, are opening Anytime Fitness in Ocean Springs, MS.

Tricia Copelin traveled to Denver in March to see her son, Jamie, and his bride-to-be. They are getting married in Vicksburg, MS on October 25, 2008, at the Church of Holy Trinity.

Phillip and Beth Haskin's children are back at school; Mary Amanda is working on her Master's degree at M.U.W. in Health Education and Josh is a sophomore at Mississippi State. She and Phillip are enjoying their "empty nest". Phillip is thinking about retiring soon. Beth has been having fun with her new hobby of golf and plays as often as she can.

In August, Mary Lee traveled to Denver, Co to attend a Bridal Shower for her future daughter-in-law. The wedding will be November 7, 2008. She visited Carmel, CA and San Jose for a "Girl's Weekend Getaway".

Hal and Joan Morgan visited in Florida with "old" military friends from their days in Germany. While touring the Ringling Museum, she found a book written by a lot family friend. With the help of the Internet, she was able to reconnect with her. Again this summer, the grandchildren spent two weeks in Vicksburg swimming, fishing, and playing games. In August, she and Hal traveled to Huntsville, Al to help daughter, Michelle, celebrate her birthday. While there, they visited with Hal's family in Tennessee. Foot surgery will keep her somewhat confined in September, so she has a stack of books, movies, and a TV schedule by the bed!

Josephine Peterson has had several nice trips this year. In April she traveled to Savannah, GA to attend the wedding of Rusty and Brenda Hawkins' daughter. Following that, she continued on to Anderson, SC for a visit with son Richard's family. She enjoyed being with Ella, Skylar, and grandson Anders. In June she traveled to Burlington, Vermont, to see her son John, while he was temporarily assigned there. The highlights of their driving tour in the Northeast were: Plymouth Rock, Hyannis Port, Cape Cod, Nantucket, Boston, Stowe, lobster dinner, and catching a glimpse of President Bush 42 in Kennebunkport. In addition, they also traveled to Montreal, Quebec. Late July she was blessed with a beautiful granddaughter, Aspen Olivia, as an addition to Richard's family. She and sons Will and John got to see her before John returned to Green Valley, AZ. In August, she traveled back to SC for Aspen's Christening. She wore her great-grandfather's Christening gown, which Richard and Josephine both had worn.

This summer Joann White attended a family gathering in Water Valley, MS. All five of her siblings were there. In June Peggy Ward from Portland, TN, Member-at-Large, visited for a week. Together they attended the New Orleans Seminary Extension Reunion. This fall her grandson, Paul White, will sing with the Warren Central Madrigals and Total Sound. She looks forward to their performance.

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