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2008 – 2009 Annual Report of the Women's Alliance
It has been an exceptionally active year for members of the Women's Alliance. We now have fifty wonderful members. With the leadership of the Steering Committee and of our members, the Alliance has participated in many activities.
During First Unitarian's Summer Chalice Night Program (2008) the Liberal Sew and Sews (a group under the umbrella of the Women's Alliance) and the Mission and Outreach Ministry of First Unitarian joined to offer an opportunity for all women and men of First Unitarian to become Blanketeers. A Blanketeer is a person who makes a blanket for the Project Linus. Project Linus is a national organization that provides blankets for children and youth who have experienced a trauma. We made and delivered thirty five blankets to the Project Linus Louisville Co-coordinator. Rev. Alma Crawford (the interim minister) included in the Sunday Service on August 31, 2008 words of blessing for the people that made the blankets and the people that will receive these blankets.
On July 12, 2008 Linda Parry opened her home for the Alliance to have a social action "Shower" for the Women of the Center for Women and Families. We each brought an item for use in the SANE Facility (Sexual Assault Nurse Examination). This is where women undergo a physical examination and often their children are there also because they do not want to be apart from their mothers. We all agree when Linda says, "doing something good for women and having a nice lunch and enjoying each others company, it doesn't get any better than that!"
The Women's Alliance has historically had a connection with the Kentucky Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. We encourage Alliance members as well as church members to volunteer at the KRCRC booth at the Kentucky State Fair (mid August 2008). We are grateful to the seven Alliance members and the two members of First Unitarian that volunteered.
The Annual Red, White and Blue Pie Sale took place on the Sunday before Labor Day. This is an annual fund raising event for the Alliance. The funds help the Alliance to reach their social action goals.
The Annual Muffin and Yogurt Brunch was held at First Unitarian on October 24, 2009. All women of First Unitarian were invited to hear Fran Ellers, the author of Standing Up for Reproductive Rights: The Struggle for Legal Abortion in Kentucky, speak about the research and writing of this history. Fran Ellers reminded us of First Unitarians connections to this struggle. The Steering Committee voted to give a copy of Fran Ellers' book to the First Unitarian Library and a copy to the Senior High Youth Group Room. The bylaws Committee, Kathy Kremer, Kathy Rogers and Kathy Thackeray, submitted the Draft of the bylaws for the Women's Alliance. The Committee gave the members a chance to suggest changes, additions and clarifications by mail, phone, email till December 15, 2008, as well as, at a table in the Social Hall after the services in November 2008.
The "Getting to Know You" Luncheon took place on Saturday, November 15, 2008 in the Social Hall at First Unitarian. All women of First Unitarian were invited to a gathering for only "sistership" We enjoyed a meal of homemade soup, breads and spreads, fruit salad and a great cake. After a long lunch we gathered in a circle and shared an item we brought.
Meanwhile, the Liberal Sew and Sews offered women and men a chance to participate in the creation of a cat quilt to be raffled at the Yuletide Fare and one child's quilt for the service auction. Many of the people that embroidered a square expressed how much they enjoyed doing this project. In fact people asked for another square and so in the end we had two quilts to raffle during the Yuletide Fare. We especially thank Penny Nader and Diana Fox for their creative ideas and their skill. The Alliance donated the money from the raffle of these quilts to the First Unitarian General Fund.
On December 6, 2008 the Women's Alliance sponsored an Angel Tree girl and boy from Kentucky and a girl and a teenage boy from Indiana. People of First Unitarian and Alliance members were very generous. Those who were able went shopping at Target for these children and then went to lunch at the Asian Buffet. We thank Kathy Drehmel for this event would not have happened without her leadership.
The Women's Alliance rented a table at the Yuletide Fare to sell gently used holiday items. Our thanks to all who contributed holiday items to sell and to the members of the Alliance that womened the table that day. This was a good fundraiser for the Alliance and its programs.
January 3, 2009 was the Annual Business Meeting. All Women of First Unitarian were invited to this brunch. This January meeting is the time we recommit to the Women's Alliance by collecting dues, $10.00 and for The Unitarian Universalist Women's Federation, $25.00. We always hope for new members and this year we added quite a few to our membership. We now have fifty members. Another first is that the Bylaws Committee offered the Bylaws of the Women's Alliance to be accepted by the membership. This acceptance allows for the Alliance to elect a Steering Committee and have guidelines to follow. These bylaws will be reviewed in January 2010. There were sign ups for the Dispersal of Money Team and the Chair Wizard Team at this business meeting.
On Saturday, January 17, 2009, over thirty members of the Alliance and members of First Unitarian attended the Town Hall Meeting and the Roe v. Wade Dinner which was sponsored by the Kentucky Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice at St. Matthews Episcopal Church. Fran Ellers and Judy Jennings shared the Dr. David Gunn Award and Elio Isetti received the Service Award for his work Escorting and his willingness to do what needs to be done. Each year the Alliance gives an Escort a scholarship to attend the dinner. This year the scholarship went to Meg Stern.
After the service on Sunday, January 25, 2009 the Alliance put on a Spaghetti Luncheon to benefit the Solar Array Project. The benefit proceeds were over $600.00. Every little step we take toward energy independence is a step! We had a lot of help from members of the Alliance and members and friends of First Unitarian. We especially thank Lois Allen for leading this project.
Four members of the Women's Alliance attended the First International Unitarian Universalist Convocation in Houston Texas the end of February, 2009. Kathy Drehmel, Kathy Thackeray, Beverly Moore and Carol Uebelhoer had a busy but rewarding time at this convocation. They reported to the Alliance membership at the March Annual Spring Meeting.
Kathy Kremer represented the Alliance in collaboration with Interweave and Mission and Outreach, Member and Religious Education Ministries to host a church-wide wedding reception in honor of Carol Uebelhoer and Jo Ann Dale's marriage. The Alliance was in charge of set up.
During the month of March, Women's History Month, our interim Minister Rev. Alma Crawford's sermons covered various topics of Women's History. All the members of the Women's Alliance thank her very much. During Chalice Night activities in March, Alma Crawford also had a class each Wednesday evening about UU Women Ministers. Rebecca Dimon, our Member Development Staff member scheduled four films for or about women during Chalice Night in March. Thank you very much.
The Alliance's Chair Wizard Team partnered with the House and Grounds Committee to clean the seats of the 90 folding chairs at First Unitarian. It was an adventure. The chairs are cleaner. We extend our appreciation to the House and Grounds Committee who did most of the finishing work.
Over the past two years our account had became too full so the Steering Committee decided to give away about $2,000.00 to help women of the church, women of our local/state and women of international communities. A Dispersal of Money Team (DMT) was formed, Kathy Drehmel, chair; Joan Johnson, Jill Sampson and Claudia Runge. They worked hard at developing a process to give the members a choice of projects to vote on during the Annual Spring Meeting on March 28, 2009. All members were invited to submit an application to the DMT the names of organizations they would like to receive these monies and why. Twenty five applications were submitted. The DMT developed a scoring guide to assess the applications. The DMT produced a ballot of choices to be voted on by the membership. The result of the vote: for the Church, a Travel Fund for Women's Alliance Members; for Local Community, The Kentucky Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice; for the International Community; Micro-lending to Women. Our members also voted on a slate for the 2008-09 Steering Committee.
During Candidating Week, Rev. Dawn Cooley attended a breakfast with the Women's Alliance, Saturday morning, April 25, 2009. During this breakfast we had a chance to talk to and ask questions of Rev. Cooley.
Kathy Drehmel, the Alliance Secretary, created an Alliance Directory.
This was a very tedious project. We thank Kathy for her work on this project. The Directory is not only practical but very attractive.
The Liberal Sew and Sews finished up the church year offering alterations in return for a donation to the Women's Alliance. Lois Allen and Linda Parry were most active in this project, thank you.
Our Social Action "Shower" was held at Linda Parry's home on Saturday, May 9, 2009. All women of First Unitarian were invited to attend and bring an item(s) that food stamps could not purchase for the Women's In Transition organization. Two members of the WIT attended the "Shower". They gave a presentation about the history of WIT and how it has evolved over the years. It was an enjoyable event. Thanks to all in the Alliance and Linda Parry.
I wish to express my gratitude to the 2008 – 2009 Steering Committee; Kathy Drehmel, the Secretary, Lois Allen, the Treasurer, Kathy Kremer, the Historian and Kathy Rogers, the at large member. It is such a pleasure to work with these women. I thank you for all the time and dedication you give to our Women's Alliance and our church.
I look forward to our newly elected 2009 – 2010 Steering Committee:
Kathy Drehmel, Deanna Hopper, Geneva Fry, Lois Allen, Kathy Rogers and Claudia Runge.
Thanks to all the members of the Women's Alliance for an exceptional year.
This report is submitted by Kathy Thackeray,
President of the Women's Alliance, 2008 – 2009
Current year opportunities
2010 Alliance Report
2009 Alliance Report
2008 Alliance Report
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First Unitarian Church * Unitarian Universalist * UU * Louisville
Kentucky * KY
www.firstulou.org/groups/womenreport2009.html
