Soroptimist International of Downtown Redding
P.O. Box 990695
Redding, CA 96099-0695
Charter Date: June 30, 2000
oropchat
Best for Women
May 2011
Volume 23, Issue 17
President Effie Lightsey
Contact: [email protected]
Celebrate!
A simple celebration, a gathering of
friends; here is wishing you great
happiness, a joy that never ends.
Happy Birthday
Cheryl Hull ~ May 12th
Membership Anniversary
Jane Callegari ~ 2002
Table of Contents
 May 12th ~ Care Net Annual Banquet
Club News & SI Disaster Recovery Fund ......................................... 2
We look forward to sharing our vision with you.
For more information, please call Maria @ 246-7075
Lessons in Leadership & Medical Marvels................................ 3
Allergy Season ............................................................................... 4
 May 14th & 15th ~ Rebels Retreat
Words that Matter & What’s Cooking? .................................... 5 & 6
Come join this rejuvenating get together!
RSVP Viki by May 9th
Mother’s Day & Women Hall of Fame ......................................... 7
The history of Memorial Day ................................................... 8
 May 19th ~ President’s Party
You’re a what? ....................................................................................... 9
Come one, come all for a wonderful social event with
good food & great fun! Mark your calendars.
Jane Callegari has graciously opened her home for our
celebration and appreciation of Effie’s year as president.
Armchair Traveler & the Bookworm ...................................... 10
Did you know…………………………………………………………....11
 Summer Luncheons
It’s that time of year again. Summer luncheons
commence on July 11th. If you who would like to be a
hostess or can help please notify Cheryl Whitmer for
scheduling.
1
continued service. Donations made to these four organizations
totaled $84,000.
Tsunami Disaster Recovery ~ In response to the 2004
earthquake and tsunami in Asia, Soroptimist donated $10,000 to
the United Nations Population Fund to help meet the urgent
health, hygiene and protection needs of women in Indonesia, Sri
Lanka and Maldives. Funds were used to provide women with:
obstetric care; psychosocial support; access to basic services
including water, sanitation, and food; support services following
incidences of violence; and for personal hygiene products.
At the one-year anniversary of the tsunami, three
additional donations were made. Soroptimist donated $40,000 to
the Center for Women’s Development and Research in India to
create and strengthen employment opportunities for single
women; provide health services to women; and to provide
supplementary education, life skills and vocation skills-training
to adolescent girls.
Soroptimist also donated $29,000 to Project Sri Lanka
to assist with the reconstruction of a girls’ school; and an
additional $18,000 was donated to establish a scholarship
program enabling low income girls to attend the school. Thirdly,
Soroptimist donated $33,000 to MADRE and INFORM in Sri
Lanka in support of their project: Women in the Reconstruction
Process: A Human Rights and Relief Initiative for Tsunami-affected
Sri Lankan Women, which helped ensure that women and girls
were included in the planning and implementation of
resettlement and reconstruction efforts. Funds © Soroptimist
International of the Americas White Paper: Disaster Recovery
were used for the construction of a resource center to house the
offices of INFORM and other local women’s organizations.
Carolyn was will be traveling to Uganda this month to
deliver our letters and gifts for the girls. We should be
receiving a new picture of them soon.
Have a safe journey Carolyn!
Thank you to Judith Salter for
speaking about the Women’s Fund. A
non-profit we are proud to support.
Women’s Fund of the Shasta Regional Community
Foundation ~ An organization that was established in
February 2008 with a founding cabinet of 10 women,
representing diverse backgrounds, ages and perspectives, all
from the greater Redding region. It is a part of a global
movement dedicated to collective philanthropy. Connecting
women who give to needs that matter.
Shasta Regional Community Foundation ~ “Thank you
very much for letting us share with you updates about the
Community Foundation. We enjoy seeing both familiar and new
faces!” Thank you again, Kathy Anderson & Kerry Caranci
Soroptimist International Disaster Recovery Fund
The Soroptimist Disaster Recovery Fund, funded by donations
from Soroptimist members, is a grant program designed to assist
women and girls who have been victims of natural disasters or
acts of war. Funds are used to provide immediate assistance, as
well as for longer-term recovery projects.
9/11 Disaster Recovery ~ Although there was an enormous
outpouring of financial support following the 2001 terrorist
attacks in New York City, women’s needs were not being met. In
response, Soroptimist sent donations to four domestic violence
agencies operating in lower Manhattan: The New York
Association for New Americans (NYANA); the New York Asian
Women’s Center (NYAWC); Sanctuary for Families; and Barrier
Free Living. Each organization used their funds to help restore
services that were disrupted as a result of the attacks. In 2002,
additional donations were made to NYANA and NYAWC to ensure
2
Hurricane Katrina Disaster Recovery ~ Following Hurricane
Katrina in 2005, Soroptimist donated $10,000 to the Louisiana
Coalition against Domestic Violence. Funds were used to provide
basic needs for women and their children, such as food, diapers,
clothing and prescriptions. Funds were also used to help relocate
domestic violence victims whose shelters were destroyed by the
hurricane. Soroptimist also donated $34,500 to the Institute for
Women’s Policy Research to fund their study, Women in the Wake
of the Storm: Examining the Post-Katrina Realities of the Women of
New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. The study chronicles the effects of
the disaster on the women of New Orleans and the surrounding
affected areas of Mississippi and provides concrete information
about what women need both during and after disasters,
including affordable housing, non-traditional job training and
laws that protect against job discrimination, quality child care,
schools and health care services.
Two years after Hurricane Katrina, as women’s agencies
in New Orleans still struggled to keep their doors open,
Soroptimist donated $20,000 each to the Metropolitan Center for
Women and Children (MCWC) and the New Orleans Women’s
Health Clinic (NOWHC). MCWC used the funds to provide clients
with legal services and transportation to court and medical
appointments. NOWHC used the funds to help pay salaries of the
clinic’s nurse practitioner and medical director.
b) understands the value of asking for help from others; and
c) understands that their relationship with others is the primary
responsibility of their leadership work.
Kenya Election Violence Recovery~ In 2007, following the
disputed general elections in Kenya, political violence erupted
throughout the country, resulting in an estimated 255,000 people
displaced from their homes. Soroptimist donated $52,000 to
clubs in Kenya to help aid in disaster recovery efforts. Funds
were used to address the needs of women and girls, including
providing basic necessities, such as food, personal hygiene items,
blankets; clothing, and shelter; financial support for women to
start/restart businesses; and financial support for girls to attend
school.
4. I’ve learned that Soroptimist can and should be a nonthreatening environment in which women can hone their
leadership skills.
5. I’ve learned that minimum direction with high expectations (of
a new event chair or committee chair) spells trouble. It leads to
frustration and alienation.
6. I’ve learned from and experienced ineffective leadership that
leads to:
Soroptimist Disaster Recovery Grants ~ Each year, Soroptimist
awards disaster recovery grants to clubs so that they may
address post-disaster needs of the women and girls in their
communities. In 2008-2009, Soroptimist granted $70,000 to
clubs for their disaster recovery projects. For example,
Soroptimist International of Cedar Rapids/USA received $20,000
to rebuild the commercial laundry facilities of a domestic
violence shelter that had been damaged during a flood; while
clubs in the Philippines, following a devastating typhoon,
received $20,000 to build an employment skills training center
and to establish a micro-lending business to help women start
small businesses.
a) greater dissatisfaction of members in their club experience;
b) greater possibility of new member drop outs after that critical
first year;
c) potential loss of seasoned members;
d) alienation of members from club leadership;
e) power struggles within the club.
7. I’ve learned that most of the best leaders are those who are
humble and possess a sense of humor – they can laugh at
themselves.
8. I’ve learned and hopefully demonstrated that excellent leaders
can be led – they aren’t interested in having it their way but
rather having it the best way.
Yes, we make a difference!
9. I’ve learned that leadership is a matter of timing and heart.
10. I’ve learned that effective leaders focus on relationships and
collaboration in the work effort.
11. The most important lesson I’ve learned is that great leaders
continually praise the work of others and it’s authentic praise.
"Compassion is not religious business, it is human business. It is not
luxury, it is essential for our own peace and mental stability, it is
essential for human survival.” Dalai Lama
Medical Marvels
V
Lessons in Leadership
Pat Donohue, 2010-11 President-Elect
Soroptimist International of the Americas, Inc.
Technology and Research (A*STAR)’s Singapore
Immunology Network Principal Investigator Laurent
Renia and his counterparts found a novel immunization
method for the life-threatening mosquito-borne disease,
Malaria. The method involves administration of the whole
and intact Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasite to induce
an anti-malaria immunity response in the human body, killing
the parasite at the liver stage of its life cycle. According to
experimental results, this method “induces more effective
protection” compared to current malaria vaccines that could
only provide up to 50% protection. According to Renia, a
veteran malaria researcher who has more than 20 years of
experience in studying liver-stage infection, says that further
investigations still needs to be done to find out the extent of
protection against the disease.
1. I’ve learned that there are leaders who lead the parade and
other leaders to lead the applause as the parade marches by.
2. I’ve learned that titles have nothing to do with leadership.
3. I’ve learned that the best leaders don’t do it all – they empower
others to do their best work and reward that effort with praise.
I’ve learned that a good leader:
a) helps people become better than they are,
accine for Malaria ~ Agency for Science,
3
B
ionic Eye to Restore Sight ~ Australian scientists
dazzled the world with the cochlear implant – the
“bionic ear” – and now the same team is working on a
“bionic eye”. Already, Dr Anthony Burkitt, research director of
Bionic Vision Australia and professor of engineering at the
University of Melbourne, is confident enough to say that “this
new device will be far superior to other retinal implants being
developed”.
The eye uses a tiny video camera fixed to a patient’s
glasses to capture images. These are then translated into
electrical impulses that stimulate electrodes inserted into the
same area of the retina that is ordinarily activated by light.
Over time the patient learns to interpret these nerve signals
as useful vision.
“The principle is similar to the bionic ear, but there are
more technical challenges,” says Professor Rob Shepherd,
director of the Bionic Ear Institute, who is also collaborating
with Bionic Vision Australia on the project. The bionic ear
delivers a useful amount of auditory information with 22
electrodes. However, a useful replacement eye needs at least
100, perhaps even 1,000, electrodes. As the technology
improves and more electrodes are added, the quality of vision
will allow the blind to recognize familiar faces and to read
large text.
A 100-electrode prototype will begin patient trials in
2013 and a 1,000-electrode model is expected by 2015.
4)
6)
Feeling better fast with a grape drink ~ Mix 1 Tbs. of
powdered greens into 8 oz. of purple grape juice and
what have you got? A nutrient-rich cocktail that could
cut your symptoms by up to 32%! “Powdered greens are
rich in chlorophyll, amino acids and enzymes that help
your immune system react properly, even when exposed
to allergens,” explains Laurie Steelsmith, N.D., author of
Natural Choices for Women’s Health. And grape juice is
packed with quercetin, an antioxidant that can squelch a
runny nose and itchy, watery eyes as effectively as
prescription meds. For best results, sip one glass daily.
TIP: Other quercetin-rich choices include apples,
onions, blueberries, cherries and red wine.
he sneezing! The sniffling! The itching! Fortunately, it’s
easy to tame pollen-related seasonal allergies with this
simple, research-backed prevention and treatment plan! Experts
advise:
2)
3)
Taming inflammation with tea ~ Each cup of rubyred rooibos (made from a South African plant) contains
as many healing antioxidants as green tea – plus antiinflammatory compounds that prevent histamines from
attaching to your cells and causing symptoms. The
study-proven dose: two cups daily; use one bag per cup
and steep five to 10 minutes.
Preventing flare ups with yogurt ~ Eating one
heaping cup of plain Greek-style yogurt daily can help
washing your eyelids with baby shampoo twice a day
reduces even the worst eye symptoms (redness, itching,
watering and puffiness) by as much as 90%? “Baby
shampoo gently removes the pollen that naturally gets
stuck to the lids and lashes, stopping it from migrating
into your eyes during the day and while your sleep,”
explains Clifford Bassett, M.D. medical director of
Allergy and Asthma Care of New York.” “I do this myself,
because my eyes get really bad when the pollen count
climbs.” TIP: If your eyes bother you first thing in the
morning, try showering at night and shampooing your
hair just before bed. UCLA researchers say thousands of
pollen particles can get trapped in your hair daily; this
trick prevents you from breathing them in while you
sleep.
Lowering your sensitivity with walnuts ~ Allergy
T
Stopping symptoms with an herb ~ Perilla, a member
of the mint family, has the power to shut down allergic
reactions, including itchy, watery eyes and wheezing, in
as little as seven days, new research shows. The plant’s
strength lies in its oil, which contains two compounds
(rosmainic acid and luteolin) that dampen inflammation
and protect the immune system from attack. Find
perilla oil capsules in your health-food store (brand
names include Source Naturals and Life Extension) and
follow the package directions for dosage. IMPORTANT:
As always, check with your doctor before starting a new
supplement.
Shielding your eyes with baby shampoo ~ Gently
5)
Sail through allergy season, sniffle free
1)
prevent allergy flare ups, Italian studies prove. “The
friendly bacteria in yogurt boost production of the
immune proteins needed to dampen inflammation, and
that lowers your risk of ever reacting badly to pollen,”
explains Jeanne Drisko, M.D., head of integrative
medicine at the Kansas University Medical Center.
Already suffering? The same study found that eating
the right yogurt reduces existing symptoms by 40% or
more. TIP: To avoid unhealthy high-fructose corn
syrup, sweeten your plain yogurt with a teaspoon or
two of all-natural fruit spread or pureed fresh fruit.
sufferers whose diets are high in alpha-linolenic acid
(ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid found in walnuts, have
fewer allergy symptoms, even during peak pollen
season, reports the European Journal of Clinical
Nutrition. “These fats keep your immune system strong,
revving up its ability to destroy viruses, while dampening
its drive to overreact to harmless pollen particles in the
air,” explains researcher Fred Pescatore, M.D., author of
The Allergy and Asthma Cure. The study-proven
strategy: Enjoy 1 oz. of walnuts daily, or supplement
with 1 oz. ALA-rich flax, or 1 Tbs. of walnut or flaxseed
oil.
“Maybe it’s true that life begins at fifty…but everything
else starts to wear out, fall out, or spread out.”
Phyllis Diller
4
minutes. Sprinkle in the paprika and stir, then add the flour and
stir for 1 minute more. Pour in the beer and cook down for 2
minutes. Stir in the stock and Worcestershire, then reduce the
heat to low and simmer for about 3 minutes to combine flavors.
Stir in hot sauce, to taste. Add the reserved browned sausage to
sauce. The sauce can be cooled and refrigerated for a make-ahead
meal.
A Little Book of Life Lessons
Words that Matter
“I look at my very imperfect body and see its patches of history, like
stamps on my passport. The stamps aren’t the kind of thing that
would make me throw off my towel at the gym or be the first to
jump naked into a lake. But like a good story, they remind me of
where I’ve been, and the annoying and endearing people I’ve met
along the way.”
Bring the sauce to a low boil over medium heat, then stir in the
shrimp. Cover and cook until the shrimp are pink and firm, about
3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the shrimp mixture to a serving bowl
and serve with rice flavored with scallions.
Betsy Carter, Writer
What’s cooking?
The meaning behind the words
Louisiana Style Shrimp
TOTAL TIME: 1 hr 5 min
The Saying: NOTHING IS CERTAIN BUT DEATH AND TAXES.
Prep: 30 min YIELD: 4 servings
The Story behind It: American-born Benjamin Franklin was a
statesman, scientist, and writer who frequently corresponded
with the prominent international figures of his time. In 1789, at
the age of 83, Franklin was still corresponding with Jean Baptiste
Leroy, a French physicist and writer. Many of Franklin's personal
letters contained simple maxims-the kind found in his Poor
Richard's Almanack-and they prove that his wit and wisdom
were not impaired by age. One of these comments was: "Our
Constitution is in actual operation. Everything appears to
promise that it will last; but in this world nothing is certain but
death and taxes."
Ingredients
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2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound andouille sausage, diced or crumbled
3 tablespoons butter
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 to 4 small ribs celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 red hot chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika or sweet paprika
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (12-ounce) bottle beer (recommended: Abita)
1 cup chicken or seafood stock-in-a-box
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Hot sauce, to taste
1 1/2 pounds medium-large shrimp, peeled and
deveined
Serve with brown or white long-grain rice cooked in
chicken stock with scallions, according to package
directions
About May
T
he month May has been named for the Greek goddess
Maia, who was identified with the Roman era goddess of
fertility, Bona Dea, whose festival was held in May.
Conversely, the Roman poet Ovid provides a second etymology,
in which he says that the month of May is named for the maiores,
Latin for "elders."
In both common Western calendrical systems, no other
month begins on the same day of the week as May. This month
and June are the only two months that have this trait, though the
first day of August in a common year and the first day of October
in a leap year are also unique. No other month ends on the same
day of the week as May.
DIRECTIONS: In a large pan over medium-high heat, add 1
tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, a turn of the pan. Add the
sausage and cook until brown. Remove the sausage from the pan
and drain on paper towels and reserve. Add another tablespoon
of extra-virgin olive oil, a turn of the pan, and the butter and let it
melt into the oil. Stir in the peppers, onions, celery, garlic, chili
pepper, thyme, and bay leaves and cook until tender, about 7 to 8
May, from the Très Riches Heures du Duc
de Berry
5
Late in 1861, a well-armed French fleet stormed
Veracruz, landing a large French force and driving President
Juárez and his government into retreat. Moving on from Veracruz
towards Mexico City, the French army encountered heavy
resistance from the Mexicans near Puebla, at the Mexican forts of
Loreto and Guadalupe. The 8,000-strong French army attacked
the much poorer equipped Mexican army of 4,000. Yet the
Mexicans managed to decisively crush the French army, the best
army at the time, and one that had not been defeated for almost
50 years.
The victory represented a significant morale boost to
the Mexican army and the Mexican people at large. The History
Channel puts it this way: "Although not a major strategic victory
in the overall war against the French, Zaragoza's success at Puebla
represented a great moral victory for the Mexican government."
And TIME puts it this way: "The Puebla victory came to
symbolize unity and pride for what seemed like a Mexican David
defeating a French Goliath." "It was a glorious moment for
Mexico." It helped establish a much-needed sense of national
unity and patriotism.
The Mexican victory, however, was short-lived. Thirty
thousand troops and a full year later, the French were able to
depose the Mexican army, capture Mexico City, and establish
Emperor Maximilian I as ruler of Mexico. However, the French
victory was also short-lived, lasting only 3 years, from 1864 to
1867. With the U.S. Civil War over in 1865, the U.S. was able to
provide more assistance to Mexico to expel the French, after
which Maximilian I was executed by the Mexicans, along with his
Mexican generals Miramón and Mejía, in the Cerro de las
Campanas, Queretaro.
The Battle of Puebla was important for at least two
reasons. First, although considerably outnumbered, the Mexicans
defeated a much better-equipped French army. "This battle was
significant in that the 4,000 Mexican soldiers were greatly
outnumbered by the well-equipped French army of 8,000 that had
not been defeated for almost 50 years." Second, it was significant
because since the Battle of Puebla no country in the Americas has
been invaded by a European military force.
Some historians have argued that France's real goal was
to help break up the American Union, at the time in the midst of a
civil war, by helping the southern Confederacy: "The Mexicans
had won a great victory that kept Napoleon III from supplying the
confederate rebels for another year, allowing the United States to
build the greatest army the world had ever seen. This grand army
smashed the Confederates at Gettysburg just 14 months after the
battle of Puebla, essentially ending the Civil War." The
consequence of Cinco de Mayo to the United States has been thus
recognized:"The defeat of the French army had consequences for
America as well...the French defeat denied Napoleon III the
opportunity to resupply the Confederate rebels for another year."
Donald W. Miles adds, "At the time, there were fears in
the United States that the French would use Mexico as a base to
back the Confederacy, so President Lincoln and his secretary of
State went out of their way to appear 'neutral' in the Mexican
situation. They did not want to take on the French and the
Confederates at the same time". Dr. Miles goes on to explain that
"Napoleon III had hesitated to take on the United States directly,
but now the news of the Civil War changed everything." “It meant
that the Americans would be occupied with their conflict between
North and South for some time. Upon hearing the Spaniards and
the British had sailed off to grab the customs house in Veracruz to
start collecting their duties, Napoleon decided he would not only
send the French navy, but would also start looking for someone to
place as emperor in Mexico. He would then use Mexico as a base to
help the Confederates win their war against the United States.
May's birthstone is the emerald which
means love or success.
Its birth flower is the Lily of the Valley
M
ay Day Origins ~ The earliest May Day celebrations
appeared in pre-Christian times, with the festival of
Flora, the Roman Goddess of flowers, and the Walpurgis
Night celebrations of the Germanic countries. It is also associated
with the Gaelic Beltane. Many pagan celebrations were
abandoned or Christianized during the process of conversion in
Europe. A more secular version of May Day continues to be
observed in Europe and America. In this form, May Day may be
best known for its tradition of dancing the Maypole and crowning
of the Queen of the May. Various Neopagan groups celebrate
reconstructed (to varying degrees) versions of these customs on
May the 1st. The day was a traditional summer holiday in many
pre-Christian European pagan cultures. May 1 was the first day of
summer. In the Roman Catholic tradition, May is observed as
Mary's month, and in these circles May Day is usually a
celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In this connection, in
works of art, school skits, and so forth, Mary's head will often be
adorned with flowers in a May crowning. Fading in popularity
since the late 20th century is the giving of "May baskets," small
baskets of sweets and/or flowers, usually left anonymously on
neighbors' doorsteps.
C
inco de Mayo (Spanish for "fifth of May") is a holiday
held on May 5 that commemorates the Mexican army's
unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla
on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza
Seguín. It is celebrated primarily in the state of Puebla and in the
United States. While Cinco de Mayo sees limited significance and
celebration nationwide in Mexico, the date is observed
nationwide in the United States and other locations around the
world as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride. Cinco de
Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day, the most important
national patriotic holiday in Mexico.
Cinco de Mayo has its roots in the French Occupation of
Mexico. The French occupation took place in the aftermath of the
Mexican-American War of 1846-48, the Mexican Civil War of
1858, and the 1860 Reform Wars. These wars left the Mexican
Treasury in ruin and nearly bankrupt. On July 17, 1861, Mexican
President Benito Juárez issued a moratorium in which all foreign
debt payments would be suspended for two years, with the
promise that after this period, payments would resume. In
response, France, Britain, and Spain sent naval forces to Veracruz
to demand reimbursement. Britain and Spain negotiated with
Mexico and withdrew, but France, at the time ruled by Napoleon
III, decided to use the opportunity to establish a Latin empire in
Mexico that would favor French interests, the Second Mexican
Empire.
6
The holiday was declared officially by the state of West
Virginia in 1910, and the rest of states followed quickly. On May
8, 1914, the U.S. Congress passed a law designating the second
Sunday in May as Mother's Day and requesting a proclamation.
On May 9, 1914 President Woodrow Wilson issued a
proclamation declaring the first national Mother's Day as a day
for American citizens to show the flag in honor of those mothers
whose sons had died in war.
In 1934, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt approved
a stamp commemorating the holiday.
In May 2008 the U.S. House of Representatives voted
twice on a resolution commemorating Mother's Day, the first one
being unanimous (with 21 members not voting). The Grafton's
church, where the first celebration was held, is now the
International Mother's Day Shrine and is a National Historic
Landmark.
Carnations have come to represent Mother's Day, since
Anna Jarvis delivered 500 of them at its first celebration in 1908.
Many religious services held later copied the custom of giving
away carnations. This also started the custom of wearing a
carnation on Mother's Day. The founder, Anna Jarvis, chose the
carnation because it was the favorite flower of her mother. In
part due to the shortage of white carnations, and in part due to
the efforts to expand the sales of more types of flowers in
Mother's Day, the florists promoted wearing a red carnation if
your mother was living, or a white one if she was dead; this was
tirelessly promoted until it made its way into the popular
observations at churches.
Napoleon saw this as an opportunity not to be missed.” Dr. Miles
then concludes, "The Emperor of France ordered his generals to
spend a few months taking on Mexico and then - using Mexico as a
'base' - help the Confederates win their war against the United
States. What if they had succeeded? The United States would never
become the significant world power it is today...the Mexicans not
only took their nation back, but influenced the outcome of the U.S.
Civil War."
Historian Justo Sierra, has written in his Political
Evolution of the Mexican People, that had Mexico not defeated the
French in Puebla on May 5, 1862, France would have gone to the
aid of the South in the U.S. Civil War and the United States'
destiny could have been very different.
M
other's Day is an annual holiday that recognizes
mothers, motherhood and maternal bonds in general, as
well the positive contributions that they make to society.
In the United States it is celebrated on the second Sunday in May.
In a former incarnation "Mother's Day" in the U.S. was
mostly marked by women's peace groups. A common early
activity was the meeting of groups of mothers whose sons had
fought or died on opposite sides of the American Civil War. There
were several limited observances in the 1870s and the 1880s but
none achieved resonance beyond the local level.
In 1868 Ann Jarvis created a committee to establish a
"Mother's Friendship Day" whose purpose was "to reunite
families that had been divided during the Civil War", and she
wanted to expand it into an annual memorial for mothers, but she
died in 1905 before the celebration became popular.
In New York City, Julia Ward Howe led a "Mother's Day"
anti-war observance on June 2, 1872, which was accompanied by
a Mother's Day Proclamation. The observance continued in
Boston for about 10 years under Howe's personal sponsorship,
then died out.
Several years later a Mother's Day observance on May
13, 1877 was held in Albion, Michigan over a dispute related to
the temperance movement. According to local legend, Albion
pioneer Juliet Calhoun Blakeley stepped up to complete the
sermon of the Rev. Myron Daughterty who was distraught
because an anti-temperance group had forced his son and two
other temperance advocates to spend the night in a saloon and
become publicly drunk. From the pulpit Blakeley called on other
mothers to join her. Blakeley's two sons, both traveling salesmen,
were so moved that they vowed to return each year to pay tribute
to her and embarked on a campaign to urge their business
contacts to do likewise. At their urging, in the early 1880s, the
Methodist Episcopal Church in Albion set aside the second
Sunday in May to recognize the special contributions of mothers.
Frank E. Hering, President of the Fraternal Order of
Eagles, made the first known public plea for "a national day to
honor our mothers" in 1904.
In its present form, Mother's Day was established by
Anna Marie Jarvis, following the death of her mother Ann Jarvis
on May 9, 1905, with the help of Philadelphia merchant John
Wanamaker. A small service was held on May 12, 1907 in the
Andrew's Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia
where Anna's mother had been teaching Sunday school. But the
first "official" service was on May 10, 1908 in the same church,
accompanied by a larger ceremony in the Wanamaker
Auditorium in the Wanamaker's store on Philadelphia. She then
campaigned to establish Mother's Day first as a U.S. national
holiday and then later as an international holiday.
Women Hall of Fame
Anna Jarvis
Founder of Mother’s Day
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“A printed card means nothing except
that you are too lazy to write to the
woman who has done more for you than
anyone in the world. And candy! You take a box to Mother - and
then eat most of it yourself. A pretty sentiment.” These words came
from the mouth of Anna Jarvis, Founder of Mother’s Day.
Anna Marie Jarvis was born in Webster, West Virginia
on May 1, 1864. According to historical records, at an early age,
Anna heard her mother express hope that a memorial would be
established for all mothers, living and dead. Anna’s mother, Mrs.
Anna M. Jarvis, had been instrumental in developing “Mothers
Friendship Day” which was part of the healing process of the Civil
War. Mrs. Jarvis had established a group of Mothers' Day Work
Clubs in Webster, Grafton, Fetterman, Pruntytown, and Philippi,
(West Virginia) to improve health and hygiene practices and
conditions, before the beginning of the Civil War. During the Civil
War, Mrs. Anna Jarvis urged the Mothers' Day Work Clubs to
declare their neutrality and to help both Union and Confederate
soldiers. The clubs treated the wounded and fed and clothed
soldiers that were stationed in the area. Near the end of the war,
the Jarvis family moved to the larger town of Grafton, West
Virginia. Naturally, as West Virginians fought on both sides
during the war (the state, incorporated into the Union in 1864,
was part of Virginia before the war), there was great tension
when the soldiers returned home. In the summer of 1865, Anna
Jarvis organized a Mothers' Friendship Day at the courthouse in
Pruntytown to bring together soldiers and neighbors of all
political beliefs. The event was a complete success promoting
friendship and peace. Mothers' Friendship Day became an annual
event for several years. After the death of her father in 1902,
Anna, along with her mother and sister, Lillie, moved to
Philadelphia to reside with her brother, Claude. It wasn’t long
after that her mother died. When Mrs. Jarvis died on May 9, 1905,
her daughter Anna was resolved to honor her. She also felt that
even though the U.S. was a hard-working, industrialized nation,
the adult children of her generation had become negligent in the
treatment of their parents. In 1907, Miss Anna began a campaign
to establish a national Mother’s Day. Anna led a small tribute to
her mother at Andrews Methodist Church on May 12 of that year,
the 2nd anniversary of her mother’s death. It was from that
moment on that she dedicated her life to establishing a nationally
recognized Mother's Day. By the next year Mother’s Day was also
celebrated in her own city of Philadelphia.
Miss Jarvis and her supporters began to write to godly
ministers, evangelists, businessmen, and politicians in their
crusade to establish a national Mother’s Day. This campaign was
a success. By 1911, Mother’s Day was celebrated in almost every
state in the Union. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson made the
official announcement proclaiming Mother’s Day as a national
holiday that was to be held each year on the second Sunday of
May.
The one-woman crusade of Anna Jarvis is often
overlooked in History books. Women during the early 1900s
were engaged in many other reform efforts that the history
behind Mother’s Day is often neglected. But it is likely that it was
these other reforms and the avenues they opened for women that
paved the way for Anna Jarvis to succeed in her campaign for
Mother’s Day.
It must be noted that, while Miss Jarvis spent most of
her adult life striving to create a special day to honor mothers, in
the end, she was disappointed with the way Mother’s Day turned
out. As the popularity of the holiday grew, so did it’s
commercialization. What she had intended as a day of sentiment
quickly turned into a day of profit. In the end, shortly before her
death, Anna Jarvis told a reporter that she was sorry she ever
started Mother’s Day.
M
emorial Day, Remembrance of American war dead. The
gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery are graced
by U.S. flags on Memorial Day weekend.
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday
observed on the last Monday of May (May 30 in
2011). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it
commemorates U.S. soldiers who died while in
the military service. First enacted to honor
Union soldiers of the American Civil War – it
was extended after World War I to honor Americans who have
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died in all wars.
Begun as a ritual of remembrance and reconciliation
after the Civil War, by the early 20th century, Memorial Day was
an occasion for more general expressions of memory, as ordinary
people visited the graves of their deceased relatives, whether
they had served in the military or not.
By 1865 the practice of decorating soldiers' graves had
become widespread in the North. The first known observance
was in Waterloo, New York on May 5, 1866, and each year
thereafter. The friendship between General John Murray, a
distinguished citizen of Waterloo, and General John A. Logan, who
helped bring attention to the event nationwide, was likely a
factor in the holiday's growth. On May 5, 1868, in his capacity as
commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic – the
organization for Northern Civil War veterans – Logan issued a
proclamation that "Decoration Day" should be observed
nationwide. It was observed for the first time on May 30 of the
same year; the date was chosen because it was not the
anniversary of a battle.
There were events in 183 cemeteries in 27 states in
1868, and 336 in 1869. The northern states quickly adopted the
holiday; Michigan made "Decoration Day" an official state holiday
in 1871 and by 1890 every northern state followed suit. The
ceremonies were sponsored by the Women's Relief Corps, which
had 100,000 members. By 1870, the remains of nearly 300,000
Union dead had been buried in 73 national cemeteries, located
mostly in the South, near the battlefields. The most famous are
Gettysburg National Cemetery in Pennsylvania and Arlington
National Cemetery, near Washington.
The Memorial Day speech became an occasion for
veterans, politicians and ministers to commemorate the war –
and at first to rehash the atrocities of the enemy. They mixed
religion and celebratory nationalism and provided a means for
the people to make sense of their history in terms of sacrifice for
a better nation, one closer to God. People of all religious beliefs
joined together, and the point was often made that the German
and Irish soldiers had become true Americans in the "baptism of
blood" on the battlefield. By the end of the 1870s the rancor was
gone and the speeches praised the brave soldiers both Blue and
Gray. By the 1950s, the theme was American exceptionalism and
duty to uphold freedom in the world.
Ironton, Ohio lays claim to the nation's oldest
continuously running Memorial Day parade, it has been a
tradition since 1868. The first parade was held May 5, 1868.
In Charleston, South Carolina in 1865, freedmen (freed
enslaved Africans) celebrated at the Washington Race Course,
today the location of Hampton Park. The site had been used as a
temporary Confederate prison camp for captured Union soldiers
in 1865, as well as a mass grave for Union soldiers who died
there. Immediately after the cessation of hostilities, freedmen
exhumed the bodies from the mass grave and reinterred them in
individual graves. They built a fence around the graveyard with
an entry arch and declared it a Union graveyard. On May 1, 1865,
a crowd of up to ten thousand, mainly black residents, including
2800 children, proceeded to the location for events that included
sermons, singing, and a picnic on the grounds, thereby creating
the first Decoration Day-type celebration.
Beginning in 1866 the Southern states had their own
Memorial Days, ranging from April 26 to mid June. The birthday
of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, June 3, became a state
holiday in 10 states by 1916. Across the South associations were
founded after the war to establish and care for permanent
cemeteries for Confederate soldiers, organize commemorative
ceremonies, and sponsor impressive monuments as a permanent
way of remembering the Confederate tradition. Women provided
the leadership in these associations, paving the way to establish
themselves as capable of public leadership.
The earliest Confederate Memorial Day celebrations
were simple, somber occasions for veterans and their families to
honor the day and attend to local cemeteries. Around 1890, there
was a shift from this consolatory emphasis on honoring specific
soldiers to public commemoration of the Confederate "Lost
Cause". Changes in the ceremony's hymns and speeches reflect an
evolution of the ritual into a symbol of cultural renewal and
conservatism in the South. By 1913, however, the theme of
American nationalism shared equal time with the Lost Cause.
Columbus, Mississippi at its Decoration Day on April 25,
1866, commemorated both the Union and Confederate casualties
buried in its cemetery.
The ceremonies and Memorial Day address at
Gettysburg National Park were nationally famous, starting in
1868. In July 1913, veterans of the United States and Confederate
armies gathered in Gettysburg to commemorate the fifty-year
anniversary of the Civil War's bloodiest and most famous battle.
The four-day "Blue-Gray Reunion" featured parades,
reenactments, and speeches from a host of dignitaries, including
President Woodrow Wilson, the first Southerner in the White
House since the War. Congressman James Heflin of Alabama was
given the honor of the main address. Heflin was a noted orator;
two of his best-known speeches were an endorsement of the
Lincoln Memorial and his call to make Mother's Day a holiday,
but his choice as Memorial Day speaker was met with criticism.
He was opposed for his racism, but his speech was moderate,
stressing national unity and goodwill, and the newspapers,
including those who opposed his invitation to speak, praised him.
The preferred name for the holiday gradually changed
from "Decoration Day" to "Memorial Day", which was first used in
1882. It did not become more common until after World War II,
and was not declared the official name by Federal law until 1967.
On June 28, 1968, the Congress passed the Uniform Holidays Bill,
which moved three holidays from their traditional dates to a
specified Monday in order to create a convenient three-day
weekend. The holidays included Washington's Birthday, Veterans
Day and Memorial Day. The change moved Memorial Day from its
traditional May 30 date to the last Monday in May. The law took
effect at the federal level in 1971. The Veterans of Foreign Wars
(VFW) and Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW)
advocate returning to the original date, although the significance
of the date is tenuous. The VFW stated in a 2002 Memorial Day
Address: Changing the date merely to create three-day weekends
has undermined the very meaning of the day. No doubt, this has
contributed a lot to the general public's nonchalant observance of
Memorial Day.
Since 1987, Hawaii's Senator Daniel Inouye, a World
War II veteran, has repeatedly introduced measures to return
Memorial Day to its traditional date.
After some initial confusion and unwillingness to
comply, all 50 states adopted Congress's change of date within a
few years. Memorial Day endures as a holiday which most
businesses observe because it marks the unofficial beginning of
summer. This role is filled in neighboring Canada by Victoria Day,
which occurs either on May 24 or the last Monday before that
date, placing it exactly one week before Memorial Day.
Many people observe Memorial Day by visiting
cemeteries and memorials. A national moment of remembrance
takes place at 3 p.m. local time. Another tradition is to fly the flag
of the United States at half-staff from dawn until noon local time.
Volunteers often place American flags on each grave site at
National Cemeteries.
One of the longest-standing traditions is the running of
the Indianapolis 500, an auto race which has been held in
conjunction with Memorial Day since 1911. It runs on the Sunday
preceding the Memorial Day holiday. The Coca-Cola 600 stock car
race has been held later the same day since 1961. The Memorial
Tournament golf event has been held on or close to the Memorial
Day weekend since 1976.
The National Memorial Day Concert takes place on the
west lawn of the United States Capitol. The concert is broadcast
on PBS and NPR. Music is performed, and respect is paid to the
men and women who gave their lives for their country.
You’re a what?
Why is it that the
freakiest of Mother
Nature’s misfits seem to
live in water? Here’s
another creepy and oddlooking fish — the
blobfish.
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Thankfully they’re only found around Australia, so I don’t have to
worry about running into one of these squishy gelatinous-looking
things when in the water. Whew! When you look at them head-on
they almost have a human-like nose that makes them look all the
creepier. I’m not sure what Mother Nature was thinking when
she created the blobfish. Maybe she lost a bet.
The (Psychrolutes marcidus) is a deep sea fish of the
family Psychrolutidae. Inhabiting the deep waters off the coasts
of mainland Australia and Tasmania, it is rarely seen by humans.
Blobfish live at depths where the pressure is several
dozen times higher than at sea level, which would likely make gas
bladders inefficient for maintaining buoyancy. Instead, the flesh
of the blobfish is primarily a gelatinous mass with a density
slightly less than water; this allows the fish to float above the sea
floor without expending energy on swimming. Its relative lack of
muscle is not a disadvantage as it primarily swallows edible
matter that floats by in front of it.
Blobfish can be caught by bottom trawling with nets as
bycatch. Such trawling in the waters off Australia may threaten
the blobfish in what may be its only habitat.
The Blobfish is currently facing extinction due to deepsea fishing.
Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory ~
Visit
the
world’s
ultimate
destination for ice-cream lovers.
A 30 minute tour will show you
how Chunky Monkey and their
other signature flavors are made,
and take you to the “Flavoroom”
to sample the flavor of the day.
Burlington ~ Don’t miss a side trip to this cosmopolitan city less
than an hour’s drive from Stowe. Start with a stroll along the
Lake Champlain shoreline at Waterfront Park, then head for
lively church Street Marketplace, a four-block pedestrian mall
where the Victorian, Art Deco and modernist buildings are filled
with more than 100 eateries and shops.
Trapp Family Lodge ~ This famed
resort owned by the family whose
dramatic story was told in The Sound
of Music feels like a little bit of Austria
in Vermont! Here you’ll, hike or
mountain-bike miles of trails, take the
Von Trapp History Tour, wander lush
fall gardens or indulge in a romantic
carriage ride.
Armchair Traveler
Autumn is beautiful in Stowe,
Vermont! Colorful foliage, a
spectacular setting and lots of
outdoor activities make this
Vermont mountain town a
leaf-peeper’s playground!
Think
Stowe,
with
its
renowned ski scene, is a winter-only destination? Nestled in a
valley ablaze range of cultural and outdoor activities, great shops,
restaurants and spas. And what’s an autumn getaway without a
leaf peeping car trek? The roads
surrounding Stowe traverse
handsome old farmsteads, golden
meadows and forested valleys.
You’ll drive by sparkling creeks
and up mountain roads, over
wooden bridges and through tiny
villages with palette of scarlet,
pink, gold and orange foliage, this New England mountain town is
a picture perfect autumn getaway!
The Bookworm
For a classic tale: Read The Red Queen, by Philippa
Gregory. Heiress to the House of Lancaster, Margaret
Beaufort is married to a man twice her age in remote
Wales.
Quickly widowed, and a mother at only 14,
Margaret is determined to turn her life into a triumph.
She sets her heart on putting her son on the throne of
England, disregarding rival heirs and the powerful York
Stowe has attracted travelers for more than two hundred years-a
rich history that shines through its 350 buildings listed on the
National Register.
dynasty to make her ambitions a reality.
For a tale sure to be a classic: Read The Lost County,
by William Gay. Gay’s latest follows four people on the
Green Mountain Byway ~ For unforgettable autumn vistas, take a
road trip along this stretch of Route 100 from Stowe to
Waterbury. Pull over for fresh pressed cider at the Cold Hollow
Cider Farm.
road: a sailor hitchhiking to Tennessee, a one-armed
conman, a teen and a woman on the run from her
abusive home life. Their paths intersect in the town of
Ackerman’s Field, where the four are drawn together,
Recreation Path ~ This 5.5 mile paved trail is the area’s most
popular hiking, biking and jogging
spot – and no wonder: The scenic
path starts in Stowe Village, then
crosses wooden bridges and
winds past meadows and picnic
sites – all the while offering great
mountain view!
changing each of their lives forever.
10
Did you know?
Q. What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers and
laser printers have in common?
A. All were invented by women.
Everyday more money is printed for Monopoly than the U.S.
Treasury.
Q. What is the only food that doesn’t spoil?
A. Honey
Men can read smaller print than women can; women can hear
better.
Q. Which day are there more collect calls than any other day of
the year?
A. Father’s Day
Coco-Cola was originally green.
It is impossible to lick your elbow.
In Shakespeare’s time, mattresses were secured on the bed
frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes, the mattress
tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase.
’Goodnight, sleep tight’
The State with the highest percentage of people who walk to
work: Alaska
The percentage of Africa that is wilderness: 38%
It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a
month after the wedding, the bride’s father would supply his sonin-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer
and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was
called the honey month, which we know today as the honeymoon.
The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven:
$16,400
The average number of people airborne over the U.S. in any given
hour: 61,000
In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts…So in old
England, when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at
them ‘Mind your pints and quarts, settle down.’
Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.
The first novel ever written on a typewriter, Tom Sawyer
It’s where we get the phrase ‘mind your P’s and Q’s.
The San Francisco Cable cars are the only mobile National
Monuments.
Many years ago in England, pub frequenters had a whistle baked
into the rim, or handle, of their ceramic cups. When they needed
a refill they used the whistle to get some service. ‘Wet your
whistle’ is the phrase inspired by this practice.
Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from
history:
Spades – King David
Hearts – Charlenmagne
Clubs – Alexander the Great
Diamonds – Julius Ceasar
At least 75% of people who read this will try to lick their elbow!
Soroptimist Pledge
If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in
the air, the person died in battle.
If the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died because
of wounds received in battle.
If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of
natural causes.
I pledge allegiance to Soroptimism and to the ideals for
which it stands.
The Sincerity of Friendship
The Joy of Achievement
The Dignity of Service
The Integrity of Profession
The Love of Country
I will put forth my greatest effort to Promote,
Uphold and Defend these Ideals for a Larger
Fellowship in Home, in Society, in Business
for Country and For God
Only two people signed the Declaration of Independence on July
4, John Hancock and Charles Thomson. Most of the rest signed on
August 2, but the last signature wasn’t added until 5 years later.
Q. Half of all American live within 50 miles of what?
A. Their birthplace
Q. Most boat owners name their boats. What if the most popular
boat name requested?
A. Obsession
Q. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go
until you would find the letter ’A’?
A. One thousand
Viki Cubbage, Editor (www.wondermetals.com)
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