Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. Do not say to your neighbor, "Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it" -- when you have it with you.
Proverbs 3:28-29
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REMINDERS
Passage Of The Day
Chapter Focus
- a place for chapters to share projects & ideas
Has your chapter sponsored a successful project or fundraiser? Looking for new ideas and innovative programs to strengthen your chapter? THE CHAPTER FOCUS page is a place where Philoptochos members can share and learn with each other.To submit ideas from your chapter just click on CHAPTER FOCUS
PROJECTS & IDEAS:
- HEALTH FAIR - Raleigh, NC Chapter
- GO GREEN - Recycling Fundraiser (submitted by Natl Philoptochos)
- Calling Post - Automated Telephone Messages to Members List
- Inform, Engage, Maintain & Grow Your Chapter
- United Way - Apply for Funding
- Free Conference Calls
- Fundraiser: Mother's Day Plant Sale
- St. Irene’s Philoptochos Party for Windwood Farm Home for Children
- STONES - an inspirational story for working together
- Cracked Pots
HEALTH FAIR - Raleigh, NC Chapter
Submitted by Beba Zevgolis, and organized by Raleigh Philoptochos members: Elaine Noulis, VP and Toula Capetanos, Board member.
GO GREEN - Recycling Fundraiser
The National Philoptochos Environmental Responsibility Committee is recommending this Recycling Fundraiser, formerly known as Ecophones. The company recycles cell phones, ink jet printer cartridges, laptop computers, iPods, digital cameras and other small electronics.
To view and print full details of this program CLICK HERE
And visit the website: www.recyclingfundraiser.com
Calling Post
How do you economically and efficiently contact your members who don't have email? This past winter some meetings had to be cancelled at the last minute due to bad weather, or sometimes you need to notify your members about a funeral in the community. Instead of calling each person individually you can use CALLINGPOST.COM to record a personal message that will be telephoned to your phone list. The message will be in your voice and announce your organization and purpose for the call. If no one answers then the message will be left on their answering machine or voicemail. You will be able to edit your phone list, adding and changing as needed; you will also get reports on how many calls were completed and which ones for some reason were not. You will need to establish an account with the company and pricing starts at 6 cents per call. Our church uses Calling Post to remind people that the quarterly covered dish luncheon is coming up--they find the reminder very helpful and our covered dish lunches are always a success. Submitted by Presvytera Christine Salzman
Inform, Engage, Maintain & Grow Your Chapter
The Dorkas Adelphotis Chapter in Orange, CT submitted an outline for how to maintain its current membership, increase activity and grow the chapter with new members. A key element to their approach is the use of new media for better communication. To read this document go to:
United Way
The St. Barbara Philoptochos Chapter of Piscataway NJ shares how they applied to be eligible for United Way Funds that can be used in their "St. George Needy Cases Fund". Once their chapter fulfilled the requirements to become a recipient of United Way Funds then individuals subsidize this fund by directing their United Way contributions at their place of employment to their St. George Needy Cases Fund. They have received substantial monetary benefit from this project and avoid having to prepare baklava and pastichio and sell raffle tickets to raise money for the needy.
To read the full document on how to apply and be approved for this United Way Program go to:
Free Conference Calls
This is a great way for committee members or executive board members to have a short "meeting" without leaving the house. Often it is so hard to find a time when everyone can meet so a phone conference may be the easiest and most convenient solution.
Free conference calls are simple and easy to use, requiring only a name and an e-mail address to receive an instant account. Once you enter your name and e-mail address, you will be instantaneously provided with a dial-in number and access code for immediate phone conferencing.
Your teleconferencing line is available to you 24/7 and there is no need to schedule or make reservations. Each conference call account accommodates 96 callers on an unlimited number of 6 hour free conference calls.
To access this free and convenient service go to
Mother's Day Plant Sale
Amount Raised: $300
All proceeds of this Sale were for St. Basil Academy which fit in nicely with the Mother’s Day theme. We have quite a few landscapers in our church community so we asked them to donate some good dirt, and flats of many different types of plants. We bought some nice planters at Big Lots and got together and arranged everything into lovely container displays. We sold them during coffee hour on Mother's day for $15 or $20 each depending on the size. We made an attractive garden theme display during coffee hour with a wagon and other decorations. For our small church of 40 families this was an easy and fun activity.
Submitted By: Christine Salzman
St. Philothea Greek Orthodox Church, Chapter #5043, Watkinsville GA
prchristine@imageandlikeness.com
Date submitted: Feb 11, 2010
St. Irene’s Philoptochos Party for
Windwood Farm Home for Children
submitted by Deborah Jonas
On November 21, 2010 four of our Charleston Philoptochos ladies visited Windwood Farm Home for Children to host our 9th Annual Pizza and Bingo Party. Phyllis Gates, Deborah Jonas, Margie Petko, and Erica Rouvalis attended. Located in Awendaw, SC, Windwood offers an environment of help, hope, and healing for at-risk youth and families traumatized by the effects of abuse and neglect. Since 1985, therapeutic residential services and healing programs have been provided to hundreds of children who have never lived in a setting where chaos and violence were not a daily occurrence, until they came to Windwood Farm.
This year, twelve boys, ages 7 to 14, and five staff members attended the party. After brief introductions, pizza, and dessert, the boys got to pick out their blankets. Each year, our Philoptochos chapter makes “no-sew” fleece blankets for each boy. These are similar to the baby blankets Philoptochos provides for 40-day Churchings, but they are bigger and made from sports, animal, and nature-themed prints. The boys draw a number out of a basket, and one at a time go to another room to choose the blanket they like best. They come back grinning with the blanket wrapped around their shoulders like a cape, showing it off to the other boys who make comments about the different designs. They love getting something that will be their very own, and on more than one occasion we’ve been asked, “Do I really get to keep this?”
Over the years, when new boys come to Windwood, they see the blankets that other boys have received from Philoptochos and look forward to getting one at the party. Demonstrating a perfect example of “paying it forward,” the boys decided to make the “no-sew” blankets to donate to MUSC Children’s Hospital. They did this as a service project on Trident United Way’s Day of Caring this fall.
We wrapped up the evening with a spirited game of bingo. This is when we sit and get to know the boys while helping them fill in their bingo squares. The boys get so excited when they only need one number to be called to win. We play until every boy gets to yell, “Bingo!” and pick out a prize.This simple event brings so much joy to these boys who live away from home on a long-term basis. We also delivered bags of socks, belts, and undershirts which were requested as needed items by the staff and donated by our Holy Trinity parshioners. In the spring, Philoptochos will continue our tradition of purchasing food tickets and “treating” the boys and staff members to Holy Trinity’s Greekfest. The staff looks forward to this each year and makes it a cultural learning experience for the boys.
To learn more about Windwood Home for Children, please visit www.WindwoodFarm.org.
Cracked Pots
Stones
