Altrusa International of Tidewater, Inc.

Tidewater Altrusan Newsletter

April 2021

President's Message

How are you feeling about going back into the world as the pandemic starts to shift?

Are you excited? Scared? Overwhelmed? Curious? Or all of the above? The mix of emotions is varied and ever-changing; one day I want to stay hidden, the next day I can't wait to hug hundreds of people. As I packed for a short trip this month, and a visit to out-of-town family, I was filled with many emotions!

It’s been a long time coming, but this doesn’t mean it is easy. We have hope and enthusiasm and some exhaustion, adrenal fatigue, zoom fatigue and a

sense of impending doom from a surge as we venture out. Do not make hasty decisions or give in to apathy. Let’s not let our craving for safety keep us stuck or stagnant if it is time to expand out of the bubble. April and May are the months we renew our membership.

The Altrusa Compass came out recently with good guidance. Some points I particularly liked were to notice co-workers, neighbors, and family members that can be introduced to Altrusa from ‘virtually’ anywhere. We may have even met persons who currently are volunteers with other organizations who would be great to approach for Altrusa service as we consider what the ‘new normal’ will look like later this year.

Let’s continue to care for each other and for our community and our Altrusa club and all its history and its future as we do what we can to get through the present.

Ellen

Important Dates / Information

April 14: Board Meeting, 4:30 pm (via Zoom)

April 19: Program/Business Meeting, 6:00pm (via Zoom)

April 29-May 2: Virtual District Two Conference

May 12: Board Meeting, 4:30 pm (via Zoom)

May 17: Program/Business Meeting, 6:00 pm (via Zoom)

July 28-31: 2021 Altrusa International Convention

Zoom Link for Altrusa Meetings:

Click here to join all scheduled Altrusa Zoom Meetings. The password is the same with a capital first letter.

Community Service Hours: Click here to submit your community service hours.

Board Actions/Information from April 2021 Board Meeting

The Service Committee will be working with families of Hope Village several times in the next few weeks.
Plants will arrive at Sherral's home on April 23rd. Members will be notified when their orders can be picked up.
The Board agreed to have our May meeting in-person with members wearing masks and following CDC guidelines. No food or drink will be served and a Zoom connection will be available for those not ready to attend.

Accent - Tracey Garbers

Good Afternoon and I must say, “Wow, what a beautiful Spring Break”! I hope this April Accent finds you feeling well, enjoying the weather, and making memories with family and friends.

April 7th is recognized as World Health Day. The theme for this year’s World Health Day is To Build a Fairer, Healthier World. It is encouraging to see progress being made and the importance of equity in health care at the forefront of our society. We still have work to do, and as Altrusan’s, we continue to strive to reach our common goals of serving our communities with kindness, generosity, and support.

The World Health Organization (WHO) shares the following and, I believe, are very similar to our club’s goals and identity:

“All over the world, some groups struggle to make ends meet with little daily income, have poorer housing conditions and education, fewer employment opportunities, experience greater gender inequality and have little or no access to safe environments, clean water, and air, food security and health services. This leads to unnecessary suffering, avoidable illness, and premature death. And it harms our societies and economies.

This is not only unfair: it is preventable. That’s why we are calling on leaders to ensure that everyone has living and working conditions that are conducive to good health. At the same time, we urge leaders to monitor health inequities and to ensure that all people are able to access quality health services when and where they need them.

COVID-19 has hit all countries hard, but its impact has been harshest on those communities which were already vulnerable, who are more exposed to the disease, less likely to have access to quality health care services and more likely to experience adverse consequences as a result of measures implemented to contain the pandemic.

WHO is committed to ensuring that everyone, everywhere, can realize the right to good health.

All the Best,

Tracey

Committee Reports

Service Committee: Joanne & June, Co-Chairs

Service Challenge!

Environmental Committee: Barbara Duke, Chair

REDUCE, REUSE AND RECYCLE. These three words represent a strategy to combat pollution.

REDUCE – This word appears first for a reason. Reducing pollution is the most efficient way to create a healthier planet. It is also the simplest tool to use. Look for alternatives to plastic packaging on products. Bring reusable bags to pack groceries. Buy locally sourced products that are not transported hundreds of miles. Stop using straws.

REUSE – Finding a way to reuse plastics lessens the demand for new plastic products. Weaving plastic grocery bags into mats or stronger bags is a good example. The bags must be collected, transformed into “yarn”, and crocheted by hand. It can be a tricky solution to pollution though, because eventually, both new products could end up in the landfill.

RECYCLE – There are many factors that render this strategy the least effective. The manufacturing process can be energy intensive, and the supply of recycled material must be consistent and clean. One company recycles plastic grocery bags and transforms them into benches and tables. In addition to removing plastic bags from landfills, this process avoids cutting timber or making new plastic, which

helps balance our resources. There is still a question about how this product is ultimately disposed of, as it is not biodegradable.

REMEMBER - It takes all of us working together to build a better world. REDUCE your personal consumption of single-use plastics and fossil fuels, REUSE plastics in creative ways, RECYCLE materials that you know have an established demand.

Program/Business Minutes: March 2021

March 15 Minutes of Program/Business meeting

Treasurer's Report: March 2021

TREASURER'S REPORT APRIL 2021.docx.pdf

Altrusa Literary Society

June, zooming from some tropic island, joined Carol, Barbara S., Ellen, Frances, and Kathy in February for a discussion of A Woman of No Importance about the French Resistance in WWII.

The next book for discussion is The Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman. Lippman was a journalist for 20 years. When newspapers were downsizing staff, she began writing detective novels. The Lady in the Lake is one of her stand-alone novels. She writes a series about a young woman who becomes a private detective after losing her newspaper job. While always based on an actual crime, her books have well-developed plots and well-developed characterization.

The next book club meeting date has yet to be determined. Read and join us.