Open Book

TENNESSEE OPEN BOOK

Volume XLVIIII, Issue II December, 2010

“Life is a Song –Love is The Music”

PRESIDENT, Linda Welch

Wow what a Fall Council and SERC that we had...

Alpha Beta did a wonderful job sponsoring our Fall Council. We had a good turn out even though some of our members had a previous commitment. The Speaker was very good. It was great seeing all the things he makes with copper. I would love to someday own one of his fountains.

There were 9 (counting RAY) that went to SERC in Louisville. Some of us were able to go early and attend the Day on Millionaire Row's at Churchill Downs, watching the races, winning some and yes losing some. We had a great Conference, had a retired Coach that spoke to us on Fri night, A LT COL that spoke on Sat. and We Were entertained by Patrick Henry the young man with the University of Louisville Band that cannot walk or see. He was quite an inspiration. The Lady Vols were staying in our hotel and some got their picture made with Pat Summitt.

Sorry to say our Sherry did not win, but she will chair the Imagination Library next year. Lets give support as she works on that. We raised over $5 million for St. Jude.

Our Next meeting will be Feb.19th in Greenville. Please keep that day open and lets have a BIG TURNOUT.

FIRST VICE PRESIDENT, Pam Brown

I just returned from SERC in Louisville, KY. There were eight TN sisters in attendance and we had a blast. This was the best SERC conference I have attended. We arrived in Shelbyville, Ky on Wednesday night and stayed there. It was only a short trip on into Louisville on Thursday. We drove straight to Churchill Downs and attended the outing there. There was lots of food and of course, lots of betting on the races. Needless to say, I didn’t win big but it was bushels of fun. The conference offered us talented guest speakers, funny and inspirational. The workshops were great. Tennessee placed 3^rd in the amount of money raised for St. Jude, with the total for SERC at $5,563,924.89. WOW! We sure do good work!

I am looking forward to attending Leadership in Denver, CO in February. I am also looking forward to serving the Tennessee Council as President next year. I still have vacant spots on my board and would like for volunteers to step forward. Please don’t make me beg. It is an honor to serve on the elected or appointed board and none of the positions are hard. So step on out of your comfort zone and accept a position. Here is a listing of all offices and the positions available are highlighted. Of course, you can also run for any of the other elected offices except President. Please contact me at 423-967-7639 or email at kptsweetie@yahoo.com to let me know the position you would like to serve.

ELECTED OFFICE	2010-2011	2011-2012
President	Linda Welch	Pam Brown
1st Vice President	Pam Brown	Sheila Pruitt
2nd Vice President	Sheila Pruitt
Corresponding Secretary	Courtney Niemann	Betty Trent
Recording Secretary	Pat Bagley	Sherry Broom
Treasurer	Kay Penney
Parliamentarian	Rachelle Rodarte	Courtney Nieman
Junior Past President	Betty Clanton	Linda Welch

APPOINTED BOARD
Audit Committee	TBA	Ann Nelson


Awards Chairman	Pam Brown	Sheila Pruitt
Budget Committee	Kaye Penney, Treasurer
	Tracey Stratton, Finance Director	Rachelle Rodarte’, Finance Director
	Naomi Bowman
Bylaws Committee	Rachelle Rodarte, Parliamentarian	Courtney Nieman
	Frankie McKay	Ann Nelson
	Brenda West	Shirley Walker
Chaplain	Vivian Franklin	Bernadette Gilchrist
Circle of Life (Senior)	Brenda West	Delene Whetsel
Circle of Life (Junior)	Delene Whetsel
Convention Chairmen	Delta Pi	Alpha Eta
ESA Foundation Chairman	Barbara DuBois	Barbara DuBois
Finance Director	Tracey Stratton	Rachelle Rodarte’
"Fun" Person	Frankie McKay
Hope for Hero's Chairman	Cynthia Hudson	Tracey Stratton
Imagination Library Chairman	Flora Fish
Membership Team	Pam Brown, 1st Vice President	Sheila Pruitt, 1st Vice President
	Sheila Pruitt, 2nd Vice President	Cynthia Hudson
Nominating Committee	Pam Brown, 1st Vice President	Sheila Pruitt, 1st Vice President
	Sheila Pruitt, 2nd Vice President
	Barbara Dubois
Open Book Editor	Betty Trent	Wilbur and Brenda West
Webmaster	Pam Germain
Yearbook	Phyllis Edwards	Phyllis Edwards

I am also serving as Awards Chairman this year. Please make sure you send me any documentation you have to be considered for any awards. Copies of all forms were placed in the chapter handout folders at Fall Council.

Well, 2010 is almost over and with that, the holidays are upon us. I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving, a very Merry Christmas, and a very Happy New Year.

See you all in February at Winter Council!

Praying God’s blessings for you all.

TREASURER, Kaye Penney

Betty,

I am sending this article for Kaye who is still in rehab but doing very well and should be going home on Friday, the 3^rd of December. She asked that all chapter buffer fees of $40.00 and member dues of $15.00 be sent to her if they haven't already been. She sends her best wishes to all of you for a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Also, thanks for all the cards, calls and love she has received since her double knee replacement surgery.

Judy

IMAGINATION LIBRARY, Flora Fish

As the Christmas Season is fast approaching, I hope you will think of adding your local County’s Imagination Library program to your gift list. The need for monies is ongoing as we sign new children to receive free books from birth until their 5^th birthday. Studies have proven that children who are read to before starting to school make better students.

You can donate as individuals or as a chapter to help the Imagination Library in your area. There are many ways of helping. Alpha Lambda of Greeneville had a yard sale with part of the money going to the Greene County IL. Connie Edwards had the great idea for the Chattanooga Area Council to bring used books to their meetings and selling the books to members. Books left after two meetings were sold to a used book store. They were able to donate $150 to the Greater Chattanooga Area Imagination Library Fund. That is enough to buy books for a year for about 12 children. That is great!! But small $ amounts are needed also. Consider enough money to cover one or more children this year.

Please contact me if you have any questions about the Imagination Library program.

Flora Fish, 423-239-9335 or

ffish@chartertn.net

Have a Merry Christmas!

________________________________________________________________________________

News Release for Immediate Use

Betty A. Proctor, Publicity Chair

Alpha Beta Chapter

Baproctor1@comcast.net

423-605-6981

November 30, 2010

Alpha Beta Nut Sale closes out philanthropic year

Sisters of Epsilon Sigma Alpha (ESA) are well-known for the volunteer work they provide to charities. In Chattanooga, members of Alpha Beta Chapter 163 have worked tirelessly in support of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Boehm Birth Defect Center, Orange Grove Center, Walk4Hearing, Samaritan’s Purse and Hope for Heroes.

All ESA chapters nationwide support St. Jude. Tennessee consistently ranks as a top 10 fundraiser among all 50 states. On May 5, the chapter raised more than $2,200 at the Cinco de Mayo: Spin for St. Jude event held at Abuelos. The St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway that took place in June saw three-quarter of a million dollars raised for St. Jude. The recent Give Thanks.Walk. held at Hamilton Place Mall for St. Jude on November 21 raised more than $25,000 locally, and according to Megan Emmert, event marketing representative for St. Jude southern region, 62 cities with a total of 22,000 supporters raised $2.2 million for the Walk nationwide.

Alpha Beta members helped decorate two newly built homes on Chandler Avenue for eight residents of Orange Grove. Although an open house is planned to celebrate completion of the homes, the date will be announced at a later time.

As the year 2010 comes to a close, the chapter has already raised $4,500 for Boehm Birth Defect Center during its annual Taster’s Luncheon held at Ridgedale Baptist Church in September. Just a few short weeks later, members supported the annual “Roll & Stroll” at the Zoo for Boehm families by serving supper. And, as the holiday season often includes baking and gift-giving, Alpha Beta’s annual nut sale to support Boehm is in full swing. Prices for the 24 different varieties of nuts available range from $3 for pecan meal to $15 for a 5-lb. bag of shelled raw peanuts with most varieties in $4.50 to $7.50 range. These large, one-pound bags are fresh and delicious, perfect for the holidays! Boehm Birth Defect Center has already sold more than $10,000 in nuts on its own, challenging Alpha Beta chapter members to sell even more.

Community members may call (423) 266-5215 for a complete list of nut prices or to place an order.

ESA FOUNDATION COUNSELOR, Barbara DuBois

Well, it’s snowing here in Johnson City. Betty has begged and begged for articles. I have procrastinated as long as I possible can.

I hope that each chapter took the scholarship applications from the chapter handout files from Fall Council and has distributed them to local high schools and colleges/universities in your area. If it hasn’t been done yet, it’s not too late. I would love to receive applications from East Tennessee this year.

Please mark your calendars that ESA Foundations dues need to be paid before March 1 in order to have a vote at the annual conference in Kansas this year. Renewal fees are $15 and new member fees are $25 for the first year and $15 each year thereafter.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all

OPEN BOOK EDITOR, Betty Trent

I hope everyone is having a great fall. The weather has been nice and the leaves have been spectacular. Ray and I traveled to Maine and Canada in October and had a marvelous time. We spent two days in the Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, Maine, and stopped in Freeport to do some shopping on our way up to Canada. We toured New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.

We also attended SERC Conference. The best!!! On Thursday we went to Churchill Downs for the horse races – sat in Millionaire Row. We were served lunch and later snacks. There was lots of betting – some won, some lost!! The workshops were interesting, meetings were great and of course we can’t forget the food – scrumptious. Joy Lynn did a great job and we had really great.

I want to thank everyone who submitted articles for the Open Book. Needless to say, there would be no book without you.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and wishing you a Merry Christmas. May God bless.

CONVENTION CHAIRMAN, Flora Fish

Tennessee ESA State Convention

We hope everyone has marked their calendars for April 29, 30, and May 1, 2011. Since everyone enjoyed the 2010 ESA Convention so much, Delta Pi is planning Convention again at Eagles Ridge Club Room as “The Circus Is Coming To Town.”

Food again is being planned by the Tennessee ESA Chapters and you know what great Cooks we have so be sure you don’t miss any of the great meals. Men are invited to share all meals with us. Registration Fee of $40.00 for Men and Women will cover all food and entertainment.

Your nights lodging in the cabins can be made thru Amber at The Eagles Ridge Resort. Be sure you tell Amber you are with ESA.

A Registration Form is included in this OPEN BOOK.

We will meet you “Under the Big Top” in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, April 29^th

CONVENTION REGISTRATION CHAIR, Betty Trent

We are getting excited to meet our Tennessee ESA Sisters “Under The Big Top” in

Pigeon Forge on April 29, 30 and May 1, 2011. We are making plans and checking

them twice. If last Convention is an indicator of what to expect this convention, it

will certainly be a ton of fun. I think everyone enjoyed being in Pigeon Forge and

the low registration fee and room rate. Attendance was the greatest we have had

for several years.

I’m sure Linda will have an informative and fun Convention planned for us. We look

forward to her continued leadership.

Pam is working on her theme and planning for her year as President.

I already have a few registrations and am looking for many more. The registration for both members and guest is $40.00. I have enclosed a registration form in the Open Book.

Remember: Good Company, Good Food, Good Life!!!!

TENNESSEE STATE CONVENTION

APRIL 29, 30 & May 1, 2011

EAGLES RIDGE RESORT

THEME: “The Circus Is Coming To Town”

HOSTED BY: Delta Pi CHAPTER, Colonial Heights

CHAIRPERSONS:

Flora Fish Betty Trent

413/239-9335 423/963-6699

ffish@chartertn.net bmcrey6713@aol.com

MEMBER REGISTRATION----------------------------$40.00

MEMBER NAME:_______________________________________________________.

CHAPTER_________________________________ CHAPTER NO._______________

2010-2011 CHAPTER PRESIDENT YES _________ NO ____________

2011-2012 CHAPTER PRESIDENT YES _________ NO.___________

2010- 2011 BOARD MEMBER (OFFICE COMMITTEE) ________________________

SERC ________ IC __________PLEDGE _______1^ST TIME CONVENTION _______

SPECIAL DIETARY REQUIREMENTS:_____________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

MEN’S REGISTRATION: $40.00 ALL MEALS AT YOUR OPTION

NAME: ______________________________________________________________

MEN’S ACTIVITY: PLAY GOLF ____________

____________________________________________________________________

MARCH 31, 2011 CONVENTION REGISTRATION DEADLINE

LATE REGISTRATION $5.00 – MEN OR WOMEN

MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO 2011 TN ESA CONVENTION

MAIL TO: Betty Trent P.O. Box 5283 Kingsport, TN 37663

_____________________________________________________________________

CABIN RESERVATIONS

EAGLE RIDGE RESORT

2740 FLORENCE DRIVE

865-453-2220

(Ask for Amber & Mention ESA)

-9-

Sherry Broom

Coordinator, Imagination Library, SERC

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library needs your help

In 1996, Dolly Parton launched an exciting new effort to benefit the children of her home county in east Tennessee. Dolly wanted to foster a love of reading among her county’s preschool children and their families. She wanted children to be excited about books and to feel the magic that books can create. Moreover, she could insure that every child would have books, regardless of their family’s income.

So she decided to mail a brand new, age appropriate book each month to every child under 5 in Sevier County. With the arrival of every child’s first book, the classic The Little Engine That Could ™, every child could now experience the joy of finding their very own book in their mail box. These moments continue each month until the child turns 5—and in their very last month in the program they receive Look Out Kindergarten Here I Come.

Needless to say the experience has been a smashing success. So much so that many other communities clamored to provide the Imagination Library to their children. Dolly thought long and hard about it and decided her Foundation should develop a way for other communities to participate. The Foundation asked a blue ribbon panel of experts to select just the right books and secured Penguin Group USA to be the exclusive publisher for the Imagination Library. Moreover a database was built to keep track of the information.

Consequently, in March of 2000 she stood at the podium of The National Press Club in Washington, D.C. and revealed the plan for other communities to provide the Imagination Library to their children. And as only Dolly can say it, she wanted to “put her money where her mouth is – and with such a big mouth that’s a pretty large sum of money” and provide the books herself to the children of Branson, Missouri and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina – communities where her businesses now operate. If other leaders in their communities were willing to do the same, well something big might just happen.

You know what? It did!!

Here’s how it works:

A community must make the program accessible to all preschool children in their area. The community pays for the books and mailing, promotes the program, registers the children, and enters the information into the database.

For several years our TN Council has had as a philanthropic project, Dolly's Imagination Library. I have the honor for 2011 to serve as Imagination Library Coordinator for SERC. I will be asking each state to nurture this program through volunteering hours for in various cities and counties for enrolling children and to raise funds to support purchase and distribution of books. While Dolly continues her generous support of the Library, her vision includes us a volunteers. I am asking each Chapter President in the TN Council to work with their membership to provide a monetary contribution in April at our convention in Pigeon Forge. Connie Edwards of Omicron Mu has spearheaded as book sale at the Area Council level in Chattanooga. She and her chapter gather used books from the members and offer them to other members for resale with the proceeds going to the Imagination Library. How logical is that: books for books. It has been a win-win project for the Library and for members who love to read. As for other facets of volunteering, our own Flora Fish is a resource in working with the Library to organize and imlement programs in this state.

Looking forward to being with you at Winter Council.

Presidential Acceptance Speech

Susan Williams, 2010-2011 SERC President

Marriott Downtown, Louisville, Kentucky

November 13, 2010

As I stand here before you I am happy, terrified and bewildered. Why am I up here and not out there?

I am standing here because someone saw something in me that I would have never seen myself. I sure hope that Thelma is looking down from heaven with a smile on her face, a drink in her hand, toasting all of us. How she loved ESA and so do I.

ESA – Dare to Be Remarkable is my theme for the coming year. As a group we are remarkable. Look at what we have done for St. Jude’s, Easter Seals, our communities and ourselves. While many of you are remarkable in your own right I challenge each one of you to step out of your comfort zone and do something that you don’t think you are capable of or scares the heck out of you. Maybe it is sponsoring an event, running for an office or anything that you wish you had the nerve to do and have always stopped yourself. Standing up here is my remarkable because trust me, I am about as far out of my comfort zone as I can get.

GOALS for the Coming Year

I would like to start a mentoring program. I know that every one of you seasoned members knows someone who you think has the potential to do a lot more than they are doing. I would like to see you take them under your wing and give them any help and encouragement they might need to become more active, maybe come to conventions (meeting new people) or run for an office in their chapter, state or SERC.

Our communication has improved with the use of the internet. I would like to take this another step. We need publicity. Good old fashioned publicity. We need to tell the world about all the remarkable things we are doing. If you have an event advertise it, if you are in a small town you might be able to get it covered by the newspaper or write an article yourself and send it to them. The big cities are more difficult but if you are creative you’ll think of something. Many of you have unbelievable imaginations. I have appointed a Publicity Chair and I encourage each state and chapter to do the same. I am tired of explaining what ESA is to people. It is time we let the world know!

Increasing Membership is always a goal. We’ve all heard this a hundred times but it is so very important. Without this we will disappear. You all know the drill. Ask someone to join, invite someone to a social or an event, approach the colleges. These things work if we actually do them. Maybe doing some of these things fits into that stepping out of our comfort zone. Just jump! When you succeed it feels so good.

My last goal is to shorten the business part of SERC Conference. We were founded for the purpose of socialization. We have very little time for this the way our meetings are. We are a mini IC. I will need every ones’ help and opinions on this so don’t let me down.

I stand here and look out at you and no, you are not in your underwear, and realize what a lucky woman I am. I am with family and friends from all over the country. ESA has changed all our lives for the better. It is a huge part of mine and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Thank you for giving me the honor of serving as your President for the next year. God Bless you all.