PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE:

Our Open House was a success, and the women students to whom we gave the much needed assistance appeared to all be deserving and grateful.  We have had one thank you note, from Kpehe,  Liston produced a really beautiful on-line album that featured not only the awardees, but also most of those who attended the afternoon’s events.  Our guest speaker, Dr. Diane Campbell, was inspirational and she, along with one of the nominators, Dr. Khalida Haqq, were photographed with the awardees.  Once again, Louise’s decorations were a marvel.  Thank you to all the members, their guests and our friends.

If you missed the November meeting, you missed an entertaining and educational presentation by Pamela Groves on the reconstruction and modernizing of her dream home, a project on which she acted as the construction manager.  She showed photographs of various stages of the project, fielded questions and afterwards discussed aspects with individuals.  It was an interesting and unusual presentation. Thanks, Pamela.

One of the highlights of the Network Calendar is the annual Holiday Party for members and guests.  This year’s party will be held during the Kwanzaa week celebration.  Invitations with an address and directions will be mailed to members.  As we did last year, instead of exchanging gifts, members will buy and wrap personal care products for clients of the Crisis Ministries of Trenton and Princeton.  Crisis has requested that donors give more products for men than women this year.  Please bring your gifts to the party, give them to another member if you cannot attend the event, or call me to arrange to pick them up.  Gift donations will be delivered to Crisis after the Holiday Party.

The weather people are predicting a snow storm for this weekend, and we are reminded that almost exactly to the day, we suffered through that early surprise snow storm last year.  Perhaps this will be another white Christmas, the magical stuff of greeting cards, department store displays, songs and movies.  The perfect Christmas, for me, however, is still one of balmy breezes, parang music and cocoanut trees, but snow on the pines is pretty, and of course, children love it.  Hope your Holidays will be whatever you wish it to be!