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Boca Raton
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GREETINGS, SISTER PEN
WOMEN:
Since May 2008, the Boca Raton Branch has been presided over by
Co-Presidents Diane Brenda Bryan and Dr. Myra F. Levick. With
the help of a talented and productive Board—and an equally
talented membership-- it has been, and is, an enjoyable,
creative time. Diane handles matters pertaining to Letters
members and activities, and Myra handles those pertinent to
Art. Both Presidents are available for input re Music.
Our Chairpersons, Marlene Klotz (Letters), Phyllis Emmett (Art),
and Sheila Firestone (Music) make great contributions to Branch
activities, in the form of book talks, contests, and Art
competitions. This past spring, these chairpersons worked with
Diane, as a committee, to determine a winner of our Achievement
Award in Letters. Entries were works of students from Florida
Atlantic University. Three short stories were submitted and
judged for the writers’ competence and imagination. The student
selected was honored as a guest as our May meeting (2008) and
received our Letters Achievement Award of $1000.00.
There have been a multitude of exciting moments throughout the
year. Our prolific poets and writers have been busy! Many of
their books have been published and many awards received. We
are proud to mention one, in particular—the 2008 Florida Gold
Medal Book Award in the genre fiction category went to Deborah
Shlian (and co-author husband) for RABBIT ON THE MOON.
Our artists have been equally as busy and productive. Their
talents have earned them accolades from contest judges in Art
shows. Prizes have been won for photography, water and oils,
porcelain and enameled copper paintings.
Our Board meetings are reminiscent of scenes in busy news
rooms. Ideas and suggestions run rampant. So do animated
discussions. Our more than capable Recording Secretary, Carol
White, has the patience of a saint and manages to catch every
nuance. We Pen Women always have so much to say.
Our money is safe in the hands of our multi-talented Pat Wilson
who diligently watches every penny.
Bonnie Allan, Vice-President in charge of Membership, has
religiously performed her duties, hanging in there, in spite of
all the red tape.
Every October, we hold our Membership Tea to which our members
are invited to bring guests who are potential members. Each tea
has a theme. This past one was “Hats Off to Roses”. What a
charming group we were! CoraLee Palma-Hayden played hostess in
her lovely home and we were privileged to enjoy tea and a
diversity of ‘goodies’. Everything was served on her beautiful,
porcelain tea service sets, many pieces of which were hand
painted by this talented lady. Cora Lee is our Hospitality
Chair.
From November through May, we enjoy presentations by our guest
speakers: writers, poets, lecturers, artists and musicians.
These programs are planned and arranged by Diane, our Programs
Chair and Co-President. This coming season we have a stellar
group of talented people who will entertain and intrigue. For
example, in January, Edna Hibel will be our distinguished guest
and we will celebrate her 93rd birthday with her.
We were honored this past year to be actively involved in the
construction of the Lincoln Anthology. Six of our members’
contributions were accepted and published therein. President
Lincoln would have been proud.
Keeping in touch with members during good and bad times is ably
handled by our Corresponding Secretary, Mary Unterbrink, who
sends a note of cheer or one of condolence. This is part of our
bond as Pen Women.
In addition to all of our activities, we are proud to be
contributors, each year, to a worthy charity. This past year we
chose The Women’s Circle of Boynton Beach. This unique
organization provides free service to low-income adult women who
are unemployed and disadvantaged. The idea is help them become
self-sufficient through proper training in various fields.
Our monies for such activities are raised from donations,
raffles, our commemorative fund and our luncheons.
With the help of our wonderful editor, Mary Twitty, (with an
assist by Pat Wilson) our newsletter comes out every month and
is sent to all members apprising them of what’s happening in the
world of NLAPW, and, particularly, in our own Branch.
KUDOS: to our Publicity Chair, Bette Lee Crosby, for her more
than capable press coverage of our activities; to our Chaplain,
Barbara Lunde, for her beautiful “sermons”; to Judy Goolsby for
keeping our History Album up to speed; and, THANKS ALWAYS, to
our wonderful Dori Popenoe, who knows no limits in helping in
every way.
This coming season the Boca Raton Branch will be meeting at the
Renaissance Hotel in Boca Raton where we will be enjoying
larger, more comfortable accommodations for our luncheons.
With a new year upon us, we have great expectations, and with
the abundance of talent abounding in our Branch, that’s a given.
Respectfully submitted,
Diane-Brenda Bryan, Co-President
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