Report for Cape Canaveral Pen Women (08-09):

Ongoing:
Our group has been very active with several ongoing outreach programs: First, we have been very supportive of Sally's House. This non-profit is part of Prevent Brevard. Sally's is a place where recovering drug addicted mothers can go to deliver healthy, non-drug dependent babies. It has been highly successful in turning around lives. While the location of Sally's House is not known to the general public, we drop off items regularly to a central distribution area where the items are delivered. Sally's House was ravished by the flooding in our area a few years ago. Most of their inventory was destroyed. The need for baby items went out and Pen Women met the challenge. We now regularly collect baby furniture, clothing, etc. for the facility. Valerie Allen and Holly Fox Vellekoop have been especially eager in their support of this program. A member of the board for Sally's House, a writer, Grace, has applied to become a member of Pen Women. Carol Jose is especially active with this outreach also.

Our eye glasses collection continues. Carolyn Cain has a friend connected with the missions in S. America. She collects the glasses from members and delivers them to her mission contact. This is an easy, but well appreciated outreach. We have received letters of thanks from recipients.

Our holiday gifts for the Girl's Ranch was expanded this year to include gift bags besides the presents we bring. Valerie Allen had access to many zipper cosmetic cases. All members were encouraged to bring in small items to fill the cases. This was an Oct./Nov. project so that the bags could be ready when we have our Christmas luncheon. At the luncheon we bring gifts related to Art/Music/Letters (unwrapped, but in colorful gift bags) for the Hacienda Girl's Ranch. This is a half-way house for young girls in need of safe housing.

Our members continue to go out to schools, libraries and elsewhere in the community to promote literacy, art, music and Pen Women. One member, Toni DiRocco, co-president, presents a poetry program at a Brevard Library each year. She also exhibits her pen and ink drawings of old masters. Toni and another member, Betty Prisendorf, also brought their poetry and entertained us at the last Christmas party. In schools, we encourage literacy, read to students and present programs as appropriate. One member, Mary Dall, spoke on finding reading and writing all around us to encourage reading and writing skills. Practical applications of writing were brought in and discussed. (CD cases, books, brochures, game direction cards, etc.) Students need to see that good writing is necessary and applicable to their daily lives.

Two of our Art members, Donna Vines and Carmen Beecher, are active members of the VanGo project in Brevard. They take paintings (often copies of masters) around to various areas and schools that might not have access to museums. This project helps to promote art into the community. Carmen was featured in the National Pen Women magazine along with her award winning painting. One of her paintings also was chosen for an alcohol-awareness calendar.

JoAnna O'Keefe's poem, "Courage" was chosen to grace the "Courage" segment of the emblem of the newly commissioned USS Mesa Verde Naval ship.

In April we highlighted poetry for National Poetry Month and poet JoAnna O'Keefe, present a program. All members had a chance to show and share their genre on tables set up around the room. All sells were handled by the members, all donated a portion of the proceeds to our scholarship fund. Several members debuted books this year and they were highlighted and introduced. The Lincoln Anthology book was given center stage and two excerpts were read to open the program by our History enthusiast, Marilyn Martin. Marilyn is also a writer of a Friend's Forever children's series. A portion of her sales goes to Harmony Farms, Inc. "Horses for the Handicapped," a therapeutic riding program.

Two of our senior members, Betty Yaroch and Toni DiRocco, are veterans of WWII. Recently they were highlighted, along with other gals, for an article in Florida Today to encourage more veterans to join their meetings. It was also highlighted that the ladies are members of National Pen Women.

At our May luncheon we presented a scholarship to a young music student and we invited our last years winner in Art to come and tell us about her career path.

Shortly before her death in 2008, Virginia King's "Chili Peppers" won a prize at he prestigious Georgia National Juried Art show.

Carl Jose's new book, You Are Not Forgotten, with a forward by Henry Kissinger, brought national attention to the plight of the POW/MIA situation. With ongoing conflict, this is an issue that will always resonate. Her book has helped to bring families, particularly those from the Vietnam era, together and bring the soldiers--and especially their loved ones--to the forefront of our national conscience. Carol Jose and Anna Flowers shared Pen Women co-president duties in 2008.

Mia Crews designed our new website to make it easier for prospective members to find us and make contact. This has already proved successful on several occasions. Jean Thomas, our graphic artist, has made our newsletter a visual delight.

Individual members take turns speaking to the group after the business meeting. A member will share her expertise in a specific discipline or a project. The Lincoln Anthology has been featured at most of our meetings. We have had mini-History lessons and guest speakers who we are "courting" to join. October's meeting talk: Blogging, Twittering and You.

Respectfully submitted,

Mary Dall
Cape Canaveral Co-president