PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

 
Meeting Location
SANDPOINT CENTER
 


 

Dear Members,
 
With Community Assistance Leagues’s June Meeting on Friday, June 18, at 9:30 a.m. (coffee/tea, goodies and visiting with friends from 9:00-9:30 a.m.) at the Tango Dining Room, I will have completed one year as President. All I can say is, in spite of COVID, CAL rocked!
 
Understandably, due to COVID, many members stepped back from volunteering at Bizarre Bazaar. To compensate, store hours were reduced by a third as only a small group of members were comfortable enough to keep the store going. After being shut down in April and May, our customers’ and donors’ support was so strong that CAL will be awarding grants and scholarships at the June 18th meeting. The “business meeting” will be short. A focused program will highlight some of the recipients, current and past. Then we PARTY. The June meeting will be a celebration of CAL, its members, and the community. I look forward to seeing you there. 
 
Since the June “business meeting” will be short, the following are some items that I would have normally shared:
 
Our 2021-2022 Meetings (September, October, November, January, February, March, May and June) will be held at the Tango Dining Room on the third Friday of those months. The meeting will be 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m., with doors open at 9:00 a.m. for coffee/tea, goodies and visiting.
 
The 2021-2022 Board will include:
PresidentToni Sommer
Vice PresidentBeth Drain
SecretaryJoyce Price
TreasurerLinda Gibbs
GrantsJan Harrison
ICF FundSherry Fulton
Member-at-LargeMaxine Haun
MembershipStephanie Novotny
ProgramsBobbie Franklin
PublicityCarol Visger
ScholarshipsHeather Hellier
Social CommitteeLinda Zinn
Store DirectorsDiane Arrants
Cherie Warber

















 
A very special thank you to Tracy Gibson and Carolyn Gumerman. Tracy and Carolyn agreed to doing an extra year on the board in order to stagger board membership. In the past board members would usually serve for two years, mirroring the two one-year terms of the officers. This meant that the first year was a learning curve for the entire board. Tracy and Carolyn helped to stagger the board membership to retain experience from year to year. We will miss them both on the Board.
 
  • Tracy Gibson chaired the Grants Committee. The chair’s duties span the year with not only facilitating the committee in awarding grants, but the tracking of grants to document the activities and the outcomes. Tracy was extremely organized and did a thorough job. More impressively, Tracy was able to navigate the Grants Committee within COVID restrictions. Tracy’s work doubled in that not all recipients of 2020 grants were able to perform their projects. Tracy worked closely with 2020 recipients to help them develop alternative plans for doing their 2020 projects. When you see Tracy, be sure to give her the praise and recognition she deserves. Thank you Tracy.
     
  • Carolyn Gumerman took on her role as ICF Chair with gusto. She shepherded the ICF fund to capping $100,000, taking a dive during COVID, and then back up to over $130,000. Carolyn embraced the ICF Fund as “Cal’s Forever Fund”. Carolyn put her money where her mouth was by pledging up to a $5,000 match to funds donated in June 2021. Please give Carolyn the gratitude and appreciation she deserves. Thank you Carolyn.
Thank you everyone for hanging in there with CAL this past bizarre, strange and frustrating year. As a result of COVID I have adopted the following gratitude:

Enjoy the gift of an ordinary day!

Toni Sommer
President
208-610-9229
toni@sommerwholesalenursery.com