Quota International of Grey Bruce Service Projects
Quota members send Christmas cheer to soldiers
by Scott Dunn, Sun Times staff
Eileen Cook's 19-year-old grandson Doug Graham is somewhere in Afghanistan, likely in a remote village. He's a Canadian Forces private who was deployed in April and who's never been so long away or so far from home. After his Hanover high school co-operative education placement with the Grey and Simcoe Foresters in Owen Sound, he joined the reserves. Next he trained in Meaford and Petawawa in electronic surveillance.
Now with the First Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment of the Grey and Simcoe Foresters, he conducts surveillance from the ground, while a plane carries a camera above Afghanistan. Indications are good this son of two Grey County paramedics, Ian and Marsha Graham, will be home for Christmas, a little earlier than his posted January return. But about 4,000 other Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan won't be home by then and so Cook wants to help make sure they know they're thought of and appreciated.
She and Doug's parents have sent parcels to him, filled with "all his favourite things" including magazines, red licorice and Kraft Dinner. "I think when he gets it his immediate thought is 'They haven't forgotten me,'" his grandmother said. Knowing that prompted her to want to do something for Graham's comrades who are staying behind a while longer. "And I think we were so shocked that they were so young, 19-years-old, a lot of them," said Betty Lou Howlett, a friend and fellow member of the ladies-only Silver Qs, the senior order of Quota International club in Grey-Bruce, which is helping send cards too. The club members will be sending at least 42 Tim Horton gift cards each with a note in a Christmas card addressed to "A Canadian Soldier."
Anyone who would like to donate a Tim's gift card in whatever denomination, with or without a Christmas card, they may drop it off at Microage Computer Centre at 706 6th St. E. before Nov. 10. The club members will gather up the cards that day and send them to The Red Fridays Foundation of Canada, in Ajax by Nov. 15. That organization encourages public displays of support for Canadian troops.
It started the Christmas card campaign three years ago. The group also sells magnetic ribbons for cars, T-shirts and pins for people to demonstrate support. Since chartering in 2005 we have been fortunate to continue to grow from our original 25 members to 40 members. Although not a fund raising club we have had the opportunity to have events which raised funds to benefit others. Quota International provides assistance to people who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Speech and Language Disorders and we also give support to Disadvantaged Women and Children both locally and around the world.
.jpg)
The Club has become well established. Pictured above are Judy Juniper, Club Organizer and President(2006-2007), Velma Smart, President(2007-2008), Doris Fraser(2008-2009) (unfortunately we lost Doris after a courageous battle to cancer in Jan. 2009), Mary Craig Low(Charter President 2005-2006). Betty Lou Howlett, President Elect, stepped in for Doris and will be President 2009-2010). This Club presents an opportunity for members wanting to continue their association with Quota and provides them with friendship and support as well as still contributing to their community and international service.
As Quotarians we believe in caring and sharing. Although our service projects have not been grand in scale we have contributed time, effort and monies to many local projects since our inception. Each Christmas the members choose one or two requests or suggestions from within the club and work toward that goal. We have contributed toward infants, seniors, educational requests, individuals with special needs and community events. We also collect tapes, soup labels, pennies, stamps, used hearing aids and glasses. We also have some ambitious members who collect beer, wine and liquor bottles to be returned to the LCBO. All of the money that is collected is used to assist local needs or is passed on through Club to Club to other Quota clubs world wide or to needs that fall in our mandate for Speech, Language and Hearing.
.jpg)
Pictured above are Joan Blackman, Karen Kociuk, Special Events Co-ordinator, Judy Juniper and Loretta Graham. These bags of toiletries and small gifts were donated by members of the club for the residents of Participation Lodge which Services Physically and Developmentally Challenged Adults.
Millie Bryans and Velma Veitch clip Campbell's Soup labels
to raise funds for a chosen School for the Deaf
.jpg)
On her visit to the Grey-Bruce Quota Club, Governor Anne Ollikainen was presented with a cheque for the Helene MacKenzie Memorial Trust Fund.
We are very proud and enthusiastic about our Silver Q club. The members have invited many of their friends to join us and we continue to grow. Pictured below is Judy Juniper displaying our revamped banner which we proudly hang when we gather together for a project or an event.
.jpg)
Camaraderie and fun have become an integral part of our club. Although service to others is the main purpose of our existence, many friendships have been formed or renewed. Our members meet between meetings for card games, concerts, movies, etc. We also have day-away bus trips to see plays and dine out in the city. There is also a walking- for- exercise group that has an open invitation to join in as one is able and socialize over a cup of coffee afterwards. Also, in times of need, our members have been there for each other for support and assistance.
The following are pictures of our members gathered for meetings, installations, activities, special days, such as, Christmas and Halloween, and get-togethers for a fun time.
