Ha pp y B ir th da y

• May 27, 2008 - Business Meeting at Shirley´s.

Members are to call Dorothy if they are unable to attend no later than the scheduled date provided in the current newsletter, or the Friday before the monthly meeting date. If you do not call, it will be assumed that you are attending and you will be billed for that meeting.

If you are unable to attend due to last minute circumstances, you will be billed for that meeting.

We received a note from Lois thanking us for the pansies.

We also sent a memorial gift to Zonta International in memory of Mary Pulse for the Young Women in Public Affairs Award. Mary was very much involved in public affairs.

High Tea

Speaker/program re: aviation for joint Minneapolis-St. Paul meeting Christmas get-together

We will not be sending a member to the Convention, and Mankato has graciously offered to carry our Proxy to Convention. The items to be voted are listed in your copy of the newsletter. We will be discussing them at our April meeting.

Also, let us remember our own chapter members who are struggling with health issues for themselves and their families, for those who are dealing with family crisis, for those who might be traveling this winter season for a safe journey, and for those who are dealing with the loss of a loved one, either physically, emotionally, or spiritually. As Zontians, we need to lift up our fellow Zonta sisters as well as others.

We have started the scholarship application process for the award for a Humboldt High School Senior who is going to enter the elementary education field. The application has been finalized and we are waiting to hear from the school who the contact person is. We hope to have applicants who will complete the application so that we can award the scholarship in June.

Romelle has prepared and filed the annual reports, which were due May 15th. Our club earned 396 points this year out of a total of 645 possible, or 61.4%. Last year we received 102 points out of a total of 645 possible, or a 15.8% score. Thanks to each one of you who helped to contribute to an almost four-fold improvement! If they award clubs on most improved, we would be certain to win that award!

We sent our annual contribution to Zonta International with a total of $600 being contributed to various funds, including ZISVAW, Young Women in Public Affairs, International Service Fund and the Amelia Earhart Fund. We have approximately $500 left in our service fund which we will disburse after we determine which organizations and the amounts at our May meeting.

May always brings to mind May Baskets – do you recall making paper May baskets, either weaving them with construction paper and forming a cute little basket or making a paper cone-shaped basket with a handle? Then filling it with little penny candy and some small coins, stealthily going up to a neighbor’s door, ringing the bell or knocking loudly and then dashing like mad before they answered the door? The object was not to be seen or caught. I don’t think kids do this nowdays, at least not in my community.

May also brings to mind Memorial Day and the last day of school. I grew up in Northern Wisconsin, and Memorial Day signaled the last day of school. Yipee! Not only were we out for the summer, but there were local festivities commemorating this important holiday. The High School Band would march from the school grounds in town, down Main Street, across the river bridge, and down the road approximately 1 mile to the cemetery. Everyone in town would gather there, bringing lawn chairs, picnic baskets holding delicious lunches and goodies, as well as cold beverages. Often the grownups would bring thermoses filled with coffee. In Northern Wisconsin, Memorial Day was usually quite cool, and the last frost of the spring may still be on the horizon.

For those buried in the cemetery with loved ones still living in the community, there would be planted flowers, urns with abundant flowers or small pots placed by the graves. Adults would pass by graves without any remembrances placed there and sigh, saying, how sad that no one remembers that man, woman, child or family. My parents would always put a geranium plant by the graves of uncles, grandparents, and friends who had left this world since other members of our family were living many miles from our home town.

Back in the days when cemeteries would allow plantings, my Dad planted arborvitae trees all along the family plots. Many years later, when a devastating tornado ripped through the cemetery, these were some of the only trees that were left standing.

There would be row upon row of white crosses set up on the entry lawn area of the cemetery. After everyone was settled in, the American Legion and VFW would begin the service. There would be a welcoming prayer from one of the community pastors, the mayor or someone equally important would say a few words, the band would play a patriotic song or two, with the audience singing along as best they could, and then the names of those who died in military service would be read off. As the names were read, the VFW ladies auxiliary would drop a poppy by each of the crosses. It was all a very solemn occasion. At that time, the veterans were those who had served in any military conflict through the Korean War. In 1967, the Vietnam war had not yet claimed any of our town’s young men, although everyone knew someone from another community who had lost a loved one, or who had family in the service fighting in that war.

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday that is observed on the last Monday of May (observed in 2008 on May 26). It was formerly known as Decoration Day. This holiday commemorates U.S. men and women who have died in military service to their country. It began first to honor Union soldiers who died during the American Civil War. After World War I, it was expanded to include those who died in any war or military action. One of the longest standing traditions is the running of the Indianapolis 500, which has been held in conjunction with Memorial Day since 1911. It is also traditionally viewed as the beginning of summer by many, for many schools are dismissed around Memorial Day

A national moment of remembrance takes place at 3 p.m. US Eastern Time. Another tradition is to fly the U.S. flag at half-staff from dawn until noon local time. Volunteers place a U.S. flag upon each gravesite located in a National Cemetery.

                                                                                                                            Peggy