The Service Committee was very excited to have granted funds for technology needs for an individual that is attending Gallaudet University in Washington D.C. this Fall.

Kayla Denton is profoundly deaf, a hard working student, an active member of her community as well as the Deaf community, and has overcome many barriers in her life.

We have invited her to come to one of our meetings when she is on break so she can share her college experiences with us.

Kayla  is a very impressive young lady and we applaud her for all her hard work.  We wish her much success in her college endeavors!

Be watching the Blog for more service projects this Fall from our Chairs, Cathy, Sue, Maureen, Emily, Kath,  and Jan.

I brought home a lot of ideas from Convention. I have discussed several at our recent Board meetings. I also promised to share that information on the blog for all of the leaders in our club (that includes everyone)! I hope you gain as much from the following as I did. (Please note: this is my interpretation of the “Charge Into the Future” training session from Convention, 2010. For more information please visit the website for Cynthia D’Amour, Leadership Strategist by clicking here.)

Be A Lazy Leader

I know some of you just gasped at reading that. What? A lazy leader? How will our club ever survive? Well it’s quite simple. Imagine having one person give 110% to Quota. They are busy taking care of all the details, overseeing many things at once, dipping their hands into everything that is going on within the club. Now picture one person who is only giving 60%. She is having fun, she is able to bring more people to the club because she has the time. Her friends and fellow club members see that she is getting things done and is delegating tasks. Each one of us has our own special talents. For instance: don’t ask me to take care of Treasurer’s Reports, that is NOT what I’m good at, but I can manage the blog. I digress, our 60% member has now brought in seven other people, each giving anywhere between 20-40%. Remember the Martyr Leader? She’s stressed out, burnt out and is headed toward a melt-down. She didn’t want to let Quota down and knew that if she didn’t do things, nothing would get done. Let’s look at those eight members whose total percent of “giving” equals 200% (estimated on the low side). See how more people are more effective at being lazy, than one person who is being a martyr?

Okay, now you know how to be lazy, the members will start pouring in right? They will if you know how to approach them. We have to paint a vivid picture of who Quota is. If you want someone to join Quota, do you tell them why you joined? That’s a great way to start the conversation, but even before you get to that point, you should start from the beginning. What are they looking for?

Hot Buttons

• Personal/Professional Development
• Contribution to a greater good
• Community

Let me start by explaining the Hot Buttons. When you’re talking to someone about Quota and you’re trying to get them as excited about it as you are, the best way to do that is to find their hot buttons. What are they interested in. What is important to them. If you are talking to them telling them how much you love Quota because it gives you the chance to serve others, but they are really looking for a social group, then you’ve not only missed their hot button, but you’ve lost their attention. If you start off by asking what they are interested in, then you can hit their hot button because Quota really does relate to all three. Let me explain how.

The first one in that list is Personal/Professional Development. Do you know some companies hold training sessions that cost their employees $200-$300/session? We offer the same development through our speaker’s for our one year’s dues. Did you ever think to look at it that way? I certainly had not. It can be one more persuasive tool when speaking to someone about Quota.

Next is Contribution to a greater good. In other words: Service. That’s what we do in Quota. We help those in need. We provide many service opportunities throughout the year.

Last is Community. Before each meeting we hold a social time. We catch up with each others latest news. We have fun, we laugh and we get together outside of Quota too. Perhaps the person you are talking to wants to meet more people or even network with other business women. That’s what we do and who we are!!!

Great! Now you can find out what the potential Quota member is looking for and tell her how Quota meets her needs. We need to remember to focus on what we are and who we are helping.

One good way to bring in outside people is through our service projects. We have a walk coming up. Have you asked everyone you know to join in a walk around the park? You don’t have to ask everyone for money, but if you ask them to walk then you’ve opened to door of Quota to them. By asking someone from the outside to join us for a service project, they’ll see how much fun we have and they’ll get to know Quota better.

I will leave you with this quote from Cynthia,

“If not you then who? If not now then when?

As was mentioned last month, a grant review cycle has been established which will enable the Club to more effectively evaluate and maximize the use of funds for all the service requests received.  All written requests and application form, if applicable, are to be submitted by the following quarterly deadlines:  May 1, August 1, November 1 and February 1. The Service Committee will then review the requests at their quarterly meeting and issue a response shortly thereafter.

Recently, grants in the amount of $309.85 were disbursed to DHHS for individuals in need of hearing assisted equipment.

In order to accommodate those that wish to send service requests electronically, an e-mail address has been set up.  Please send to: quotarequest@i2k.com

Quota International of Grand Rapids has traditionally provided an annual gift for camperships to the Indian Trails Camp in memory of Quotarian, Norma Raby.  Norma was an International President of our worldwide organization.

Recently, a letter was received from the Executive Director of Indian Trails Camp thanking Quota and letting us know that our support is having an incredible impact on many lives.

What a nice reminder of what a difference Quota makes.

The Service Committee and Project Leaders met July 7, 2010 to coordinate projects and events for the year.  The following is a recap of the projects and their Leaders.

• GROD Shawnee Park Courtyard Garden – Cathy Kaiser
• Metro Health Hearing Kits – Jan Gauthier
• Healthy Hearing Ear Plug Distribution – Sue Scharf
• DHHS Coordinator – Maureen Martin
• GROD Cool Cats – Emily Uebbing
• Healthy Hearing Awareness Presentations – Sue Scharf
• Quota Legacy Scholarship – Kath Slagal
• Grant Program – Service Committee
• Community Service – Service Committee
• International – World Service – Service Committee

Ideas were given for each project and some dates were established for events that are already known.  Once the Project Leaders meet with their committees and organize each event, they will post final dates and details on the blog.

The Communications Committee will coordinate photo ops for certain events with Pam Howland assisting with taking photos when funds are disbursed under the grant program.

A new grant procedure is being implemented.  Submission deadline dates will be established and the Service Committee will review all requests on a quarterly basis and will respond after the quarterly meeting.  Maureen Martin will make everyone aware of the deadline dates.

As you can see, we have a lot of exciting service events happening this year and we are off to a great start!

Thank you all for your input and help!

The Shawnee Park Courtyard Garden really “blossomed” on May 8 when the hardworking crew dug in to bring it to life for the Spring.
Martel and Marsalais were the real work horses at the gardens — not a weed was left!
We had a great turnout of Quotarians and that must be the reason the rain held off…We finished in record time (2 hours) …
even planted some new Begonias thanks to Kath Slagal.
Official Photographer Kim captured the fun of Diggin’ It!
Thank you Gardeners: Kath, Kim, Pam G, Maureen, Anna Moore, Sue, Cathy and the Cool Cats Martel and Marsalais.

Cathy gets down and dirty pulling weeds.

Kath and Marsalais clean out the flower beds.

Maureen, Anna Moore, and Pam G. fight over a rake.

Martel, Marsalais, and Kath stop for a photo.

Sue works hard to clean up the pathways.

Join us for our Annual Spring Garden Clean up Day at Shawnee Park School’s Courtyard Garden! Saturday, May 8, from 9 am to 12 noon…rain or shine! Bring your gloves, weeders, diggers, rakes and shovels…refreshments and fun provided!
Let Cathy K know if you can be there.

In March, Quota Clubs throughout the country are holding service projects or fundraisers in their respective communities to build awareness of Quota.

In Grand Rapids, our Club chose to assemble 400 Hearing Kits for the deaf and hard of hearing patients that arrive at Metro Health Hospital.  The kits will aid in the communication between the Hospital staff and the patient which will help make their stay a little less stressful.

Earlier in the year, our Club donated funds to Metro Health to purchase the supplies for the contents of the kits.  The next step was to find people to assemble them.  We didn’t have far to go.  A group of energetic Quotarians met one evening and assembled all 400 kits – yes 400!

Below are some of our assemblers:

Phyllis is still smiling with only 300 kits to go:

Robin & Cathy get lots of Quota brochures ready for the kits:

Not only were we able to finish a great service project but while doing it we were able to enjoy the company of fellow Quotarians.

All the kits have since been delivered to Scott Halquist, Special Gifts Director at Metro Health, who was most appreciative.

The above is just another example of how “Quota Cares”!

The Service Committee awarded grants to DHHS in January totaling $1,033.45 to purchase hearing equipment for nine individuals.

We have elected to send this year’s Quota International Club to Club donation of $500 to the Quota Club of Mandaue, The Philippines, to assist in funding a vocational training program for hearing impaired students. There are some great photos of these kids on the QI website!

Kath Slagal is putting the finishing touches on the Quota Legacy Scholarship to be awarded through Grand Rapids Community College. We are still determining the amount, and requirements for students to receive the grant. We hope to make this available yet this fiscal year.

We have received requests from DHHS for hearing equipment for three individuals totaling $610.75, and as the committee approves these, we will request a check.

We are planning to determine upcoming projects by hosting an informal and fun sign up session at the next meeting on February 18.  “Who Wants to be a Quillionaire” will solicit input from members regarding which projects they support and which projects they personally would like to implement.

This year Delta Zetas and the Cool Cats joined Quota to hand out earplugs.

This was the second year Quota participated in the parade. The weather could not have been better.

With so many helpers to hand out earplugs, we quickly ran out! The rest of the parade was spent waving, smiling and chanting “Quota Cares! Save your Hearing!”

Look for us next year! Ho ho ho!