President’s Message 2.19.16
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE February 19, 2016
Last night’s Club meeting was terrific. Everyone shined and sparked new interest and emotion into our guests, and our Club. You all really make a difference!!
A few other things….
Gwen and I are meeting tomorrow to construct a survey of how you feel about Strategic Planning and the changes that have been implemented this year. I think it’s important to measure our successes and examine the challenges we still need to fine tune. The survey will be sent to you via email as soon as it is ready.
Quota International contacted me about the Hear For Good program recently. Someone was interested in how the program worked and wanted more information. The marketing person wanted to know about one of our recent successes and wrote this article on their blog. (https://teamquota.org/)
Region 4 is having their 2nd annual conference in Birch Run, MI, April 8th to the 10th. Quota International President, Karen Murphy, will be there speaking and giving us updates on the latest news from headquarters. Julie Jones will be the inspirational speaker on personal development. It sounds like a great, fun and informative getaway. See the attached reservation form.
Also attached is the new flyer for Quota of Grand Rapids. It’s something we can hand out with pride. BIG Thanks to the authors!!
“The great thing in this world is not so much where you stand, as in what direction you are moving.”
– Oliver Wendell Holmes
In my opinion, I think we are moving in the right direction. New members are extremely important to keep that momentum working and growing. New perspectives and challenges will continue to be present in our development as a Club. But I think we can overcome mistakes and grow stronger.
Thank you for all you do.
Martha
martha@empoweredconsult.com
President’s Message December 2015
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE for December, 2015
It’s been a very Happy Year, 2015! Can’t wait for more action in 2016!
As you know, I wrapped on Black Friday and pulled in $67.10 from the crowd at B & N. Last week on Christmas Eve, Kathy Freeman, Maureen Martin and her friend, Cynthia Lehman, came to join me wrap! What fun, but the most fun was counting the money raised….$299.66!!! Yahooo…for a total of $366.76. We met a lot of cool people who were glad to give.
Also last week Tuesday, I met with Sharan Sturdavant from Cedar Springs, our first recipient of our Hear For Good hearing aids. DHHS’s Nancy Cluley interviewed her as a candidate for our program and she was ecstatic to know that someone finally could help her. She has had hearing loss for most of her life along with a speech impediment. She found help for her speech but she still needed hearing aids. She has been tested by three different audiologists in hopes that someone, or some way, she could get help.
Today, I received a voice mail from her husband, Eric, who is just as excited about the hearing aids as she is! I called back and reached Eric. He handed the phone to Sharan and told me her fittings would be tomorrow at Kaczmarski Hearing Center! It only took one week to get the reconditioned hearing aids to her with her specific needs. Starkey is an amazing company!
Kaczmarski is a terrific company as well. They are the only independent audiology center in West Michigan. Beckie Kaczmarski was more than willing to give her time, her employee’s time and talent to make this a dream come true at Christmas for someone who has been waiting so long for someone to come forward.
We are the ones who have made a new life for Sharan. I’m so proud that we can all, collectively, with agency and audiologists’, support to make a difference.
I hope your dreams come true, too, in 2016.
Martha
President’s Message Oct 4, 2015
CONGRATULATIONS, QUOTA CLUB OF GRAND RAPIDS!!
We have united our spirited talents for the best results on the 2015 Duck Walk!! So many of you participated in one way or another to raise a new record of donations and sponsorships!! Wonderful work!
Another thought…..
I believe we have all encountered some challenges in our lives. We struggle and think about them, but we face those, hopefully, with positive energy knowing that we can move forward. Our deaf friends experience those challenges on a daily basis. Our lives are simple compared to the hurdles that they have.
Let’s remember that they need our help, support and promises to keep them moving forward, too. Think what it’s like to walk in their shoes for a day. Imagine life without the ability to hear, understand and comprehend life. It isn’t easy, but it’s worth it.
Thank you for being you!
President’s Message July 28, 2015
What a great summer it’s turned out to be! I hope you are all enjoying it.
Last week, I volunteered at KidSign Kamp sponsored by DHHS. Forty-one children attended from 3 to 14 years of age. They were a very, very busy crowd!! Monday MSU Cooperative Extension showed them the importance of healthy eating and how to grow their own vegetables. They each got to make their own salsa and left with some, too. On Tuesday, we visited Karin’s Horse Connection in Caledonia. What a great place!! The kids each got to ride and groom horses, learned how to do some tricks on them and played some cool games. The faces and smiles were as big as the horses themselves!! Wednesday was Hero Day. Police, firefighters and ambulance personnel visited and showed us their equipment and the importance of safety. Oh, to ride in a cop car with the sirens blaring….nothing better for any of the kids!! Thursday we went to Star Theatre and toured the projection room and watched the movie “Ant-Man”. The movie was the first captioned film offered in GR, with popcorn, too. Friday we were entertained by a cool Clown at Jester’s Court, a bouncy playground, and signed our song for the week, “Roar” by Katy Perry.
The kids were fabulous!! Each day we learned some new sign language and some even signed sentences.
This experience reminds me of the wonderful work we do to support the children who love life so intensely. One mom told us that she saw her child bloom from a shy little girl to one who enjoys every minute, every opportunity to express herself and deal with barriers yet to be. The world is all new every day.
We make this happen by supporting financially as well as personally. I’m proud to be a part of it. I hope you can join me in giving long lasting memories for these children.
Kids Kamp in Action! 
President’s message, July 7, 2015
I just finished our donation request to Meijer for the Duck Walk. I was astonished as to how much we give to this community through our work, and I didn’t even mention all of it!!
Here’s just a snip-it of what I wrote:
Approximately 3.6% of Kent County residents are deaf or hard of hearing, or 22,381 people. There are 9,506 in Ottawa County and 9,012 in Muskegon County.
The statistics identify 19.5% are below the poverty line and 12.9% receive SSI. We, at Quota, raise money to change people’s lives by providing low cost hearing aids, support for internet services for those who cannot afford the link to the outside world, phones or even door bells and for interpreters when they go to the doctor’s office. We take for granted the many services they are restricted to enjoying….television, movies, concerts, etc.
Often they are isolated and depressed due to their disability. We will take this donation to impact their lives, and the lives of those around them, in a variety of ways. The deaf have a unique culture all their own. We need to help them feel part of the whole community with positive encouragement.
Achievements:
- Purchased a set of hearing aids, retail cost $6,000, for a young lady who suffers from Meni
ere’s Disease. Quota Club collected used hearing aids for points towards a new set. The young lady is low income and is so thrilled to hear! The Hear for Good Project is still collecting used hearing aids and can now purchase 7 more hearing aids.
- Collaborate with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services to support summer camp experiences for 50 children
- Work with Northview’s Total Communication Program to
support 23 high school students 
to visit Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., the only university for deaf students
- Provide interpreter services to Spanish speaking mothers of children who attend the Grand Rapids Oral Deaf program; provide support of time and services to the program
- Work with Grand Rapids Community College to provide
a $500 scholarship to an individual who is pursuing a career in assisting the deaf
- Provide donations to Michigan Rehabilitation Services for working adults to find or continue employment for about 30 individuals
You should all feel very proud of what we do and the path we’re taking to become an outstanding Club.
I appreciate you and all that you do to make it happen and make a difference.
Martha Herman, President
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