Recently I was going through some boxes in the basement looking for something.  I never did find what I was looking for but I found other things I had forgotten about.  Then I started thinking about things I used to have and gave away but really wished I still had!  Like a beautiful crystal dragonfly brooch that I gave to someone who had admired it so often.  She is not a close friend or relative but someone I see once a month in the course of doing business. At the time, I thought I could easily find another one and she was so happy to receive it. 

 Since then, there have been many times that I put on a black dress and wished I had that darn brooch!  It's a silly thing, I know and more importantly, I have at least 30 others to choose from.  I have collected them for years.  Most were found in junk stores, some were gifts and a few were real "splurges".  I always had a couple of extra bucks and always had a nice dress or jacket to attach them to.

  There are so many women in our community who don't have an extra couple of dollars to buy anything. Their "good clothes" were once owned by someone else.  They don't have gas money, or bus money or babysitting money. They can't afford training for a better job, or buy a car to get there.  If they could just catch a break, they could change their futures.  If someone would just give them a hand up and believe in them, they could change their lives.  You get my drift.

  As a member of Portlandia Club, you can be proud of the fact that through our Better Together Mentorship program, you have given women less fortunate, a hand up.  You have done this by generously supporting our annual fundraisers, buying door prize tickets at the luncheons, quilt raffle tickets or participating in the Ice Cream Booth.  You have done this even though you could have used the money in other ways.  You have done this because you knew in your heart that it would make someone else happy.

  Last month, we gave Dress for Success $2,000 for scholarships, which was matched by Macy's.  Pam Mason let us know at the May luncheon how some of this money has already been awarded.  We also donated $1,250 to DFSO, in lieu of buying a table at their annual fundraiser.  This money will be used in their general fund, to help buy things such as shoes and undergarments for their clients.

 Thank you for your generous spirits.  Thank you for allowing me to be president of  this amazing club.