November 11, 2003December 2002

True or False: Chapters are required to give scholarships.

The cliches have become reality. "The rubber has met the road, the cat is out of the bag, and the egg is already scrambled." It’s a new day in the world and the world of business in particular. The game has changed and the rules are elusive. The time has come for intuition, insight, innovation, and impact. It is a day in time made for women. Multi-taskers, superbly qualified, intuitive by nature, and ready to go where we are sent. So why is it that, on many occasions, we still find ourselves fighting for a level playing field? Why is it that in some cases, less qualified people tend to triumph over the most qualified? What is the equalizer between getting there and almost getting there? What separates the winners and the almost made it? When the polls come in with a "margin of error" being the justification for accuracy and we find ourselves on the other side of success, what really made the difference? What role does "endorsement" play in all of this? This provocative discussion will be facilitated by Ivory Dorsey at the meeting on November 11, 2003.

The Board is still looking for a chairperson for Corporate Sponsorships. This position requires the chair to attend the monthly meetings and introduce the corporate sponsor for the evening. This is a great opportunity for you to let the membership know who you are and what you do. Other responsibilities include contacting prospective sponsors, collecting the sponsor fee, hosting the sponsor at the meeting, and ordering the sponsor certificate.

Please let Maria Cannon know if you are interested in the position. Maria’s phone number is 770-251-6865.

Our Clothing Drive is on the way. Remember to bring any career clothing and accessories to the November meeting. We are donating these clothes to the "Women's Success Network." A representative from that organization will be at the October meeting and will share briefly how our clothing drive will help. Thank you for all your donations!

This is the last month that we will be collecting clothing for this charity. Receipts will be provided at the Nov. meeting.

A non-profit organization founded in 1999, the Women's Success Network is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of women. Their mission is to assure that economically challenged women who are completing job training are ready for the first interview and the weeks that follow. They provide them with career oriented clothing and help them to maintain their confidence and self-esteem. For more information regarding the network, call 678-817-0328.

The ABWA Friendship Program offers special recognition and awards that are earned by enthusiastic ABWA members who have shown an active desire to see the American Business Women's Association grow. Members qualify for the awards, which cannot be purchased, by sharing their Association with the community. When a member has sponsored two new members, she earn the Friendship Star guard. After sponsoring six members, she receives ABWA's Friendship lapel pin. When a member sponsors 11 new members, she has attained the Association's select Inner Circle. She then receives the gold Inner Circle charm on a bracelet, as well as special recognition at spring conferences. After qualifying for membership in Inner Circle, members may earn higher Friendship Star charms as they continue to sponsor other businesswomen in the Association.

These higher awards are as follows:

22 Emerald Star 66 Amethyst Star                     33 Golden Sapphire Star 77 Pearl Star

44 Blue Sapphire Star 88 Diamond Star             55 Garnet Star

The minutes from the October meeting were not available as of this printing. They will be available at the November meeting. Please come early so that you can get a copy and review them.

We will be having our December "Christmas Party" at The Palmer Course at Starr's Mill (formerly White Water Country Club). The date is December 9, 2003, and the cost will remain at $17.00.

Once again this year, the McIntosh Charter Chapter is going to make Christmas for a needy family. We have obtained the names of a family from the Fayette County Council on Domestic Violence – a mother and two teenage children who desperately need our help.

Michele Hall will have all of the details (first names, ages, needs, and "wants" at the November meeting. We will collect the gifts at the meeting on December 9, 2003, for delivery by December 19^th.

If you cannot make it to the November meeting but would like to help, please contact Michele at 770-719-5081 (home) or 770-719-2935 (work).

The ABWA Golf Tournament is set for May 7, 2004, at River's Edge Golf Club.

The "Enjoy the City Books" are here! This coupon booklet offers over $2,000.00 in savings at participating restaurants located on the south side of Atlanta. Booklets will be available for sale at the October meeting at a cost is $20.00 per book. This is an easy fundraising event, and the chapter makes $8.00 per book that goes towards our Scholarship / Education Fund. For more information on the booklet and fundraising opportunities, call Sue Wilson at 678-357-5296.

After much deliberation, the board has decided to drop the corporate sponsor fee to $75.00 for this year. Many of our members own small business, and we understand that even larger companies are having difficulties in this slow economy. The money we earn from this program helps with administration costs, as well as allowing our members to achieve their educational goals by attending conferences and seminars.

This is a unique opportunity for you and your business to network and let fellow chapter members know who you are and what you do. Our Corporate Sponsorship program allows you to promote your business and yourself during our monthly chapter meetings. You are allowed 15 minutes during the first part of the meeting to tell the membership about your products or services. You will also be featured in our monthly newsletter.

If you are interested in being a Corporate Sponsor please complete the application on the next page and return to Maria Cannon or any other officer.

Contributed by: Bobbie Evans

The 2003 Fall Membership Campaign is an important event for chapters. It provides an excellent opportunity to grow our membership while extending a hand to others as you invite area business women to experience ABWA.

Each one of us critical to the success of this campaign. As Vice President, I encourage each of you to take the lead in this membership drive, setting recruitment goals and motivating others in achieving these goals. Please recognize the influence of your position and use it to skillfully lead your chapter through this important season.

As you know. Membership campaigns are designed to provide members with an effective way to share the advantages of ABWA with other business women in the community. I encourage each of you to seek out women who are motivated by and seek opportunities for professional development as well as personal growth. These new members will bring forth fresh talent, strength, and experiences to our group, resulting in an increase in self and career discovery for all our members.

This membership campaign has been designed to guide and support your efforts and the efforts of our members in regard to the 2003 Fall Membership Campaign. Start setting your goals and work towards sponsoring new members to make our McIntosh Chapter one of the best.

Thank you for your enthusiasm and for your commitment to the American Business Women’s Association.

November 12, 2002

Dianne Leimbach, Membership chair, introduced our guests: Claudette Hunt, Tryfena Richardson, Shannon Kunkle (also joined this evening), and Angela Holiday.

Corporate Sponsor: Starlight International. Sharlene Alexander and Dianne Leimbach spoke on giving the gift of health and why dietary supplements and confining invasive therapy can be important to our overall health and well-being.

Program: Cynthia Braswell introduced our guest speaker, Cynthia InnMan, owner/operator of the Cleveland Avenue Chik-fil-A. She spoke to us about perseverance. Through her own life experiences, she has found persevering (hanging in there) has seen her through to better opportunities, even when she thought differently. We all will have daily struggles. We must know what our core principles, values, and morals are and make sure they coincide with our chosen occupation. Find someone who jumpstarts you. Most of all, don’t give up.

Business Meeting:

Minutes from the last meeting stand approved.

Treasurer’s Report – Correction to Corporate sponsor amount. Should read $250.00, not $25.00. Otherwise stands approved.

Inducted new members Yoly Casablanca, Shirley Manning, Karen Myers, and Shannon Kunkle.

Auditing – audit took place last Thursday by Irene Edwards, will be done quarterly.

Education/Scholarship -- $860 for business skills grant still available. See Maria Cannon for application. Must use funds before July 31, 2003. In order to be eligible, you must apply before your class starts.

Friendship – Our club sent Brenda Nelson Porter gifts for the birth of her baby. Cindy Mann read a thank you card from Brenda. Inside was a picture of the baby.

National Convention – You can still sign up if you are interested in going.

Woman of the Year – Dawn O’Rourke handed out the nomination forms. Fax or e-mail completed forms to Dawn. Will recognize Woman of the Year in February 2003. Dawn will be recognized at the Atlanta Area council meeting in January as the 2002 Woman of the Year for our chapter.

November 18 – Atlanta Area Council meeting, Sloppy Floyd Building, 6:30 pm. Christmas Party

November 19 – Executive Board Meeting, 9:00 am, Michele Hall’s office of Edward Jones. No Board meeting in December.

December 10 – ABWA Christmas party, East Fayette Elementary chorus will perform. Please bring a gift for the family we are sponsoring. Also, bring a raffle prize. Call a board member if you need to know what kind of gift to get.

Sharlene Alexander still needs corporate sponsors for April, May, June, and July 2003. Please call her if interested.

Nettie Horton, Did you know? Please get information forms back to her by e-mail or fax. Let Nettie know if you need a form.

Cindy Mann will start a new job at Equifax on December 1^st.

Liz Geiger quit her job!. Workingat Arnie’s for now.

Connie Clifton said that The Links got a 99 on the health inspection.

Carol Springsteen’s son is looking for a job in the computer field.

Elaine Simon has been nominated for Who’s Who for Executives.

50/50 went to Cindy Mann. She got $49.

Minutes taken and signed by Michele Hall, Secretary.