Good Morning Soroptimist Sisters,
I hope that all is well with you?
Today, it’s actually happened – the week when I have very little club news to pass on to you.
Clubs are definitely winding down for the summer, although not all of them, as I am invited to attend two ZOOM meetings next week; so hopefully I will have something to report in my next message.
I look forward to seeing some familiar faces in Carlisle and South Shields.
SI Middlesbrough are planning their first ‘real’ meeting in September as their meetings venue will be reopening. They have been having their Executive meetings face to face for some time and have also had a ZOOM meeting with their Friendship Link – SI Magdeburg.
I suppose that virtual meetings with Friendship Links have come about through our current situation, and that this is positive progress. Would we have thought about it previously?
Jane Katsambis of SI Durham updated me that she was able to deliver no less than eight bags of food and cleaning materials to Bishop Auckland Refuge. All collected from Durham members.
So this Sunday it will be a much shorter message than the previous 17 have been and will mainly be about my week which started badly, as whilst walking to Sainsbury’s early Monday morning, I found myself face down on the pavement – my toe had caught a raised paving stone and I measured my length. SPLAT! Imagine the vision of a beached whale!
I mention this incident to demonstrate the ‘kindness of strangers’ as within a minute I had three strangers assisting me, a gentleman came from his car, a young lady jogger stopped and a lady parked up also and hurried to help. They eventually got me to my feet, the gentleman fetched a First Aid kit from his car and bandaged my bleeding hand and the lady put me into her car and drove me home. [No social distancing could be observed in the circumstances!].
I was so lucky not to have any breakages, even my spectacles survived! The bruises and scrapes are healing nicely and the aches and stiffness much less.
I am now completely recovered and was able to complete two lengthy recording jobs for the blind during the rest of the week.
Also this week, I registered for the Belfast Federation Conference online and paid by bank transfer – I found it extremely easy to do.
Yesterday I attended my fourth GoTo Virtual Meeting with Federation President Isobel and other Regional/National Association Presidents. I have found these meetings to be extremely useful and enlightening. If COVID-19 had not happened, we would never have got to know each other and hear about what every Region is doing.
My quote today was suggested by my good friend, Dorothy, in the Wirral, who has been supplying quotes which I can use.
This one is by Helen Keller:
KEEP YOUR FACE TO THE SUNSHINE AND YOU CANNOT SEE A SHADOW
Finally to add something comforting from a favourite book from childhood :THE HOUSE AT POOH CORNER by AA Milne written in 1928:
Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind.
‘Pooh’, he whispered
‘Yes, Piglet?’
‘Nothing’ said Piglet taking Pooh’s paw;’ I just wanted to be sure of you!’
Until next week – Stay Safe and Keep Well
In Friendship,
Joyce
PRESIDENT
SINE