Soroptimist International Sacramento Newsletter Summer 2016 Table of Contents Page President’s Corner 1 CEO Partners 2 Soroptimist Development Retreat 2 SI NYC 3 Edible Garden 2016 4 The Good Life 5

Table of Contents Page Summer Luncheon 7 Planning for Incapacity 8 Aunt Bonnie 9 Officers and Board of Directors 10 Summer Members Birthdays 11 Program Schedule 11

President’s Corner Submitted by President Lauren Buchanan

fantastic event this year. New and wonderful gardens and renewed enthusiasm for the tour. Co-chairs Susann Hadler and Cathy Diepenbrock are busy with their sub-committees getting everything prepared. I believe the tickets will be available at the summer luncheon on July 29th We will be meeting at Plates Cafe for an 11:30 lunch. Idelle will be sending out a reservation for the luncheon soon. Other Committee Chairs are busy getting meetings organized and are starting to meet. I know the Program Committee will be meeting soon. If you have any suggestions for speakers please forward them to Debbie Rubens. Just a reminder, every Committee chair is also on this committee. Please come and bring your suggestions.

Happy Summer! Although SIS is technically “dark” during the summer there is quite a bit going on. First, I want to say THANK YOU again to Rosalie Gladden and Mary Kobane for all of their hard work and creativity around and relating to the Installation of the Officers. For those of you who were unable to attend, you missed a lot of “Friendship and Fun.” Lots of laughter, some creative presentations and overall a beautiful event.

The retreat on August 20th is being rescheduled. I will keep you posted on the new date, time and place. Idelle, Sarah Lee and I attended the SDR in Reno. We all learned some new things; reviewed some old things and each had a take away from the weekend. My take away is how wonderful it is to be a member of a global organization that does so much to to help women and children.

There is a lot of activity happening with the Edible Garden Tour. It’s going to be a 1

I am heading off to the SIA Conference next week in Orlando. It will be a unique opportunity to meet other Soroptimists from many countries and customs and yet we share the same mission. Our first meeting will be on September 9th at Casa Gardens starting at 11:30-12:45. Enjoy the rest of your summer and I look forward to seeing you at the summer luncheon!

Thanks to our CEO Partners!

2016 Soroptimist Development Retreat July 9-10, 2016 Submitted by Sarah Lee I enjoyed a wonderful weekend with President Lauren Buchanan and Recording Secretary Idelle Claypool at the Soroptimist Development Retreat in Reno, Nevada, July 9-10. As a first time attendee, I wasn’t sure what to expect. It was so much more than I had imagined. I feel so compelled to encourage all of my Soroptimist sisters to attend, especially if you are newer to the organization. There were 20 different workshops to choose from over the two days. Lauren, Idelle and I were able to “divide and conquer” and take advantage of over half of the workshops offered. The workshops we found the most impactful were: Tracking Past Award Recipients, Presidents; Oh What Did I Get Myself Into?, Marketing the Soroptimist Mission through Social Media, Our Past is our Future and Flex and Flourish- Let’s Talk Membership. In the workshops, I found a lot of value in hearing not only from the speakers, but also from other members in the Region . . . discovering similarities and differences in how we all serve the same mission. (Continued to Page 3)

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SI New York City

(Continued from page 2) In between workshops, we shared meals and fellowship with other club attendees from District III and the Sierra Nevada Region. On Sunday afternoon at lunch, our keynote speaker was Kelly Ranasinghe, an attorney and activist working directly with the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. In this capacity, he helps to impact and educate Judges on how they can effect real change in the lives of victims of Human Trafficking and prevent other at-risk children from entering this life of slavery. His presentation was so powerful and engaging. It’s so encouraging to know that someone so talented in his field is devoting his life to bringing awareness to Human Trafficking.

Submitted by Janet Galliani This picture was taken at the SI NYC Annual Awards Luncheon that I was invited to and attended on June 11, 2016. I had met with one of the members, Lois Beilin, for coffee and then this invitation. They only meet once a month; every other meeting is a Business meeting. There big fund raiser is a Christmas party. The woman in the above picture is from SI Manhattan, a separate club that meets weekly, but occasionally works with SI NYC. I think they are more active and would like to attend their meetings when I am in NYC. In addition, there was a guest speaker from The Huairou Commission that empowers grassroots women leaders and organization to enhance their community development practice and exercise collective political power globally. It brings together women’s networks, non-governmental and grassroots women’s organization in over 50 countries in a global coalition.

I really feel like this Retreat gave a “bird’s eye view” of what it means to be a Soroptimist and I feel so thankful to have attended. There is so much good we do at the club level, but it was meaningful to discover the incredible, International organization, the rich history we are a part of. I was excited to learn that Soroptimist International has non-voting representatives at the United Nations, the only nongovernment agency to hold a seat. Those Focus Reports we prepare? The UN uses those reports to identify where the greatest needs are in the world for women and children..

I do hope to be in NYC in March when the UN meets and Soroptimist plays its role. I was told there are other gatherings that do not require a UN badge. PS They have a “Soroptiman” named Alan Laming!

I believe I speak for all three of us when I say we came away from this weekend more energized and excited than before. We are looking forward to sharing the ideas and inspirations gained with SIS at our upcoming club retreat!

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Edible Garden 2016

All proceeds from the Edible Gardens Tour support local charities that benefit women and children. PURCHASING TICKETS Tickets are $20.00 in advance and $25.00 the day of the event (children 12 and under free). Each member is asked to sell 5 tickets and there will be a prize for the member who sells the most tickets. Tickets and Save the Date postcards will be available at the Summer Luncheon, July 29. So get ready to send out the postcards to all your friends and family!

Grow it and eat it! Edible gardens are springing up everywhere. Experience six uniquely different edible gardens in homes in East Sacramento on Saturday, September 10, 2016 from 10am-4pm as Soroptimist International of Sacramento, Inc. holds the Sacramento area's annual Edible Gardens Tour. Attendees will enjoy various entertainments in the gardens provided by "Sacramento Symphonic Winds"; have a chance to talk with Master Gardeners; and win fabulous door prizes. 4

Pura Vida! The Good Life

Swimming in the ocean was wonderful, not cold at all, and a very gradual slope into the water. The

Submitted by Nancy Wolford-Landers Pura Vida! The good life! That is the universal saying in Costa Rica, and that is what we lived when we spent a week long stay in the gorgeous $1,000,000 villa at The Palms, which Odell won on the Golden Ticket raffle at the Crab Fiesta. It was truly GOLDEN. On arriving, we were greeted warmly at the front gate by the guard who even knew our names. The unit was right out of

waves were small enough to not be threatening but large enough to not turn your back on them. The one time I did, I got rolled and lost my prescription sun glasses. The pools were great too; the round one even had jets in the center like a Jacuzzi. The tours we took around the country were very interesting. We spent a 12 hour day going to the Monteverde Cloud forest with a naturalist guide and

Architectural Digest, complete with swan towel arrangements, bedecked with tropical flowers; in all three marble covered bathrooms and the two bedrooms, and snacks on the kitchen counter. The outside temperature was pretty warm and humid, but inside was comfortably cooled by central air adjusted in each room by remote control. Full length mirrors in most rooms made the unit appear even larger, (as well as the occupants). The view of the ocean, and the two swimming pools (one with a simulated sandy beach entrance) were enjoyed from both the huge covered patio off the living area and the covered deck off the master bedroom. What a view!!

driver and had a fantastic time. It was a clear day as far as the cloud forest is concerned. (it was just misty and drippy, and the rain ponchos worked well). We toured the Butterfly Garden, the Hummingbird Garden, and the Frog and Reptile House, all of which had concentrated collections of what are living wild in the forest. It was a long day but well worth it. (continued on page 6)

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(Continued from page 5) The other great trip we took was a two hour River boat trip along the

burning fires in very large iron pots. It was very tasty. Another wonderful day in Paradise ended with me getting an hour long professional massage under a Palm Tree. Pura Vida! The next day, we took a selfguided drive into the "surfing capital of Costa Rica", Tamarindo, and ate lunch there. I think we were the oldest people in town, amongst all the surfers and surfer-wanna-be's. But it was a fun trip. In the country-side, It was interesting to see all the fence posts made from tree branches, that after a while had sprouted into new trees from the fertile soil and tropical weather.

Tempisque River at the Palo Verde National Park. We saw ( and heard) Howler Monkeys, White Faced Monkeys, who even came onto the boat and sat on our heads, Crocodiles, and lots of birds; herons, storks, swallows, spoonbills, ibis & warblers, etc. After the boat trip we toured a small family run Chorotega Pottery studio and watched the time old process of making the native pottery. We even bought a small lovely vase. The typical Costa Rican meal we were served at an Eco-friendly farm was outstanding. It had been cooked entirely in an open kitchen over wood

Some evenings we ate at "home", some we ate out, all very good, and some we ordered from the poolside bar & grill. All in all, it was a wonderful week, and Odell's $40 investment in Golden Raffle tickets sure paid off.

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Planning for Incapacity: Four Essential Documents

Durable power of attorney A durable power of attorney gives the person that you designate the authority to handle your financial affairs. It’s valid immediately after you sign it and will continue to be effective if you become incapacitated. It can provide some, but not all, of the benefits of a revocable living trust.

Submitted by Mary Kobane

Preparing for worst-case scenarios brings peace of mind during the best of times. Here’s why. Tom was a healthy 43-year-old approaching the height of his earning power and living the happiest days of his life. He had a great job that fulfilled him, a loving wife, and he was a scratch golfer to boot. Life was good.

Healthcare power of attorney A healthcare power of attorney designates a trusted relative or friend to make decisions regarding your medical care if you are incapacitated and unable to make such decisions yourself. Living will A living will provides direction to your physician regarding your wishes as to whether or not you want to be kept artificially alive with medical treatment if there is no reasonable chance that you will recover.

One day, as Tom was walking through an airport in Denver, his coworker noticed Tom was weaving as he walked and slurring as he spoke. They were on their way to a business meeting when Tom collapsed and had a massive stroke that no one – including Tom or his doctors – ever saw coming.

A will In the event of your death, a will provides the security of knowing that you have left behind a plan for the distribution of your assets. It’s also often used to nominate an individual to serve as guardian of surviving minor children.

Did you know that nearly 41% of long-term care services provided in the United States go to people under the age of 65?*

Talk to your Financial Advisor about who you need to work with to create or update your four essential documents.

Everyone needs to plan ahead for such a risk of becoming incapacitated. And if you have a spouse or partner, you need to plan together. We all anticipate mental and physical decline when we’re much older, but anything can happen in the blink of an eye long before we reach old age. No one wants to think about it, but the smartest of us know preparation beats denial every time.

In addition, you can discuss your entire estate planning strategy and learn about ways we can help make sure your assets end up where and with whom you want them.

Here are four essential documents you should have in place today and that you and your spouse or partner should review at least annually:

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Aunt Bonnie on Tsunamis of the Tsoul

scheduled for dental surgery and reparative plastic surgery at separate times in two locations in the same week? Where does one direct one’s effort first? One may start to question the abilities and/or motivations of whomever does the cosmic scheduling. I’m just sayin’.

Submitted by Bonnie Coleman Like all of us, Aunt Bonnie has heard that “into each life some rain must fall”, and she accepts it, albeit grudgingly. What sticks in the craw of the gentle Aunt Bonnie is the cycle speed of these tsunamis. For the past few years it seems as if I have been living in the Seattle of the Soul. If it isn’t the stain of rain on every day then it’s back to back storms with no time to dry out and bask in the wonderment of life. Although one feels singularly alone at these times, one assumes that gentle readers, too, have experienced these monsoon cycles. It is exhausting and makes the evenest temper quite miffed, with a capital MIF.

It would be easy to say that those fraught times of jam-packed travail yield to equal periods of ease and merriment, except for the times that they don’t. Which brings us back to the tsunamis of the tsouls. All I am asking here is a respite that is long enough to restore one’s ability to withstand the next onslaught. I guess that has been a human complaint since Milton took to poetry to soothe his soul. So I don’t really expect an answer. Our understanding of the universe is small, partial, and foggy. But Still! Really! Can a sister catch a break here? Oh, and God Bless Us, Every One.

As an example, it is uncanny how many recently bereaved women report that within the first year of tremendous personal loss, every major appliance in the house will also perish, apparently in some cosmic solidarity. Yet, do not doubt: For one’s garbage grinder or toilet to fail in the middle of a Wake, or Sitting Shiva, just seems like cosmic spite. Still, it happens. In the big picture, it may be a way of deflecting or diverting major loss into something that can be dealt with...But Really! It is very, very hard for one to consider the Big Picture when plumbing is backing up into one’s sanctuary while it is also overflowing with well-meaning friends and family. Even in less dire circumstances it can seem like “kick ‘em while they’re down” is the operating cosmic directive. As purely hypothetical instance: Why else should it be acceptable for one’s aged Mother, in Assisted Living to get conjunctivitis, one’s kitty to develop IBS and stop eating, and one’s friend to have a relationship crisis when one is

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Officers and Board of Directors 2016-2017 President – Lauren Buchanan First Vice President – Debbie Rubens Second Vice President – Sarah Lee Recording Secretary – Idelle Claypool Corresponding Secretary – Julie Horpedahl Treasurer – Kathy Platz Assistant Treasurer – Phyllis Moist Board of Directors 2015-2017 Mary Locke Jennifer Willis Board of Directors – 2016-2018 Carol Adams Paula Wright Rosalie Gladden Parliamentarian (appointed) – Nancy Wolford- Landers

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July and August Soroptimists! Happy Birthday

Kathleen Platz Janet Galliani Elizabeth Payette Arima Claypool Elaine Pesce Marjorie Matsinger Cindy Petersen Phyllis Hayashi Rosalie Gladden Donna Kistler

July 2 July 6 July 9 July 12 July 12 July 20 July 22 July 27 July 29 July 29

Patricia Canterbury Eva Garcia Patti Alexander Ramona Moenter Deborah Rubens Adrianna Nand

August 6 August 10 August 11 August 19 August 19 August 25

SIS Program Schedule for 2016-2017

July 2016 29 Summer Luncheon Plates August 2016 SIS Retreat Date, Time and Place TBD

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