The minutes of the regular stated meeting of Chenango Chapter #135 opened on Wednesday, April 8, 2009 with Worthy Sister Marge and Worthy Brother Tony presiding in the East, with 18 members present.  The Chapter was opened in short form.  The worthy Matron greeted all and courtesies of the East were extended to RWS Bobbie Brundage.

 

With the Roll Call of Officers the following were absent: Electa, the Historian, two trustees and the Sentinel.

 

Sickness/Distress/Joy:  RWS Yvonne asked for a moment of silence for the survivors of the Johnson City.  RWS Vicki Smith is ill and will have surgery soon.  S. Theresa Thurston’s ex-husband is ill and in the hospital. Chris and Sue Freitag were at Barons and Sue is doing well.  B Bob Nesbitt is back to work and has made a good recovery.

 

Old Business:  Two new members, Wanda Wildenstein and Ann Eggleston, will be the candidates on our District Night - April 22 - the refreshments will be finger food. Please bring your dishes on serving plates so we can serve these refreshments after our meeting. Wear white dresses and officers to be at the Greene Masonic Temple at 6:30 PM.

A report of the Purple Dinner was given.  Thirteen people were served and we were able to report a $190.00 profit due to the membership’s generosity.  Thank you to all who helped!

The Easter Egg Hunt was also successful and an article was in the local paper.  We received a thank you note from the Masons.

A motion was made by RWS Yvonne and seconded by RWS Bobbie for flowers and scratch tickets for S Sue in her recovery and the motion passed. 

 

A letter was sent from our OES Home in Oriskany that any contributions to help save the home are welcome.  The OES Home is funded by investments and as the stock market is not doing well, money is desperately needed.  Please give as much as you can.  Any amount is welcomed.

 

New Business:  Attached is a copy of a letter to Governor David Patterson to increase the monthly personal allowance of nursing home residents from $50 to $100. Please make a copy, sign it and send it to Governor Patterson and your Assembly and Senate Representatives.  Their addresses can be found in your local newspaper and/or library. Our OES nursing home residents thank you.

A motion was made by RWS Yvonne and seconded by WS Bonnie for gifts of $25.00 to DGL and DDGM.  Motion passed.

A motion was made by RWS Yvonne and seconded by RWB Tony for the good of the order for RWS Bobbie.  Motion passed.  RWS Bobbie thanks our chapter for support on the Grand Matron’s project.  She also mentioned on Official Visits that the Grand Matron will place a gold coin on the altar and then a collection will be taken for support of our OES Home in Oriskany.  Any amount of money is appreciated.   RWS Bobbie also asked that the Grand Matron, Grand Patron and DL Larry be made Honorary Members of Chenango Chapter #135.  Motion made  by RWS Shirley and seconded by RWB Tony.  Motion passed.

District Night:  RWS Marion will greet our new candidates at the door.  RWB Tony will ask B David Walters to take the place of the Associate Patron. (WS Bonnie will contact Bob Holcomb to see if he is interested in substituting.) Any bills occurred by District Night will be paid, with RWS Shirley making the motion; it was seconded and the motion passed.  Also any journal requests will be paid in the amount of $5.00, motion made by RWS Yvonne and seconded, with the motion passing.   

Congratulations to our WB Dennis as Mason of the Year.

 

The attendance award was won by S Theresa and S Kandi.

 

Attached is the Family Weekend Meeting schedule and hour-by-hour activities!

For Family Days, advanced chicken orders will be taken, $4.50 per chicken half.

 

The Good of the Order was $38.00.

 

The Chapter closed in good order.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

WS Betty Moubray, Secretary

 

Family Weekend Meeting Schedule

 

The one-day event will be held on Saturday, July 11, 2009 at Lions Club Park.  The tentative schedule is as follows:

 

10 AM – Gathering – enjoy coffee and sweets to start the day.  Check out the Sharebooth and buy tickets

 

11 AM – Bag Auction – each person should bring a wrapped gift of about $5.00 value

 

12 noon – lunch -  BBQ half chicken will be $4.50 and sides, with each side costing about $.50.  The sides will be salt potatoes, baked beans and coleslaw.  Also available will be hot dogs, hamburgers and sausages.

 

1:30  PM– Mystery Game – with Bobbie and Larry

 

2:30 PM – Sharebooth Drawings – tickets will still be 5 for $1.00 and the item should be worth $30.

 

3:30 PM – Cleanup  - by everyone

There will be a presale of chicken so that a count can be given to Tony or David.  Lafayette Chapter will do the coleslaw.  Brownies will again be made by members for dessert.  The following volunteered to make them:  Pauline, Tony, Carol, Bobbi, and Shirley.

Come and enjoy a breakfast at the cost of $6.00.

 

 

This should be a fun day for all!!

 

 

 

 

March 17, 2009

 

Governor David A. Patterson

New York State

State Capitol

Albany, NY   12224

 

Dear Governor Paterson:

 

As Governor of the State of New York, we urge you to take appropriate action to increase the monthly Personal Needs Allowance (PNA) of a nursing home resident from $50 to $100.

 

The $50 per month or $600 per year that New York’s nursing home residents receive was set in 1980 by law and has never been updated to reflect the current economy.  The personal needs allowance is expected to cover clothing, hairdressing, barbers, toiletries, phone, cable, Internet and other miscellaneous personal expenses.  This amount is shamefully inadequate to cover even a small portion of these expenses.

 

It is imperative that we as residents of New York State Recognize that our elderly deserve our respect and the right to live their lives with dignity, for they have blazed many of the paths that we follow today.  Please realize that we can no longer let our elderly struggle to get by on a 1980 Personal Needs Allowance of $50.00.

 

We are asking you as our Governor to help and support us to obtain this much needed increase for our residents at the Eastern Star Home located in Oriskany, New York.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

 

 

cc.   Assembly District Representative

      Senate District Representative

 

 

Chicken Order Form

 

 

Name:  ___________________________________________

 

Phone Number:  ________________________________

 

 

 

Number of Chicken Halves:   __________________________

 

TOTAL:  _______________________________

 

 

 

Give this form and money to RWB Tony Calisi.

 

Thank you~