The Valley Voice BPW of Ligonier Valley

May 2020 "Of the Pennsylvania Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc”

Kristin Poerschke, editor

Happy Mother's Day to all including moms of our fur babies!

This has been one different year from the pandemic crisis to the

winter like weather this spring. I am saddened by all of the cancelled

events including our own Luxury Bash. But social media has definitely

helped keep us connected virtually since we can't be together in

person. Stay tuned for information on the State convention coming to

you via webcast!

As I wind down my last couple of months as President, I want to thank

each of you for your contributions to the club's activities. The club

couldn't exist without you. As new officers are elected this month,

please help them and do your part in helping them succeed. Go for it!

We will be meeting via Zoom meeting this month. We have new

member inductions, officer elections and a couple of guest speakers. I

hope you can join as it will be nice to see all of your smiling

faces! Details will be forthcoming.

I hope everyone is doing well and staying healthy!!

Think Spring!!

President Kim

Tuesday, May 26 – the May dinner meeting is cancelled – getting ready to ZOOM!

Tuesday, June2 6:30 Board meeting – TBD if it will be via ZOOM or in person at the Town hall, 2nd floor

Officers for 2019-2020 Kimberly Bellas, President Michelle Krebs, Vice- President Betsy Shepler, Treasurer Maggie Hildebrand, Recording Secretary Kathy Flickinger, Corresponding Sec’y Charlene Shank, Parliamentarian

Standing Committee Chairs: Finance – Wendy Lint Foundation – Ginny Widich Issues Mgmt. – Michelle Krebs Legislation – Amy Kohler Membership – Laurie Hough Public Relations – Ina Smithley By-Laws –Glenda Dickson ID/YC – Claudette Kane Special Appointee Chairs: Dinner: Tish Berkey-Purdy & Kathy Flickinger Newsletter: Kristin Poerschke SLN/BPW: Diana Neiderhiser LVBPW Scholarship: Kelly Hoover Historian – Susan Patchin Scrapbook – Beth Caldwell LVBPW Scholarship Growth - Betsy Shepler, Reyne Kozar, Glenda Dickson, Annie Urban & Donna Christopher Luxury Bash – Lisa Altimus & Janet Riordan Web Site – Raven Cintron

Celebrating 102 Years of Women Helping Women with Passion and Purpose

… and it’s only

May 11….

May

Birthdays!

VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE

Our state primary is now rescheduled for June 2 –

how wonderful it would be if we can all go to the

polls that day for the privilege of participating in a

free election! But, think about the possibility of

putting your mind at ease by using a mail-in ballot

– even if you aren’t planning to be an absentee

voter, you may apply for a mail-in ballot – you may

simply request this ballot without a reason. It’s

very easy to do online – Our President Kim has

applied already for this opportunity.

https://www.votespa.com/Voting-in-

PA/Pages/Mail-and-Absentee-Ballot.aspx

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BPW/PA State Convention

BPW/PA State Convention will be held virtually on June 12-14.

Watch for details!

Refunds for those who have already registered will be processed soon. And, information about registering for the virtual State Convention will

shared with everyone in the next several weeks.

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DON’T FORGET: Promote your business on our own public

Facebook group page: BPW of Ligonier Valley

May 2 Michelle Bononi

May 2 Judy Hoffer

May 3 Lucille Zimmer

May 5 Beth Jarrell

May 16 Janet Riordan

May 22 Kelly Hoover

May 27 Amy Henson

No menu for May’s meeting as we will be doing it via Zoom. President Kim will email information closer to May 26.

Keep you fingers crossed that we can have a real meeting in June.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Update on our Annual Luxury Bash

The Luxury Bash Committee has regretfully made

the decision not to have the Bash this year. Beyond

the uncertainty of when we can meet again for

planning sessions and the uncertainty of being

permitted to gather in large groups, we felt that

asking anything more of our wonderful merchants

(and generous members) would be very insensitive

this year. We are all struggling. We will be

announcing this to the other locals in our District, so

they can be aware of our plans, and also sending out

a postcard to our mailing list advising them of this

year’s decision, thanking them for their help in the

past, and alerting them of our Bash date for 2021

(September 12!).

We have also consulted with the Finance

Committee. They have evaluated our financial

position for the couple months remaining in this fiscal

year and projected expenses for next year and feel

we will be in a secure position even without the

Bash. They hold open the possibility of selling a

ticket in the fall which could net us $2,000, if we

would need money to complete next year.

Women workers during the flu pandemic of 1918.

Candidates for BPW of Ligonier Valley office! At the BPW of Ligonier Valley Board meeting on Tuesday, May 5, it was announced that the Nominations Committee of Glenda Dickson, Raven Cintron and Tara Hassler had obtained the consent of the following candidates for Ligonier Valley officers for 2020-2021: Tara Hassler, President Raven Cintron, Vice President Janet Riordan, Recording Secretary Betsy Shepler, Treasurer It should be noted that Maggie Hildebrand has agreed to step in for Raven in the Vice President’s position when Raven could not be present at a meeting. We will be holding the election of officers at the May virtual meeting – May 26 – and they will be installed at the June meeting – whether it is an in-person meeting or virtual. New responsibilities will begin July 1, when our new fiscal year begins. Members are reminded that other candidates can be nominated from the “floor”, as it were, but we are very pleased and proud that these members have stepped up to fill the officer positions. For those who are not aware:

Tara Hassler is a self-employed fine art photographer. She also sells Mary Kay skin care products, and beautiful hand-crafted jewelry and has been a member of LV BPW since 2016. Tara has been on several committees and most recently was the Basket Chair for the 2018 and 2019 Bashes. She was also Woman of the Year in 2019.

Raven Cintron is a self-employed yarn artist and has been a member of LV BPW since 2018. She has been on several committees and most recently is the Website Committee Chair. Betsy Shepler is retired as Treasurer of St. Michael’s of the Valley Episcopal Church in Rector and has been a member of LV BPW since 2006. She is our current treasurer, was also our treasurer from 2011-2013 and has been a member of and chaired several different committees. Janet Riordan works at Kids Care Pediatric and has been a member of LV BPW since 2005, and is a co-member of Latrobe BPW. She has been on several committees, and has been Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, Vice President and President of Ligonier Valley. During Janet’s term as President, the LV BPW Scholarship Growth Committee was initiated. Janet has been a committee chair and Recording Secretary for District 3 BPW, and is presently BPW/PA Corresponding Secretary. We know these candidates will have a fresh outlook for us to enjoy and that all our wonderful members will support them in these new roles!

BPW/PA State Convention

will be held virtually.

Information will be shared

once the logistics are in

place.

BPW of Ligonier Valley Club

renewal notices have been

mailed to all members. As of

May 5, 24 members had

already rejoined! If you didn’t

receive your renewal notice,

please be in touch with

Maggie Hildebrand. Renewals

can be sent to Betsy Shepler.

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Thanks to the ladies below

for sharing information for

this month’s newsletter:

Kim Bellas

Laurie Hough

Maggie Hildebrand

Diana Neiderhiser

State Convention Update

It was recently announced on the BPW BUZZ that the live BPW/PA State Convention that was to be held in York PA June 11-14 has been changed to a virtual presentation of some kind. The previous goal was to have 160 attendees, and 122 had already registered for this Convention, so a grouping of this size would not be able to be accommodated at the hotel upholding the guidelines of the Governor. It is my understanding that the entire registration fee already paid by credit card or by check will be refunded to all of us that have already registered. It is also my understanding that a registration of some kind will be required to be connected to the virtual Convention and its releases of documents, any pre-recorded information, and any Zoom meetings that may be presented, but the fees will be nominal, or perhaps free. Keep reading your BUZZ when you get it to stay informed, and I urge you to register for the Convention. We had 54 attend a virtual District #3 Spring Meeting this week (usually in-person attendance is about 30-40), and it was done well, was very informative, and presented a great substitute for the District Meeting that could not occur. Zoom allows for video participation on your phone or computer and also for those who simply prefer a telephone conference call, so all can be accommodated. Watch for more information! Submitted by Maggie Hildebrand

Photo: District 3 Director Jean Calabrace and newly installed 2020-2021 D3 Director Laurie Hough exchanging the Director pin. The new officers of District 3 as of July 1, 2020 for the 2020-2021 year installed on Monday, May 4 at the Spring District 3 Zoom meeting include: District 3 Director Laurie Hough - Ligonier Local Assistant District 3 Director Angela Apple - Latrobe Local District 3 Treasurer Maggie Hildebrand - Ligonier Local District 3 Recording Secretary Marsha St. Pierre - Latrobe Local District 3 Parliamentarian Marilyn Tallant - Greensburg Local District 3 Corresponding Secretary Jackie Elliott - Latrobe Local Theme for upcoming 2020-2021 District 3 year: “Dream Big - Be All You Can Be” “You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream” ——- C.S. Lewis

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The Rada information: www.helpourfundraiser.com Internet ordering # 504857 Password (lower case) bpwlv

www.ligoniervalleybpw.com Check out our website.

The BPW of Ligonier Valley club was able to send a 2nd

generous check of $475, in addition to an earlier one

for $1,000, to Blackburn Center in Greensburg.

Since 1976, Blackburn Center has been providing

services to victims of domestic and sexual violence

and other types of violence and crime in

Westmoreland County, as well as presenting

education programs across this community. Since all

of their services are FREE, donations such as these are

vital for the Blackburn Center.

Megan Betz

will be

attending

Robert Morris

University this

fall.

Kaitlyn

Lawson

will be

attending

Dickinson

College in

the fall. Courtney McKlveen will be

attending Penn State -

Fayette campus in the fall.

Mia Morgan

will be

attending

Case

Western

Reserve in

Cleveland in

the fall.

Mackenzee Lear

Erika Moore

Scholarship winners for both our BPW of Ligonier Valley Scholarship

and the Sandra Neiderhiser Scholarship have been announced. The

BPW of Ligonier valley winners are Mackenzie Lear and Erika Moore.

Mean Betz, Katie Lawson, Courtney McKlveen and Mia Morgan were

awarded scholarships from the Sandra Neiderhiser scholarship fund.