February 2022

Hope this Megaphone finds you staying healthy and warm during this cold and snowy winter.

Due to the snowstorm on February 3, 2022, we found it necessary to cancel our scheduled meeting of College Club which was to be held that evening. We appreciate everyone's understanding as we decided to err on the side of caution and prevent any unnecessary driving.

The plans for our February meeting have been moved to our upcoming March meeting. Please join us at our March meeting to be held on Thursday, March 3, 2022. We will be meeting at 80 Main in Lockport for a supper, business meeting and program. Supper will be served at 6pm. Please note the time and place for this meeting. Doors will open at 5:30pm. We will enjoy a supper of parmesan crusted chicken and Italian pasta salad, coffee and/or soft drinks, and dessert of cookies and brownies. The cost is $25.00.

Our guest speaker will be Pete Robinson, the founder of the successful Peanut Butter and Jelly Drive. Mr. Robinson will talk about how to be the best version of yourself through service to the community. His drive began as a small collection in the Niagara County Courthouse where he works as a NYS Sargent. It has grown to collecting more than 18,000 jars of peanut butter, jelly and Fluff which was distributed to 40 food pantries.

Mr. Robinson has received multiple honors for his service to our community and was recognized by the New York State Assembly in 2021 as a Hometown Hero. He will be accepting donations of jelly, peanut butter and/or Fluff at our March meeting. Thank you in advance for your support of this worthwhile cause.

Please make your reservations with the Telephone Committee by Sunday, February 27^th . If you are unable to reach the person listed on the telephone committee, please call Gail Marshall to make your reservations.

Hostesses for this meeting are Michelle Gilbert and Kim Meal.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the owners and staff of Lock 34 and 80 Main for their flexibility, understanding and support. This is the restaurant willing to host our meetings now for Lockport College Women's Club. They have been wonderful to work with and I am hopeful we have a great turn out for our March meeting so we can enjoy our new meeting place.

On the agenda for our business meeting is the scholarship award recommendation presented by the Scholarship Committee. The current funds in our Scholarship Treasury, updates on students presently receiving our awards, and a proposal for the 2022 scholarship awards will be shared with members.

Plans for our Scholarship Fundraiser are well underway. Co-Chairmen are Madeline Angelo and Ida Quade. The tickets co-chairmen are Daniele Priest and Shirley Frombgen. "Sunday for Scholarship" will be held on April 24, 2022 at the Lockport Town and Country Club. The tickets will be $50.00 each. This year we will enjoy the luncheon, a fashion show courtesy of Julie Muscato Home and Gifts, and the basket raffle. As previously stated, members who had paid for their tickets to the cancelled fundraiser in 2020 have the option of paying the full price for the 2022 tickets OR they may send in the difference of $10.00 per ticket. (The 2020 tickets were $40.00 each). Look for your tickets and full information coming in the mail soon.

It is time to create a basket for the basket raffle on your own or with a friend. Our basket raffle has proven to be essential to the success of our fundraiser. Please note that the baskets need to be completed by you, wrapped in a cellophane, and the contents listed. In the ticket mailing, you will' receive information about where and when to bring your completed baskets. If you would like to bring your completed basket to the March meeting, we can accept them at that time. Of course, gift cards may be donated too. Please include your name on the gift card. The baskets are to have a value of at least $25.00. Thank you!

Our new directories are printed and ready to distribute at the March meeting! Please remember to pick your directory up at the meeting. They are an invaluable resource.

Please remember to pay your dues. The dues are $50.00 when paid after December. They may be given to our treasurer Anna Beth Kinyon at the meeting or mailed to her at: Anna Beth Kinyon, 117 Windermere Road, Lockport, New York 14094. Remember that half of our dues goes to our scholarship treasury!

Our next board meeting will be held on Thursday, March 10, 2022 at the home of Gail Marshall. The meeting begins at 7pm. Please let Gail know if you are unable to attend.

We look forward to seeing you on Thursday, March 3^rd at 80 Main St.

 JANUARY 2022

The officers and board of Lockport College Women's Club would like to wish our members Happy New Year and best wishes for a wonderful 2022.

College Club received an early gift from the Grigg Lewis Foundation with two grants to our Scholarship Fund. The first grant came with a special request from Joan Aul in the amount of $1 ,000.00. Joan is the daughter of long- time member Rae Greco. The second grant came with a special request from Mary F. Murphy also in the amount of $1 ,000.00. Her grant is in honor of her mother Caroline Murphy, another long-time member of College Club. We appreciate these generous donations to our Scholarship Fund and the recognition and support of our efforts to promote the value of a college education for young women. Thank you to Joan Aul, Mary Murphy, and the Grigg Lewis Foundation for their continued help in making our mission successful especially in light of these challenging times.

Please join us at our February meeting on Thursday, February 3, 2022 at 80 Main in Lockport for a light supper, business meeting and program. Supper will be served at 6 pm. Please note the time and place for this meeting. Doors will open at 5:30. We will enjoy a supper of parmesan crusted chicken and Italian pasta salad, coffee and/or soft drinks, and dessert. The cost is $25.00.

We have planned a served supper and chosen a venue which will allow for social distancing in order for our members to feel safe and comfortable. Masks need to be worn when you are not seated at your table.

Our guest speaker will be Pete Robinson, the founder of the successful Peanut Butter and Jelly Drive. Mr. Robinson will talk about how to be the best version of yourself through service to the community. His drive began as a small collection in the Niagara County Courthouse where he works as a NYS Sargent. It has grown to collecting more than 18,000 jars of peanut butter, jelly and Fluff which was distributed to 40 food pantries.

Mr. Robinson has received multiple honors for his service to our community and was recognized by the NYS Assembly in 2021 as a Hometown Hero.

Please bring some peanut butter, jelly, and/or Fluff to donate to his worthy cause.

Please make reservations with the telephone committee by Sunday, January 30, 2022. If you are unable to reach the person listed on the telephone committee, please call Gail Marshall to make your reservations.

Also on the agenda for our February meeting is the proposed scholarship award recommendation presented by the Scholarship Committee. The current funds in our Scholarship Treasury, students presently receiving our awards, and a proposal for the 2022 scholarship awards will be shared with members.

Plans for our annual scholarship fundraiser are underway. Co-Chairs are Madeline Angelo and Ida Quade. "Sunday for Scholarship" will be held on April 24, 2022 at the Lockport Town and Country Club. The tickets will be $50.00 each. This year we will enjoy the luncheon, a fashion show courtesy of Julie Muscato Home and Gifts, and the basket raffle. As previously stated, members who had paid for their tickets to the cancelled fundraiser in 2020 have the option of paying the full price for the 2022 tickets OR they may just send in the difference of $10.00 per ticket. (The 2020 tickets were $40.00 each.) Look for your tickets and full information coming in the mail.

Please note that baskets need to be completed by you, wrapped in cellophane, and the contents listed. I have five baskets that were generously donated early for the cancelled 2020 fundraiser. I will get them to the Country Club. Of course, gift cards may be donated. We will aim for bringing these completed baskets or gift cards to the March meeting.

Our next board meeting will be held on Thursday, February 10, 2022 at the home of Susan Odle. Her address is 5645 Young Road. The meeting begins at 7 pm.

We look forward to seeing you on February 3 ^rd at 80 Main.

If you have not paid your dues to date, they may be given to our treasurer Anna

Beth Kinyon at the meeting or mailed to her at: Anna Beth Kinyon, 1 17

Windermere Road, Lockport, New York 14094. The annual dues are $50.00.

We are planning on having new directories printed this year. If you have any changes to your address or phone number, please call Patty Russell.       

 

 

 December 2021          

We have lots of important news to share from our wonderful fall meetings in October and November.  After eighteen months of no meetings and no fundraisers, College Club has rallied back!  With the determination and extra work of the officers and board of directors, we were able to find new places to meet and different menu options.

First and most importantly, thank you to the officers and board of directors.  These women are crucial to the continued success of College Club.  They volunteer their time and expertise in many ways both seen and unseen.  At our November meeting, this slate of officers and board members was approved.

President – Patricia Russell

Vice President – Nancy Fischer and Karen Lyons

Secretary – Susan Odle

Treasurer – Anna Beth Kinyon

Social Committee – Mary Beth Caswell and Ann O’Byrne

Telephone Committee – Marybeth Wilson and Gail Marshall

Membership – Gail Marshall

Megaphone – Judy Johnson – Paonessa and Shirley Wagner

 

Also at the November meeting, an amendment to Article IX – Scholarships was approved.  This amendment reads:

“The Scholarship Committee also has the option of awarding two-year scholarships to a senior girl in attendance at Lockport High School who is entering a two-year associate degree program at an accredited college.  The recipient will receive an annual award of one thousand and no/100 dollars per year up to a total of two thousand and no/100 dollars.”

Our November meeting featured Mr. Christopher Parada, the Executive Director of the Historic Palace Theater.  We enjoyed hearing about all the time, effort, and the talent of artisans that went into this amazing renovation and restoration. How lucky the Lockport Community is to have Mr. Parada and other volunteers who work to save and restore historic Lockport sites and make our community stand-out.  We also enjoyed the apple pie from our very own Hall’s Apple Farm and coffee from Steamworks Coffee.  And thank you to Madeline Angelo for bringing in a lovely plate of Italian cookies!

Please support The Palace Theater.  Their upcoming productions include a Curtain Up Production of “Scrooge the Musical” on December 3^rd to 5^th and “Stepping Out” on January 20^th-23^rd.

Our October meeting was held at a lovely event space called The Willow Room which is attached to Simply Em’s Florist Shop.  We enjoyed the salads and sandwiches from Lock 34 Catering and desserts provided by members Gail Marshall and Lorraine Sparks.  Our enthusiastic speaker from Marjim Winery was Margo Bittner.  Please consider taking a winery tour at Marjim Winery and support her local business.

The co-chairmen for our Scholarship Fundraiser are Ida Quade and Madeline Angelo.  Madeline announced that the date of our fundraiser will be Sunday, April 24^th and it will be held at The Lockport Town and Country Club.  The Country Club will charge us $40.00 for the luncheon so the tickets will be $50.00 each.  As prices have gone up, this rise in our ticket price is unavoidable.  Our 2020 Scholarship Fundraiser was abruptly cancelled in March of 2020 due to Covid closures.  We know some members had already purchased their tickets before the cancellation in 2020.   When the new tickets and information are mailed this Spring, it will include a list of members who had already paid for tickets in 2020.  These members will have the option of only paying the additional ten dollars per ticket. (The 2020 tickets were $40.00 each.)   Of course, those members may also consider the money they sent in for the fundraiser to be a donation to our Scholarship Fund.  College Club has not been able to have two annual fundraisers due to the pandemic.  We appreciate the members who sent in freewill donations to Scholarship totaling almost $1,000.00.  We also appreciate the generous donation from The Grigg-Lewis Foundation of $1,000.00 to our Scholarship Fund.  These funds have been critical during these challenging times.

As a reminder, our dues are $40.00 through December and go up to $50.00 after that.  Please send your dues check for Lockport College Women’s Club to our treasurer Anna Beth Kinyon.  Her address is 117  Windermere  Road, Lockport, New York 14094.

College Club was founded in 1922.  Our 100^th Anniversary will be in 2022! With the difficulties this year as we hopefully come out of the pandemic, the board decided we would plan this celebration for the 2022-2023 calendar year.  We would like to set up a planning committee for a celebration to be held at one of our regular meetings next year.  If you would like to volunteer to be on this committee, please contact a board member.

We will not be having a meeting in December.  It has been challenging finding a place to host us.  Our next meeting will be on February 3, 2022 at 80 Main.  We will enjoy a light supper and program.

Watch for your January Megaphone for details.

Our next board meeting will be held on Thursday, January 13^th, 2022 at the home of Anna Beth Kinyon beginning at 7pm.

The Lockport College Women’s Club’s mission is to stimulate interest in college for young women, to provide scholarships for young women, and to promote the civic and intellectual interests of college bred women in Lockport and the vicinity.  Thank you all for your continued support.

See you all in February!   Happy Holidays!

Patty Russell, President

 

 

November 2021

Welcome back to all Lockport College Women's Club members!! It certainly has been a long 18 months since we were last able to meet in March 2020. The Board of Directors has been busy working on how we can go forward considering the challenges of the times and the continuing concerns with Covid 19. We will rise to meet these challenges as befitting of the Club. We have had to be flexible as we move ahead this year. Please note all changes as listed below.

Please join us on THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2021 AT 6:30 PM at THE HISTORIC PALACE THEATER, 2 EAST AVENUE, LOCKPORT. PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE IN TIME AND VENUE!!! The doors will open at 6:00 PM. This will be a dessert and coffee meeting with apple pie from Hall's Apple Farm and coffee provided by Steamworks Coffee.

The program for the meeting will be provided by Chris Prada, Executive Director of the Historic Palace Theater. She will be giving a presentation and a tour of the theater to highlight the extensive recent renovations of the Palace. Come and enjoy our historic marvel! The cost of the dinner is $10.00 which includes the cost of food and beverages and the additional cost of the facility.

We would ask that masks please be worn except when sitting at your table for everyone's comfort.

President Patricia Russell will be presenting a slate of officers and Board of Directors for your consideration at the meeting

Reservations must be made by Sunday, October 31 , 2021 by calling the telephone committee. Please note that Nancy Neivert's telephone number has changed for the telephone committee. The new number is 716-628-4431. If you are unable to reach the person listed in the telephone committee, you can always call Marybeth Wilson or Gail Marshall to make your reservations. Hostesses for the meeting will be Marybeth Wilson and Gail Marshall.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE WILL BE NO MEETING IN DECEMBER, 2021.

Treasurer, Anna Beth Kinyon, will be presenting our proposed budget for the year. She will also be accepting annual dues payments of $40.00 at the door. Dues can also be mailed to her at : Anna Beth Kinyon, 117 Windermere Road, Lockport, New York 14094. Remember that dues will increase after the December meeting.

We are planning on having new directories printed this year. If you have any changes to your address or telephone number, please call Marybeth Wilson or Gail Marshall. If you wish to have the Megaphone emailed to you or have a change in your email address, please contact Judy Johnson-Paonessa.

The Scholarship Committee has submitted a proposal to amend our current Constitution. Currently, the second paragraph under Article Xl (Scholarships) of the constitution reads as follows: "The Scholarship Committee also has the option of awarding two-year scholarships of one thousand and no/100 dollars per year to applicants who have completed their associate degree program and will be continuing their education at a four year institution."

To reflect the needs of students today, the proposed amendment would do the following: Remove the above paragraph in its entirety and be replaced with the following:

"The Scholarship Committee also has the option of awarding two-year scholarships to a senior girl in attendance at Lockport High School who is entering a two-year associate degree program at an accredited college. The recipient will receive an annual award of one thousand and no/100 dollars per year up to a total of two thousand and no/100 dollars."

The Scholarship Committee will continue to make its recommendation at the February meeting of the maximum amount of scholarship money to be awarded each year. The amendment to the Constitution must be approved by a vote of the General Membership of the Club. There are no other proposed changes from the Scholarship Committee to either the Constitution or to its schedule of screening and interviewing candidates each year.

Ida Quade and Madeline Angelo are continuing as co-chairs for our Scholarship Fundraiser. This plans for this are still in the works, given Covid and other considerations.

2022 is the 100^th Anniversary of the founding of the Lockport College Women's Club. If anyone is interested in helping to plan a celebration, please let Patty Russell or any Board Member know.