The CPI Executive Committee and Marketing Chairman Carol Neal thank all members who participated in USA Weekend's Make A Difference Day on Saturday, October 24, 2009. ASSOCIATION PROJECTS:                                                CPI of Atlanta, GA, District 3 & 4 (reported by Joyce Dove)                                                Members from CPI of Atlanta, GA; CPI of Spartanburg, SC; and former                                                members from CPI of Augusta, GA and CPI of Midlands, SC, combined                                                resources to donate food to St. John's the Wonder Worker Church in                                                Atlanta, GA.  St. John's provides two meals daily during the week to an                                                average of sixty people.  The donations                                                will provide 10 days of meals for the                                                homeless...reaching about 600 people.                                                  Participating were Chairman Joyce                                                Dove, Anne Hammond, Amelia Brown,                                                 Sarah Hill, Carol Neal, Fran Downey,                                                Janice Dressler, Michele Rocher,                                                Loretta Hamrick, Betty Gleaton,                                                Frances Crowell and Mitia Key.   CPI of Charlotte, NC, District 3 & 4 (reported by Shirley Clontz) Eight members of CPI of Charlotte collected and donated gently used books for resale at Julia's Coffee Shop on the premises of Restore in Charlotte, NC as part of Habitat for Humanity's "Books to Bricks" project".  Restore sells donated goods for the purpose of purchasing materials to build homes for Habitat for Humanity.  Diane Radcliff initiated the project. Business Professionals of the Triad, NC, District 3 & 4 (reported by Linda Ayers) Seven members of Business Professionals of the Triad provided food and snacks to a family who has lost their mother.  The children are hungry when they get home from school.  Their father is doing the best that he can but he has limited means to provide extras.  Now the children know that others care. CPI of Brownsville, TN, District 3 & 4 (reported by Nancye West) Seven members of CPI of Brownsville donated food to the Youth Action Ministry of Brownsville Baptist Church for food baskets for needy families. CPI of Illiana, Chicago, IL, District 5 (reported by Martha Philip) Four members of CPI of Illiana partnered with Crete Curves and made a donation of 125 pounds of food to the local Crete Food Pantry. CPI of Indianapolis, IN, District 5 (reported by Cindy Westenhofer) Cindy Westenhofer and Jim and Charmaine Lucas of CPI of Indianapolis donated cash for food, $200 to Gleaners Food Bank and $100 to Wheeler Mission. CPI of Ann Arbor, MI, District 5 (reported by Kathryn Greiner) Members of CPI of Ann Arbor donated canned goods to the local food bank, "Food Gatherers", which helps under-privileged families.  The food was collected at two local meetings and then delivered on October 24. Participating were:  Bonnie Milkey-Riggs, Dave Smith, Renee Bartkovich, Beth Blanco, Noelle Grigg, Jean Jervis, Kathryn Greiner, Mary Hoegler, Linda Smith and Randy Swigart. CPI of Jackson, MI, District 5 (reported by Linda Ramey) Seven members began by each delivering to one of their elder neighbors who live alone a decorated basket for Fall which included home made breads, cookies and items to make a meal for one in the near future.   Four of the members were able to take their neighbor to breakfast before the next part of the project, which was delivering six large boxes of non-perishable snack items to the National Guard Headquarters in Jackson to be sent to National Guard units from Jackson that are on their 4th and 5th tours.  The next stop was at the Aware Shelter where they delivered homemade baked goods (cookies, snacks and desserts).  Linda says "to see the eyes of the children and their mothers was amazing".  In addition one of the members got married and held her wedding reception on that Saturday, and she sent food packages home with everyone who lived alone.  The packages included homemade chicken, pasta salad, potato salad, sandwiches and cake. CPI of Alamo, San Antonio, TX, District 8 (reported by Pat Evans)                                                                               Eleven members donated $820 to the San Antonio                                                                               Food Bank.  The local agency does a tremendous job                                                                               of feeding those in need, and every dollar donated                                                                               represents $13.00 in food purchasing power, so the                                                                               association's donation provided 1,522 meals ($10,860                                                                               in food dollars)!  Half of the homeless helped are children                                                                               who still have a chance to make a difference with a better                                                                               life through education...when children are fed properly,                                                                               they can increase their learning retention.  Members who                                                                              participated were Linda Simbeck, Lee Ann Seale, Maria                                                                              Trevino, Pat Evans, John Mundy, Henry Miranda, Denise                                                                              Surratt, Mary Posch, Robyn Smoot, Phyllis Gregory, Marty                                                                               Reyes, Rex Somerville, Dutchie Garza and Kern Soza                                                                               (100% participation!) Central Kansas Business Connection, Hutchinson, KS, District 7 & 9 (reported by Marsha Thompson) The members of Central Kansas Business Connection (Sharon DeShazer, Sharol Rudolph, Candi Stewart, Marsha Thompson and Linda Zenor) are active throughout the year with food related projects.  They prepare food and serve at the local soup kitchen, participate in food drives for the local food bank, sponsor families at the holidays, and have sent packages of goodies to college students and soldiers serving overseas.  For Make A Difference Day, they reached out to three deserving individuals in the community by filling reusuable shopping bags with food and delivering them on the 24th.  The individuals they chose make a difference themselves in the community.  Bill and his wife are both in poor health.  He has a big heart and even with his limited resources is always trying to help someone out.  Sometimes this means Bill doesn't even have food for his own table.  Cissey was widowed within the last year, and is living on social security of less that $600 per month.  She always puts others first, spending many years taking care of her mother o was a double amputee.  Now she gives of her time taking another elderly woman to the store, to pick up prescriptions, and to run numerous errands others take for granted. CPI of Las Madrugadoras, Albuquerque, NM, District 7 & 9 (reported by Anne McBrayer) Six members labeled and boxed over 500 cases (24 jars per case) of jalapeno peppers at the Roadrunner Food Bank, a warehouse that distributes food to sites all over the state of New Mexico that provide meals and food sources to those in need.  It is estimated that thousands of people will be helped. They also package and deliver food boxes to the elderly. This program is called Senior Helpings.  Another key project of Roadrunner is Backpacks for Kids.  This program supplies backpacks filled with individual packages of pudding, breakfast cereal, peanut butter crackers and granola bars. These backpacks are given  to elementary schools where it is known that children are not being provided adequate meals.  These children then can discretely take the food home to eat. Fourteen members and volunteers also collected and delivered three large boxes of food (jerky, protein bars, peanuts, dried fruit, etc) along with $50 cash to the local chapter of Blue Star Moms which will reach at least 100 troops.  Their contact, Kelley Way, has three sons who are all in the Army.  One of her sons, Christopher, as well as his friend Alex, was with her.  They were being deployed in three weeks to Iraq.  The Blue Star Moms meet once a month and package the donated items and ship them to the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.   CPI of Yakima Valley, WA, District 10 (reported by Tami Mason) Tracy Harden, Tami Mason, Irene Raynett Shannon and Joyce Jones participated in a food drive for U.S. Troops overseas conducted by Grandview Christian Church.  They also donated baby formula and other supplies to the Life Options Crisis Pregnancy Center. INDIVIDUAL REPORTS: June Aldridge, CPI of Jackson, TN In her role as Director of Children's Ministry at Browns UMC, June Aldridge decided to do a "Reverse Trick or Treat" and collect canned goods for the local food bank "RIFA".  Three adults and 13 children went costumed to two subdivisions and instead of asking for candy, the children gave candy to the homes that donated canned and boxed food items.  They collected over 300 lbs. of food and the children enjoyed being able to help others.  The homeowners visited thought it was a great idea and hope to see it happen again next year.  The children realized that there are people without food that they can help no matter what the season, and the food bank will be able to help a lot of needy families. Linda Ayers, Business Professional of the Triad, NC Linda Ayers contributed $50 to the Stephen Shope Fund (this fund helps with expenses for Diane Radcliff's nephew who is recovering from injuries received in an accident). Kathryn Griener, CPI of Ann Arbor, MI On October 24, Kathryn Griener assisted a young lady by providing her with transportation so she could meet her court appointed community service obligation.  Kathryn has been providing assistance to this young lady by providing shelter and food.  Kathryn also gave another young lady transportation and support while she applied for a much needed job.  The result:  She got the job! Rhonda McKinney - CPI of Atlanta, GA Rhonda McKinney raised over $3,000 of her team's $18,000 total for the Komen Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk, joining over 2,200 men and women in walking 60 miles in three days to raise awareness and funds to support research for finding a cure. Marvin and Annette  Robbins, CPI of Eastern, NC Marvin & Annette Robbins furnished several prepared meals for a disabled Vietnam veteran who lives by himself in Sharpsburg, NC, and often goes days without eating.  He now knows someone cares. Mary Nebeker - Past International President, Brigham City, UT Mary Nebeker and three others picked and sorted ten bushels of apples.  Some were used to make applesauce, but the rest were delivered to the local food pantry to be used by those in need.  Mary says "I had access to a lot of wonderful Red Delicious apples that needed to be shared with those who can't afford to buy fresh fruit!"                WAY TO GO CPI!  YOU REALLY MADE A DIFFERENCE IN 2009!                   Please forward any pictures or additional reports to Carol Neal.  Thanks!                      top of page       CPI Home Page         Make A Difference Day