Our chapter meetings were varied. At our first meeting, our member Dorothy Zurheide reported on the activities of HEIFER INTERNATIONAL, an organization that provides seed livestock to needy people worldwide to support their becoming self-sustaining. Many of our members have contributed to this worthy cause. An extensive history/geography/cultural report was presented on Sri Lanka, ironically only weeks before the tsunami. We supported International Education Week by manning a booth at the University of Toledo. This event is chaired by Temmulen Sunid, one of our members. Our celebrated sculptor and PPSEAWA member, Joe Ann Cousino spoke about her life’s work and some amusing details of recognition in the art world. When divulging that she is a sculptor, she is often asked, “but what do you really do for a living?” We hosted visiting groups of Afghan women and a delegation from Tanzania. Ginney Schlicher said there is an interest in Afghanistan to form a new PPSEAWA chapter.
A donation of $200 was made to PPSEAWA-Sri Lanka for the tsunami victims. We approved donations of $354 to the PPSEAWA USA Education Fund in memory of former members Marge Wilson and Berniece Husted. We also voted that a minimum of $25 would be donated to the Education Fund from our treasury upon the death of any Toledo Chapter member and we will encourage additional donations from individual members.
Toledo officers for 2005-06 are President: Norma J. Wells, 1st VP: Ardella Gibson, Co-2nd VP: Joan Searles, Co 2nd VP: Susan Mag, Recording Secretary: Louise Bankey, Corresponding Secretary: Lorene Gunderson, Treasurer: Isabelle Lu Christopher, Chapter Representative: Fran DeLamater.
Toledo chapter regrets the lose of long-time member Berniece F. Husted, who passed away on November 7, 2004. She was president for the Toledo chapter in 1987-88 and 1997 and on the National board from 1987 to 1989. Berniece attended numerous PPSEAWA International conferences in the Pacific area over the years. Besides PPSEAWA, she was associated with many civic and community groups, particularly the Toledo-Lucas County Safety Council. Her interest in ethnic peoples led her to belong to several outreach organizations, including the US State Department Council for International Visitors. Some of her most exciting trips were to Africa on safari and to travel on the Nile and the Amazon Rivers.