Submitted by Dolores Martin
CARIBOU, Maine — Our first fall meeting after the summer break took place Sept. 2, 2014 at the parish center.
Regent Mary Ellen welcomed everyone back after the summer break. July birthdays were mentioned and Elizabeth Beaulieu and Sandi Gagnon each received a small gift, along with the August birthday recipients Elaine Haines and Gail Hjort and September birthday recipient Doris Albert. “Happy Birthday” was sung.
The 50/50 raffle in the amount of $10.50 was won by Sandi Gagnon.
Opening prayer, along with the prayer for vocations and the Pledge of Allegiance, were recited.
The draping of the Charter with Regent Mary Ellen, Past Regent Gail Hjort, Monitor Madeline Guerrette and Chancellor Jeanine Morneault was done in memory of two of our sisters, Delores Sperry and Martha McCormack. “O What Could My Jesus Do More” was sung.
Roll call of officers showed three absent. The secretary’s report for June and the treasurer’s and quarterly reports were given.
Correspondence received included a letter from the Boy Scouts, a newsletter from the Ronald McDonald House in Bangor and a “Thank you” from scholarship recipient Alana Sirois. Bea Pirie received second place essay on the state level and was presented with a gift by Regent Mary Ellen. Congratulations, Bea.
Cards were sent in June, July and August to Dick and Debbie Chabre, Fern Michaud, Delores Tardie, Martha Dufour, Martha McCormack, Lucille Wark, Father Ray Morency, State Regent Jaqueline Smith and Past State Regent Beatrice Dostie. Cards will be sent to Stella Carlstrom, Phyllis Brown, Norma Bouchard, Annette Damboise and Theresa Cummings. Member Norma Shaw thanked the group for cards received during the summer.
Gail Hjort, chairperson of the Layette Committee, reported that five layettes were given out during the summer months. These are valued at over $100 each and Gail thanked members for donating to this ongoing project. We replenish our supply at Christmastime, wherein each member brings a gift to the Christmas party for the layettes, and donations are given throughout the year.
Members voted to give a gift to the fuel fund for the 2013-14 season and a check will be presented to our pastor, Fr. Jean-Paul Labrie, at the October meeting.
A fund-raiser for our circle this year will again be the popular discount cards and they will be available in October. Our circle thanks the vendors on these cards for the year Dec. 1, 2013-Jan 1, 2015.
Regent Mary Ellen gave highlights of her trip to the international convention in Toronto in August. She created a newsletter which was passed around highlighting the convention. This year’s theme was “Getting Involved Today for Tomorrow.”
She challenged members with the question, “What commitment do I want to make today for the Daughters of Isabella?” Father Trevor Scarfone led the spiritual workshop and he stressed that we need to connect our heads with our hearts as we learn to grow more in our faith. He encouraged all of us to read the lives of the saints.
Mary Ellen reported the workshops were excellent.
There were seven proposed changes to the constitution. Of this number, one was referred to committee to be brought up at next convention. Two were rejected. Four were accepted. One of those accepted was raising per capita per member by an additional $3.60 per year on the international level.
Our regent asked us to bring ideas to the next meeting as to how we will meet this expense. Also, we were asked to brainstorm how to enhance our meetings.
There will be a conferral of degrees in Brunswick on Oct. 19 at 1 p.m.
The refreshment committee for September was Mary Ellen Field, Tina Sirois and Sandi Gagnon. Next month’s committee is Debbie Chabre, Madeline Guerrette, Jeanine Belanger and Lucille Wark. It will be a potluck dinner meeting; bring guests. We will begin at 5:30 on Oct. 3.
The closing prayer, prayer for increased membership and the Obligation were recited, and the song “We’re the Daughters of Isabella” was sung.
