International Bulletin - April 2000
PPSEAWA-Hawaii Report 1999
As the year 1999 draws to a close, PPSEAWA Hawaii will celebrate its 72nd birthday. It truly has been an eventful millenium for this founding chapter of PPSEAWA. The history making first international meeting in Honolulu, at Punahou School, on August 9, 1928, was chaired by Miss Jane Addams of Hull House in Chicago, one of America's most distinguished women. Throughout the following, amazing times of growth, setbacks, renewal, and finally international recognition and expansion, the ladies of the Hawaii Chapter have done their utmost to keep the spirit of the initial meeting alive. Sadly, last year, we lost Dr. Beatrice Krauss, the only remaining member who had attended the founding conference in 1928.
Our last 12 months of this remarkable millenium were filled with activities relating to the PPSEAWA platform adopted in Kuala Lumpur, in 1997. Three Luncheon Programs on the economic, historic and social issues of the Pacific Islands, and on Indonesia's Pre-election situation; membership meetings celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Human Rights Declaration, on "Pioneer Women" in the Environmental Movement , and more recently, a reception for our new members, on "PPSEAWA members as Volunteers" (a brief education on PPSEAWA).
 Elizabeth Haas offers small items to youthful shoppers within their budgets. They found a pair of earrings for their Mommy at the PPSEAWA-Hawaii flea Market, a fundraiser for the Youth Forum. |
In May, at our elegant Annual Meeting at the Outrigger Canoe Club, we elected our new officers (see below), conducted a Silent Auction of very pretty things donated by our members, and honored our three Grant- in-Aid winners for their scholarly achievements (educational counseling, speech pathology, cultural anthropology).
PPSEAWA Hawaii members also had an outing to visit the Susannah Wesley Community Center, situated in the heart of our immigrant community, Kalihi. Since we traditionally have been donating children's clothes and toys to the Center at Christmas time, we were all the more impressed with their programs, professionalism, dedication, and the physical facilities. There is a "given" relationship to our PPSEAWA mandate. This October, the Center celebrated its 100th Anniversary with great community support.
In September, we chose to stage our first "Flea Market" at the Center, as a fundraiser for our Program activities. This was not only a brand new experience and great success, but also good fun, with a lot of our members donating and volunteering.. (see photo with Elizabeth Haas in "Sales").
To further improve our financial situation, some of us also participated in the local "Give Aloha" Charity Fund drive, supported by the Foodland Chain with matching funds. (This grass roots community effort gave over a million dollars to 100 local agencies).
Since the summer, we have been working on Shirley Munyan's call for a workshop on "How to give young people a long life". Again, our Program Committee (Dr. Sarah Vann, Chair) has connected with Susannah Wesley Community Center. Irene Fujimoto, our 1999 Merited Member , has also been a major fundraiser for the Center, and instrumental to set up our new endeavor: the Program titled "Kalihi-Palama Youth Vision 2000 - Ensuring a good long life" will take place on December 4, 1999, at the Center. Much preparation has gone into this, including extensive interviewing of groups of young people residing in the area, and inviting Role Models for them to meet at the Forum.
With our newly formed Communications Committee, we are ready to jump into the electronic age. We invite all chapters to please write to us via : vern3amy@aol.com (committee chair Amy Funk). It will be so easy to participate in websites and to generally get "connected" with our sisters via e-mail. However, we are also eager to hear from you via fax: (808) 422-7091. We would be happy to exchange newsletters with you, if you are interested. ANY information about and from you will be greatly appreciated. Part of PPSEAWA's challenge is to work internationally which is now, more than ever, within true reach.... since the first international women arrived, on the Hawaiian shores, in 1928 by boat, to exchange views and make plans for a better world!!
In closing this report, it is appropriate that we introduce our new Board for 1999/2000:
President: Ulrike Siddiqi
1st V.P.: Sarah K. Vann
2nd V.P.: Elizabeth W. Haas
3rd V.P.: Diana W. Lockwood
Correspondence Secy.: Mildred M. Jones
Recording Secy.: Jeanne Yuen
Treasurer Floraine Van Orden
Past President: Florence Kelley
Last Modified: June 05, 2010