The Mine Action Information Center at JMU is looking for someone to help with conference planning. It’s a short-term opportunity. Do you know anyone who might be interested?

Job Description

The Mine Action Information Center at JMU is seeking to hire a program assistant to help plan and implement a five-week resident course for senior managers of landmine action programs around the world. The program assistant will play an important coordination role in a team setting. Tasks will include: coordinating daily transportation, organizing field trips, meals, airport transfers, classroom management, student employee management, and attendee liaison. The successful candidate will be detail-oriented, can manage multiple tasks in a fast paced environment, possess good communication skills, enjoy working with people from other cultures and available to work irregular hours as needed. This position is short-term (Sept-November) with the possibility of continuing if funding allows. Pay rate: $13-15/hour.

For more information please contact Christine at +1 540-568-2315 or Daniele +1 540-568-3356.

~Lois

Summer is almost over and it’s time to get back in the swing of things. This month’s meeting is a Focused Networking event, designed to help you reconnect with other members and friends and meet new ones.

We’ll also have a discussion about what topics and presentations interest you, so come prepared to tell us who you’d like to present programs and what you’d like to hear about. Bring names and phone numbers, too! We are always trying to make Women’s Forum better, and you can help by providing ideas. No committees, no obligations. Just your ideas during the meeting. That’s pretty easy, isn’t it?

So bring plenty of business cards, flyers, marketing materials, etc. Come prepared to tell everyone who you are and “everything” you do in 60 seconds or less (30 seconds is even better!). Bring your friends and business associates, too! They want to meet new people and expand their businesses and friendships, don’t you agree?

RSVP by Tuesday, Sept. 11, noon:
lcarterfay@gmail.com or 540.820.3840

Women’s Forum Meeting
Thursday, September 13
11:45 am - 1:00 pm

Spotswood Country Club
Harrisonburg, VA

$15 Members
$20 Guests

~Lois

Sorry I haven’t created any entries for you since July. I do have a good excuse, actually 3 excuses. We’ll see if they pass muster.

First, I was out of town at a conference. I took my niece Roni with me on a business trip to Vancouver, B.C. We managed to have a good time even though I had some obligations at the conference every day and neither of us was feeling well.

It was the ISPO (International Society of Prosthetics and Orthotics) conference, which I attended because my job at the Mine Action Information Center at James Madison University has given me the opportunity to compile a catalog of adaptive technologies for landmine victims. Our researcher, Maureen Morton, and I thought we might discover some good information for the project and possibly find some interested donors as well. Only time will tell if our efforts were productive.

I came back home August 4 and the afternoon of August 5 found me in the hospital with angina, which later developed into a full-blown heart attack that required emergency surgery to implant a stent in my LAD artery. They kept me flat on my back for three days, then finally let me get up late at night on Wednesday. I went home on Thursday.

The following week my niece, Nessa (17 and pregnant) was hospitalized off and on most of the week with a kidney infection. Then she went into labor at 2:30 am on August 17. Baby Amelia Kaye Bowman arrived at 8:28 am. Mom and baby are doing great. In fact, Nessa delivered on Friday and started Blue Ridge Community College the following Monday!

On August 23, I went back into surgery for another cathetization, expecting to have another stent put in the second blocked artery. Amazingly, the artery had cleared itself and nothing was required. So now I’m on six different medications each day and following a diabetic diet (having also been diagnosed with this disease while in the hospital!).

I’m back at work about six hours a day. I still get tired, mostly from the medications, but I’m doing very well. I started cardiac rehab at the hospital last Monday. They promise to whip me back into shape.

I plan to avoid having any more heart attacks. They hurt!

Thanks for all your prayers and good wishes. It seems they worked quite well.

~Lois

You can now buy Nancy’s books directly from her through her new website. Check it out:

Nancy Bondurant Jones’ Website

~Lois

Please welcome our newest member:

Kathleen Kelly
No Sweat Fitness Express
182 Neff Avenue
Harrisonburg, VA 22801
Phone: 540.432.1700
Email: nosweatfitness4u@aol.com

~Lois

I will be out of town for the next meeting (August 9) and Holley Watts and Anne Stephens will be running the meeting. Our speaker will be Karen Barnes, Community Resource Center, “Introducing the Community Resource Center.”

Please respond no later than Monday, August 6, to let me know if you can attend. I’m leaving town August 7 and will need to call in the attendance early.

Date: Thursday, August 9
Time: 11:45-1:00
Location: Spotswood Country Club, Harrisonburg
Speaker: Karen Barnes
Topic: Introducing the Community Resource Center

Member: $15
Guest: $20

RSVP by 8/6: 540.820.3840 or lcf@marketingideashop.com

~Lois

Linda Hoover announced that as part of the downtown revitalization, the businesses have started First Fridays. Every first Friday of the month, Harrisonburg businesses will have art and music downtown from 5 pm -7 pm. This will be followed by Fridays on the Square which alternates music and film each Friday during the summer. Linda invites you to join in the fun. The next First Friday will be August 3.

Anne Stephens was at the July meeting, feeling much better than she has in awhile. She said she had another surgery on her heart and it went very well. Please continue to hold Anne in the Light.

Milla Sue Wisecarver announced that she is creating an Inspirational Ranch space in her house. It is designed to allow people to have a creative outlet and get to know one another. Everyone is invited to contact her to join the fun. She also invites people to contact her regarding the life-changing program she participated in, Landmark Education.

New member Kathleen Kelley of No-Sweat Fitness announced she is presenting an all-day Nutrition and Fitness program (9 am – 3pm) on either September 29 or October 8. Contact Kathleen for more details.

September 29 is also the day for the International Festival.

Holley Watts announced that her documentary film, A Touch of Home, the Vietnam War’s Red Cross Girls, is completed and she has a rough cut of it available for viewing. A show of hands let us know that members would be interested in viewing this 45-minute DVD. It will be shown on September 18 at 7 pm at No-Sweat Fitness (in the same strip mall as Heavenly Ham). Please contact Holley if you would like an invitation to the event.

~Lois

A Spanish teacher was explaining to her class that in Spanish, unlike English, nouns are designated as either masculine or feminine.

“House” for instance, is feminine: “la casa.”
“Pencil,”however, is masculine: “el lapiz.”

A student asked, “What gender is ‘computer’?”

Instead of giving the answer, the teacher split the class into two groups, male and female, and asked them to decide for themselves whether “computer” should be a masculine or a feminine noun.

Each group was asked to give four reasons for its recommendation.

The men’s group decided that “computer” should definitely be of the feminine gender (”la computadora” ), because:

1. No one but their creator understands their internal logic;

2. The native language they use to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else;

3. Even the smallest mistakes are stored in long term memory for possible later retrieval; and

4. As soon as you make a commitment to one, you find yourself spending half your paycheck on accessories for it.

The women’s group, however, concluded that computers should be masculine (”el computador”) , because:

1. In order to do anything with them, you have to turn them on;

2. They have a lot of data but still can’t think for themselves;

3. They are supposed to help you solve problems, but half the time they ARE the problem; and

4. As soon as you commit to one, you realize that if you had waited a little longer, you could have gotten a better model.

The women won!

~Lois

Now’s the time to reserve for our July 12 meeting!

The July 12 meeting of Women’s Forum will feature Brenda Black, CTP, Tourism Manager for Harrisonburg Tourism & Visitor Services. She will discuss “Fun Things To Do In And Around Harrisonburg,” introducing us to some new ideas and a few old favorites. Learn about Friday on the Square (Harrisonburg), Jazz in the Park (Staunton), local and regional museums and hiking opportunities, as well as what events are coming up in the next few weeks.

Women’s Forum Monthly Meeting
Thursday, July 12
12N-1PM

Brenda Black, CTP, Tourism Manager
Harrisonburg Tourism & Visitor Services
“Fun Things To Do In & Around Harrisonburg”

Meet the WF Member: Margo McIntire

Members: $15
Guests: $20

Please reserve by July 10, noon:
Reserve online: Click on above blue link
Call Lois: 540.820.3840
Email Lois: lcf @ marketingideashop.com

~Lois

Database/Direct Mail Assistant

Harrisonburg-Rockingham Free Clinic
25 W. Water Street
Harrisonburg, VA 22801

Date: June 2007
Contact: Rose Garrison, Resource Development Director 540-437-4961

Specifics:
This is a volunteer opportunity requiring 10-15 hours/week. Work time is flexible. Interested candidates should complete the volunteer application at www.hrfreeclinic.org

Chief objective of the position:
Ensure that donations are accurately recorded, tracked and reported and the Resource Development Director has the administrative support needed to effectively raise funds and manage public relations and outreach.

Primary purpose of the position:

1. Enter data in the donor database and produce acknowledgement letters

2. Produce reports and queries as needed

3. Provide support for direct mail/public outreach activities

Core Responsibilities and Measures:

1. Enter donations, deposits, and other pertinent information in the database. Entries are made within seven working days of receipt and are checked for accuracy. Glitches are reported to supervisor

2. Produce donor acknowledgement letters
Letters are checked for accuracy and completed within seven working days of receipt.

3. Update donor records
Entries, such as deaths and significant donor events, are made and reported to supervisor each week.

4. Produce reports and queries
Cross check reports and queries for accuracy

5. Assist in the direct mail process including newsletters and donor appeals
Direct mail pieces (generally three/yr) are produced and mailed in accordance with the pre-arranged schedule.

6. Help with other projects related to resource development as time allows

Overriding departmental value:
Maintain positive relationships with coworkers, volunteers, patients, and others based on courtesy, compassion, and respect.

Qualifications:
General knowledge of fundraising, especially database management and direct mail helpful. Some college is preferred. Strong computer skills in word processing and spreadsheet applications required. Other computer skills, such as Access, PowerPoint and desktop publishing, are helpful.

~Lois