A Busy Year So Far!

2011 has been a busy year so far for Aleli Parlor. On February 26, 2011, we held our District 22 Official Visit of Grand President Barbara Rowland [pictured above with Aleli Parlor President Lucy Cornelius (on right)].

We were honored to have several of her Grand Officers attend as well: Grand Vice President Marilynn Rodrigues, Angelita Parlor No. 32; Grand Marshal Linda Galassi, El Vespero Parlor No. 118; Grand Trustee Sharon Logan, San Jose Parlor No. 81; and Grand Trustee Bonnie Tabor, Morada Parlor No. 199.

The Ceremony of Initiation was conducted. Native Daughters of the Golden West was honored to have seven new members initiated (four from Aleli Parlor!):

• Kelsie Howe, Aleli Parlor No. 102
• Warren King, Aleli Parlor No. 102
• Lillian McPhee, Aleli Parlor No. 102
• Joanne Reyes, Aleli Parlor No. 102
• Sherry Garcia, Junipero Parlor No. 141
• Pauline Kirby, Junipero Parlor No. 141
• Nancy Zuniga, San Juan Bautista Parlor No. 179

Grand President Barbara pinned the Emblem of the Order and term pins on the new members and presented the new members to the assembled members and guests. Grand President Barbara also presented Diana Gomez, Gilroy Parlor No. 312, with her 25-year pin.

In lieu of gifts for her, Grand President Barbara requested that each parlor purchase California history books and donate them to a local school of their choice: Aleli Parlor No. 102 donated books to Natividad Elementary School in Salinas; Junipero Parlor No. 141 donated a book to Pacific Grove School in Pacific Grove; San Juan Bautista Parlor No. 179 donated books to Tres Piños Union School in Tres Piños; Gilroy Parlor No. 312 donated books to Brownell Middle School; and Santa Cruz Parlor No. 26 donated books to the neediest school in the Santa Cruz School District. Grand President Barbara presented each District 22 Parlor with the book Rivers of California.

Through Coin March and raffle proceeds, we were able to raise $169.00 for restoration projects at the Native Daughters of the Golden West Home in San Francisco.

The event was a memorable one for all who attended—one made even more memorable when it started to SNOW outside! This is remarkable since the elevation in Salinas is about 70 feet above sea level. In fact, it had not snowed on the Salinas Valley floor since 1962.

Grand President Barbara closed the Visit with some inspiring words: "if it weren’t for all of the Parlors, we wouldn’t be Native Daughters of Golden West. We are very important to the State of California—for all the work we do for veterans and for children."

(photo credit: Marian Lujan)