Fourteen members and two guests attended the May 13 meeting held at Tekela’s Restaurant in Perrysburg. After a prayer, a welcome was given by President Lois Zeh. After lunch, the guest speaker Susan Garn gave a presentation on Monarch Butterflies. Candra Boggs, a previous UWE scholarship recipient, spoke about her project “Women in Life.” Boggs is a Perrysburg High School art teacher and her students were each asked to create a portrait of a woman that inspired them. Examples of this portrait project were shared.
Zeh thanked Joan Slebos for presiding at the April meeting in Zeh’s absence, and the luncheon’s social committee consisting of Jane Milbrodt, Paula Munson and Zeh. She also thanked Joanne Kessen and her husband, who attended the Harbor Walk for Hope, which was the culminating activity of one of this year’s scholarship recipients, Manny Mazzarella. He is the supervisor for the Yellow Oak Club at Perrysburg High School; this club sponsors fundraisers for local charities.
The April meeting minutes were read and approved. The treasurer’s report was given and filed for audit. Treasurer Cheryl Sharp also noted that Dollars for Scholars donations have totaled $135 for the past year. Those monies are added to the scholarship/mini-grant fund that is used to award various county teachers up to $200 for a special project they have explained on an application and who have been selected a recipient by the UWE scholarship committee.
Amy Rahmel, chairperson of the scholarship committee, shared a thank-you letter from Jessica Stevens, a mini-grant recipient from last school year, and who is a fifth grade ELA teacher at Perrysburg. Her project involved purchasing a classroom set of the book, “Holes.” Her students completed a novel study of this book. Rahmel also read a thank you note from Jenny Lowe, who is a current mini-grant recipient from Lake School District. Her project is entitled MVP Mentoring Program. Pattie Jo Butler, communications chairperson, reminded members to let her know about any UWE member that she should send a card to.
Under new business, Zeh stated that she has learned the cost of the bench for the Wood County Senior Center is $600. Kim Veryser from the Women’s Club, shared a picture of the bench with Zeh. Zeh will contact the Women’s Club to get clarification about saving hard plastic bottle caps for the project. The membership voted to use up to $100 from our treasury and then passed the hat to collect $200 to complete the club’s half of the total amount needed to complete the construction of the bench.
Zeh reminded members that she is still collecting UWE surveys regarding ideas for programming and volunteering.
The meeting concluded with the installation of officers for 2023-25 and was conducted by Rahmel. Those officers installed were Zeh, president; Joan Slebos, first vice-president; Patti Jo Butler, second vice-president; Teri Hansen, recording secretary; Mary Ann Hoare, corresponding secretary; and Sharp, treasurer. The meeting concluded with a reading of the poem, “Butterfly Wings” and a wish for Happy Mother’s Day.
