letting my voice be heard: part 3

Alrighty then!

Today was the first monthly meeting of the new and improved AARP Georgia group, with Gabrielle in charge.

She started us off with an icebreaker: what was our favorite song, and why?

I gave her "Octopus' Garden", as it always made me think of walking down the street with my childhood BFF!

Then I added "Drift Away", as others had mentioned it, too.

Something we had in common! 

Afterward, she gave us a 15-minute training video to watch.

Titled "Strategic Relationship Building", it was all about determining what community bonds we already had in place for our future community awareness events.

The lecturer referred to building a Win-Win-Win strategy that would benefit the key person at an event, our group at the event, and the community members who came out to the event.

I like that "bigger picture" approach!

 

After the video lecture, we had breakout groups to discuss topics raised.

"Where do people congregate?"

"Where are important landmarks?"

"Where do we have a presence, or where do we need a presence?"

 

My group was a bit different from the others, as it had the blanched almond.

All of us - me, Wanda, Brenda, and Lillian - brought up the senior centers located throughout Savannah and Pooler.

I was the only one who suggested libraries and churches.

I even talked about Sisters In Faith, there at Asbury, who have a monthly speaker visit our luncheons.

I thought for sure they would jump on that as an event opportunity!

However, that didn't happen.

The MLK Civil Rights Museum, the Weeping Area, the NAACP center, those were mentioned by the others.

What I'm sure Gabrielle Richardson and John Strong gathered was that we had some work to do to make this group more diversified.

Let's hope we can be successful, for the good of the community at large, and not just a portion of it.

zoom along with aarp-ga again!

"Now, wait just a hot minute! This isn't a third Thursday, so what gives?"

 

The State Director, Vanessa Payne, wasn't going to be able to make that, so we scrambled and settled on this Monday for the AARP-Georgia meeting. Ta dah!

 

"I see. And what's that bit of nonsense in the photo?

 

Well, that was the important part of the agenda for her. Changes are up with the Executive Council and she wanted us to be aware, even though none of that pertains until next year. I found out that Wanda Lloyd had once served on the Executive Committee and was an Ambassador after that. Those were all Atlanta positions. Then, in 2015, AARP in ATL sent a rep to see about forming a focus group in Savannah. Wanda and the Singletons have been with this group since then.

 

"Savannah is a 'focus group', not an actual chapter???"

 

Apparently. Besides the ATL, the other two chapters are in Augusta and Athens, I think. Nothing at all in Columbus or Waycross or any other towns of size. I only found out because I asked when the group here was started. Vanessa had asked me to introduce myself, so I let all know I was a local, then mentioned my 8 years in the Navy, being retired for 7 years from teaching chemistry at Armstrong, and now being ready to do more volunteering. Then I asked about the history of AARP-GA here.

 

"Well, good. I had a feeling the group was still young."

 

Yes, it is. The person who had led it - Jenny - has relocated to Alabama, so it's in need of a new head. I don't think I want to take that on, but I am wanting to be more active. Who knows, though. We'll have an end of year get together in December, in real life, and i may decide then to take on the mantle. I think that's what folks are hoping.

 

"Don't take on more than you can handle. I know the leader has to set up functions in town for AARP to be represented at, plus there are the bus trips to ATL for political rallies and such.'

 

Oh, I've already let folks know I won't be doing any of those northern trips. Seems those are in the winter months, so I'm out. Anyway, like I said, I'll see how things go when I get to talk to these people IRL. (smile!)

zooming to a meeting at last!

"What kind of meeting? Perhaps with the American Legion?"

May I need to suggest that to Doug. It's been a right good while since Post 36 met face to face. I will say that's made my role as Historian much easier. But, no, I speak of the AARP Georgia group of volunteers here in Savannah. I signed the list to join their ranks back in the beginning of August, then I missed that meeting.

"Oh, my! How did you miss it?"

I couldn't find out when it was supposed to be! I'd find an email, after the fact, welcoming me to the meeting... but got no response when I asked when the next one would be. Then, I almost missed the one this month, but the date was changed and I saw that email conversation in enough time to join in. So, there I was at 11 AM today, hair brushed and face washed, wearing a shirt.

"Hahahaha! So, no shorts, just panties I'm betting!"

Hey, it's still a bit early and I'm still not drinking coffee. Just sayin'.

"Oh, I read you loud and clear. So, how many were zooming with you?"

I think I counted lucky 13, not including me. There was one couple - Brenda and Herbert Singleton - plus a bunch of singles - Wanda Lloyd, Jeannnette Bacon, John Strong, Pat Patterson, Bernadette Perry, Lillian Sykes, Carolyn Barnett, Connie -something-, Adrian Bell, and Vanessa Payne. That last one is the State Director, stationed up in Atlanta. She made sure I knew that future meetings would be on the third Thursday of each month, always at 11 AM. That was good to know!

"Very good to know! Hard to plan to attend when there's no pattern."

Amen to that!

"So what went on at this meeting?"

Mostly it was about gathering volunteers for two events that are coming up. One is on October 17, the other on October 25. Both are early morning events, so I made sure to let all know that I was most def not available. There seemed to be a fair amount of confusion, too, since the previous leader of this local chapter has moved to Alabama - at least, I think that's where Jenny went - and no one has been advanced to cover her spot. I'm hoping the meeting next month will be more informative for me. I will say this: they are certainly a friendly bunch, so I look forward to knowing them better.

"Well, that's wonderful! Hopefully they'll have an evening event coming up that you can be a part of!"

Yes, that would be lovely!