Altrusa International of Garland celebrated accomplishments, distributed awards and installed newly elected officers at its President’s Banquet Thursday, May 12.
Altrusa is a service organization with the goal of improving communities around the world. The Garland club offers members an opportunity to enrich their own lives while enriching the lives of others by sharing their time and talents.
The list of activities and projects of the Garland organization is impressive. They partner on various projects with local agencies including Good Samaritans of Garland, New Beginning Center, Hope Clinic, Jonathan’s Place, Garland Federation of Clubs, Relay for Life and more. The group also has a “Boxes to Troops” program and collects and provides free books to area children.
Club members work extensively with Garland ISD students on academic projects including tutoring for STAAR testing and reading to kindergartners and first graders. Older students participate in the Read to Feed program that leads to the donation of animals in poverty-ridden countries through Heifer International.
Altrusa members also coordinate and host a Make a Difference Day for fifth-grade girls from Daugherty Elementary School. The girls meet community role models who visit with them about the importance of getting a good education and making good choices.
Mable Usrey, the group’s outgoing president, announced the winners of club awards – Gale Wallace received the Spirit Award and Marlee Nickerson was the recipient of the Altrusa Growth Award. A dozen members were recognized for perfect attendance.
In addition, the organization awarded its annual Marjorie Hall-Chamberlain Memorial Scholarship to Garland ISD student Guadalupe Castro.
Several group members recently attended the district conference where they accepted the first place Letha H. Brown Governor’s Literacy Award and third place for the Club Display Award on behalf of the group.
The following officers were installed for the 2016-17 club year:
President-Gale Wallace
President Elect-Betty Sainz
Vice-president-Patty Lucas
Treasurer-Beverly Ryan
Secretary-Mary Henderson
Directors-Rosalyn Blackshear and Marlee Nickerson
Parliamentarian-Shirley Raymer
Immediate Past President-Mable Usrey