January 2006 Announcement
January 2006 Newsletter
Letter from the Executive Officer and President- MSS,
Magdalen Yum
A very Blessed New Year to you and family.
It takes me some time to accept the shock of being elected, to form a team of committed officers and think what I can and will do for the Association for the year 2006-7 as I did not expect to be “recycled”. Kathy Gianinni humbly resigned to be the co-President (MCS) the next day after the Nov. 7, 2006 election which gave me more challenges to face on the first day of the presidency. I immediately counter-offered Kathy to head the MCS World Wide Reunion Organizing Committee for 2007 which she graciously accepted. Well, I am still left with an Association with only me and Judy Kwok Murray, the volunteered, much appreciated, Vice President, because I assured her there is nothing much to do. By God’s grace, a thought dawned on me while I was praying when driving to work and I am pleased to announce that the officers for the 2006-7 Maryknoll Alumnae Association of North California are:
Executive Officer and President –MSS Magdalen Yum (MSS 1976)
President – MCS Judy Kwok Murray (MCS 1962)
Treasurer – Angela Pang (MSS 1973)
Secretary – Winnie Yiu (MCS1971)
I have confidence that the two years ahead is going be very meaningful and exciting for the retired Maryknoll Sisters, for some former teachers and of course for our Alumnae.
The first meaningful thing that happened was that the MCS Worldwide Reunion for 2007 has become the Maryknoll Schools Worldwide Reunion in 2007 at the invitation of the Organizing Committee during their first meeting on Nov 22, 2005. This idea is immediately supported by Sister Rose Duchesne in her Nov 25, 2005 email to me, and I quote: “Through the years, I’ve admired the spirit that existed between MSS and MCS grads in the SF area. Now it is going to be formalized…” This has given me the courage to take up the challenges ahead.
As information technology has advanced so much and the use of internet i.e. emails is so convenient, the concern over privacy has become increasingly important and we are working hard to address this. A website for the Alumnae Association will solve a part of the privacy issue. It is being designed and targeted to be ready by the end of the first quarter of 2006 if not earlier. We shall encourage our alumnae then to check the website for news and event updates. This website will have links to other Maryknoll Alumnae Associations in other parts of the world and more. In addition, I am working on forming a class or in some cases an area representative system more commonly known as a phone tree system, to reduce the mass mailing activity and be more effective and efficient. I do hope that each event may become the event for a particular class also.
The new officers’ first meeting was at the Café Selina in Millbrae on Dec 18, 2006 and the following were some of the highlights discussed:
- Completed documentation for change of signatories for bank account.
- Website design and construction to be undertaken by Magdalen. Will design one for the Maryknoll Schools Worldwide Reunion as well.
- Memberships: (to subsidize administrative and some minor expenses incurred on the Retired Sisters )
Fees:
Life Time: $100
Annual: $15
Forms: (new members and update)
This will be done online once the website is up. For the time being, we will use the offline method. - In view of the Maryknoll Schools WWR for 2007, bank accounts will be open for the event under a sub-account for the Association. Magdalen and Angela will remain as signers to this account in addition to the WWR Committee members for internal audit and control purposes. The treasurer is also the treasurer for the WWR 2007 committee.
- For the year 2006, we have the following ideas:
- Goodies and amenities baskets for the retired sisters at the Maryknoll Mother House in NY and the retirement house in Monrovia, California. We will be collecting funds (not tax deductible) so that we can purchase these gifts and sent to the sisters. We are targeting early February, the Chinese New Year season. More information HERE
- Special Visit and Tour to the Asian Art Museum and the De Young Museum of San Francisco for the Alumnae and for those interested alumnae and the retired sisters who live close to us.
- An outing or a feasible gathering event to get us together to pray together,catch up, share health secrets and have some fun.
- For the Maryknoll Schools Worldwide Reunion 2007, I need all the MSS Alumnae’s moral and actual support and it seems like a wild thing to do. San Francisco is a beautiful city and is a great place to be at during summer. Will keep you all posted.
Letter from the President-MCS, Judy Kwok Murray
With much trepidation and apprehension, I agreed to Magdalen’s proposition to be MCS’ president whilst she will be CEO and president of MSS. We all lead such busy lives, it is an awesome commitment, but as she aptly puts it, someone has to do it. It is simply a matter of setting one’s priorities by juggling our hectic schedules. So, here I am, ready to do my best and utmost to achieve the 2006-7 Maryknoll Alumnae Association goals.
I totally support and agree its high time we at MCS and you at MSS be all known as Maryknollers with no differentiation. Our Worldwide Reunion should definitely encompass all. We are one and should be proud to be associated with such a prestigious school.
Besides all the fun activities the Alumnae Association are trying to put together, we need to, first and foremost, bear in mind of the wellbeing of those wonderful, dedicated women who devoted their lives to God, and left their homes and families to come to a strange country to educate and spread the faith. We have all benefited tremendously by being taught by the sisters who tirelessly gave us their all, to stimulate our minds and hearts to become the women we are today. They help us form a solid foundation to achieve what we strive for and be successful in our careers and professions. Is it a wonder we should give back a fraction of what they gave to us?
Therefore I urge you all to be generous in helping us reach the fundraisers we are going to have this year to take care of these wonderful women who are now elderly and in need of care. Every penny collected will go to these loving sisters who have made us in some form of what we are today.
Peace and Blessings to you and yours…