Members of local service organization Altrusa International of Salina, KS recently hosted the Altrusa International District Eight conference in Salina, drawing more than 100 attendees from four states to Salina.
As part of the four-day event, regional attendees donated more than 2,600 hygiene, household and food items to Salina Shares, to support its Laundry Love and other outreach activities. Alongside the donations, $1,000 in cash was presented to Salina Shares Executive Director Debbie Rivers on April 27. She served as the conference’s Friday luncheon speaker, telling how Salina Shares and Laundry Love came to be and how each impact the community.
Salina Altrusans won numerous District Eight awards at the conference, including: Newest Club Member at Conference; second place in the Billie Jean Ward Fundraising Award for the “Together We Care” fundraising project; Honorable Mention for 10% Club Membership Growth; second place in the Dr. Nina Fay Calhoun International Relations Award for “From Words to Worlds,” an international missions-trip project with Trinity United Methodist Church; second place in Club Displays; Honorable Mention for the Letha H. Brown Literacy Award for the club’s annual Halloween “Book ‘n’ Treat” event and second place for the Governor Distinguished Service Award for the “Keeping Kids Warm” project. Former club President and current Altrusa International President Linda K Smith was presented with the Marilynn J. Bell Humanitarian Award in recognition for her years of local, district and international leadership within Altrusa, as well as for her involvement in numerous community organizations.
Altrusa International District Eight holds its annual Spring Conference each April in a different community within the four-state district encompassing Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas. This year, the four Kansas Altrusa clubs from Salina, Hutchinson, Emporia and Lawrence, celebrated a combined 326 years of local civic service, with the Salina club marking its 80th anniversary.
For details on membership in or volunteering for an Altrusa International of Salina project, contact Club President Margaret Dixon at [email protected], or visit https://www.facebook.com/altrusaofsalinakansas?mibextid=LQQJ4d .
Altrusa Salina meets monthly and is active in numerous service projects, supporting organizations including DVACK, Ashby House, Big Brothers Big Sisters Salina, the Salina Adult Education Center and Rebecca Morrison House, while maintaining numerous Little Free Libraries.
Debbie Rivers of Salina Shares and Laundry Love, served as a keynote speaker.
