I have heard about all sorts of methods people are going to try to exorcise the energy of 2020 – smudging, sweeping, chanting - are just a few of the varied and creative ways people are planning to release all of the negativity we experienced from the unprecedented circumstances we found ourselves experiencing this year.

So Cheers to the New Year and to pep in our step, and smiles on our faces as we move forward into 2021 ready to learn about, and engage in, the liberal progressive issues and causes that are near and dear to our hearts.

Happy New Year everyone!

Betsy Beekman

Upcoming Events

Immigration and Detention in the Era of COVID-19

El Refugio is an interfaith ministry of hospitality and visitation, serving immigrants detained at Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia, and their families and friends. Board members Marilyn McGinnis and PJ Edwards will talk with us focusing on recognizing the full humanity of people in detention and their families, while coping with the restrictions and dangers of COVID-19.

Tuesday, January 12

7:00 PM Zoom meeting

Coordinated by WAG

How has COVID-19 impacted your life? Has it threatened your survival, made you sick, kept you from friends and family, or inconvenienced you? Now, imagine coping with the pandemic as an immigrant detainee, far from home and family, locked in a private, for-profit prison with nearly 2000 other frightened, bewildered detainees of various backgrounds, temperaments, and health conditions.

Founded by a group of friends who had witnessed first-hand the trauma and challenges of immigrants and asylum seekers, El Refugio provides free lodging and meals for families visiting loved ones at Stewart; visits individuals who don’t have family and friends in the Southeast to visit them; sends books, and connects people with resources. In addition, El Refugio’s Post-Release is helping to reunite immigrant families while being present for them as they journey back to their families, homes, and communities in the United States, and being there for them during the transition from detention to freedom.

Recap of December Events

Deep Center

Dare Dukes, Executive Director

Coco Papy, Communication & Development Director

Keith Miller, Director of Youth Programming

On Dec 10th we were lucky enough to have Dare Dukes (ED), Coco Papy (Dev/Comm.) and Keith Miller (Dir of Prog) talk with us about the Savannah based organization, Deep Center - www.Deepcenter.org. These three shared with us why Deep works, how students lives get transformed and ultimately how Deep Center is trying to make Savannah a more equitable community for all, especially, young people of color.

Savannah is a traumatic city to grow up in - 32% of families with children live below the poverty level; 70% of female-led households with children under 5 live below the poverty level and 67% of Savannah’s public school children live below the poverty level. The trauma faced by these young people growing up in such poverty is what Deep Center started to work on.
Deep Center’s vision is to empower Savannah’s young people to thrive as learners, community leaders and agents of change. They started by focusing on literacy and using art and storytelling to help young people connect with themselves and their community. Literacy was not the end goal it was just a tool to get young people on a level playing field. They started with 24 students back in 2008.

So often Deep Center would see young people excel and then they would run into barriers within the community that were put in their way. Deep Center realized they needed to focus on the systemic issues of why Savannah young people were likely to land in the court system or drop out of school. That’s when they began doing systems change work and helping to develop policies that would support these young people.

Deep Center is working at the state level on building Savannah into a Restorative Community. They want to lift up Savannah’s youth and families by directly supporting them while working to change the institutions and systems harming them.

For more information on Deep Center visit www.deepcenter.org.

Membership

Skidaway Abigails Gift Membership

Wondering what to give that special friend or family member for the Holidays? How about a Skidaway Abigails Gift Membership? You can present it in a Skidaway Abigials coffee mug with some festive chocolates and an infomation card about our group.

There are two ways to purchase a gift membership:

1) Send the name of your friend(s) and email address(es) with a check for $25/person made out to Skidaway Abigails and your email or phone number to:

Adele Packert 16 Tanaquay Court Savannah, GA 31411

Adele will contact you to arrange a time for you to pick up your gift. OR

2) Drop your check off with the recipients information at Adele's house and pick up your gift.

If you have questions call Adele's phone at 702-445-5790 or email her at apackert@aol.com

Adele's email

Member Spotlight

Joan Wade

Joan Wade grew up in Oklahoma City, and moved to the Landings in 1981. She completed her BS in nursing “thanks to a Pell grant”. She went on to practice in the St. Joseph’s Candler system for 23 years, most recently in the Mother-Baby Unit.

Joan shares that “Carol Bowen called and said, ‘I’m on my way to pick you up’, (not taking no for an answer), and took me to a meeting of like-minded women who decided to start what eventually became the Skidaway Abigails! Thank you Carol!”

Joan’s story of her entry into activism and advocacy is best told in her own words; “My first taste of political action came when the sweetest mother-in-law one could hope to have took me to my first League of Women Voters meeting, which then led to my first national March for the Equal Rights Amendment in San Francisco, 1974.” Joan went to Barack Obama’s second inauguration, and returned to Washington, DC, in 2017, for the Women’s March.

Joan has been an advocate for Planned Parenthood, Moms Demand Action, and a consistent presence at marches and rallies for Science, Pride, Climate Change, and as she says, “just about any call for justice.” She volunteered to visit detained women at the Irwin Detention Center in Ocilla last fall. Joan has been very active this election year in postcard mailing campaigns to get out the vote in Georgia. Joan encourages us to make ours voices heard through our VOTE in the January 5 runoff election.

Thank you, Joan, for your hard work behind the scenes, and your out-front advocacy for justice.

The Skidaway Abigails is pleased to feature Cubby Plonchak in our November Member Spotlight. Cubby calls herself a "Bronx girl” but over the past 25 years she has lived at the Landings. She received a B.S. in Education, taught physical education, and coached in schools on the East and West coasts. She became interested in progressive causes starting with concern over girls' and women’s places in the sports arena, pay inequality and reproductive rights.

She is currently serving on the boards of Skidaway Abigails, WAG, and Skidaway Island Democrats. Cubby has coordinated "Get Out the Vote" postcard initiatives with the League of Women voters of Coastal Georgia in coordination with Abigails and WAG, to increase voter turnout in the 2020 election. She has participated in protests ranging from marches to letters to the editor of the Savannah Morning News.

Cubby has generously opened her home for WAG meetings and dinners (as long as she didn’t have to cook!). She welcomed overnight guests, when five undocumented students Freedom University in Atlanta, spoke last year to the Abigails. She also held "meet and greet" sessions in her home with Georgia political candidates.

After Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away, Cubby created the opportunity for 140 members of the Skidaway community to come together in the Village Square to honor the life and mourn her death.

Cubby is one of the most stalwart activists and enthusiastic contributors to Skidaway Abigails and WAG.

Thank you, Cubby, for your passion and commitment!

Membership

Well, here we are headed into the New Year. Although we will all be celebrating differently than we usually do, we’ll still be able to connect with friends and family in meaningful, creative ways but at a distance.

That said, Abigails have been on the move in many ways, including membership. Yes, people have been renewing and joining. How do I know -- every time someone renews or joins, a notice “pops up” in my email.

Now, I know some of you haven’t renewed yet. That does enable you to see what’s going on within our organization; but, you aren’t able to participate in some of our ZOOM programs and other exciting and engaging activities. Think of what you’re missing!!

So, in order for me to keep receiving those email notices, think of renewing or encouraging some of your friends to join; or, maybe you would like to purchase a membership for a friend as a holiday gift!!!

I’ll be waiting for those renewal/new email notices! Keep them coming!!

Happy Holidays,

Adele Packert

Membership Chair

702-445-5790

apackert@aol.com

Click to Join or Renew

Activities

Abigails Video Chat

December 29

January 5, 12, 19, 26

3 PM

Zoom Meetings

Coordinated by Sheila Grossman

Are you missing being able to connect with other like-minded women? Please consider joining us for our next Abigails Video Chat. With everything that is going on locally and in the world, from the recent (and ongoing) elections to the pandemic that has upended our lives, it's great to be able to talk freely about what we are learning and how we are feeling. The group continues to explore how we are dealing with the unique and stressful time in which we are living.

The America We Need Discussion Group

Friday, January 15

9:30 am Zoom Meeting

Led by Susan Terrio

Beginning in November and continuing through February, this monthly group is discussing the international bestseller by Ibram X. Kendi, How To be An Antiracist.

This book has been described as a 21^st century manual of racial ethics and a critical guide at a time of persistent racial injustice in employment, schools, housing, policing, and government. Dr. Kendi is the Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities and Founding Director of the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research. He is the youngest recipient of the National Book Award for his 2016 nonfiction book, Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America. In 2020 Time Magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. The assignment for January is to read Chapters 9-12.

Reel Time Film Group

Wednesday January 27

4 pm Zoom Meeting

Coordinated by Annette Carnow

You may have missed seeing the star-studded film Bombshell, which arrived in movie theaters late in December of 2019. Now available on Amazon Prime Video, it looks at the Faustian deal that many women faced to get ahead at FOX News under Roger Ailes. Watch the movie at your convenience in your home and then join our conversation on sexual harassment in the workplace when we meet via Zoom.

Annette Carnow

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE IN THE TWO SENATORIAL RUNOFF RACES!

The 2020 elections have shown the power of advocacy – a record turnout of voters made history! But it isn’t over yet! The U.S. and indeed, the world, are waiting for the January 5th runoff elections between incumbent Senator David Purdue (R) and Jon Ossoff (D) and incumbent Senator Kelly Loeffler (R) and Reverend Rafael Warnock (D) here in Georgia.

Go to www.MVP.sos.ga.gov/MVP for information about where to vote early and where to vote in person on January 5th.

• If your requested absentee ballot hasn’t arrived by now contact the local board of registrars. The best way to return your absentee ballot is to drop it in a secure drop box. Check the League of Women Voters of Coastal Georgia's website (lwvcga.org) for the location of the drop boxes in our communities.

• Early voting began Dec 14th and will end December 31.

• Ballots can be dropped off in monitored drop boxes through Jan 5th at 7 pm

• In-person voting is 7 am to 7 pm on Jan 5th. If you received an absentee ballot and want to vote in person instead, bring the absentee ballot to your polling place. It will be cancelled out and you can vote in person.

Canasta

Coordinated by Sue Kantor

Over the last year or two we have gathered a great group of women for Abigails Canasta. Our lives are different now. Five of us have formed a group and we have been playing online for the last few months.

If forming a group sounds good, gather your own group of Abigails and/or send me your names, and as soon as there are 4 or 5 women, I will form the group and you are off and running. Each new group will function autonomously. Choose your own day and time; no shopping for snacks or wondering if you have the cards, the shuffler, the tray or the extra table!

If any of you are interested in playing virtually please feel free to contact me and I will be glad to help with the process and share what we have learned from using Canasta Junction. suegkantor@gmail.com.

Book Clubs

The Abigails book clubs are currently full but we would be happy to start a new one if there is member interest. If you would like to participate in a book club, please email us at chair@skidawayabigails.org. The presenter for the January Afternoon Book Club will be Susan Danner discussing "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison.

Message From Your Board of Directors

Your 2020-2021 Board of Directors, like you, are proud Abigails members. We are committed to serving the mission, and the members, of Skidaway Abigails. We look forward to a great year with our Abigail friends and sisters in action!

President

Betsy Beekman

elizbeek@gmail.com

Vice-President

Susan Terrio

terrio.susan@gmail.com

Secretary

Susan Kurtain

skurtain@aol.com

Treasurer

Iris Dayoub

iris.dayoub@gmail.com

Programming Co-Chairs

Pat Wallace

Bruceandpat71@aol.com

Betsey Andersen

betsey.andersen@gmail.com

Social Co-Chairs

Nikki Berdy

nberdy@aol.com

Sue Kantor

suegkantor@gmail.com

Membership

Adele Packert

apackert@aol.com

Activities Chair

Bonnie Kelly

bonniekelly47@gmail.com

Communications Co-Chairs

Anne Boynton

boyntonstudios@comcast.net

Sheila Stallings

cookiestallings@gmail.com

IT Chair

Sheila Grossman

sheilagrossman@comcast.net

Advocacy Chair

Cubby Plonchak

Cubbyplonchak@gmail.com

Ex-Officio/Advisor

Sheila Grossman

sheilagrossman@comcast.net

Mission Statement

The Skidaway Abigails is a nonpartisan organization of progressive, liberal women whose purpose is to provide engagement opportunities for social, educational and advocacy activities to its members. We welcome women who support our values to join us, regardless of residence, race, ethnicity, age, religion or gender identification.

What We Value

A strong commitment to women's health and safety including family planning; health education, screening and research; and protection from domestic abuse and the full range of offenses against women, from harassment in the workplace to sex trafficking.

A society that provides services for its poor and its children including basic shelter, food, physical and mental healthcare, quality fact-based education, childcare, pre-K development and college opportunity.

Fair and equitable treatment for the working class including a livable minimum wage; pay equity for women; reducing the gap between the average employee's compensation and corporate executives'; affordable health care; a future in our country for working immigrants; and equitable treatment under the criminal justice system.

Fair and equitable treatment for our Lesbian/Gay/Bi-sexual/ Transgender population in all aspects of our society. We support their right to marry and create a family,

Regulation that respects individual freedom while protecting the community including the licensing and control of firearms; and eliminating unwarranted surveillance, personal data collection and criminal profiling.

Protecting our planet from mankind's impact on earth's climate and precious natural resources ranging from fresh water to the honey bee. We want to better understand opportunities to enhance sustainability.

Being informed and represented on political issues related to our values including voter registration and the right of citizens to vote; the stated positions of local, state and federal candidates; and access to articles and subject-matter-experts on value-related issues.