BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
Altrusa International of Starke held its installation of 2023-24 officers on May 11 at the Downtown Grill, with Sarah Long becoming the new president.
Club member Beverly Hardy, who is the immediate past president at the international level, performed the installation. To Long, whom she referred to as “the big kahuna,” she said, “You have been elected to the highest office of your club. You, this year, are the face of Altrusa International of Starke, Florida. You represent us.”
Hardy said Long will work with the board of directors in setting new goals and increasing the club’s impact on its community.
“We thank you for your dedication to this leadership position,” Hardy said. “It’ll be a busy year. You’ll be a wonderful president. We’re so thrilled to have you.”
Amanda Seyfang, as the 2022-23 president, passed the gavel to Long, saying, “Sarah, I’m so excited to see you step into this leadership role. I know you’ll be fantastic. How do I know? Because you’ve got a big heart for service and for your community. Because you don’t want to just be good, you want to be good for something.”
Long shared the following quote with the club: “Behind every great woman, there are great women.” She then said, “When I learned that I would become president of the club, I immediately began to think of all the reasons why I wouldn’t be a great leader. However, the more I thought about it, each one of you ladies came to mind and the amount of talent and knowledge within this club. I know I will become a great leader, not because I’m great, but because each one of you are.
“I look forward to working with you over the next year. Let’s make it a fun one.”
Before beginning the installation, Hardy, reflecting upon 1999 when she was club president, said, “I was more excited to be club president than I was to be District Three governor and international president. That’s no lie. I was just so thrilled, so I hope that you are half as excited as I was back in the day.”
She asked the 2022-23 officers to stand for a moment of recognition, saying, “You have led us so well. We appreciate your leadership.”
Hardy first installed Paula Register, Brenda Thornton and Gale Trotter as board members.
“You are the hands-on businesspeople,” Hardy said. “You will set strategic direction, implement club policies, approve the club’s budget, support committee activities and oversee the administrative tasks of the club.”
Kim Roberts, who wasn’t present, will be the correspondence secretary. Hardy then installed Pam Woodruff as secretary, saying, “Pam, you will be our secretary who takes the minutes for the meetings and the board meetings. You are the history. What you write down will go down in history.”
In installing Tiffany Rees as treasurer, Hardy spoke of the job she has already done in that role.
“I know from working on the international level that Starke has the reputation, out of all the clubs, of having their dues in prior to the end of the year,” Hardy said. “She just has all those i’s dotted and those t’s crossed. I know that all of us appreciate you, Tiffany, and thank you so much for your service.”
Hardy said Second Vice President Shelley Bowen, who wasn’t present, would be in charge of scheduling programs for the club’s meetings, while First Vice President Rachel Rhoden would handle membership applications.
“You have a really big job,” Hardy said to Rhoden. “What are we about? We’re about community service and membership.”
Rhoden is also the club’s president-elect.
“Take advantage of opportunities to learn about the president’s role,” Hardy said. “Build relationships, and plan for your year as president.”
Before concluding the installation with Long as president, Hardy recognized Seyfang as immediate past president, which means she’ll serve one more year as a board member.
“Your experience as club president this past year will empower you to be essential and to be a great mentor to our new president,” Hardy said. “You will be a valued adviser on business of the club. By doing so, I charge you with sharing your wisdom and lending a hand one more year.
“Congratulations on your excellent work and dedicated service this past year.”
After receiving the president’s gavel from Seyfang, Long took the opportunity to present a gift to Seyfang in recognition of her year as president.
“Although I know she would prefer me not to make a big fuss over her, I will take a moment to show gratitude toward Amanda Seyfang,” Long said. “Thank you for serving our club as president over the last year. Your willingness to serve not only this club, but our county, does not go unnoticed. I have loved working alongside of you, representing the Altrusa Club of Starke.”
As the new president, Long also had the privilege of announcing Hilma Gaskins as the Altrusan of the Year. She said Gaskins is the embodiment of Altrusa’s philosophy of unselfishness.
“Our best-known Altrusan, Eleanor Roosevelt, said, “To handle yourself, use your head. To handle others, use your heart.’ This year’s winner has an enormous heart,” Long said.
Long said Gaskins also exemplified grace and was a role model as a leader.
“When I joined back in 2019, (Gaskins) had not been serving in her role as second vice president very long before she was called upon to be our president,” Long said. “She didn’t hesitate because of her love for this club and our community. Little did she know, a few months later in her presidency, she would be learning to navigate being a leader during a pandemic, which shut down our meetings and our activity outreach.
“She handled every curveball thrown at her with the sweetest spirit and quiet strength. We came out the other side stronger than ever due to her poise.
“She had a vision of growth and longevity for our club, which set in motion changes that would allow involvement by younger, professional women, who may never have joined the club because they could not attend mid-day meetings. I think our night meetings have become the crowd favorite.
“I hope to learn to lead with the same grace and love that our Altrusan of the Year does.”
Prior to the installation, Seyfang talked of the District Three Conference, which was held in April in Jacksonville. She began by noting that club member Dimple Overstreet is the district’s new governor. (Seyfang is serving at the district level as well as secretary.)
Seyfang said the Starke club received an Outstanding Community Service Award, adding, “This is an award you have to meet certain criteria for. We met it and exceeded it. This is my favorite award because this is what our club is about — community service and making our community better. Congratulations, ladies.”
The club received Todd Jordan Yearbook recognition, which Seyfang gave credit to member Wanda Smith for. Seyfang also shared that the club placed third for the Dr. Nina Fay Calhoun International Relations Award (awarded for service projects) and second for the Newsletter Award.
Seyfang finally revealed that a $500 Joey Robinson Scholarship had been awarded to club member Rachel Baier.
“We’re so happy that this could go to one of our own members,” Seyfang said.
