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DignityUSA
PO Box 376
Medford, MA
02155
tel: 800.877.8797
202.861.0017
fax: 781.397.0584
email:
info@dignityusa.org
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RETURN TO > 1997 > DATELINE
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DignityUSA DATELINE
MARCH 1997, VOL. 6, NO. 3
National Scale . . .
- House of Delegate Credentials
The official HOD registration form for credentialing of delegates is in the mail. Delegates registered by April 10 will receive HOD information directly at their homes. Chapters who do not name delegates by April 10 will receive the second mailing at the chapter's P.O. Box. Naming delegates now is key to facilitating the comunication process.
- HOD PREPARATIONS
First round motions have been sent to all chapters for their review; the second round of motions will continue until March 23, 1997. While motion's may be submitted through the beginning of the HOD, those submitted by the March deadline will be able to have a full hearing and discussion at the Spring Regional HOD's. Ideas for motions should directed to chapter officers or delegates. The HOD will convene at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, July 7, and continue through Wednesday afternoon, July 9.
- National OFFICERS:
Candidates who wish to stand for election for the National President and Vice President for the 1997 to 1999 term must submit their names and qualifications to National Secretary Ben Boerkoel. Candidates are nominated and elected as a two person slate reflecting gender parity. Nominations close 60 days before the opening of the July, 1997 HOD.
- Tax Time: Do you need a tax statement itemizing 1996 contributions
to DignityUSA? Request one by calling the the national office: 1-800-877-8797.
- Please welcome:
Adam Sandes recently came on staff as our new Administrative Assistant. Adam, who is scheduled to work about 10 hours a week, will help with several important tasks including membership mailings and sending out packets to folks requesting more information about Dignity.
Convention Update
- Board of Directors: July 5 to 6
- House of Delegates: July 7 to 9
- Leadership Institute: July 10
- General Convention: July 10 to 13
- Convention registration packets have been sent to all members.
- Additional non-member packets are being mailed to chapters.
- Registration info can also be downloaded from the convention's web site or requested from the national office. DignityUSA Convention '97 PO Box 956, Back Bay Annex Boston, MA 02117 dignity97@aol.com
Happy Anniversary:
- Cincinnati 24
Claiming the Promise: New Bible Study Curriculum on Homosexuality
- Leader's Guide, $9.95
- 7 Part Study Guide, $5.95 or $4.50 for 10 + or more Order yours today! Add $3.00 for shipping =20 DignityUSA Suite 11 1500 Massachusetts Ave., NW Washington, DC 20005-1894 Tel: 202-861-0017 Fax: 202-429-9808
Of Note . . .
- Board Set to Grapple with Phases 2 and 3 of Basile Ryan Report
on Membership, Growth
All Dignity chapters recently received the complete Phase II and III Reports from the consulting firm of Basile Ryan. The Board contracted with Basile Ryan last year to help DignityUSA reverse several years of membership decline and to develop and implement a plan for growth. "The Phase I Report represented an analysis of the current state of Dignity," said National Secretary Ben Boerkoel. "Phases II and III give us tools for short and long-range planning and action in the areas of membership retention and growth."
Board members have studied these documents carefully and already implemented some of the operational changes recommended in the report. Further intensive study of the report was set for the February 28 to March 2 meeting of the Board of Directors in Boston.
Ben highlighted several of the changes. For example, lapsed members are now sent additional invitations to maintain their membership in Dignity rather than simply allowing their memberships to expire. The Board will also send periodic mailings to former members to keep them apprised of our accomplishments. The first mailing is set for March.
"There are a number of recommendations that will be more difficult to implement given our current organization and staffing," commented Ben. "Many of them, however, are essential to accomplish if we want to position Dignity for growth." Some of these recommendations center on membership development, increasing and deepening the donor base, and increasing Dignity's visibility. "The Board has agreed in principle that these are the right areas for us to focus on. We will grapple with developing plans for their implementation at their winter meeting."
Members who wish to see the complete Basile-Ryan report are invited to contact their chapter leadership.
- SF Chapter Applauds Officials
Dignity/SF added its voice to the debate over domestic partner benefits which found San Franciso officials publicly opposing Archbishop William Levada's request for an exemption from a City ordinance. The recent legislation requires the 6,000 businesses that hold city contracts to provide benefits to domestic partners of employees by June1. Levada's request centered on $5.6 million in city contracts with Catholic Charities, the largest provider of HIV housing and support services on the West Coast.
Chapter Co-Chairs Bill Baird and Mario Torrigino sent a letter to Mayor Willie Brown. "We believe that all organizations, agencies, and businesses that are granted public funds for public services should be subject to the laws and regulations that come attached to those funds. No special class of grantees should be exempted due to religious or any other reasons. If a grantee finds that the legal requirements conflict with its own "religious and ethical tenents", then they do not have to apply for the funds." In a compromise revealed recently, however, Catholic Charities will provide benefits to "any legally domicilied member of the employee's household. "
- Making Joyful Noises in DC
Dignity/Washington, DC's two choirs joined voices in mid-February to create an audition tape for the National Association of Pastoral Musicians Choir Festival scheduled for July in Indianapolis. The 25 Dignitarians sang Moore's Taste and See and Haas' Without Seeing You.
"We decided to enter again for several reasons," said choir leader Blake Velde. "First, it's fun. Second, by singing in front of 6,000 music directors, we give voice to many g/l/b/t music directors who fear for their jobs, who hide their identity . . . Last time . . .we were terrified at not knowing how we would be accepted, how we would do in the competition etc. For every negative comment, there were at least 10 positive ones."
- Honolulu's Annual Couples' Blessing
Dignity/Honolulu once again welcomed members to its annual Blessing of Relationships service. The ceremony, a liturgy of Scriptual readings, songs and a homily, is held every year close to Valentine's Day. The blessing service began several years ago, before the current political controversy about same-sex marriage legislation in Hawaii. Several Dignity members testifying as individuals in favor of legislation recognizing same-gender partnerships have found themselves at odds with diocesan officials lobbying for lawmakers to define marriage as union between a man and a woman.
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