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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
Comments to
Web manager
RETURN TO > DATELINE HOMEPAGE > HOME
DignityUSA DATELINE
January 2000
Volume
9, No. 1
JUBILEE 2000: BRINGING DIGNITY TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD
As a jubilee year, it is "a year of favor from the Lord"; an opportunity to start anew. A Holy Year is held to encourage holiness of life through repentance and conversion, works of charity, and participation in community (www.vatican.va/jubilee_2000). Today, in contemporary society, we especially sense a need for healing and reconciliation where we have the opportunity to begin anew and to acknowledge, as an act of honesty and courage, the weaknesses of our past.
Let us embrace this year as an opportunity to reconcile the Church of the 21st Century with all who have been marginalized. Let us work to bring the message of Dignity to every person who would benefit from what we have to say.
DignityUSA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CHANGES
Charles Cox will be stepping down from his position as executive director on December 23, 1999. He has served in that position since October 1997. Through his leadership, DignityUSA has increased its visibility and role in the national LGBT reform movement. DignityUSA extends its sincere thanks and appreciation for Charles' efforts on our behalf, and wishes him well in future endeavors.
DignityUSA is pleased to announce that past national president, Marianne Duddy, has been appointed interim executive director. We are honored to welcome Marianne back to the DignityUSA leadership team. She will work from her office in Boston, and focus on two critical areas for our organization, fundraising and public relations.
THANK YOU!
Thank you to Dignity/Boston for their generous donation of $1100 to our National Office for the purchase of a new laser printer. Thank you to those of you who have signed up with the Affinity long distance program. Dignity received a rebate check for $111.79 in November. And thanks also to our loyal monthly contributors. If you are interested in participating in the Affinity program or would like to know how to become a monthly contributor, please call the office for more information.
And a correction: last month’s article on Dignity’s renewed membership efforts incorrectly identified the name of one of our most generous donors. Thank you, David Vespa, for your generous donation of $1000 towards DignityUSA’s national ad campaign.
TAX TIME
As we prepare to celebrate Y2K, some of us already have April 15, 2000 on our minds. It is the policy of DignityUSA to acknowledge contributions as they are received. If, however, you require further documentation or have need of a duplicate statement of contributions, please call the office.
NEW OFFICE PERSONNEL
We are very pleased to announce the addition of two new staff persons in our national office. Please welcome Richard Ressa as our database manager and Ron Karstetter as office manager.
Richard will be responsible for membership processing and reporting. He brings over 27 years experience in the information systems and telecommunications industry. He is especially skilled in developing databases, automating and integrating office functions, and customer support. Richard will be working with us approximately 40-60 hours per month. Richard was born and raised in Ohio and received his undergraduate degree with a double major in classics and philosophy, from St. Charles Borromeo College in Columbus. As a candidate for the priesthood, he later attended graduate school at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. for two years, but found his interests to be elsewhere. Before making the decision to study theology, he taught science and mathematics for several years in the Diocese of Columbus' school system. During that time he became one of the driving forces in organizing the teachers into a unified organization.
Upon leaving the university, Richard accepted a position in marketing with the Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Company (C&P, now Bell Atlantic), and when the telephone industry was forced to split up, he chose to align his talents with AT&T, and has been with them for the past 27 years, being involved in pricing, regulation and marketing. Computers (both hardware and software) have held a special interest. Additionally, he has taught courses and conducted seminars in software development in context of communication-related subjects. Richard was consultor in organizing a rehabilitation center for clergy and religious, and at the same time co-founded a publishing company (Cambridge Press)- a company specializing in foreign language, technical, academic publications.
Along with the above, Richard is active in assisting schools, churches, and other not-for-profit institutions with their computer needs, both hardware and in their software applications. Ron has been a member of Dignity for thirteen years, in the Philadelphia and Washington chapters. He has extensive experience in office management, strategic planning and budget development. Ron will work 20 hours per week in our national office.
The board of directors is committed to providing efficient and timely service to our chapters and friends. We believe that the addition of Richard and Ron will greatly enhance our ability to maintain expand services.
On January 1, 2000, George Santos will become chair of Defenders/USA, replacing Bernie Burns who is stepping down after three years in the position. George has been a member of Defenders/New York for seven years and has served as its president for two years. Bernie will continue being active in the Defenders as president of Defenders/Washington.
We want to congratulate George on his new position and thank Bernie for his hard work for Defenders/USA.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!
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