Shenandoah County Quota hosts tea, with fashions by Peebles
Mount Jackson, VA – An 18th century farm house nestled in the rural Shenandoah countryside was the perfect backdrop for Quota International of Shenandoah County’s recent tea and fashion show – where the latest outfits from Peebles Department Store were featured.
Presented by Quotarians, colorful tea services were brimming with an assortment of fine teas, and delicious Valley food was enjoyed by all in attendance on the sunny mid-July afternoon.
While guests sipped their tea and sampled treats, they listened to Quotarian Jean Whetzel give an overview of the 90-year history of Quota, one of the world’s oldest service organizations, as well as update the group on the 17-year history of Shenandoah County’s local Quota Club.
Afterward, Program Committee Chair Stephanie Heishman-Litten gave a preview of Quota’s jam-packed calendar for the coming year. These programs include: a family picnic, a ladies night out with a movie, Cooking Divas Night, January’s New Year “New You” program, The February “Big Hearts” – with a focus on heart disease, and an Irish Girls Night Out in March 2010.
Shenandoah Quotarians are also making plenty of time for service. Kristi Zirkle, former 19th District Governor, invited everyone to join in the fun, which kicks off with an ear plug distribution at the Shenandoah County Fair tractor pull and demolition derby events, followed by a breast cancer awareness program called “Bras on the Fence” in October.
Later this year, the Quotarians will be preparing stockings for kids without homes during the holidays. The New Year will kick off with special treats for Meals on Wheels recipients in January. During March, known as Quota Cares Month in Quota’s world, Shenandoah Quotarians will run their annual W.H.A.L.E. (We Have a Little Emergency), which helps parents prepare infant car seats with information to identify the person to be contacted in the event of an accident.
The highlight of the tea and the day was a fashion show of garments and accessories from Peeble’s Department Store in Woodstock, Virginia. The clothing featured fashions for the toddler, young men, teens, and ladies, all modeled by Quotarians and their families. The crowd roared with approval of the distinctly-different styles, as the budding models took to the runway.
Quota International of Shenandoah County is part of the larger Quota International, a non-profit, non-partisan, non-sectarian service organization formed in 1919 and guided by its motto, “We Share.” Dedicated to making a difference in local communities and in developing countries, the 7,000 members of nearly 300 clubs around the world grow personally and professionally primarily by serving deaf, hard-of-hearing, and speech impaired individuals and disadvantaged women and children.
The Shenandoah Quota club was founded in 1992 and has, since then, donated audiometers to schools and TDD machines and hearing aids to several persons in need. In addition, its members have supported several local charities with funds raised by their annual landmark brass ornament sale.
For more information on Quota International, contact the Shenandoah County Quota Club, at (540) 984-7649 or send an inquiry to: P.O. Box 703, Woodstock, VA 22664.
The Shenandoah County meets on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at Denny’s Restaurant in Mt. Jackson, Virginia. To learn more about international service projects of Quota, log onto the organization’s International service Web site, or the Quota membership Web site.
