Page 5 - The Scepter - Summer_Fall 2016

From the Desk of the National President

Thank you for attending Parliamen-Top 2016 on September 29 through Octo-

ber 2, 2016 in Glenview, IL. And for those who did not attend, we want you to
know what you missed. We learned a lot, took care of business and had a lot of
FUN! There were approximately 265 Ladies and Lords in attendance in addition
to National Partners.

Thursday was filled with Institutes and Workshops for your TLOD knowledge
and for your personal gain. From all indications, they were all well received and
everyone benefitted. For future suggested topics that are TLOD related, please
contact Lady Emily Jones, Chairman of Leadership Development and Succession
Planning. For other workshops, please contact Lady Eddie Lee Marsh, Chairman
of the External Workshop Committee. Kudos to these Ladies and their Co-
Chairs, Ladies Barbara Travis - Financial Institute, Carrie Howard - TTA Advisors Institute, Stephanie Dunn -
Chapter Presidents Institute, and Betty Edwards - External Workshops Co-Chairman. Kudos are also in order to
the workshop presenters. They were excellent! If you want to be a presenter in the future, please contact Ladies
Emily or Eddie Lee.

On Friday, there were more workshops and committee meetings. Thanks to Lady Adrienne Davis and her team
for the "Is It Legal?" Workshop. I was not in attendance, but I heard the scuttlebutt, and I think you all had too
much fun in that particular workshop. J Great Job, Lady Adrienne! I also understand that the Past National
Presidents did an excellent Membership Roundtable. It has been suggested that it be taped the next time it is
done. We will do that.

The workshops were followed by a luncheon titled "Celebration of Life: A Salute to Caregivers." In keeping with
our partnership with AARP, a caregiving panel was held with the following participants: Edna Kane-Williams,
Senior Vice President - AARP; Lady Deadra Woods, Area III Legal Counsel and Lady Audrie Lawton, 12th Na-
tional President. Dr. Pernessa Seele, CEO and Founder of the Balm in Gilead was the moderator. It was a very
informative panel, touching on the physical, financial and psychological aspects of being a caregiver. Panels of this
nature will be presented at Area Conferences and Syn-Lod in addition to an Estate Planning Workshop.

After the luncheon, the National Community Beautification Committee led by Ladies Pauline Hunter, Chairman,
and Myra Nelson, Co-Chairman, accompanied a select few on a nature walk and tour to The Grove, a beautiful
botanical garden with nature trails, historic houses, etc. Excess monies collected for the walk were donated to the
facility for educational purposes.

At the General Session on Friday evening, TLOD's National Partners were showcased: AARP; Sarah Wright,
Liaison - Youth Development Programs and Lady Verushka Wilson, Sr. Multicultural Specialist - ALSAC/St.
Jude Children's Research Hospital; Dr. Juanita Sims Doty, Chairman, JSD Foundation and Dr. Karla
McCullough, Executive Director, JSD Foundation - A-TEAAM; Dr. Pernessa Seele, Founder & CEO - the Balm
In Gilead; Sue Smith, Director, Special Projects - Keep America Beautiful; Triesta Fowler, M.D, Medical Of-
ficer, Office of Communications - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human
Development (NICHD). The Sickle Cell Disease Association of America convened their National Conven-
tion at the same time as Parliamen-Top so a representative was sent from the local office. In addition, Dress for
Success was represented by a local rep - Wendy Williams. There was no representation from March of Dimes.
Awards were presented from St. Jude for the top three chapters who raised the most during the TTA Walk: Phoe-
nix, Will County Black Diamond, and Lincoln Park Chicago Chapters. These chapters were presented with
plaques, and St. Jude logo pins were provided for each chapter that participated in the walk. A total of over