Joan Muyskens Pursley
Throughout the pandemic, Voices United women have looked for ways to get to know each other better, something that is not easy via Zoom. However, members of the group’s Social Committee have come up with a number of fun activities. They have had several creative contests: mask making at Halloween, decorate-your-wine glass for an Election Day Zoom meeting and, for the upcoming Kentucky Derby, the challenge is to create the most elegant and/or the most outrageous hat. Members show off their creations on Zoom and each attendee has a vote.
At the March Zoom meeting, members had fun celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. Once all had paper and pen at hand, they were challenged to provide four one-word answers to a series of questions; each of the four answers had to begin with a different letter in the word LUCK. For example, participants had to name Irish foods, U.S. cities, something they would wear at a gala, food and drink they would serve at a party. When “time” was called, everyone shared their answers by category. Only those who had unique answers got points.
Now, as most have received their COVID vaccinations, the Social Committee has organized an April 16 Patio Crawl from 6 to 8 p.m. “This is a safe way for small groups to mix and mingle outdoors with other Voices United members, many of whom have seen each other only on Zoom in the past year,” says Vickie Shoemaker, who has organized the event.
Should this idea appeal to you, here’s how it works: Members who want to participate sign up in advance. Then four or five members with roomy patios are asked to host. Participants are assigned to groups, each limited to a maximum of ten people, including the host. Every 40 minutes or so, groups break up and the partygoers move to other patios—assigned in a way that mixes the groups up so that each person sees as many other participants as possible. Participants bring their own glass and beverage. Voices United Social Committee supplies individually wrapped snacks for each patio.
The Social Committee had planned a Patio Crawl for 2020, feeling that gatherings in small groups let people get to know each other better. Hostesses and participants were raring to go when we were all advised to isolate ourselves. The snacks, already purchased, did not go to waste, though. The committee raffled them to members as part of an online fundraiser for Ignite, a non-partisan organization that encourages and trains young women to run for public office. Ignite was one of two NGOs Voices United assisted last year; the other was Meals on Wheels.
Voices United is a 503(c)(3) non-profit organization and an official club of Robson Ranch. For more information on it, visit its website at www.VoicesUnitedRR.org.