The Galveston County chapter website is: www.lutheransonline.com/galvestoncountychapter
Pictures of your Board of Directors are on the website.
If you don’t know them, go online and see who they are!
Your 2012 Board of Directors will be posted in January.

Officer Sanderson from the Galveston K-Nine Unit of the Police Academy shared and demonstrated equipment and information to all attending prior to the election at Memorial Lutheran in Texas City.  Members present learned about how canine trained dogs assisted police in drug searches, recovery of stolen property, and stopping criminal action.  

Officers and dogs go through intensive training together.  They work as a team to carry out the police work in this special unit.  

Galveston County Chapter assisted the unit with Care Abounds in Communities funds to provide protective vests for the dogs who are an essential part of the police unit.

Continuing Officers are President, Carolyn Howard; Records Director Sheri Foltz Brackman; Financial Director, Cart Dolozal; Community Service Team Director, Frances Fundling and Communications Director, MaryAnn Waldon.  

Newly elected to the board for 2012 are Vice President, Ruby Reviere; Director of Congregation Advocates, Cecelia Cronk; Events Director, Joan Sikes and Youth Director, Robin Groeper.   This represents a good balance for the chapter.

Still needed for the board is the Assistant Financial Director.  This position may be filled by appointment by the president with board approval.  If you know of anyone who would be willing to serve in that capacity, please contact, president, Carolyn Howard.

Following the board election, a light meal was served.  Members present enjoyed the food and fellowship.

Pictures of all officers will appear on the Galveston County Website in January 2012.

The Galveston Board of Directors is pleased to announce that all funds were requested and dispensed to many different and worthy groups and needs.  These included Hands – On and Fund Raising Events.  Some of the Hands –On Activities were shopping and wrapping special Shoe Box Packages for the Seaman’s Center,  making baby layettes and quilts, constructing  a  playground fence, repairing at a youth camp,  building picnic tables for Habitat homes, and quilting for Lutheran World Relief.

Fund raising efforts included having garage sales, craft sales, live and silent auctions, conducting tea rooms, holding barbeques, providing special dinners, holding an Octoberfest or a Spring Fling.  

The groups that were supported included Food Pantries, Family Support Centers, Meals on Wheels, a Lighthouse Charity Team, the Lutheran Music Academy and a Point of Light Clinic.

The items mentioned may assist teams as they begin formulating ideas to request funding for the community in 2012.  The board anticipates with pleasure the consideration of such requests.

At the January 2012 meeting all advocates from each congregation in the Galveson County Chapter will be reappointed unless the request is made to be removed as an advocate.  Additional advocates may be named from each congregation if the request is made to the chapter president or the Congregation Advocated Director who is Cecelia Cronk for 2012.  

The chapter appreciates all of the work that advocates do to share information, to support Thrivent and to initiate Care Abounds in Communities fund requests.  Please know that you are needed and wanted.

As a Thrivent member you may have been designated some special Thrivent funds that have been designated for your use in support of a charity of your choice.  Go to the Thrivent web site to see if you are eligible and if so the dollar amount that you have been designated to use.  Please know that this is one of the benefits of being a Thrivent member.  You  have the opportunity to give according to your own wishes with the money that is designated to you to use.   Enjoy the pleasure of giving to your choice!

Imagine yourself as an advocate for both Thrivent Financial and your congregation to identify Thrivent Financial programs and services that will help your congregation achieve its mission and goals, resulting in a positive impact on your congregation and community. Imagine you have the primary responsibility of connecting with Thrivent Financial members, congregational leadership and congregational members to understand their needs, while partnering with Thrivent Financial representatives and chapter leadership to identify and execute charitable, educational and social solutions to meet those needs.

Congregational advocates do just that! The time to get involved is NOW! Our chapter has congregational advocate opportunities available. The only requirements are: being a Thrivent Financial member; a desire to help people; a passion for your congregation and Thrivent Financial and approximately five hours of volunteer time per month.
We very much need you! Help us take full advantage of this unique opportunity to significantly impact your congregation. Contact your Director of Congregational Advocates Cecelia Cronk at  ceceliacronk@att.net today to find out more.

Listed are the members of the chapter board with phone numbers and email addresses:

President: Carolyn Howard, 281-337-4377, Email: csh5407@verizon.net

Vice President: Ruby Wulf, 409-986-5612, Email: rwulf10@aol.com.

Records Director: Sheri Foltz Brackman, 512-508-3638
Email: sheribrack@gmail.com

Financial Director:  Carl Dolezal, 409-789-9569, Email: carl.dolezal@gmail.com

Congregation Service Team Director: Delores Bahr, 409-935-9225, Email:  dbahr3456@yahoo.com

Community Service Team Director: Frances Fundling, 409-945-4210, Email: flainef@sbcglobal.net

Assistant Financial Director: George Black, 281-956-2201, Email: george.black@RSACorp.com

Communications Director: MaryAnn Waldon, 281-332-2775, Email: mbwaldon@gmail.com

Youth Director: Raegan Mayville, 409-935-4567, Email: Reamay1990@sbcglobal.net

Financial Representative Advisor:  Jon Mienzen, 832-689-9882, jon.meinzen@thrivent.com.

The chapter website is www.lutheransonline.com/galvestoncountychapter

Please contact any member of the board if you have questions or concerns.