Dear Link Sisters,

I take advantage of this opportunity, to extend greetings to each of you and a special welcome to Links Helen, Jamill, Louise and Nita. While the summer has been "short" and "hot", I trust it has also been one for rest and fun, good health, and peace in the love of God.

I want to thank you for meeting our attendance goal last year.

According to records, overall attendance at chapter meetings was up by as much as 12 percent and the new member orientation workshops by over 50 percent. I need also extend my gratitude to those of you who spearheaded the chapter's technology and friendship fellowship activities and program facets. We delight in our website and continue to look for ways to enhance it. We filled a 55 passenger bus for an "awesome: excursion to Washington, D.C.; and we were in awe by the overwhelming demonstration of support at the Holiday Arts Exhibit. We have sustained our contributions to the Haiti mission and inaugurated a sponsorship to support Norfolk State University foreign students. We brought joy to 20 plus patients at Sentara Nursing Home; and we worked in Partnership with Dominion to strengthen literacy skills of third grade students at Park View Elementary School.

Sister Links, we continue to move forward and make differences in the lives of those who need our aid as evidenced by our selection as a First Place recipient of the Portsmouth

Chapter NAACP 2006 Minority Economic Development Award . However, I would be remiss if I do not challenge you to move with a greater force during this chapter year. Its time to expand our umbrella project, "Link Onto Literature", to reach children at two additional elementary schools. It's time to broaden the scope of community services through the implementation of our new members Outreach Service project and our Obesity Hem initiative. And yes sisters, it's time to take our Friendship fellowship to another level. Let's have some more fun this year!!

Yours in Linkdom,
Pat