QI Club Aruba

Quota International of Aruba was chartered on May 29, 1987. The International Representative Quota International President, Janet Popyach came to Aruba to present the charter of the club and the primary organizer was Jennie Mansour from Massachusetts. The club was chartered with 21 charter members. As per May 2001 the club is counting 50 members. Each year, officers and directors are elected to constitute the Board of Directors. The officers are President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The Directors are Director of Budget and Finance, Director of Bylaws, Director of Development and Growth, Director of Service. Each director has her own standing committee, and all members are encouraged to join at least one committee. The President can appoint special committees. These special committees serve until the work assigned has been completed. Special committees are among others for instance Nominating Committee, Audit Committee, Donation Committee, Fundraising Committee, and Seminar Committee.

Meetings…

The meetings are held on the first and the third Tuesdays of the each month, at 7.30 p.m. excluding July and December. The meeting held on the first Tuesday of the month is known as the Business Meeting, at which regular business is being transacted. The meeting held on the third Tuesday of the month is known as the Program Meeting; these vary from lectures of guest speakers to nature walks. Sometimes our own members are invited to share their expertise with us. Business may be transacted at a Program Meeting, if deemed necessary. Members are encouraged to bring guests to the Program Meetings. There is a charge for each guest. This will be mentioned in the convocation.

Quota collect…

Quota Aruba starts each meeting with the Quota Collect:

Q
U
O
T
A

uench in our hearts, O Lord, all fires of selfishness,
nfold in us the joys of true friendship.
pen our minds to a better understanding of service
each us the real meaning of sharing
nd help us to hold high those principles of Quota for which we stand

Activities of our club…

Quota International of Aruba serves the community of Aruba in various ways.
The club's activities each year start with an impressive installation of the new board in April. After the new board takes office per May 1, they announce the plans and goals for the year. Usually these include:
*An annual fundraising event, varying from a beach to a black tie event; for this occasion members are expected to sell a large amount of tickets. This event has been honored many times on district and international level as being one of the biggest fundraising events in the Quota world.
*A Christmas party for the Skol Scucha Nos, a school for the hearing impaired children.
*A Shatter Silence week to raise awareness for hearing problems; during this week free hearing tests are being done.
*Earplugs campaign; Quotarians distribute earplugs among the young participants in the Carnival parades, and sell earplugs along the parade routes. This is not only a means to raise funds, but also to raise awareness for the hearing problems caused by noise.
*An annual seminar, which started to increase awareness of women's issues in Aruba in 1989 with an attendance of 85 participants, has grown through the years to a crowd of 900 participants during the 2001 Seminar with Dr. Deepak Chopra.
*A Donation event, where the funds raised during the year are donated to mainly the Foundation for the Deaf and the Foundation for Disadvantaged Women on the island. Furthermore Quota Aruba supports with a donation other foundations and organizations for the youth, drug addicts, scouts, and elderly.

Membership fees…

Initiation fee
Each member pays an initiation fee of US$ 75. -.

Monthly contribution
The monthly contribution is US$ 48.50 per month per member. This contribution covers costs made by the club for the two dinners at the meetings during the month, the business and the program meeting, the international dues, the district dues and other administration costs.

Extra contribution US$ 11.50
Once a year, in December, every member will contribute with the extra amount of US$11.50. This contribution will be used as a donation to buy gifts for the children of a care center or for the children attending the hearing impaired school.

Aruba Quota members say…

"I enjoy the opportunity to serve my community and to meet new friends"
Gladys Henriquez

Quota has helped me in making a difference in the lives of others through fundraising"
Maxima Arendsz-Croes

"I appreciate that Quota members give hearing to the ones who cannot hear and give advantages to the disadvantaged"
Enid Croes-Marugg

"I am very proud to be part of the Quota family and to contribute through Quota to the welfare of the less fortunate in our community"
Evelyn Wever-Croes