How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” -A.A. Milne (Winnie-the-Pooh)
Dear Fellow Members of Our Beloved Quota International,
Life is full of goodbyes. In two short days, on September 30, 2020, the sun will rise over the Quota International we love one final time. This “goodbye” is by design, proposed by the Board of Directors and agreed upon by 95% of voting delegates around the globe. Just because we mutually agreed on this decision, however, does not mean that we must deny the sadness in our Quota hearts. For so many of us, our Quota affiliation has changed our lives, helped us grow as individuals in personal and professional ways, and given us the opportunity to serve those in need both locally and globally.
But… by choosing to permanently shed our international “coat”, we have lightened the heavy layers that our worldwide network of Quota clubs has been wearing. Lightening the layers means loosening the bonds that have in so many cases held our clubs back from recruiting new members and operating in a more flexible and economical way. International and regional dues were becoming unaffordable especially for members on fixed incomes, and bylaws and rules of procedure mandated “sameness” rather than “uniqueness.” By dissolving Quota’s international structure, clubs that are continuing on can design their own distinctive service experience that each values most.
You told us that your LOCAL service and fellowship experiences were what you valued most about your affiliation with Quota INTERNATIONAL. By “ending well”, as was the Board of Director’s goal, your most important Quota benefits can continue to be realized. Many of us, of course, will also miss the opportunities to connect internationally. Thankfully, we can remain in touch going forward via our Quota International Facebook page, which will be continuing on through the generous help of wonderful volunteers. By simply “liking” the page today, you will receive Quota INTERNATIONAL updates in your Facebook feed in the months and years to come. And while you are stopping by, consider sharing your final Quota INTERNATIONAL thoughts. What made Quota International so special for you? How did you benefit and grow from your membership? What will you miss most? You might wish to thank special Quota members who made a difference in your life or became your Quota mentors. Let’s join together for one more Quota-wide conversation.
Many others of us are creating formal and informal connections with other clubs in our communities, our former regions or districts, and nationally. Opportunities for national connections right now are available in Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand (NZ Facebook Page & NZ Web Site) the Philippines (Region 18 & Region 19), and in the United States (contact members@quotausa.org).
When Quota Club International was founded in 1919 (later renamed Quota International), our stated goals were to foster friendship among professional women, nurture unified efforts to help other people, and increase tolerance and international understanding. We, and the generations of dedicated Quotarians before us, have made an unforgettable impact on our world. Together, we have been a force for good, for commitment, for caring, and for helping when and where we can – all in Quota’s name. Our milestones as an organization have been significant and most worthy of celebration. For example:
During World War II, we provided hands-on assistance through the Red Cross and volunteered to support the war efforts in a variety of ways.
We’ve partnered with organizations such as Care, UNICEF, and the United Nations, over many decades to support solutions to global poverty. Make no doubt about it, lives were saved through these efforts!
We donated hundreds of thousands of dollars in support of life-changing research, funding organizations like the House Ear Institute in California, U.S.A., and the Children’s Cochlear Implant Center in New South Wales, Australia, furthering their work in helping deaf and hard-of-hearing people.
We’ve distributed more than a million dollars-worth of pediatric hearing aids, donated to Quota International by Siemens Hearing Instruments, to babies and children whose families could not afford them.
Bound by the founding principles in the Quota Collect to seek greater understanding of service and to learn the real meaning of sharing, Quota formally established the Club-to-Club program at the 1983 International Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. Now known as Hand-in-Hand World Service, the program supports Quota members on the ground in developing countries who know the needs of their own communities, literally changing and saving lives. I am so grateful that the program will be continuing beyond the dissolution of Quota’s international structure! Learn how you can participate in the future.
Through our unified service projects, we’ve made the difference in the lives of disadvantaged women and children and people who are deaf, hard-of-hearing or who have speech difficulties in our home communities. Adding up our individual efforts equals significant success.
I feel so blessed to have been a part of Quota International these many years. Through the process of serving people in need in collaboration with my fellow Quota sisters, the quality in my own life has been so greatly enhanced. Perhaps you feel the same way as I do, and if so, won’t you please raise your glass and repeat our Quota Collect one final time in honor of our Founder, Wanda Frey Joiner, who brought us, and generations of members before us, together in service:
Quench in our hearts, O Lord, all fires of selfishness, Unfold to us the joys of true friendship, Open our minds to a better understanding of service, Teach us the real meaning of sharing, And help us to hold high those principles of Quota for which we stand. Amen
And now, I invite you to walk through Quota’s international door, gently closing it behind you. As Rumi once said, “Every door is another passage, another boundary we have to go beyond.” My fervent wish is that the spirit of Quota International will remain in your heart as you move forward in continued service to our world in whatever new way you have chosen to define it.
Yours in Quota,
Emilie Simon
2018-2020 International President