Quota Cares Month 2003 Top Winner
Quota International of Bath, New York, United States, District 17
Winning Project: A Chicken Barbecue Fund-raiser for the Laurie Anne Shaver Shifflett Memorial Scholarship

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
This dinner was a kick-off for a Memorial Scholarship for Laurie Anne Shaver Shifflett, the daughter of club member Marcia Shaver and the sister of club member Tina Yarrison. Laurie was shot and killed in Virginia during a domestic violence dispute. She was 39 years old and the mother of three children.

This was especially difficult for member Tina Yarrison. She is an advocate to help stop domestic abuse and had no idea that it was going on in her own family.

Our objective was to bring more awareness to domestic abuse and the services available and to interest a young person in pursuing a career in human services by offering a $1,000 scholarship. Enough money was raised for the scholarship and also some for seed money for next year's scholarship, because this is going to be a yearly goal.

Our dinner was most successful—we sold 350 dinners in a little over an hour and even had to turn people away.

RELATED RECRUITMENT ACTIVITIES
Our other objective was to get the name QUOTA INTERNATIONAL out in the community. As a result, since we began this project in December, we have increased our membership from 21 to 30. We also have two more prospective members interested in attending our next meeting to see what it involves!

MEDIA/COMMUNITY EDUCATION
We received excellent media coverage. Tina Yarrison and club president Angie Brush appeared on WETM television on Elmira Morning Show on March 26 to explain our project and to talk about Quota International. Angie also was on WVIN Bath radio Morning Show on March 28. We had wonderful newspaper coverage on the story and the kick-off dinner for the scholarship fund. The churches allowed us to put flyers in the Sunday bulletins—900 of them! We also sent letters asking for donations—and donations are still coming in! We explained that our objective was to bring greater awareness of the Net Domestic Abuse Program, a program sponsored by Steuben Churchpeople Against Poverty, Inc., the county's only licensed domestic abuse shelter.

BENEFITS TO CLUB/COMMUNITY

• Our club definitely benefited from all of the publicity. People are no longer asking, "What is Quota?"
  
  
• Our membership grew and members had a fun time working together for the cause.
  
  
• Donations are being made because the cause is so worthy..
  
  
• A student will receive a scholarship at graduation.
  
  
• Expressions of appreciation were received from the family. Laurie's mother, Marcia Shaver: "There is no better way to remember Laurie than with this scholarship." Laurie's sister Tina Yarrison: "If we save one family from having to go through this tragedy, Laurie did not die in vain."