From the Desk of Laura Lahman...

Hi
I’m Laura Lahman, and am currently serving as South Area Director.

Thank you for taking the time to visit this site so I can tell you why I would like to be your next International Treasurer.

I joined Quota because, it is an international organization made up of caring people around the globe who share my passion for helping others. 

My parents were committed to community service, so volunteer work has always been a way of life for me.

I was probably 8 years old when my Father and I rang bells outside a department store, to collect money for the Salvation Army.  

My folks often invited sailors for holiday dinners, while they were on leave, from ships that were in port.

I volunteered a lot as a teenager.  One project I remember was selling Christmas trees, with the proceeds going to the Shrine Burn Center. 

So you can see that joining Quota International was a very good fit for me!  

I wasn’t a member of Quota very long when I volunteered to help at a holiday party, for deaf children in an improvised area.  I remember there was one little boy, who after signing what he wanted for Christmas to Santa, refused to get off his lap and just clung to him.  I assumed he wanted to stay on his lap because he felt loved and safe being there.  Well, I had a total meltdown that morning. 

I knew at that moment that the world needed Quota’s service!   And after all these years, nothing has changed.  That need still exists today!   

There is a proverb that says, “Tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.”     

We need members and clubs today in order to sustain us as a worldwide organization tomorrow.

I don’t think you can talk about being International Treasurer without also talking about membership, which helps provide our financial support.

I don’t know if any of you have been caregivers, but what often happens, is the caregiver is so focused on the person they are helping, that they frequently neglect themselves.   

To some extent, I think we have done this in Quota.
 
We have been caregivers to the world.  And while this is who we are, in many cases, we have unintentionally neglected the health of our clubs and organization.

So in order to improve the health and financial security of Quota, we must grow!  There are many ways by which we can approach this, but the bottom line is that we need more members and more clubs.  I think of this as the M & M approach!

And we do this by:

Setting a goal
Having a plan
Staying focused, and
Being committed to our goal

We have a goal of 100 new clubs by 2019 and the initial planning took place at every Area Meeting where potential new communities were identified.   

Now we are focusing on the locations that appear the most likely for potential new clubs.  

At the same time, I feel we must expand our approach to include networking capabilities, mentoring additional Jr. Quota clubs and creating new marketing tools to help us attract members as well as donations!

What do I mean by networking? 

By creating a directory or place to advertise, we can support Quota members or their businesses.  Other organizations do this!  The business is willing to invest by covering the cost of membership or sponsoring events, because they will realize future business.  With today’s technology we can very easily support one another.  This is a win-win for membership recruitment and retention as well as making us more globally connected.

We MUST introduce Quota to the next generation.  This IS the generation that will ensure Quota’s future, long after we are gone.  And Jr. Clubs are another way to get more M&M’s!  We need to mentor Jr. Quota Clubs across the globe. 

I have witnessed 1st hand these Jrs.' amazing energy and incredible enthusiasm.  from digging driveways for Habitat of Humanity, teaching dance classes to the poorest of youths or arranging a Signing Santa party for deaf children. 

Jrs. tell their friends about Quota on Face book and Twitter.  They attract the press!   One Jr. Club was asked to perform at a professional basketball game!   How’s this for getting our name out there?  

Our teenagers want to make a difference and we need to give them that chance through our mentoring program so that when they are ready to join a service organization, it will be Quota International that they join.  

It is said that when it comes to the future there are 3 kinds of people:
Those that let it happen,
Those who make it happen, and
Those who wonder what happened.

Quotarians are the kind of people that MAKE it happen!  

With your vote for me as International Treasurer, we can ensure Quota International’s financial security through growth and continue to bless mankind. 

That’s what we’re good at, that’s who we are!

Thank you