Our October meeting was held at Meredith Mason's home, at 2403 Hatley Drive.
The program was titled "Who's Who
of Rollingwood" and featured four Rollingwood residents who are
engaged in diverse enterprises that range from child protective services to
being Sergeant-at-Arms at the Texas House of representatives.
Andrea
Sparks an attorney
by training, serves on the Board of the Austin Children's Shelter. and with
CASA ( Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Austin. CASA lobbies for
children's Bill of Rights to ensure that kids in foster care have a
voice in court.
She outlined the lives of kids in
foster care and showed a brief video to illustrate the struggles that
these kids endure as they are moved around and placed in different homes. She
emphasized the need for volunteers especially bi-lingual and male volunteers to
serve as mentors to the kids.
Rod
Welsh works as
Sergeant-at-Arms for the Texas House of Representatives. The
ceremonial role of Sergeant-at-Arms , he said, can be traced back to the House
of Commons in England and as far back as the Roman empire. His role
is to ensure that the rules of the House are followed and this involves
anything and everything from ensuring that a quorum of members is
present and controlling access to the chambers to security of all attendees, to
ordering the annual Christmas tree to be set up in the chambers. He related many
special experiences unique to his role that had historical significance. Leah
is working with him to organize a special tour of the Capitol for club
members.
Ellen
Ambrose is
currently on the board of Partnerships for Children after having served as its
chair for two years. The organization helps children in residential facilities,
in foster care and even those temporarily living with kith and kin while their
parents are under investigation and unable to care for them. She helps with the
Rainbow Room that provides material goods for children and young adults and
helps with Holiday Wishes for these kids. A Mentor program has been
started that helps kids prepare for the challenges of the real world when
they have to leave foster care at age 19.
Laila
Scott continues to serve on the Dell Children's Trust
board after having been its chair for two years and a founding
member with her family's RGK Foundation. The
trust has grown to nearly 180 members who meet throughout the year and also
annually to fund requests from staff , nurses and doctors for specific
needs of the children that are treated at the center. Needs she explained, can
be as simple as pillows for preemies to helping to arrange for a
cancer patient to go to a prom.
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