Auntie ABATE / “Cuz” Report

Every once in a while, I take time to reminisce a bit. August tends to be one of those times. It is a time for me to reflect on people that have come into my life….My parents were married in August 1939, so I often reminisce about them and reflect on my upbringing. I have grandsons that were born on the 1^st and 26^th of August, and my honey was born on the 27^th, so I think about them and what joy they have brought into my life.

This year I will be especially reminiscing about “Auntie ABATE” – Marlene. It will be 5 years at the end of this month that she “went to visit relatives in the old country.” – since she passed. I reflect on our relationship quite a bit…I am thankful for the things she taught me about the ins and outs of ABATE, life, commitment, and friendship. Although sometimes I must admit, I swear at her under my breath a little for getting me SO involved. For some reason (maybe because we are both Polish and were born Catholic) she took me under her wing and introduced me to this very worthwhile organization and introduced me to many, many lifetime friends that I know I can count on. She guided me through my “formative” years of ABATE and turned me into a member that takes much pride in what we can and have already accomplished and she, last but not least, encouraged me to think outside the box, which is mostly a good thing. Bill and I spent many a Sunday morning at her kitchen table with plates of biscuits and gravy in front of us before we traveled to board meetings. Those breakfasts and the hours we spent in the car traveling really gave us the opportunity to network amongst ourselves, bounce ideas off of each other and form a real bond. For that, I am ever grateful. You are missed Marlene and thought of often, but especially in August.

Your ever loving “Cuz,”

Betty