GOLDEN DOME NEWSLETTER

1. GOLDEN NUGGET GOLDEN DOME NEWSLETTER FOR AND ABOUT PROFESSIONALS Golden Dome – 37 Years of Excellence S. Diane White, Newsletter Editor 1735 John Calvin Avenue College Park, GA 30337 404-209-1185 / 404-281-4074 sdwhite57@ymail.com Golden Dome Chapter No. 1230 of the America Business Women’s Association Chartered - April 1972 Atlanta, GA Volume I – Issue No. 6 January 2010 Greetings: What is your vision for the New Year? Did you make a resolution for 2010? Whatever you resolved to do in 2009, enlarge it for 2010. Trade in your, I Can’t Do It, I Don’t Know How or I Don’t Have Enough Education, for I Will Succeed In All of My Endeavors for 2010. You have been where you are long enough. Now it is time to change the scene. Stop limiting yourself. You will not be able to go to the next level with the same old mindset, so change your thinking. What happened in the past is over and done, so set new obtainable goals for yourself. During this new year, if you stumble, do not worry, just make it a part of the dance and keep pushing toward your goal. Let’s set new and exciting examples for others to follow, so shake off those old bad habits, put on your dancing shoes and let’s bring in 2010 with a bang. Let’s have a supernaturally bountiful year! The President’s Message Eunice Carter Eunice Carter ~ Chapter President In This Issue: President’s Message. . . . . . . . Cover Agenda/Invocation/Mission . . . . . . 2 Dec. 7th Meeting Minutes . . . . 3-4 Speaker’s Information. . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Reminders / Code of Conduct . . 6 Local News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Kudos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Save The Dates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Financial Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-11

2. Vol. 1 – Issue No. 6 Meeting Agenda January 2010 INVOCATION Lord in the quite of this hour, we come to thee for wisdom and for power, to view Thy world through only love-filled eyes; to grow in understanding; to be wise and sure to see Thy guiding light; and thus to know each other as Thou knowest us. Amen MISSION STATEMENT The mission of the American Business Women’s Association is to bring together business women of diverse occupations and to provide opportunities for them to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally through leadership, education, networking support and national recognition. BENEDICTION O, guiding spirit, guardian of our days, be with us as we go our separate ways. Help us to feel those thoughts that lift and bless. To know a closer bond of friendliness, to see Thy beauty, always everyday, translated into living, this we pray. Amen Meeting Agenda January 4, 2010 Networking 6:00pm – 6:30pm Call to Order Eunice Carter, President Invocation/Pledge of Allegiance/ Unison Mission Statement Welcome Videssa Woods, Vice President Introduction of Head Table Eunice Carter, Pres. New Member Installation Eunice Carter, Pres. Member of the Month Recognition/ Announcements Grace DINNER Introduction of Speaker Marlena Coggins Program Chair Guest Speaker Ethelyn Burton Barksdale BUSINESS MEETING Reading of Dec. Minutes Launa Bacon, Rec. Sect. Treasurer’s Report Bessie Poole, Treasurer Correspondence Joyce Garrett, Corres. Sect. 2010 Anniversary Update Sherry Mallory/Carrol Walker Woman of the Year Update Terri Hair Atlanta Area Council Updates Launa Bacon Door Prizes Denise DeBurst-Gines Benediction Unison Adjournment

3. Vol. 1 – Issue No. 6 Dec. 09 Meeting Minutes January 2010 Marlena Coggins, Program Director introduced our speaker, Ms. Jivonne Gilliam. Ms. Gilliam is a ten-year, self-employed, Home-Based Consultant at TVSS Marketing. She is a Business Analyst, Software Implementation Consultant at Keds Technologies, Inc. and has consulted for several government IT projects including; Washington, DC Dept. of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs, Dept of the Environment, Dept. of Health; City of Atlanta Dept. of Planning & Community Development for four years. She has also been a Creative Director at the Virtual SOHO Solution for ten years. Her goal is to be part of President Obama’s legacy to change the world, one person at a time through economic and financial empowerment. She completed her education at the University of Virginia. Ms. Gilliam’s topic was “Recession Proof Your Income and Create Wealth with a Home-Based Business.” Ms. Gilliam explained how you may write-off various expenses such as phones (cell and land), health care, utilities, home security, car expenses, books, magazines and gifts related to your business and so many more items. She noted that Home-Based business owners get more tax deductions than any other category of taxpayers. More information can be found by registering at www.HomeBusinessTaxSavings.com then look in upper left corner of the page. Our speaker shared several books that may be used as a resource for a Home-Based business, such as; Cash Flow Quadrant by Robert T. Kiyosaki and Sharon L. Lechter, CPA; Why we Want to Be Rich by Donald Trump and Lower Your Taxes by Sandy Botkin, CPA, Esq. There was a question and answer session after Ms. Gilliam’s presentation. Golden Dome members Golden Dome Chapter Monthly Meeting Minutes – December 7, 2009 The monthly meeting began with a networking session from 6-6:30pm at the Paschal’s Restaurant at Castleberry Hill located at 108B Northside Drive, NW, Atlanta, GA 30313. The December 7, 2009 meeting was called to order at 6:46pm by President, Eunice Carter. The Invocation Pledge of Allegiance and Mission Statement was recited in unison. Vice President Videssa Woods welcomed all members and guests. She reminded members and guests about the real reason for Christmas and cited a Christmas reading entitled, “Merry Christmas to all the Wonderful Women in My Life.” The Executive Board members were introduced by President Eunice Carter. President Carter spotlighted the Member of the Month, Mrs. Carmel Burson. Mrs. Burson has been an active member of Golden Dome Chapter since May 1978. Announcements: Carrol Walker thanked everyone who sent cards and said prayers for her mother during her illness, she is recovering very well. Member Sharon Jackson had surgery last month and is feeling much better. Member Verlean Holt husband, James Sr., passed last week and our President asked members to send her cards of sympathy and condolences. Sherry Mallory blessed the food and dinner was served.

4. Vol. 1 – Issue No. 6 Dec. 09 Meeting Minutes (cont.) January 2010 10, 2010 at 7:00pm and will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Virginia Avenue. Cost will be $40.00 per person. The theme is “Celebrate the Success.” Colors are Cream and Gold. Vendors Cost will be $35.00 w/o meal and $50.00 w/meal. There will be ten (10) tables available for vendors Deadline for ads and moneys to be turned in is March 1, 2010 with a DROP DEAD DATE of March 10, 2010for all ads to be published into the souvenir booklet. Please see Chair, Videssa Woods and Co-Chairs Carrol Walker and Sherry Mallory for additional information. 2010 Woman of the Year (WOY): WOY Chair, Terri Hair gave the criteria for becoming the WOY, which are listed in the Standing Rules. Applications are available and the deadline for submission is January 23, 2010. The WOY will be selected at the February 2010 meeting. Atlanta Area Council Report: Delegate Sherri Davis gave the following report. The election for the 2010 officers was held on Saturday, November 21, 2009 and the officers are listed in the newsletter. The next AAC meeting will be held on Saturday, January 23, 2010 at 11:00am at the Marriott Buckhead Atlanta Hotel located at 3300 Lenox Road, Atlanta. The Woman of the Year from each Chapter/Express Network will be recognized. The AAC WOY will be selected by outside judges from the list of Women of the Year. Mrs. Terri Hair is the WOY from Golden Dome. The selection of the AAC delegates put on the floor. Videssa Woods volunteered to be the 2010 delegate and Terri Hair was suggested. Mrs. Hair respectfully declined. A motion was made to accept the name of Videssa Woods as the 2010 Delegate for AAC and was approved by the body. Launa Bacon volunteered to be the alternate delegate. Sharon Preston Harris will be working with the Golden Dome Chapter Monthly Meeting Minutes – December 7, 2009 (cont.) Members applauded her on her informative presentation and she was presented with a plague by our Program Chairman, Marlena Coggins. Business Meeting: November 2, 2009 Minutes – After the members reviewed the minutes printed in the newsletter, it was motioned by S. Diane White and seconded by Marlena Coggins to accept the minutes as printed. There were no corrections and the minutes were approved. Correspondence: Corresponding Secretary Joyce Garret gave the following correspondence: Thank-you cards from Tina Marie Robinson regarding her illness and Shirita Bolden, our scholarship recipient. Snapfinger Wood Chapter ABWA, will be hosting an event on Thurs., Dec. 17th beginning at 6:30pm at St. Philip AME Church Family Life & Fellowship Center located at 240 Candler Rd, Decatur. RSVP to Venus Stevens by Dec. 11th at 678-777-2342 or via email at venusstevens@bellsouth.net. Donations are $25.00 ppr. New Business: 2010 Anniversary Updates – The date for the 38th Business Associate/Anniversary is Saturday, April

5. Vol. 1 – Issue No. 6 Dec. 09 Meeting Minutes (cont.) January 2010 Golden Dome Chapter Monthly Meeting Minutes – December 7, 2009 (cont.) our scholarship recipient(s) along with her sponsor, Mrs. Bessie Poole, Treasurer. Website Update: President Eunice Carter asked members to send her any corrections or changes regarding the Golden Dome Chapter’s website by the middle of the week, so she forward all corrections/changes to the webmaster. She also asked all members who are business owners to give her their business cards so that they can be placed on the website. Mrs. Barbara Turner reminded members that the SCLC Women’s Inc. Senior Luncheon will be held on Tuesday, December 8th at the Georgia International Convention Center on Camp Creek Parkway. Members who wish to volunteer in serving the dinner may report between 8:00am and 9:00am and the luncheon will begin at 11:00am. All members and guests blended their voices together to sing “Silent Night.” Everyone was wished a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year. The Benediction was stated in unison and the meeting was adjourned at 8:50pm. Launa Bacon Launa B. Bacon Recording Secretary Happy New Year to Everyone! The old give way to the young. New thoughts sprout from the fertile ground. While the New Year beckons us with many promises, don’t forget to give the old year its due. Learn from past mistakes and carry the lessons of time with you. 5

6. Vol. 1 – Issue No. 6 Speaker’s Information January 2010 ETHELYN BURTON BARKSDALE I was born in Asheville, North Carolina, the third daughter of the late Will and Lucille Burton. I have two sisters, both of whom live in the Atlanta area. I attended Lucy S. Herring Elementary, David Millard Junior High, and Asheville High School. I graduated from UNC-CH in 1976 with a dual degree in Speech and Psychology. I knew that I had to get a masters degree to work in either of those fields. I graduated from Emory U. in May of 1984, with an MMSc in Speech-Language Pathology. Shortly afterwards, I got a job with Atlanta Public Schools and worked as a speech-language pathologist (SLP) until 1993, when I left APS to become a private practitioner. I started Personally Speaking, which I still operate today. I have contracted with several private therapy agencies, and have worked with clients from 5 weeks old to over 90 years old, providing therapy to teach or to improve articulation, receptive and expressive language, fluency, voice, pragmatics, and feeding/swallowing skills. I also help clients with alternative/augmentative therapy if needed. I am married to Johnathan Barksdale, two sons, Jasminus Wilsonnii R. Grandy V and James Barksdale, two stepsons, Johnathan, Jr. and Jeremy and a stepdaughter, Tia. My plans for the future include having Jailan’s Place to go live, learning to speak Spanish adequately, and traveling as far and as wide as possible. I would like to devote more time to crafts and sewing, and spend more time with my grandchild, Jailan, who lives in Durham. It would be great to start writing children’s books, as that was a childhood dream. I will also continue reading about spiritual matters, and many topics that are considered “fringe” material. I am tickled pink to be a member of Sisters in Spirit, a book-reading club, that I am a founder, and we will celebrate our third anniversary in January. My personal life strategy is to treat other people with respect, as I feel I should be treated with respect by others. Also, I try to remember to treat others the way they want to be treated; it is not always the way I would like others to treat me. I also like to try to conduct my life according to the guidelines of Aesop’s Fables, which contain many worthy morals. My favorite Bible verse is as follows: “Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, so that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”—Ephesians 6:13.

7. Vol. 1 – Issue No. 6 Reminders / Code of Conduct January 2010 CHAPTER NEWS & NOTES! ATTENTION! ATTENTION! Dear Golden Dome Members: Please note that all National and Local Chapter Dues must be current in order for you to participate in chapter activities. You must pay for your meals each month to be considered present. YOU HAVE NO VOTE and NO VOICE, IF YOU DO NOT PAY FOR YOUR MEAL. Please check with our Hospitality Chair if you have any special dietary and nutritional needs. If you do not want to eat your meal, that late in the evening, you may ask for a to-go-box. Parking is FREE and the meal cost is $21.00 per person. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Monthly Meetings 1st Monday night of each month 6:00pm – 8:30pm Paschals Restaurant @ Castleberry Hill 180B Northside Drive, SW Atlanta, GA 30312 6:00pm – 6:30 pm – Networking Meeting begins at 6:30pm Executive Board Meeting Monday, January 25, 2010 @ 6:00pm Bethel Village 500 Richard Allen Blvd Atlanta, GA 30331 404-669-5665 • ABWA’S • Proud Code of Conduct • All members will serve as goodwill ambassadors for the American Business Women’s Association. • Members will not allow their personal beliefs and convictions to interfere with the representation of ABWA’s mission. • Members will always treat their member colleagues, guests, vendors and sponsors with honesty, respect, fairness, integrity, responsibility, kindness and in good faith. • Members will maintain compliance with ABWA National, Chapter and Express Network Bylaws. • 5. Members will not use their personal power to advance their personal interests. • 6. Members will strive for excellence in their professions by maintaining and enhancing their own business knowledge and skills, and by encouraging the professional development of other members. WIN .. Step into the future with ABWA 7

8. Vol. 1 – Issue No. 6 Kudos January 2010 CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Our Website is Up goldendomeabwa.com It is still a work in progress. Take the time to look at it and let President Eunice Carter know what you think. Happy Birthday To Sherry Mallory – Jan. 8 Sarah Mobley – Jan. 18 Chapter Member of the Month December 2009 Blessings in a Box On Tuesday, December 22nd, Sherry Davis, Barbara Turner, Joyce Garrett and Eunice Carter made the “Blessings in a Box” delivery to the Cascade House for the Christmas season. The “blessings” were well received by those present at the Cascade House. At the time of the visit there were 13 children and 5 families living at the facility. Margaret Printup Williams 8

9. Vol. 1 – Issue No. 6 Save The Dates January 2010 Golden Dome’s Annual Business Associate/Anniversary Saturday, April 10, 2010 Crowne Plaza Hotel East Point, GA 2010 National Women’s Leadership Conference Chattanooga, TN October 28-30, 2010 You do not want to miss out on this great opportunity to network with your fellow ABWA friends and members! Mark your Calendar and REGISTER EARLY!!! 2010 District Conferences District I May 21-22 – Naples, FL District II March 19-20 – The Woodlands, TX District III April 16-17 – Itasca, IL District IV April 16-17 – Annapolis, MD District V April 30-May 1 – Indianapolis, IN District IV April 9-10 – Reno, NV

10. Vol. 1 – Issue No. 6Financial Tips January 2010 Organizing your receipts for taxes The tax man is coming! Do you know where your W-2s, investment plan statements and receipts for deductible expenses are? Now is the time to track down and organize your tax-related documents, to make sure they are easy to reach when you are ready to file. To help you navigate paper piles and reduce the hassle and stress that often is part of the tax-filing process, here are some organizational tips from ACCO Brands, a global office products company that has provided people with organizational solutions for 100 years through its family of brands, including Wilson Jones storage, filing and organization products; Swingline staples and punches; Perma records storage products; and Day-Timer planners: • Identify and isolate what you need for now. Break out the documents you'll need to complete your tax form: W-2s, year-end investment statements, year-end checking account statements, receipts from charitable donations, and medical and work-related receipts. If you saved sales receipts and use a paper-based planner, store them temporarily in customized folders, such as Day-Timers' ColorLife Slash Pockets. • Pick a storage system that works best for you. Once you've gathered the documents, find a storage system that makes it easy to distinguish and pull what you want when you need it. Manila folders packed in a table-top file box and lightweight three-ring binders, such as an Active Use Binder with tabs that you can find and customize for free at www.wilsonjones.com, are two options. If you take documents out of the home to work with tax preparers, consider a covered accordion-style file with a handle that is designed to keep documents organized, secure and easy to tote. • Implement a tabbing system that makes documents easy to sort. Whether you organize by color or numbers, incorporate a tabbing system that makes it simple to remember what you have filed. It will help prevent last-minute digging for missing documents, which will help minimize stress when you're working to meet filing deadlines. • Create categories to organize your files. Do you have detailed work-related deductions? Do you contribute to a wide range of charities? Did you make a major purchase in the last year that entailed extensive paperwork, such as a house or other property purchase? If so, create enough subsets for your files to match those requirements. • Keep last year's tax filing and back-up documents handy in a portable folder. As you prepare this year's taxes, questions may arise about last year's filing. Make sure to have your most recent past return and backup documentation with you when you are preparing this year's taxes. • Anticipate what will go into your long-term files. For past years' returns and other related documents you decide to keep, consider grouping documents in binders or in an archive file box, like those made by Perma. For more information about organizational tools designed to keep you on top of your documents during the tax season and year-round, visit www.accobrands.com.

11. Vol. 1 – Issue No. 6Golden NuggetJanuary 2010 Notes 11