New Orleans Chapter
Le Journal de
Nouvelle Orleans

HOLIDAY FUN ON DECEMBER 16TH

December 16th at Sclafani's will be a fun evening of entertainment, music, food, and friendship. As we take serenity in the Thanksgiving festivities filled with family, friends, and food, its time to join your AGA family in celebrating the holiday season. I am looking for members to show their spirit by attending in record number. It is a great opportunity to bring a coworker or friend to introduce him/her to AGA. We want to tout AGA's commitment to financial accountability across all of government. We should be very proud to boast about AGA and its members.

Celebration is also in order to the members who attended the November training luncheon at the Chateaubriand restaurant and those members who contributed to the community service project for the New Orleans Mission. I am very proud of the committees that coordinated and worked hard to bring these quality programs to us. I want to thank Ron Parent and Pam Lincoln for serving as our "Human Flag Posts" and Barbara Carmon for arranging the outstanding speaker who shared financial knowledge and ways to improve our financial portfolios. Our guests, Pam Berthelot, Regional Vice President and Karen Andrews of the Baton Rouge Chapter were welcomed and enjoyed themselves tremendously. Of course, I praise all of you who took time out of your workday to be a part of this event.

I personally visited the New Orleans Mission site along with Jill Byrd to present our contributions of more than $800 and clothing. The work going on there is remarkable. The New Orleans Mission provides education and computer literacy programs along with a clean shelter, beds, food, and other items to support homeless males and females. The programs prepare the homeless for a new beginning once they leave the New Orleans Mission. We are blessed and we shared our good fortunes with this organization on November 16. It was a great way to start the Thanksgiving Holidays. Look for more ways to support, participate, or give to our community service projects in this newsletter. Our members are the best!

Additionally, in the recent AGA Topics newsletter, our National President gave all chapters a challenge:

"AGA's National President, Bobby A. Derrick, CGFM, is challenging every member to recruit at least 1 new member into AGA before the close of the membership year, April 30, 2005. And, he is challenging AGA Leaders to do even more-to recruit five new members each before the close of the membership year, 5 by 5. Are you up to the challenge?"

The challenge for us is to provide programs to recruit and retain our members at the chapter level and to offer programs and services that keep our members engaged while providing assistance to their career growth. What are we doing well, and what can be improved (or eliminated)? How do we measure success; is it purely in the numbers? Can we continually add value and program diversity to our goals? Please let me hear your comments or recommendations via email at Peggy.Javery@usda.gov.

Since I began my message with Holiday Fun on December 16th, let me conclude by reminding you that the food at Sclafani's will be endless to match the endless fun. Come enjoy the wonderful food, drinks, music, and plenty of dancing. There will be a disc jockey, door prizes and other give-a-ways. The party costs members $15 and guest $35. If you are up to the National President's challenge, have your guests join AGA on or before December 16, and they can choose to use their "free" meeting certificate for the Holiday party.

See you at Sclafani's!

Peggy Javery, CGFM, President

Debbie Conway-Fikes and her husband Charlie adopted a little boy, Connor Christian Fikes, born October 21, 2004 to Charlie's niece. They are thoroughly enjoying parenthood.

Please share news about yourself or other AGA members. Contact Babette Haines at 426-5443 or babette.haines@nfc.usda.gov

Give yourselves a round of Applause!!

I would like to extend my gratitude to each and every one of you. The New Orleans Chapter of the AGA collected $834.00 and over 35 pounds of food to donate to the New Orleans Mission.

What a fabulous job!! Thank you for your generosity!

Jill Byrd

From left to right: Peggy Javery, AGA President New Orleans Chapter; Rebecca Bourque, Director New Orleans Mission; Jill Byrd, AGA Community Service Co-Chair

Christmas will be here very soon and we wanted to remind you not to forget the two campaigns (Teddy Bears for Children's Hospital & Toys for Tots) the Chapter is running to help make Christmas brighter for those children that are less fortunate. The Toys For Tots and Teddy Bears will have to be turned in within one week.

TEDDY BEARS FOR CHILDRENS HOSPITAL Last year AGA contributed almost 100 stuffed animals to Childrens Hospital for Christmas. We are collecting 'stuffed bears' or other 'stuffed animals' again this year. You can drop the gift off at Post V-2 Bldg 350 1st floor (Marty Curole's desk; 504-426-1020) or you can bring the 'animal' to the AGA Christmas Party on December 16th. Last year everyone was very generous and Childrens Hospital sent us a wonderful thank you note. They distribute the stuffed animals not only at Christmas time but throughout the year. If you can't shop and would like to donate toward the purchase of the animals, Marty is collecting donations as well. Thanks again for your generosity.

TOYS FOR TOTS - Please bring unwrapped new toy donations for the Toys For Tots program through the Marines to help those children that are less fortunate financially. If you are interested in helping needy children and playing a role in their development, please bring your unwrapped presents to Monique Banks (504-426-0282) or Linda Lewis (504-426-0288) in NFC's Building 350 (Post V46). Contact Monique Banks (504-426-0282) for pick ups in NFC's TANO Building. The Toys For Tots program no longer accepts checks; however, if you prefer to make a monetary donation, Monique will purchase Toys for you. She will be accepting monetary and toy donations through the close of business on Wednesday, December 15, 2004.

A special thanks goes out to those that we have received unwrapped toys from so far; Babette Haines, Linda Lewis, Gerry Knepp, Angele James, Betty Salisbury, Marcia Curole, Jill Byrd, Pamela Lincoln, C.J. Ladner, and Monique Banks.

RECOGNITION POINTS

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Dr. Dale R. Geiger, Professor Managerial Accounting, California State University, will be in Dallas January 12-14, 2005 providing a 3-day training seminar on cost management. The AGA Dallas Chapter will be hosting the training. After 3 degrees from MIT, a 17-year career in industry, and a Doctorate from the Harvard Business School, Dr. Geiger has spent the last 15 years studying cost measurement and cost management in government. He has contributed to development of the FASAB standard on Managerial Cost Accounting, published numerous articles on this subject, and authored a book entitled: "Winning the Cost War." For more information, please see www.agadallas.org/training.htm

Feb. 7-8, 2005 - Third Annual National Leadership Conference & Exposition- Washington, D. C.

July 10-13, 2005 - 54th Annual Professional Development Conference & Exposition

P.O. Box 29186
New Orleans, LA 70189-0186

TIME VALUE MATERIAL
PLEASE EXPEDITE
Please contact Babette Haines (504-426-5443)
with address/e-mail corrections.