After a busy spring and summer, we gathered for our first formal monthly meeting since March. Mainly the core members came as everyone is caught up with various activities at home, at work, and troughout the city.

Demet and Bill once more graciously opened their home to us and welcomed us with the great hospitality that we have grown accustomed to. Since all of us have been involved with various political activities especially through the summer months, it was good to relax a bit before getting down to business.

Our first item on the agenda was a review of the activities that we had been involved in since our last meeting in March.

Next, we looked at the progress of the Health Care Reform bill and what, if anything, we can do from this point on. We concluded that beside writing letters and contacting our Congressional representatives, there is not much more that we can do at this time.

Inasmuch as many of us are caught up in the local campaigns for mayor, City Council, and School Committee, we agreed that this month we would be concentrating on one particular pleasuresome activity: helping Brightside in their efforts to plant daffodil bulbs at Havehill Stadium in celebration of Make a Difference Day on October 24, 2009.

Make A Difference Day is a national day of helping others created by USA WEEKEND Magazine. It is an annual event that takes place on the fourth Saturday of every October. This year that day is October 24th.

Over the years, millions have participated in this event. In 2008, for example, three million people cared enough about their communities to volunteer and accomplished thousands of projects in hundreds of towns. It is hoped that in 2009, when the need is so great, even more people will participate.

As an added treat, Jane told us of her trip and work in Peru during the summer. We should also note that another GHO member, Ingrid Tanda, spent several weeks visiting family in Tanzania.

We decided that GHO will not be formally endorsing any candidates running in our city elections and will wait until