​AN OPPORTUNITY FOR KNOWLEDGE SHARING - PLEASE JOIN US - DAMES ONLY

Crisis Communications: A two-part educational program led by Dame Katie Walker, senior manager, consumer communications & public relations, McCormick & Company.Join our chapter’s own Public Relations (PR) experts in Dames-only two-part series on Crisis Communications.  You’ll leave with the tools you need to be empowered and knowledgeable to lead your company through a crisis and manage your brand’s reputation. 

NOTE: Both sessions are scheduled for 90 minutes but may not run that long and depend on the level of engagement from participants. 

Crisis 101: Friday, January 28, 2022, 12:00 – 1:30 PM ET

• Led by Katie Walker, Senior Consumer Communications and Public Relations Manager for McCormick & Co., you’ll learn the difference between an issue and a crisis, how to prepare and be effective when you respond to a crisis, and what steps to take when it’s over to learn and grow. There will be time in the end for Q&A.
• For those looking for a more in-depth experience, you’ll receive homework* to prepare for the second part, where you’ll receive live feedback from a PR pro on your crisis communications plan.
• NOTE: This session will be recorded. To attend the second session you’ll need to have participated live or watched the recording, which we will share afterward.  E-mail Katie Walker at kathleen.walker@gmail.com to get the homework.

Register here for January 28 

Separate registration is required for each session.


Crisis 102: Friday, February 4, 12:00 – 1:30 PM ET

• Join Katie again, along with fellow Dames:
•    Aba Kwawu, Founder & Owner of TAA PR
•    Linda Roth, Founder & Owner of Linda Roth Associates
•  During this session we will break out into four groups to go over your homework* in which you created a draft crisis communications plan on:
•    Product Recall or Lawsuit
•    Sexual/Harassment
•    Food Borne Illness
•    Violence (an internal or external attack that may or may not include injuries/death)
• ·NOTATIONS: To attend this session you must have attended Crisis 101 or have watched the recording and completed the homework;
• *Homework topics are subject to change during Crisis 101 based on the demand of what participants want to practice; and
• Please e-mail Katie Walker at kathleen.walker@gmail.com if you need the recording, homework, and/or plan to attend the second session, noting which breakout session you’re interested in.

Register here for February 4

Separate registration is required for each session.

Dear Sister Dames,

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I invite you to join us for our 2021 Autumn General Membership Meeting.

Considering everything we've had to deal with both personally and as a chapter, the board and committees accomplishments during the 2020-21 fiscal year are very impressive and we are proud to share these successes with you.  So, please mark your calendars for what will be an exciting and informative meeting. 

Please click here to register for the meeting on Zoom.  As soon as you register, you will receive an email from Zoom with the meeting details and link. 

During the meeting, we will report on the state of the chapter, the status of the chapter  bylaws and DEI review process, and highlights from the most recent national conference.  Committee chairs will share updates on what they are working on now and also highlight the year ahead. 
I look forward to seeing you on Zoom. Should you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact me at president@lesdamesdc.org 

Stacey Adams
President
Les Dames d'Escoffier DC Chapter

PLEASE NOTE:  Attendance, in person or virtually, at one general membership meeting per year is a requirement of membership. If you cannot attend this meeting, you may ask an attending Dame to serve as your proxy, a proxy does not constitute meeting attendance.  You will find your proxy form here.  Please email the completed proxy form to Robin Kurtzman (kurtzman4@comcast.net) BEFORE the meeting.  Instructions to complete the proxy are on the form.     
​      

Join us as we meet to discuss a food-focused book. We meet approximately every six weeks when a Dame selects the book and leads the discussion. All Dames are welcome. The host chooses a nonfiction or fiction book (not a recipe book), preferably one that is available in the library or can be purchased at a low price, that lends itself to a thoughtful discussion. Eileen maintains a list of suitable books and recommendations to aid the host in her selection.  If you are interested in hosting or have any questions about Dames Who Read, contact Eileen Dykes at eileendykes@gmail.com

BOOK SELECTION: Edible Stories: A Novel in Sixteen Parts by Mark Kurlansky 
DATE:  Monday, November 1, 2021
TIME: 7:00 -8:30 p.m.
HOST: Susan Callahan 
ZOOM LINK:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85780291600
In these linked stories, Mark Kurlansky reveals the bond that can hold people together, tear them apart, or make them become vegan: food. Through muffins or hot dogs, an indigenous Alaskan fish soup, a bean curd Thanksgiving turkey or potentially toxic crème brulee, a rotating cast of characters learns how to honor the past, how to realize you're not in love with someone any more, and how to forgive. These women and men meet and eat and love, leave and drink and in the end, come together in Seattle as they are as inextricably linked with each other as they are with the food they eat and the wine they drink.  Kurlansky brings a keen eye and unerring sense of humanity to these stories. And throughout, his love and knowledge of food shows just how important a role what we eat plays in our lives.

BOOK SELECTION:  A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage
DATE: Monday, December 13, 2021
TIME: 7:00-8:30 p.m.
HOST: Sheryl Hoehner
ZOOM LINK:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89717049941
Beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and Coca-Cola: In Tom Standage’s deft, innovative account of world history, these six beverages turn out to be much more than just ways to quench thirst. They also represent six eras that span the course of civilization—from the adoption of agriculture, to the birth of cities, to the advent of globalization. A History of the World in 6 Glasses tells the story of humanity from the Stone Age to the twenty-first century through each epoch’s signature refreshment. As Standage persuasively argues, each drink is in fact a kind of technology, advancing culture and catalyzing the intricate interplay of different societies. After reading this enlightening book, you may never look at your favorite drink in quite the same way again.

Open to the Public

​The State of Restaurants: a don’t-miss Zoom panel moderated by new member Charissa Benjamin, founder of Savor PR. Member panelists will include Kathy Hollinger, president and CEO of the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington and Micheline Mendelsohn, deputy chief executive officer of The Sunnyside Restaurant Group. All have been on the front lines of holding the restaurant industry together during the pandemic and will discuss what’s ahead for our region. Thursday, September 30, 7 p.m. More details to follow.

Sunday Afternoon at a Veteran’s Farm: Dames, their families and friends are invited to spend an afternoon at Fields 4 Valor, a small farm in Brandywine, Maryland, run by veteran and trained chef/butcher/cheesemaker Peter Scott, a graduate of a program associated with Rebecca Clerget, Dog Tag Bakery, and Georgetown University. Established as a not-for-profit CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm, it provides 30 financially stressed veterans and their families with fresh food every week. Come help build box frames for bees, rake leaves, prepare the vegetable patch for spring, catch pests, spread fertilizer and more. Sunday, October 10, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. More details to follow. Sponsored by Green Tables Committee.

Dames Only

Outdoor brunch at Gunther & Co: Join us in the lovely private courtyard of Nancy Hart Trice’s Baltimore restaurant, Gunther & Co. at 3650 Toone Street. Cost is $39, which includes a menu of modern American, locally sourced brunch fare, mimosas and a specialty drink, courtesy of Nancy. We’d love to see you there! Sunday, September 12 at 11:30 a.m. For more information, contact Jill Collins at jill@jillcollinspr.com, or buy tickets here. 

Dames Who Read: “The Mistress of Spices” by Chitra Divakruni. This bestselling novel follows the adventures of Tilo, a mysterious figure who runs a grocery store in Oakland and uses her knowledge of spices to help her customers overcome difficulties. Discussion moderated by Susan Barocas.
Monday, September 13, 7-8:30 p.m.
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81120056889

Member Forum: Join us to discuss the importance of sensible governance and best practices, as well as the ongoing process of revising our chapter’s bylaws. For links to more information, see What’s on Board (below). Friday, September 24, noon. Zoom link to come.   

Reel Tasty: “Sweet Bean,” a film about the manager of a pancake stall who finds himself confronted with an odd but sympathetic elderly woman looking for work. A taste of her homemade red bean paste convinces him to hire her, which starts a relationship that is about much more than just street food. Discussion moderated by Gail Forman.
Monday, October 4, 7-8:30 p.m.
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81639649735