Betty Lou Howlett
Quota International of Grey Bruce

This year’s winner is Betty Lou Howlett from Quota International of Grey Bruce. Since joining Quota International of Owen Sound in 1974, Betty Lou has thought primarily of what she could do to contribute to the Club. She became Secretary in her first year and was asked very early to be President; which she accepted. Betty Lou has always given her time and energy to being a good Quotarian and as her life took her to the London, Ontario Club and then to the St. Thomas Club she was always willing to take the responsibility of membership by accepting duties as was needed including the position of President.

Betty Lou then became involved with responsibilities at the District level. She became Lieutenant-Governor, then Governor in 1990 and all the way to Canada Area Director. At that time, under her direction, a committee was formed to draw up plans and policies for Development and Growth for District 18 and because of her leadership this has continued to this present time. It was Betty Lou’s suggestion that new clubs not be charged registration in their charter year to encourage new clubs to attend conferences and conventions. This also has been accepted and has become a policy at the International level. Betty Lou was instrumental in setting up funding for the Canada Area Director and has implemented many of the improved circumstances at the District level. Betty Lou has chaired many conferences and has been Parliamentarian many times for the District. . She has been Chair of the International Service Committee of and sat on the By-laws Committee. She will be serving again this year on the District Awards Selection Committee. Among her many attributes, crediting others with her successes comes naturally to Betty Lou. She stated her gratitude to Sharon Chevrier for inviting her to a Quota Meeting, Ilse Mitchell for being her mentor, her sister Anne Ashcroft for her encouragement, Judy Juniper and many others for helping with the various committees and was pleased and grateful that so many were willing to meet with her and assist in the formation of various ideas and projects.

In her personal life Betty Lou is very much a family person. She has had to contend with many difficulties. She has been widowed twice and has one son and two step-sons. Betty Lou tells the story of how her second husband proposed to her while she was on a quick break from a Quota Conference she was chairing and she had to make a speedy decision as he was being posted in Regina. When she accepted, she said it was Quota friends that helped with the preparations that were needed. Many Quotarians will remember Bruce who was very supportive of Quota events and her Mother accompanied her at many Quota conferences. Betty Lou said it has always been Quota friends that have helped her through the happy times and the sad times. Quoting from Betty Lou, “Quota has always been there for me. I have got more from Quota than I have ever given.”

Outside of Quota, Betty Lou has been involved in many other charitable activities through her job and her personal life, such as United Way, and has had many successes in raising funds for these organizations.

Betty Lou has now retired from the Catholic School Board in London and has returned to Owen Sound. We are very fortunate that she has joined us in the Silver Q Club, Quota International of Grey Bruce. True to her style she agreed to be Secretary when we needed one last year and will be our Vice-President for the 2007-08. In addition to being willing to accept positions as she is needed she always volunteers to be on a committee, volunteers for any project, volunteers to make one of her delicious recipes for potluck meetings, volunteers her lovely home for a meeting, and volunteers when any member needs a helping hand. Betty Lou loves to be included in events such as bus trips, friends in the club that like to go on excursions or any special celebrations. She has fully accepted the concept of Silver Q and invites visitors to our meetings with the hope that they will become a member. Her attitude is; everyone has their own expectations of what Quota will mean to them and everyone has their own special capabilities that they can offer to the Club.

Betty Lou’s own words express why she is such a great Quotarian and why Grey Bruce Quotarians were so pleased to nominate her. She says: “No words can express what Quota has done for me and I don’t feel I can do enough to pay back what I have received through this Club.”

Betty Lou was presented with the crystal bowl donated by Past Governor, Marie Dobson-Dunlop, 2002-2004, to honour a Quotarian who positively affected the District by embodying the true spirit of volunteerism.