HAPPY BIRTHDAY

THIS MONTH, THE DOB, AS AN ORGANIZATION, IS CELEBRATING ITS THIRD ANNIVERSARY, THE LADDER, OUR SPEAKING VOICE, IS ALSO ENDING ITS SECOND YEAR OF PUBLICATION.

CONGRATULATIONS ARE DUE--AND THOSE OF US HERE IN THE SAN FRANCISCO CHAPTER WISH TO EXPRESS OUR SINCEREST CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR OWN DEL MARTIN AND PHYL LYON.

DEL AND PHYL ARE THE ONLY TWO REMAINING OF THE ORIGINAL HALF-DOZEN CHARTER MEMBERS WHO DREAMED AN ALMOST INPOSSIBLE DREAM OF AN ORGANIZATION SUCH AS THIS. IT HAS BEEN THE STRIVING, THE COURAGE, AND THE DETERINATION OF THESE TWO PEOPLE WHO FORMED THE GLUE (COMPOSED OF TEARS, SWEAT, PRIDE, PRAYER AND STICK-TO-IT-I9 THAT HAS HELD THIS EMBRYO TOGETHER THROUGH THE; TOUGH (AND SOMETIMES DISAPPOINTING) EARLY YEARS. LANY TIME! DEL AND PHYL WERE READY TO GIVE UP COMPLETELY--ALONG WOULD COME A LETTER FROM ANOTHER STATE--ANOTHER LAND-OR A NEW ENTHUSIASTIC MEMBER WOULD JOIN THE RANKS, ENCOURAGING THE ENOUGH TO CONTINUE THE BATTLE.

HEN

AND IT HAS BEEN THREE YEARS OF HARD STRUGGLE AND DEEP DISAPPOINTMENTS. MEMBERSHIP WOULD SWELL, THEN DROP. PUBLICATIONS COSTS ROSE HIGHER AND HIGHER AS WE TRIED TO DEVELOP A BETTER MAGAZINE--WHILE OUR BANK ACCOUNT DWINDLED ALMOST TO OBLIVION. BUT THE COUNTLE IS HOURS AND ENORMOUS ENERGY OF DEL AND DHYL HAVE ALLAYS BEEN UNSELFISHLY AND GRACIOUSLY GIVEN. AND THESE ENDEAVORS ARE NOW BEGINNING TO REAP WELL-EARNED DIVIDENDS--FOR THE SUBSCRIPTION LIST TO THE LADDER IS INCREASING WITH EACH EDITION--OUR MEMBERSHIP, ITSELF, IS ON A GOOD UP-SWING, AND NOW--LIKE ANY OTHER THREE YEAR OLD--WE ARE BEGINNING TO GROW AND DEMANDING TO BE HEARD.

TO YOU, DEL AND PHYL, AS THE BACKBONE AND QUIET STRENGTH OF THIS ORGANIZATION--AND AS TWO VERY FINE AND WONDERFUL PEOPLE--WE, THE REST OF THE DAUGHTERS, SEND OUR HEARTFELT THANKS AND OUR SINCEREST CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS THIRD ANNIVERSARY! WAY THERE BE MANY MORE!

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