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The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls in California

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Our New GEC MA from the South

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Mrs. Mary Sperry., GEC MA, Lemon Grove

Shocked! That’s what the new Southern GEC MA for 2022-2025 said about her appointment. On the night of March 27th, 2021 Mary K. Sperry was appointed to be one of the new GEC MAs for California Rainbow. 

Mrs. Sperry joined the masonic family in November of 1984. She was initiated into Vallejo Bethel and then affiliated with La Mesa Bethel in 1988 where she became a Past Junior Princess. Mrs. Sperry’s journey with Rainbow started long before she joined. Her best friend in high school kept asking over and over for her to join her Rainbow assembly but because she was in Job’s Daughters she kept saying “no.” However, finally, on November 14th of 1990, she joined Myrtle Assembly where she became a Past Worthy Advisor. Due to her father being in the military, she moved to Vallejo where she transferred to Benicia where she received her Majority. Mrs. Sperry’s favorite office in Rainbow is the station of Faith. One of Mrs. Sperry’s fondest memories as a girl was when she was awarded the Grand Cross of Color by Mrs. Anna Lind.

Mrs. Sperry graduated from Hawaii Pacific University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She is currently a Clinic Nurse in an Outpatient Surgery Center. She’s certified as an Operating Room Nurse and is also certified as an Ambulatory Surgical Nurse. 

Mrs. Sperry met the love of her life when she was attending University in Hawaii and she married him in 1997. Mr. and Mrs. Sperry have been married for 23 years and have three kids, Christopher, Rebecka, and Natalie. 

Mrs. Sperry returned to San Diego in 1999 and was asked to be the Pledge Mom for Myrtle Assembly. She served on the Advisory Board for three years until her family was transferred to Florida. In 2005, her family was transferred back to San Diego, but she didn’t reconnect with Rainbow until 2012, at Lemon Grove Assembly. In 2013, she joined the Advisory Board and was elected Mother Advisor in 2014.  A few things that Mrs. Sperry likes are Swedish fish™, a Venti Hot Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Latte, and her favorite drink Coke Zero™. Mrs. Sperry cannot wait to travel and see all of your lovely faces!

Hurricane of Thoughts

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By: Zoee S., Assistant Grand Editor, Eden

Zoee S., Assistant Grand Editor, Eden

How many hours a day do you spend thinking about what you’re going to do? For me, I think about it every hour. I am constantly reminding myself of things I need to do daily. Many people might think this is a good thing, that I’m only planning ahead. However, most of the time it doesn’t end up that way. My daily thoughts of homework assignments, chores around the house, and Rainbow events swirl my mind. They get overwhelming and when I try to stop and take a breather I find my mind wandering again. Helpless to my own mind, I knew I needed a distraction. So, I started to read. Taking up a passion such as reading helped me temporarily lose the thoughts that were causing me stress. When I am reading I feel relaxed and in a world of my own without any worries. It’s ok to let go and distract yourself every once in a while. I even encourage you rather than going to social media pick up a book or go outside, do something you love. Find your passion, your “other world.” Let yourself drift away, free of constant thoughts. Trust me you won’t regret it. Just a friendly reminder, don’t forget even though it’s nice to get away occasionally, everyone has to return to the hurricane of thoughts eventually. Acknowledge that despite the many things you have to do, all you need to do is take it one step at a time so you don’t overwhelm yourself.

Catching Up With Livermore Assembly

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By: Priel W., Livermore Assembly

Livermore Assembly

In 2021, the Livermore Assembly held multiple events. Our events have included a Rock Painting Service Project, a Sugar Scrub activity, and our Church Sunday get-together. These activities brought our assembly closer together, during our time apart. 

In our rock painting project (commenced by yours truly), we painted about 13 rocks. The rocks were painted with pretty pictures and positive messages. Mrs. Frye, Livermore Assembly’s Mother Advisor, delivered the painted rocks to our local Police Department’s receptionist. The receptionist was rather touched and had the police officers pick which rock to keep with them on patrol.

For the Sugar Scrub activity, Olivia, Livermore Assembly’s Nature Bow Girl, instructed the attendants on how to create their own sugar scrubs. The ingredients used were cane sugar, essential oils, and coconut and/or olive oil. Each attendant made about three jars full to enjoy personally or share amongst family. On Sunday, April 11th, 2021, we had a Church Sunday service. Church Sunday is an event where we as an assembly select one of the girl’s church to attend together. We met at Discovery Church of the Nazarene, outdoors in the parking lot, with our own chairs, socially distanced. This meeting coincided with the church’s youth group set up activity. It was good recognition for our assembly and it was the first time we met face-to-face (technically mask-to-mask) in over a year. It was great to gather together and feel like a family again.

The next event Livermore Assembly had was an Among Us night, which was collaborated by all of our girls. Our Assembly looks forward to even more events to do together in the future. We wish everyone to stay healthy, safe, and be socially responsible.

Dream. Lead. Believe.

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By: Abigail F., Grand Editor

Abigail F., Editor, Livermore Assembly

For Grand Assembly this year our theme was Dream~Lead~Believe. I truly believe that these are the foundational guidelines to success. 

Dream. You can’t be afraid to dream. Dreams make the world go round. They give us purpose and motivation. Dreams are priceless things that are so very precious. They need to be fed and nurtured. Dreams have sparked revolutions and fueled innovation. Without dreams, we would be stagnant. 

Lead. Leading by example is such a simple thing to say and such a difficult thing in practice. Others will often look to you for support and direction without you noticing. You can affect those around you in so many ways without realizing it. Your reach is larger and stronger than you think it is. It can be tiring and a little scary, but it is one of the most important things that you can do in life. Without leaders, we would be lost.

Believe. In order for you to accomplish anything, you need to believe in yourself. You need to believe that you can do whatever you want because the truth is you can. If you truly believe in yourself others will believe in you too, but you need to take the first step. Be confident in your skills and that what you are doing is right. Believe that your friends and family are there to help you and support you through it. Believe in the world around you and the world will believe in you. Without belief, the world would be dark. Believing makes it light, leading makes it clear, and dreaming pushes us through. Dreaming, Leading and Believing are the foundations to success.

Behind the Scenes of Virtual Grand Assembly

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By: Isabella L., Jr. Past Grand Worthy Advisor 2020 & 2021

Each Grand Assembly is unique by design, and boy was that true for Grand Assembly 2021. The journey of the Leading Lemurs’ began when we were appointed as Grand Officers in Ontario CA in 2019. Fast forward through a phenomenal year to March of 2020, where right before heading to Fresno for sessions, the COVID pandemic changed everything and we needed to establish a new normal. From zoom calls, fun videos, and much more, California Rainbow worked hard to stay connected as we faced unprecedented times. Our hope was to reunite in Ontario, CA for Grand Assembly 2021 but we soon realized that this simply was not the safest choice for our members. However, ready or not, two incredible grand years were going to come to a close for the Leading Lemurs. It was finally time to enter The Enchanted Forest: Dream ~ Lead ~ Believe on March 27th through the 29th. 

After a thorough COVID-19 training, we were prepared to move forward as a team. The attention to detail ensured our continual safety by taking precautions like getting tested prior to arrival, wearing masks, socially distancing, daily health questionnaires, temperature checks, and many already being vaccinated. I arrived on-site at Heart of the Valley’s lodge in Fresno CA on March 26th, 2021, and was ushered straight into the dining hall, which was the viewing room for our onsite team so they could watch on a projection screen. I was extremely eager to see the lodge room because that’s where all filming for the live stream would take place which meant…decorations!! It’s an understatement to say that I was blown away! Mrs. Regier guided me into the lodge room with my eyes closed and I opened them to see a breathtaking castle tower. There was even a floating lantern! Tears instantly began to stream from my eyes as I was surrounded by beautiful backdrops, an enormous sparkly blue moon, to a dreamy lantern-guided canoe. 

The next day, it was finally time to enter The Enchanted Forest! What an exciting day that was. My parents and our viewers finally saw the beautiful light blue Grand Officer dresses for the first time as the Leading Lemurs passed a lantern to one another during our informal opening. Meanwhile, I was crouching down behind the tower ready to pop up and catch and release my lantern! In addition to the decorations, the technology was incredible. What we experienced was very different from what everyone else saw at home. Next to the video camera and lights was a TV monitor that showed those who were backstage virtually, my video feed, and the pre-edited videos that you all saw. Miss Rosenthal was at the Recorder’s desk watching the live feed and keeping us in touch with the tech team in Chicago, plus she monitored the chat to make sure you were all having a wonderful experience. Larry was one of the awesome tech people in Chicago who would cue me in by saying “Back to Bella in 5…4…3…2…” and thanks to Mr. Zahlis and others, anytime there were “technical difficulties” he would ensure that they would be quickly resolved. 

It was amazing to have our wonderful state parents by my side and my grandie Hannah there to support me and to help out as our unofficial onsite page. She was nicknamed the “Lady in the Lake” after lying on her stomach behind my canoe having only her hand pop into camera view to hand me props during my GWA report. Thankfully, my new grandie Katie lived close enough that we were able to arrange a safe meeting so I could congratulate her before installing her and the new corps of Grand Officers on Monday. It was amazing to hand her the gavel and to give her the Grand Worthy Advisor pin… you know… after I found it! While Katie was onscreen, I was offscreen jumping up and down trying to find it as Miss Rosenthal belly-crawled and Hannah frantically searched for it. There were definitely a handful of behind-the-scenes moments like these that made the weekend truly memorable. 

“Dream, Lead, Believe” was a phrase that I created quickly after being appointed in 2019 because I was inspired by individuals who conquer their circumstances with passion and determination. Little did I know that our theme would be the very instructions on how to make our virtual sessions come to life. Virtual Grand Assembly came with its share of challenges both in preparation and in execution, as would an in-person Grand, but rather than focusing on what we couldn’t do, we made the choice to fix our eyes on all that was possible. The time, labor, and the love that was invested into every fiber of creating a memorable Grand Assembly was a success because we all worked together to dream, lead, and believe.

With all of my Leading Mickey Love,

Isabella L., Jr. Past Grand Worthy Advisor 2020 & 2021

You’re a New Teen – Here’s How to Vote

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By Audrey M.

Are you a teen who’s interested in learning how to register for voting? Then you’re in the right place! Keep reading to learn about the pre-registration process.

Once a girl becomes 16, she is then eligible to pre-register to vote. Being pre-registered, once that girl turns 18, she is registered to vote in the next election. This service is useful for girls who turn 18 right before the elections. For example, I turn 18 on October 15th, 2020. This means that I was eligible to vote in that year’s presidential election. While Rainbow is not about politics, the voter turnout for adults ages 18-24 is only 36% according to the US Census Bureau. By going to this simple website, a girl can register or pre-register to vote. The Fourteenth Amendment guarantees the right to vote, the 26th amendment further guarantees the right to vote to anyone over the age of 18. This Amendment was ratified in 1971. This means that citizens ages 18-21 have only had the right to vote for 49 years and this year was the 100th anniversary of women getting the right to vote!! Voting is patriotic and if you want to influence policy choices then it is your duty to vote. We can register to vote by going to https://registertovote.ca.gov/.

Five Tips for Finding the Right Volunteer Opportunity

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This year has been full of challenges, but luckily there are many resources to help students and educators through it. We have compiled a list of 13 sites and smartphone applications that can help with organizing, editing, and studying.

By Hope C.

There is no doubt that giving back is important, but it can be difficult when deciding how to do so. There are countless volunteer opportunities in every community, so it may feel overwhelming to try and find the right cause for you. Here are some tips and tricks that will help you find the best fit when it comes to volunteering opportunities!

1. Find Your Passion

While all volunteer work is good, your experience will be immensely better if you choose a cause that you are genuinely interested in. You shouldn’t choose a specific organization just because you think it will look impressive or is the most popular. Volunteering is about a lot more than checking off a box on your resume or trying to stand out in the college application process. It will be more beneficial for both you and the organization that you are working with if you truly care about the cause. Ask yourself what it is that you are passionate about. For example, if your passion is teaching others, you could try out tutoring or volunteering at a museum. If you’re passionate about physically building things, try working with an organization such as Habitat for Humanity. If you love animals, try a pet shelter. The options are limitless when it comes to worthy organizations, so look for a cause that is important to you!

2. Know Your Time Commitment

Make sure that you are realistic about how much time you have to give. Depending on the organization that you choose, there will be differing levels of commitment expected. Pull out your calendar and check your availability. Keep this in mind when considering volunteer opportunities and the positions within them. It’s okay to start small!

3. Identify Your Skills

When choosing a cause to volunteer for, it is important that you consider what you have to offer. What will you bring to the team or organization that you are volunteering for? Some nonprofits have specific areas where they are looking for help. Look for some that apply to you! These can include skills such as marketing, fundraising, planning, building, or public relations. These may sound like daunting tasks but organizations are also looking for people who have connections in the community, are good at working with kids, enjoy outdoor projects, and so on. Similar to finding your passion, identifying your skills will help you and your cause! Once you know what you’re looking for, it may be easier to narrow down your top choices.

4. Do Research

Make sure to do research and try out different places! You can research in many different ways; you can look around your community for local charities, talk to friends or family, and search on the internet. Many sites such as volunteermatch.org allow you to type in your interests and generate organizations where you can volunteer. Directories in your local community centers, school bulletins, and counseling offices also have similar resources. Take your time so that you pick the cause where you will be the most impactful! 

5. Start Small

It’s okay to start with baby steps rather than quickly jumping into a huge commitment. Many organizations will even let you try helping at smaller events to find out if you are a good fit! Try it out and see what you enjoy before making a decision. Even after you have decided on the cause where you will be volunteering, there is no need to overload yourself too quickly. It’s best to get to know your organization and become comfortable with what you are doing. This way, you’ll also help avoid the dreaded volunteer burnout. As you feel more confident with your tasks, you can step it up and begin to work on bigger projects! Work with your level of comfort and the timeline that is best for you and your organization.

It can be challenging to decide where you are going to volunteer. These are some things to consider so that you can help make a change in the best way possible. Remember that no act of service is too small, and you have already taken the first steps towards making a difference! Rather than choosing the first opportunity that you come across, make an informed decision and find the right fit. Don’t forget to have fun in the process!

Personality Tests to Help You Learn About Yourself

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By Jess O.

Ok, this isn’t your typical school quiz, so relax! I’m here to help you find some quizzes that are a bit more fun as well as informational – specifically, ones that can offer entertainment while helping you learn about yourself. Personality tests consider your reactions to questions and place you into a category based on the data they assessed from your answers.  The insight these tests provide often explains characteristics of who we are as people in basic categories. Some quizzes are made to guide you to a reliable answer so that the questions may be more challenging and the process could take a longer amount of time. Other tests are made for entertainment and ask questions unrelated to the topic that lead to an amusing answer. In this post, I will be reviewing  5 quizzes that range from asking deep, serious questions that make you think, to some that are random and meant for amusement, and others that will rely solely on your intuition.

1. Test Color

What if the colors you think are the most visually pleasing actually say something about your personality? Well, this test considers exactly that!  The Test Color test gives you a range of colors, and then it’s your turn to decide which you like the best (and the least!) within the selection. After completion, the test will determine what percentage of an extrovert/introvert you are as well as rating your management skills, organization abilities, emotional intelligence, and intellectual performance. Although colors may not have a direct correlation with your personality, it is definitely interesting to see what this test would say about your preferences.  Click here to see what your favorite shades say about who you are: http://www.testcolor.com/personalitytest/personalitytest.php

2. Myers-Brigg Test

Myers-Briggs is a test that determines which one of 16 unique personalities you fit into. The personality types are based around 5 different aspects: mind, energy, nature, tactics, and identity. The test takes about six minutes to complete and reveals your personality’s strengths and weaknesses, your connection to both platonic and romantic relationship personality types, common careers you may be more inclined to enjoy, and famous individuals who share your personality type.  To find your personality type, go to https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test

3. The Enneagram Personality Test

An enneagram test sorts your personality into a number from 1 to 9, as well as your strength in each of the other numbers. Each number represents a personality type that you closely align with. The enneagram test is based on revealing how emotions drive our lives and how we engage with others. This quiz takes a few minutes to complete but knowing your numbers, along with your personality type found in the Myers-Briggs Test, are considered the most commonly used tests for describing your personality type. What’s your number? Find out at: https://www.eclecticenergies.com/enneagram/test

4. The VisualDNA – Who Am I? Quiz

Discover facets of your personality by answering questions about your preferences, tastes, and interests. This quiz assigns you a personality type and explains what factors drive your personality. It rates your openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. It also gauges your outlook, character, self-control, composure, sociability, and much more based on what you answered. To find this quiz, go to https://you.visualdna.com/quiz/whoami#!/quiz#%2Fquiz 

5. Statistical “What Character” Personality Quiz

Which characters from popular movies and TV shows does your personality reflect? Find the answer after taking this quiz! The questions given are different from any other quiz on this list because it is your job to place yourself within the spectrum they provided. For example, within a scale of 100 where would you place yourself between obedient and rebellious? After answering 30 questions, you will see your personality lined up besides characters from The Office, Avatar the Last Airbender, New Girl, Sherlock, Star Wars, Marvel, and so many more! So are you Chewbacca or Dwight? Find out at; https://openpsychometrics.org/tests/characters/

I hope you have found enjoyment while completing these quizzes and learned more about yourself in the process. I often find myself browsing through quizzes and have found that these are some of my favorites, and I hope you appreciate them as much as I have! Remember, with these personality tests there are no wrong answers so relax and enjoy! Happy testing! 

The Importance of Mental Health for Teens

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By Kirstin M.

When it comes to mental health in today’s society, many people, including teens, tend to put it on the back burner and not pay attention to it. Being someone who has done this before, I can now say that this is not optimal. In this blog I will be going over the importance of a teen’s mental health, and offering tips on how to improve your mental health. Keep in mind everyone works differently, so what works for one person might not always work for you!  You can always experiment and change it around if you need too.

Address Your Feelings When They Arise

Stress and anxiety are a normal part of human nature that are practically unavoidable; however, these feelings don’t need to be the end of the world. Most commonly, stress and anxiety build-up over time because teens are unsure of how to address these feelings – but this doesn’t have to be the case! While addressing your feelings is often an uncomfortable experience, it is an important step in growing and learning more about yourself. The first step in this process is simply acknowledging that these feelings are natural, and there is nothing to be ashamed of. Once you have acknowledged these feelings it may be helpful to discuss how you feel with a trusted adult or a close friend. I have found that writing my feelings down in a journal or even just venting to someone can really help. While this may help temporarily, it is also important to get to the root of the stress and brainstorm ways to improve the situation. 

Don’t Overload Yourself

A common occurrence for teens in today’s society is an overloaded schedule. Whether it’s cramming classes into your schedule or balancing extracurricular activities and sports, an overloaded schedule can lead to anxiety and stress. Sometimes this is unavoidable; however, there are a few tips that can help you balance your schedule and be on top of your activities and manage stress. One of the most important things I can remind you of is that there are only so many hours in a day. Scheduling multiple big events will inevitably lead to stress. Be honest with yourself and don’t bite off more than you can chew. This step will require some self-reflection and experimentation so you can learn your limits as an individual. Just remember that it is okay to say “no”, even if there are people pressuring you into saying yes.

Stay on Top of Your Work

While it may seem self-explanatory, staying on top of your work actually helps keep your mental health in check. This step ties in with keeping a manageable workload; however, it is arguably one of the most important steps in this process. For more tips relating to this topic, feel free to check out the blog, 3 Steps to Balancing Family, Friends, and School (November 25th, 2020) (https://gocarainbow.org/category/caiorg-blog/).

What to do When You’re Behind

If you start to get behind on your work, don’t worry, here are a few steps to help you calm down and catch back up!

  • Step back for a moment and collect your thoughts 
  • Form a plan
    • Make a list of what you need to do, and how you’re going to do it
  • Make sure to take small breaks every so often
  • Consider exercising, meditating, or playing a game to help you relax

Keep Positive and Don’t Give Up Hope

Keeping all this in mind, the most important step is remaining positive. Combining all these tips allows for the perfect amount of work/play, thus making life a little less stressful. No matter what happens, just remember to keep calm and do the best work you can. If you need help and are feeling like there’s nowhere left to turn, don’t be afraid to reach out. Below are a few resources to consider:

  • Crisis Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
  • School Counselor
  • A trusted friend/adult

Just remember that there is nothing wrong with asking for help and you are not alone- everyone gets stressed and needs help sometimes. I hope this blog has given you some helpful tips/advice to help you go about your daily lives.

Sisterhood Social!

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CAIORG loves our members! The CAIORG Membership Team invites you to attend our first-ever Sisterhood Social on Sunday, February 21st at 3:00 pm!

What is a Sisterhood Social? This event is a fun, engagement-based membership event with the purpose of celebrating our members & bringing former members back into the fun! Contact caiorg.membership.team@gmail.com for the Zoom information and for any questions!