We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
ravel Agent Presents at Iota Chapter Meeting. Tracey Warburton receives an introduction from Chapter President, Paulette Cronk. Warburton talked about the fulfilling, addictive, and educational effects of travel.
The Iota Chapter of the Montana State Organization of The Delta Kappa Gamma (DKG) Society International held its first meeting of 2019 on Monday, January 28, with a 5:30 p.m. dinner meeting at the Chinook Grille. Their special guest for the evening was Tracey Warburton, co-owner of Magic Carpet Travel located in Havre, Montana.
As part of her presidential platform, Celebrating Stars of Our Community,
Iota Chapter President for the 2018-2020 biennium, Paulette Cronk invited Warburton, who has operated as a travel agent for approximately 28 years.
Cronk introduced Warburton as a graduate of Chinook High School, and Warburton told the audience gathered that when she graduated in 1976, she bought a suitcase from Armstrong's, a his and hers department store in Chinook at the time. "That purchase led to a life of travel," she said.
During her presentation, Warburton spoke about both the therapeutic and educational effects of travel, naming her three favorite destinations: Hong Kong, China; Istanbul, Turkey; and Kenya, on the continent of Africa.
For Warburton, Hong Kong is a place of pearls, jade, ethnically intriguing cuisine, and a juxtaposition of the old and the new. She described a jumbo floating restaurant where a person might dine on shark's fin soup, boiled hairy gourd soup, or bird's nest soup, which is a delicacy in Chinese cuisine. When dissolved in water, the birds' nests have a gelatinous texture and act as a thickening agent. These nests are actually made out of bird saliva, which has dried and hardened. So, when eating a bowl of bird's nest soup, diners are in fact dining on bird spit flavored with other ingredients.
Istanbul offers Mediterranean cuisine, Turkish baths, and bazaars with barrels of spices and Turkish rugs, which are prized for their craftsmanship, beauty, and durability.
"The big difference between a one-of-a-kind Turkish rug and those sold elsewhere is that Turkish rugs are all made by hand, and they are double-knotted during the weaving process, which makes the rug more durable. A Turkish rug is a valuable heirloom and its worth may increase over time," Warburton explained.
Warburton described Kenya as "an experience of the soul," saying that "nothing replaces seeing elephants, giraffes, and lions in their own habitat." Her clients tell her that their most memorable trips are safaris in Africa. She went on to describe monkeys who steal, elephants that are amazingly fast and graceful on their feet, and a cheetah taking down an impala to feed her cubs.
"Travel fulfills a person," Warburton claimed. "You can make memories that last a lifetime. Actually, travel can become an addiction."
In response to a question raised about why a person, in these days of the internet, would want to hire a travel agent, Warburton said: "We take the stress out of travel and can resolve unforeseen issues. Often, we have access to special discounts, as well. One of my customers calls any extra money spent, sanity insurance."
While some people live to travel and learn, others are more reluctant or resistant. "For those who desire a stress-free, all-inclusive form of travel, cruises are a good option," Warburton reported.
After Warburton's presentation, Iota Chapter members told stories of Alaskan cruises and trips to Spain, Italy, Norway, and the pyramids of Egypt.
Believing that vibrant programs draw members to meetings, Cronk has focused on inviting local talent and featuring what surrounding communities have to offer. Warburton is the third speaker in Cronk's series.
Mandy Hansen, first grade teacher at Highland Park Elementary School in Havre and author of two children's books, was the guest speaker at Iota's October meeting. Hansen spoke not only about what inspires and motivates her to write children's books but about the process she follows to bring a book from idea to words on the page to an illustrated and published final product.
The guest speaker at the November meeting of Iota Chapter was Dayna Springer of Spring Back Therapy. Springer, who is a licensed physical therapist with over 22 years in the industry, gave an informative talk about making exercise part of one's daily routine. She demonstrated stretching and strength-building exercises that the women can do at home to strengthen their aging bodies and to increase balance so that any risk of falling decreases.
The Iota Chapter invites outstanding women educators from Chinook, Dodson, Harlem, Hays/Lodgepole, Turner, Zurich, and surrounding communities to become members of DKG, which promotes professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education.
Because members are committed to fulfilling their potential for greatness, creativity, leadership, and service through appropriate programs of action, Cronk hopes to increase membership through programs that celebrate the stars from Blaine County communities.
At their next meeting on February 25, Iota Chapter members will affix bookplate stickers to the 104 books they will purchase from Scholastic then donate and distribute to kindergarten students across Blaine County during "We Love to Read" month.
