Volunteer organization reflects on five decades of community impact

By Camille DeVaul and Quota of Atascadero

ATASCADERO —  On Thursday, April 17, Quota of Atascadero’s (Quota) current and former members met for the last time to say goodbye to 50 years of service to the North County community. Quota was a local volunteer organization with a network of people working together, making a positive impact by helping to serve the needs of our community.

Quota member Sylvia Biddle joined the club in 1975. She was asked to join by local hotel owner Willie Lee. While she felt that it was time the Quota closed its chapter in Atascadero, it wasn’t an easy decision.

“It was something that we didn’t do lightly,” said Biddle. “It took a year or so to discuss it and decide.”

Quota International was founded in 1919 in Buffalo, New York, by Wanda Frey Joiner and five other women. This feat was impressive because it took place one year before women in the United States were granted their right to vote. The founding group of women chose the short and memorable name of Quota, meaning to share, which reflected their values and goals for the club. Their Motto was Quota Cares.

The local club in Atascadero was founded in 1974 by a diverse group of women. During the following 50 years, members performed countless acts of service to help the citizens of Atascadero. 

Quota’s outgoing president Kathy Johnson joined the club about 40 years ago. She was invited by another member while she was working as an insurance broker.

“I thought, well, this is a good way to meet the ladies of the community and get to know them, and they know me. In the beginning, I sorta did it for networking, but it soon became a lot more than that,” Johnson shared with Atascadero News.

Throughout her time with Quota, Johnson has served as president on and off about eight different times, traveling to over 10 countries, attending international conventions, and making friends all over the world.

“It’s been my heart … I’ve been very devoted to it,” said Johnson. “What we do and what I did as a part of Quota, [is] that we’re making a difference. And there are a lot of people who go through life who can never say that, but we have helped a lot of people.”

Both Biddle and Johnson reflect that the friendships they have made is going to be something they miss the most about the disbandment of Quota.

“I’ve made really close friends throughout the all these years and being able to get together and do the things that we did, our fundraisers where we had a lot of really fun, great events and just knowing that we are making a difference in our community,” said Johnson.

The emphasis of the International and local clubs was assisting hearing and speech-impaired individuals and supporting the needs of women and children. Quota was instrumental in passing legislation requiring hearing tests to be given to newborn babies before they could leave the hospital. They also assisted in providing hearing aids to those in need and sponsored annual hearing clinics.  

One of Quota of Atascadero’s favorite projects was hosting the annual Colony Tea to honor long-time residents of Atascadero. The tea originated from the creative mind of the late Edith Hessick in 1977 and has continued to the present. At the event, the royalty was crowned and the marshal was presented with his or her badge, and attendees shared stories of living in Atascadero. Former members of Quota will still be lending a helping hand to continue the Colony Tea, which will now be run by the Colony Day Committee.

In 1998, Quota raised funds for the first “full service” police dog for the Atascadero Police Department. Quota continued to have fundraisers for several years to help with expenses related to the police dog.

Other acts of service included: awarding scholarships to Atascadero High School graduates and medals of excellence to sixth- and eighth-grade students; providing soundproof panels for the Pavilion; assisting the Adult Daycare Center with fundraisers; cooking and serving meals and donating supplies to ECHO;  preparing and sending care packages to combat troops in Afghanistan and Iraq;  assisting with Coats for Kids; sponsoring Lighthouse Reality Tours;  donating to the AAUW to send young women from Atascadero to Girls State and Tech Trek; providing many years of support for Camp Hapitok (summer camp for hearing and speech impaired children); making blankets and providing plush bears which were donated to Family Services, hospitals, and the police department to be given to children in distress.  They also donated to the LINK, the High School Robotics Team, the Printery Foundation, Chirofeed, Lumina, Loaves and Fishes, and many others.

To support all of its projects, Quota organized many fundraisers, including the following: extravaganzas, barbecues in the park, ice cream socials, fashion shows, home tours, art shows, and more recently, the popular Bunco parties, to name a few.

For 50 years, Quota had the privilege of serving the community of Atascadero and had a lot of fun along the way. The Quota ladies will still be getting together once a month to catch up and enjoy each other’s company.

“[Quota is] something that we will always be very proud of, and it was a big part of my life,” Johnson shared. “If the occasion arises where we can be involved in helping … we would be available.”