The Board of the Needle Arts Guild of Toledo met at the home of President Maria Nowicki on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 at 6:45 pm. Board members Nancy Wright, Diane Myers, Su Pellitieri, Maria Nowicki, Caren Scarbrough, Anna Kerlin, and Annette Hill were present.
Maria reported that she had received an email regarding the First Sunday programs at TBG. We have been asked to participate at the first one which is scheduled for May 4. We will demonstrate embroidery and also have a small project available for visitors. Patty Toneff from TBG advised that just a small motif outline like we have done in the past was adequate. Although we were advised that we should be prepared for 75 participants, our experience is that less than ten people are interested in participating. Most of the 900 people who attend just look and move on. Anna Kerlin has a variegated yarn that she has used to stitch samples of stitches on plastic canvas. We will have these materials available for interested visitors. Demonstrations will be done in the Arts Abilities Studios. None of us know where that is or how much room is available for us there. Maria will make calls to investigate and will advise us by email, but Diane will call several members who usually participate and do not have email.
Maria advised that she attended the Arts in the Gardens organizational meeting on April 29, which she felt had an air of hostility. There is controversy between the TBG staff and the Resident Organizations Council about combining Arts in the Gardens with the last of the First Sundays events in August. The ROC would prefer that Arts in the Gardens remain a separate event.
Treasurer Nancy Wright reports that our checking account balance is $1735.34 and our savings account balance at 5/3 Bank is $1000.03. We have a CD with a balance of $2074.35, and a balance of $1069.52 in a savings account at Charter One Bank. Su Pellitieri provided to Nancy a record of payments that she has received from Group Correspondence Course participants. Su has received the books for the Hardanger GCC course and has begun to distribute them to participants.
Maria asked for suggestions for our self-introduction topic for our next meeting. Each member will be asked to share “What is your favorite technique?”
Nancy Wright advised the board that she has begun investigating along with Diane Myers the possibility of having a Saturday stitch-in at the 577 Foundation on River Road in Perrysburg. The people there suggested that a retreat would be the best type of event to have, rather than just a stitch-in. One idea that was discussed was for Caren to begin teaching the fabric book construction technique for our Back to Basic stitch book from our monthly meeting programs. Nancy and Diane will investigate the first two weeks in October, and we will plan on doing a pot luck for our meals.
Maria said that she will ask at our regular meeting for a volunteer to assemble the wreath for the raffle at TBG. Given the current friction between TBG and the ROC, we cannot be sure how things will be in December.
Before our June meeting, when we hold our annual pot luck and the Get It Finished program, Diane wants to send an invitation to past members who don’t attend any longer to make it a “Coming home” kind of meeting. Diane wants to put together a little bag with nice gifts in it and sell tickets for an opportunity drawing for $1 each. The Board agreed with the plans and we implement them.
At our show we will remember to do a give-away from a drawing out of contact information cards filled out by show visitors.
GLR Representative Caren Scarbrough reported on the spring meeting which was held at regional seminar in Madison, Wisconsin. The Regional officers asked for a vote to do away with the traveling teacher program because of lack of participation. The chapter representatives voted to approve the motion. Melba Moore moved that the GLR Region donate $2000 to National EGA. Caren noted from financial figure handouts provided at the meeting that GLR has $70,000. The chapter representatives resisted and our National President, Carol Dam, who happened to be present, was called on to answer as to why national needs the money. She spoke about increasing operating expenses and a desire not to increase dues. The representatives then voted to approve the donation. A third issue was present for a vote. The Regional officers moved that we set up a fund to award a first time attendee scholarship for each Regional seminar, but the representatives had questions about how the winner would be determined, and what parameters would be used to make the choice. Representatives voted the proposal down and the regional officers will work up guidelines before the item is brought to a vote in the future. Caren noted that once again the region has old information on record for our officers, Maria will AGAIN send a list of our current officers and contact information to the regional board, this time to the current regional director, Chris Kyles.
Annette has recharted the fish project to make it a flat more simple shape for our children’s program this summer. She will have the new charts available at our May meetings for members to trial stitch and troubleshoot.
The meeting was then adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Annette Meyer Hill
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