Monthly Meeting Minutes - March 12, 2008

President Maria Nowicki brought the March meeting to order at 6:30 pm in the Terrace Room of the Conference Center at the Toledo Botanical Garden. There were 23 members present, and a guest speaker. Toni Moore, Volunteer Coordinator for TBG talked about 2008 Special Events and Volunteer Hour documentation. She also requested help during the annual Plant Sale, which is scheduled for May 5 – 12. Members then proceeded with our Get It Finished display in order to display our handiwork for Toni’s benefit.
Treasurer Nancy Wright reported that we have a balance of $1175.84 in our checking account, $2069.52 in our savings account, and $2000 in a CD. We will divert $1000 to a different CD which will render a $50.00 bonus in addition to the interest. Nancy is still working with bank officers to get the proper signatures on file on all of our accounts for our newly installed officers.
Resident Organization Council Representative Anna Kerlin reports that although the organization is not recognized by TBG any longer, they will continue to meet at the Artist’s Club building. They will have a kick-off meeting for organizing Arts in the Garden on April 25 at noon. The event will be held in early August.
There was no report from the Outreach or Education Committees. Welcoming Committee Chairman Marilyn Freeman announced that a guest named Marilyn Welling is present tonight.
Membership Chairman Diane Myers reported that some members are due to renew membership and that she is preparing membership cards for all members.
Show Chairman, Peverly Hormann, secured a volunteer, Marilyn Freeman, to host our show judge and one guest at her home during our annual show in September. The show is tentatively scheduled for September 11-14 at Sanger branch of the library. Scheduling at the library is not confirmed this far in advance.
GLR Representative Caren Scarbrough will attend the spring meeting at the Regional Seminar in Madison, Wisconsin on our behalf. Openings are still available for classes at Seminar. Caren also advised members about an article in Needlepoint Now about the embroidery seminars offered at Calloway. The originator of those programs has also started a website called the Shining Needle Society. The EGA National magazine, Needlearts, promotes Jane Ellen Balzuweit’s ribbon candies class, for which Jane Ellen credits our deceased member, Shirley Fischer, for inspiration.
There was no report for the Library.
Maria reported that the Michigan State Day will be held on Saturday, July 19, 2008. Details will be available in the newsletter.
Anna Kerlin reported on our upcoming children’s outreach project in conjunction with TBG’s summer classes program. We will offer a plastic canvas project class on Tuesday, June 24 from 9:30 to 11:30 am and the same class again on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 from 1 to 3 pm. Anna provided copies of the fish and worm patterns which we will teach. The children will be able to use them to create either a bookmark or a piece of jewelry. The design fits well with the Nature theme at a botanical garden. Members are asked to try out the pattern and to volunteer to help with teaching the classes.
A sign-up sheet was passed for members to provide refreshments for our regular monthly meetings. Maria then asked for nominations for this year’s Gold Thread Award. Kay Griffith nominated Donna Mohn. Marianne Mussett seconded the motion. Members voted to confirm the nomination. Nancy Wright will research and write the nomination packet.
Maria advised members that the national EGA website now has member-only pages for our information. To access them, members must log-in. Instructions for that process have been distributed to members on the agenda for tonight’s meeting.
Su Pellitieri advised that those members who are participating in the Group Correspondence Course must pay $52.50 for the fee and book.
Maria provided information to members about the Extended Study programs available through the national EGA office. The classes are: Textile Design for Liturgical Spaces, taught by Marilyn Doyle; Contemporary Stumpwork, by Marsha Papay Gomola; and a Crewel Master Class, by Judy Jeroy.
Maria then requested feedback from members about our relationship with TBG regarding the recent changes concerning the ROC. Some members are frustrated by the occasional cancellation of our room reservation and displacement to the Stables. Not all members feel that frustration.
Donna Cairns reports that she recently shipped a box of stitching kits to Brooks Army medical center and she almost has another box full to ship.
The meeting was then adjourned and refreshments were shared. Program Chairman, Irene Leonard, then presented another edition of our Back to Basics program on the Fly Stitch, and the first steps in the Heart project.

Respectfully submitted,

Annette Meyer Hill