Hollis Woman’s Club Meeting

Wednesday

September 12, 2007

 

 

Diana Kroeger, President, call the meeting to order.  She noted that the club celebrated its hundredth birthday last year and the club was 100 years strong.

 

Mitzi Davidson then led the club in the pledge of allegiance and the Collect.

 

Diana noted that the charity of the month was the Nashua Children’s Home.  The home had requested gift cards for haircuts.  Many organizations and individuals provided funds and tangible items for the home, but the children always needed haircuts.  Diana thanked the club members who had donated gift cards and had left haircut coupons.

 

Diana thanked and recognized the Hospitality Committee for providing food and refreshments for the meeting.

 

She reminded members that the club’s monthly meeting took place on the second Wednesday of each month.  Social hour began at 11:00AM and the business meeting began at noon.

 

Diana then introduced the new officers for the year 2007-2008:

 

President:  Diana Kroeger

Vice President:  Donna Drottar

Second Vice President:  Shawntel Fugate

Recording Secretary:

Board Meeting:  Trish Martin

General Meetings:  Audrey Augun

Corresponding Secretary:  Ginny Brooks

Treasurer:  Diane Raitt

Auditor:  Terry McKillop

Publicity:  Jane Taylor

Ways and Means:  Susan Benz

Steward:  Betsy Cotton

Director-Activities:  Julie Forgaard

Director-Programs:  Ellen Walker

Director-Yearbook:  Stephanie Stack

Director-Historians:  Sharon Hamilton

                                    Anne Brazzo

 

 

Diana noted the need for a Telephone Committee Chair, noting that this position involved calling members two to three times per year.  Paula Furlong volunteered for this position.

 

It was then stated that a copy of the last minutes were available and that a copy of the September treasurer’s report was at each table.  The treasurer’s report would be filed for audit.

 

Susan Benz of Ways and Means then took the podium to report on the following:

 

  1. The club would have a booth at the Apple Festival.  The club was looking for volunteers to do face painting and temporary tatoos.  Susan noted that this was a big money maker for the club.  There would also be crafts for sale along with Hollis Woman’s Club t-shirts, aprons, and GFWC-NH cookbooks.
  2. An apple recipe book is being compiled.  More recipes are needed to fill out the book.  Recipes can be emailed to Susan Benz.  Susan noted that the recipes could be any kind of dish as long as they incorporated apples.  She preferred that any recipe submitted to have been tested by a member.
  3. A “Simon Evening of Giving” fundraiser would take place at the Pheasant Lane Mall or any Simon mall property on November 19, 2007, from 6:30PM to 9:30PM.  Only ticket holders would be allowed into the mall at this time.  Adult tickets were available to $10 and childrens’ tickets for $3.  Members could purchase tickets at today’s meeting with a check or cash.
  4. A new club event being planned was a Parents’ Night Out for December 2, 2007.  The club has rented the Lawrence Barn for four hours that day.  Parents in the community could leave their children in care at the barn while they do their holiday shopping or other activities.  All children must be potty-trained.  The fee will be $15 for each child with a sliding scale if there is more than one child per family.  Susan has recruited her Girl Scout troop to organize games for the children.  Still, adult supervision is needed (Susan promised this to the Selectmen).  Susan called to club members to volunteer their time that day to help supervise activities.
  5. On December 1, 2007, the club will sponsor a bus trip to New York City.  She noted that NY is decorated for the holidays by this date.  The trip is fun with games and prizes.  The bus leaves at 6AM from the Nashua Welcome Center and returns at 12 midnight.  Cost per person is $55 and payment is due by October 31.

 

 

Diana returned to the podium and stated that the club is looking for creative ways to raise money.  One helpful event will be the Parents’ Night Out and she voiced the need for people to volunteer at this event.

 

Diana also urged those signing up for the NYC bus trip to pay up front for their ticket so that Susan Benz does not have to collect money at the last minute.

 

She noted that Julie Forgaard had put together an activities information table for the meeting.  Diana urged members to sign up for various activities and mentioned that activity participation was a great way to meet other members.  She also noted that group activity leaders were at today’s meeting and wore a second identifying badge.  She urged members interested in an activity to speak with the group leader.

 

Diana recognized Stephanie Stack’s work on the new Member Directory.  Stephanie saved the club $200 by going with a black+black screen design for the directory cover.  Diana stated that the $200 savings would be donated to the Beaver Brook Forever Campaign.  She also urged each member to pick up a copy of the directory.

 

Diana announced that Shawntel Fugate had volunteered to co-chair the Apple Festival.  She informed members that, at the last board meeting, board members had discussed canceling the HWC participation in the Apple Festival as no one had volunteered to be a chairperson.  At this time, another co-chair was needed as this is Shawntel’s first time chairing the festival.  The Apple Festival date has been pushed out one week to October 14th and that Diane Raitt was busy procuring the proper permits.  At this time, no one stepped forward to act as co-chair. 

 

Shawntel Fugate then spoke to the club to say that it was her first time being a festival chair.  Also, as she has never even been to an Apple Festival, she really needed another co-chair to help her.  She noted that Diane Raitt would organize the apple crisps, Susan Durham would organize the cashiers, and Betsy Cotton would organize supplies.  Shawntel noted that an outside chair was needed to organize the serving lines.  There was also need to sign up for poster distribution.

 

Diana Kroeger stated that the most recent Strawberry Festival was the most successful to date.  She thanked Jane Taylor and Diane Raitt for all their efforts in this regard and gave Diane Raitt a necklace of a strawberry to remind her of that day and all her work, as Jane could not make the meeting.

 

Diane Raitt stated that the Strawberry Festival day was excellent.  The addition of artist booths added something extra to the event and that the club would do this again.  The band played well and the crowds came.  Also, the write-ups from the 2006 event were extremely helpful.  There were no leftovers whatsoever and people were buying food until just after 4:00PM.  Proceeds were split evenly between the HWC and the Hollis Town Band.

 

Diana Kroeger stated that she was the Volunteer Coordinator for serving drinks and food to the Hollis Seniors on the 4th Thursday of every month.  She noted that volunteers were needed and that there was very little cleanup.  Another member noted that this was a very fun activity and that everyone should participate.  Diana related that if everyone participated, a member would probably only have sign up once a year.  This event is helpful to the seniors as they could get together and socialize and have a nutritious meal.

 

Diana then offered that the HWC would host the GFWC-NH District 6 Meeting on October 6, 2007, at the Lawrence Barn.  Sharon Howe would speak on the history of the barn.  She urged members to attend the meeting.  The registration and lunch fee total is $15.

 

Members are needed to work on the Pot Luck Committee.  A sign-up sheet was passed around. There is a need for people to organize events and to work on decorations.

 

Members are needed to work on the Charitable Contributions Committee.  This group meets about three times per year and most of the work is conducted via email.  Terry McKillop heads the committee and other volunteers are Linda Reiner and Betsy Cotton.

 

On September 29, 2007, the GFWC-NH Fall Field Meeting will be in Northwood, NH.  It is $15 for the lunch and anyone interested can carpool with Diana Kroeger.

 

For the October 10, 2007 meeting of the HWC, the charity will be the Nashua Soup Kitchen and Davis Funeral Home Sweater Drive.  Beth Gray of Quebec, Diane Raitt’s sister, will present “Cross Cultural Solutions”, an account of her volunteer experience in Africa.  A projector is needed for this talk.

 

Mitzi Davidson spoke regarding a Cancer Benefit being done by the Designer Showhouse at the Van Loan Preserve from September 29 to October 11, 2007.  There would also be a Designer Showcase and Gift Show on September 29 from 11:00AM to 5:00PM at the Lawrence Barn.  The mission is to raise funds to the American Cancer Society.  She urged people to attend both events.

 

Terry McKillop stated that another member, Beckie McCalmont, is recuperating from a stroke.  Terry asked that people volunteer to drive Beckie to exercise classes.  Terry will be getting the class locations from Beckie and people can call Terry to volunteer.

 

Diana Kroeger then asked members to sign up for various committees and to try and think up ways to contribute to the club to make this a successful year.

 

Betsy Cotton spoke regarding the Craft Swap Project and requested contributions of additional items.  She also stated that stuffing and cord were needed for the making of tea cosies for Ways and Means.

 

Diana asked that members stopping to eat at Panera Bread on 101A, thank them for their contribution of food for the meetings. 

 

Meeting Adjourned at 12:35 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Audrey Augun

Recording Secretary, General Meetings