UNITED SQUARE DANCERS OF AMERICA
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2009 WINTER MEETING
BLOOMINGTON, MN
JANUARY 23-24. 2009
AGENDA
Date: January 23 & 24, 2009
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Place: Hampton Inn & Suites
2860 Metro Drive, Bloomington, Minnesota 55425
Phone: (952) 854-7601
Host: Mike & Mary Strub, Plains Region Vice Presidents
1. Call to Order: Houle
2. Invocation: Jean Beck
3. Pledge of Allegiance: Weber
4. Welcome: Strub
5. Administrative Announcements/Activities: Strub
6. Disposition of Minutes of Previous Meetings: Houle
Pre Annual Meeting – June 24, 2008
Annual Meeting – June 25, 2008
Post Annual Meeting – June 28, 2008
7. Treasurer Report: Weber
8. Officers Report:
A. President Houle
B. Vice President Eastern Region: White
C. Vice President Central Region: Holley
D. Vice President Plains Region: Strub
E. Vice President Western Region: Rogers
F. Secretary: Leon
G. Historian:
H. Information Officer: Beck
I. Past President: Kittle
J. Parliamentarian Maczko
9. Committee Chair Report
A. Insurance Coordinator: Inglis
B. Discount Prescription: Flick
C. Budget for 2009: Weber
D. Youth: Becker
E. Education/Publication: Houle
F. U.S.D.A. News: Weber
G. Arts Dance & Report: Houle
H. Handicapable Dancers: James
I. Badges: Vaccari
J. N.S.D.C. Facilities & Sound: Herndon
K. Ways & Means: Houle
L. N.S.D.C. After Party: Holley
M. N.S.D.C. Showcase of Ideas: Flick
N. Dress & Jacket: Weber
O. U.S.D.A. Traveler: Vaccari
P. Long Term Insurance: Flick
Q. Stationery: Houle
R. U.S.D.A. Web Master & Weber
Shopping Mall
10. Unfinished Business
A. People Not Attending Meeting Houle
B. National Folk Dance Discussion
C. Old Business
D. Ways & Means Houle
11. New Business
A. Tri Folds White
B. Letterhead & Stationery Houle
C. Square Dance Museum in Tennessee Houle
D. Financial Planning & Life Insurance Beck
12. Announcements
13. Next Meeting Date, Location & Time
14. Adjournment
UNITED SQUARE DANCERS OF AMERICA
WINTER MEETING
BLOOMINGTON, MN
JANUARY 23-24. 2009
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Hello:
My, what a ride, what a job, they did not tell me all that it entailed.
Not like being a VP, but I am learning fast. My first hurdle was to pick a new secretary. I received three resumes. Every one of them was excellent, it sure was hard to pick. The winner was Sharon Davis Leon of Highland, California. You will enjoy reading about her and Gilbert in the USDA News. He was past USDA Treasurer.
Handicapable Dancer: I met Tom & Miriam when we were at the Convention in Charlotte, N.C. He made a good impression on me. I called him when he offered his services for an opening in any offices. I then offered him the position of this chairmanship. We talked and then I talked to the boss, Miriam, done deal.
Wow: Onto the next, Historian/Archives. Now I need your help in finding a person that liked to play with their computer, and record, scan into CD’s and also take pictures for a photo album and record our history. This job is a big one and not to take lightly.
Did a lot of work with the Arts and attended the meeting in October in Florida. It was very interesting.
Want to thank Jean & Lyle Beck for all their help when I needed information. Thanks also to Jim Weber for all his assistance so often. They were my right hand people. Thank you.
After Long Beach, California, the Herndon’s will be stepping down from their position as Facilities and Sound Chairman. Another big one to fill. I feel like the man in Human Resources, so many jobs to fill.
Connie and I were honored with a phone call from Bob Brundage asking to intervue us. He said it would take an hour. He asked us about USDA and our involvement in the Square Dance Movement. It will be on the web of the Square Dance Foundation of New England.
In November we attended our N.E. Co-op Committee meeting which Connie is Secretary of. This organization oversees the committees for all the N.E. Conventions. During the meeting I spoke on the USDA and the Arts about the calling tree. All were very interested in the workings of it and hope to incorporate it in our region.
Yours truly,
Len & Connie Houle
President, USDA
UNITED SQUARE DANCERS OF AMERICA
WINTER MEETING
BLOOMINGTON, MN
JANUARY 23-24. 2009
EASTERN REGION, VICE PRESIDENT REPORT
At the pre-annual Board meeting Alitia Becker showed the committee members a booklet put out by AARP titled “Physical Activities”. This booklet, for ages 50 plus, had many ideas on ways to exercise for healthy lifestyles. At the back of the book there was a list of resource material and organizations that could be contacted for further information. We thought that square dancing would be a great source to be added to the booklet. We volunteered to see if we could find out who to contact to have USDA included as a resource organization. After extensive research we were able to obtain the name of the person to contact. We forwarded the information as well as the booklet to Lyle and Jean Beck – Information Officer to see if they thought USDA should pursue the matter further.
THE GATHERING (an educational and informational program) was sponsored by Northern New Jersey Square Dancers Association. The event was held September 27, 2008 on the campus of Douglass College in New Brunswick, NJ. We were asked to moderate a session as well as the wrap up session. We shared the platform with Tim Marriner and Mike Jacobs for the wrap up. See the article in “USDA NEWS”.
Respectfully submitted by,
Dick and Shirley White
Eastern Region VP
UNITED SQUARE DANCERS OF AMERICA
WINTER MEETING
BLOOMINGTON, MN
JANUARY 23-24. 2009
CENTRAL REGION REPORT
We have been able to travel to many districts in Alabama, but because of the gas situation we were afraid to go to Georgia because of the shortage in Georgia. We were advised that we may not be able to get gas to get back to Alabama.
We plan to leave in early spring to visit several states in the Central Region. We have been in communication with some of them by phone and E-mail. We will be going to the Louisville pre-convention in February, so that will give us an opportunity to visit them.
We realize that this is a short report, but there is not much going on at this time.
Charlie and Kitty Holley
Central Region Vice President
UNITED SQUARE DANCERS OF AMERICA
WINTER MEETING
BLOOMINGTON, MN
JANUARY 23-24. 2009
SECRETARY’S REPORT
Gilbert and I are very pleased to have been chosen for the position of Secretary for USDA. We are still on a learning curve, but are beginning to feel comfortable in the position. Monica Landry has been extremely helpful in making the transition. We have received the Secretary’s boxes containing history and work related items along with an extensive narrative setting out the day-to-day duties. Jim and Edythe Weber have been a great source of guidance. Thank you!
We are looking forward to working with all of you over the next year.
Gilbert & Sharon Leon
Secretary
UNITED SQUARE DANCERS OF AMERICA
WINTER MEETING
BLOOMINGTON, MN
JANUARY 23-24. 2009
INFORMATION OFFICER
Since the time of the Annual Meeting in June, 2008, no information or requests for News Releases have been received and none have been prepared. I am certain that many committees have been working on projects that merit publicity. Let the Square Dance World know what you are doing. If you contact the Information Officer with news about your USDA activity either you can prepare copy for a News Release or you can tell us what is going on and we will prepare the copy with your assistance.
Once a News Release is completed, they will be posted on USDA’s web site and will also be printed and mailed to our USDA member affiliates and to the square dance publications so the releases can be used in their publications. Let’s get the information out to the dance activity!
The Information Officer has been contacted via e-mail with various requests. Dancers wanted help setting up an exhibition in a nursing home, and two couples from Germany that will be visiting in Florida wanted help finding dancing in that area during their vacation. With help from some local contacts we were able to assist them. We also had questions about banner stealing and what is expected of angels in square dancing. We passed along information of new officers in USDA affiliates, and answered questions about advertising in USDA NEWS. And we received information about publicizing the International Campers Camporee next year. Various requests are received, and with the assistance of people in the dancing activity, we usually can answer their requests.
USDA will again advertise on the National Square Dance Directory web site in 2009, and we will prepare an ad for the Program Books for the 59th National Square Dance Convention© in Louisville, KY, as soon as we are informed about after party dances for the convention.
We would like to thank the Executive Committee for their cooperation and assistance this past year. By working together, great things can be accomplished.
Respectfully submitted Lyle and Jean Beck Information Officer
UNITED SQUARE DANCERS OF AMERICA
WINTER MEETING
BLOOMINGTON, MN
JANUARY 23-24. 2009
PAST PRESIDENT REPORT
We have enjoyed the stress relief of the President responsibilities, but have tried to be of help to the Houles in getting adjusted to their new position. They seem to be handling it very well and we have not had to assist them in many ways. We were very happy to hear that they acquired a Secretary that we believe can do an excellent job for the USDA.
We enjoy visiting other state conventions and festivals to spread the word about USDA and all the excellent programs that USDA has to offer.
Si and Marilyn Kittle
Past President
UNITED SQUARE DANCERS OF AMERICA
WINTER MEETING
BLOOMINGTON, MN
JANUARY 23-24. 2009
Parliamentarian
During the USDA Annual Meeting in Wichita, Kansas in June of 2008, the USDA Executive Committee presented to the Board of Directors a proposed Resolution to encourage the initiation of organized Competition Dancing at the Local, State, and Regional, as well as during the National Square Dance Convention©.
During the Board of Director’s discussion of this Resolution there were comments made that this Dance Competition should be limited to Youth and was tabled to the 2009 USDA Annual Meeting. A copy of the tabled Resolution is attached.
It will be the task of the USDA Executive Committee during this Winter Meeting to review this Resolution to determine if it should be modified prior to resubmitting to the USDA Board of Directors during the 2009 Annual Meeting in Long Beach.
Basically, we have a couple of options – resubmit the resolution as originally presented, or modify it to incorporate limitations to Youth Competition only. Attached is a potential revised resolution for consideration during the Winter Meeting.
Jim Maczko - Parliamentarian
Post Office Box 712918
San Diego, California 92171-2918
619-295-2635
UNITED SQUARE DANCERS OF AMERICA
WINTER MEETING
BLOOMINGTON, MN
JANUARY 23-24. 2009
DISCOUNT PRESCRIPTION REPORT
Prescription cards have been distributed throughout my travels. Several clubs have sent for a supply of cards. I have had a number of phone calls asking for help in using the cards in their area. To date, no one has called back to tell me that the directions I gave them did not work. I am pleased that the cards are being used.
At this time I do not know the amount of discount monies that we received
All of the executive committee should be pushing the use of these valuable money saving cards.
Respectfully submitted,
Bill Flick
Committee Chair
UNITED SQUARE DANCERS OF AMERICA
WINTER MEETING
BLOOMINGTON, MN
JANUARY 23-24. 2009
YOUTH ADVISORS REPORT
Square Dancing Is…. “The thing” families can do together to have fun, exercise and entertainment …… “On a BUDGET.”
2009 Scholarship Applications
We recently sent a letter to the affiliate presidents of USDA. This was to bring to their attention the need for Youth Advisors in their organizations. We also want to remind them of the importance of their signature on any applications for the USDA Memorial Youth Fund Scholarship. The deadline date is Feb. 1st, 2009.
Youth Trail End Dance
We sent a letter to requesting an opportunity for USDA to sponsor a Youth Dance at the 2009 National Square Dance Convention® in Long Beach, California.
We are very happy to report that our request has been confirmed and we will have a Youth Trail End Dance on June 24, 2009, 7:30 to 10:00pm in the Youth Hall.
USDA News
We sent a Youth Trail End Dance flyer to be placed in the January –March issue of the USDA News. We also suggested that he use the Man in a barrel to remind parents of youth square dancers of the scholarship application deadline.
Youth Competition Dancing
We continue to work toward the goal of having youth competition dancing. We recommend that those who are interested in Youth Competition Dancing look into the success over the years, of the Pennsylvania Farm Show, which has a night set a-side for competitive dancing. The 4-H Clubs were the catapult for recruiting youth dancers.
T- Shirts and Frog stickers
We still have requests for our USD T-shirts. We will be passing them out at the Trail End Dance in Long Beach and throughout the year. We also send them, by request, to clubs who graduate youth dancers. We have a good supply of frog stickers and gladly send them to clubs who request them.
Youth Training Video /DVD
We are in short supply of the Youth Training Video/DVD. We recently had a request for 25 of the DVD. We could not fill this request.
Youth Advisor Job Description
We have compiled a Job Description for future Youth Advisors that will be available on the USDA Web page soon.
Youth Promotion Seminar
We will conduct a Youth seminar at the LSDA convention in Rayne, LA in March 2009.
The focus will be on getting more youth dancers and competition dancing.
Respectfully submitted by
Alitia and John Becker