JUNIOR LEAGUE OF ERIE, INC.

General Membership Meeting

Thursday, May 21,2009

Sheraton Erie Bayfront Hotel

  1. The meeting was called to order at 7:32 p.m.
  2. Past Presidents in attendance were recognized: Joanne Krill, Kelly Mroz, and Leslie Hetz, as well as Sustainers: Peggy Hetz and Leslie Hetz.
  3. The treasurer’s report was reported after the meeting. The checking account balance as of May 19,2009 is $37,929.42 and the savings account is $1674.67. Our Year-to-date income (excluding grants) is $34,745.98 and our Year-to-date expenses (excluding grants) are $34,170.78. We have had several grants that carried over in both FY 2008 & FY 2009. The total amount of grant monies used the past two years is $36,022, all of which has been spent on the specific non-budgeted items they were awarded for, with the exception of the remaining Highmark grant we were just awarded this month. The balance of that grant ($13,502.08) is to be applied towards specific BabyGoRound and Healthy Zoo, Healthy You projects this summer.
  4. Finance Council (L.Grassi): The treasurer has requested that all reimbursement requests and dues payments be turned in before May 31st, when the JLE fiscal year ends for our accounting reporting.
  5. Fundraising Council: A financial summary of the 2008-09 fundraisers was provided. 80s Rewind - $15,006; JLE Night at Jr’s Last Laugh - $1,942; Infant Flathead Prevention Video - $1,157.00; iGive.com - $26.98. Members who went above and beyond in selling tickets to 80s Rewind were recognized and presented with gift cards: Sara Temple, Emily Watcher, Holly MacKenzie, and Michele Polon. Next year’s Fundraising Co-Chairs, Catherine Fox and Amanda Sissem, shared their ideas for fundraising for the year ahead. JLE will once again offer the successful fundraising events JLE Night at Jr’s Last Laugh as well as the 80s Rewind. The co-chairs also hope to look at developing a comprehensive fund development plan next year that includes other approaches to raising funds, including an annual giving campaign.
  6. Community Impact Council: Highlights of the 2009 AJLI Annual Conference were reported by attendees Kelly Hetz and Bernadette Sitter. Media coverage (from three different networks) of the Celebrity Chef George Stella Iron Kids Chef Challenge event on April 21, 2009 was shared by Kelly Mroz. This event was highlighted as an exemplary event which brought to the attention of the community the issue of rising rates of childhood obesity and the importance of making healthy foods fun and delicious. The Community Impact Committee is offering several opportunities to volunteer over the summer. Events planned are a Greenspace Beautification project at SafeNet on June 13th, a KITK booth at the Millcreek Mallon June 13th, a raingarden research team, a Zoo physical activity brochure planning team on June 11th, and hostesses for the JLE private reception at the Zoo on June 25th. Sign-up sheets were circulated. Details about each event are available on the online calendar at . Hours earned this summer may count towards this year or next year. Lastly, Kelly Mroz announced that HighmarkBCBS has generously awarded the JLE a $17,000 grant for its summer community impact projects! (This is in addition to the $10,000 grant we were awarded last May.) The grant will cover the expenses already incurred for the George Stella celebrity chef event, a BabyGoRound billboard, a BabyGoRound annual report publication, and the Healthy Zoo, Healthy You physical activity brochure design and printing.
  7. Communications Council: An overview of the 2008-09 communications and public relations work was provided, including: a redesigned website and brochure, a mass mailing recruitment campaign, trainings on breast cancer awareness, reading an accounting budget, and child abuse in Erie County, and a securing a direct grant from Wal-Mart which provided funding for a sponsorship of the Justin Hines Racing Team at Lake Erie Speedway for the 2009 Season, providing advertisement opportunities and kids booth options at home races.
  8. Membership Council: Membership Totals at Year End Were: Actives – 43, Actives NR – 2; Actives OL – 1; Sustainers – 108; Sustainers NR – 7; Sustainer Emeritus – 16; Total Membership – 178. A list of volunteer hours earned by members this year was circulated for review. Kristen Matusiak presented the AJLI Volunteer Service Awards to members who logged in their total volunteer hours online (meetings, correspondence, projects, etc). Liz Sharp was presented the Silver Award for logging between 250-499 hours and Kelly Hetz was presented the Bronze Award for logging in 100-249 hours. Tricia Ackerman honored the four Actives who were recently awarded Sustainer status for their long standing commitment to League service: Val Bacik, Deb Euliano, Ronda Gorenc, and Joanne Krill. The Active of the Year Award was presented to Andrea Snedden for going above and beyond in her commitment to the League and doubling up on her placements when the League really needed her, balancing the tough duties of Public Relations and Newsletter while still earning more than double her required volunteer hours. The Sustainer of the Year Award was presented to Peggy Hetz for applying her professional volunteer training towards her passion of gardening and environmental preservation through her leadership, grant writing, and community collaboration with the Carrie T. Watson Garden Club. Kristi Leighton presented the New Actives recently completing the New Member (formerly Provisional) course: Lindsay Bernardini, Shara Bickel, Holly Murphy, Jean Nielsen, Becky Obradovic, Lisa Slusarz, Allison Snyder, Sara Temple, and Emily Wachter.
  9. A survey was completed by members giving their input on several ideas for change next year. The results were as follows:
  10. Training Topics Requested for next year in order of preference- The Power of Association-AJLI & What Other Leagues Are Doing (16), The Nuts & Bolts of the JLE (12), Disadvantaged Youth (9), SafeKids Erie (9), Principles of Leadership (8), Conflict Management (8), Time Management (8), Stopping the Rising Childhood Obesity Epidemic (7), Group Dynamics (5), Public Speaking (5), Computer Skills (5), Volunteer Resumes (2)
  11. 83% of members have no conflict and would like to continue meeting on Thursday evenings.
  12. 48% of members are agreeable to all electronic newsletters, to save the League approx $4,000 year, 36% of members are agreeable to partial paper newsletters (2-4 times/year), and 15% wanted no change and to keep printing 9 paper newsletters per year.
  13. 71% of members were agreeable to no food or light fare provided by the League at meetings (3-way tie between no food, members sign up to bring appetizers, and light fare such as cheese and cracks/veggie trays). 29% wanted the League to continue providing a light dinner.
  14. 87% of members wanted no change to our current Fluids for Festivities practices.
  15. 93% of members were agreeable to having board members serve 2-year terms to provide more consistency in leadership.
  16. Community Impact project interests for next year in order of preference- Healthy Zoo, Healthy You Programs (25), Kids in the Kitchen (23), Backpacks for OCY (18), BabyGoRound campaign (15), SafeKids Coalition (13), Cribs to Mothers (13), Foster Care Babysitting Solutions (12)
  17. The outgoing board members were recognized and presented with a thank you gift from the President: Tricia Ackerman, Cindy Christiansen, Lisa Grassi, Kelly Hetz, Holly MacKenzie, Heather McBrier, and Bernadette Sitter. Outgoing President Liz Sharp gave a heartfelt outgoing message and passed the gavel to incoming President Kelly Hetz. The incoming board members were recognized and presented with a small token from the new President: Tricia Ackerman, Nicole Caldwell, Cindy Christiansen, Catherine Fox, Lisa Grassi, Kelly Hetz, Amanda Sissem, and Bernadette Sitter.
  18. The meeting was adjourned at 9:33 p.m.