The Greenhouse Project Action Group Meeting Minutes

August 25, 2016

411 N Division St

2:30- 4:00 PM

  1. In Attendance—Karen Abowd, Cory King, Millie Karol, Lindsay Chichester, JoAnne Skelly, Charlie Mann, Arnold Carbone.
  2. Treasurer’s report was not given since Janette and Brenda were away. There was discussion on the Americorp grant process. Cory is collating surveys and had corresponded with Jenny Scanland. Late Oct or early November the report is due to Americorp and JoAnne Skelly will do that report. Ashley will get with JoAnne on the next grant cycle and JoAnne will communicate and instruct Lindsay Chichester on the application process. It was thought that the next grant application is due in February 2017. Karen also noted she set a meeting with Gail Riley to get some fundraising ideas and learn how to put auction items online for early bidding.
  3. Karen introduced the Volunteer Communication Coordinator thought process regarding inputting contact info from the Event Brite list and Arnold gave further explanation on what needed to be done and that manual entry was required which neither he nor Karen have the time to do. Len would do it for a charge but it is not the best use of his time. Millie Karel stepped up to be the Volunteer Communication Coordinator and connected with Arnold on the process. Her intent is to have the data entered by September 10 for Karen to send out the invitation for the Harvest Dinner. This would also prove useful for end of the year donation letters.
  4. The upcoming Harvest Dinner was discussed. Date was set for Monday November 7 with doors opening at 5:30 PM. Again it would be a 6-course wine and beer paired dinner and the cost per person would be $200. 3 big ticket auction items would be needed and Karen said she and Charlie would again offer a Dinner at their house for 6-8 guests. A Donor would be sought so as to do a donor match the night of the event. Howard Jachens would generate the flier and 6 course sponsors were needed to defray cost at $1120/course. Things that worked last year were noted….photos in each room about TGP plus the running video in the wine room, flower arrangements by FFA, raffle for wine @ $5/ticket or 5 for $20 with a volunteer assigned to that task, a volunteer per auction item to keep circulating and upping the bidding butmaking sure ALL the rooms are included, $41,000 raised last year, Karel’s article in the NV Appeal and Facebook promo which Lindsay will take over, printing flower basket sponsor sheets on back of auction item sheets as formatted by Tara Burke, 6 volunteers working the event, seating limited to 88 maximum. TBD Charlie Abowd will contact a chef to participate with him. Mark Estee, Clint Jolly and Josh dairy were all considerations for this year’s event.
  5. The Flower Basket Campaign for 2017 was discussed. Karen would send out the letters as the passion for the reconstructed corridor and adding to that beauty with the baskets needed to be conveyed. The new baskets are definitely a better way to go as the most beautiful baskets are in those. It would be a Board decision about how many of those to purchase for next year (910 purchased this year) and the old ones could be part of the plant sale in 2017. An “Early Bird” special was suggested for this year’s pricing. Campaign would kick off Oct 1 (the day Parks and Rec takes the baskets down) and from then to Dec 31 the cost would be $225/one and $400/two baskets. After that date the cost is $250/one and 2 for $450 but 3 or more for $200/each.

Expansion of sales really is dependent on corridor construction schedule but businesses could step up to increase sales. Arnold suggested a Facebook pitch for businesses to show photos of their business with a basket to push sales for them and TGP…dual promo concept. This would be explained in the letter that Karen would write. Arnold would have Len redesign the Flower Basket form.

6.The potential for a Fall Open House at TGP was discussed. Cory felt it may need to wait ‘til 2017 to have more offerings but Arnold felt that if it was an educational opportunity only as a give back to the community it would be a great way to get flower baskets sponsored and sell Harvest Dinner tickets. An FFA petting zoo was suggested, a pumpkin patch, Glorious Garlic Farms Workshop on growing garlic, sale of bulbs, garlic sets and perennials, indoor herb garden planting workshops. Cory would give it some thought to see what if anything was possible by mid- October this year otherwise this would be a plan for 2017.

7.Cory gave the Greenhouse Manager’s report. 800#’s of produce in donations this month and 1300#’s this year to date plus apples being gleaned in the upcoming weeks. A plant sale would start this Friday/Saturday at TGP for Fall planting to include Fall veggies such as chard, kale, collards, kohlrabi, cabbage and perennials plus low tunnel kits. Cory was working with JoAnne on planting for next year so that TGP could sell more cut flowers at the Farmer’s Market since Smith and Smith Farms retired. Cory is also coordinating a project late Oct/Nov to transplant perennials. JoAnne helped coordinated the volunteer list with Cory and Lindsay suggested maybe a volunteer for a specific day/month. Cory continues to work with Arnold on the CTH project. Arnold added that the Revenue Committee will follow up on items they were pursuing at TGP Board meeting in September.

8. Charlie Mann gave the FFA update. 116 students to date enrolled in the AG program although the student list is still in flux. 2 students are enrolled in greenhouse management courses. 56 students are enrolled in intro to Ag. A visitor (affiliated with schools) from Washington DC toured FFA and TGP on Wednesday this week. Charlie has events he is preparing students for plus the upcoming Cow Plop at Homecoming.

9. Next meeting date was set for Thursday Sept 29 at 2:30 PM @ 411 N Division St.

10. The meeting was adjourned at 4PM.