Jewel City Knitters

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JCK MEETINGS
First Wednesday of Every Month from 7:00-9:00pm
CRESCENTA VALLEY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
2700 Montrose Avenue, Montrose (view map)
Room 24 818-249-6173

JCK Meeting Agendas and Minutes
(Scroll to bottom for Prior Meeting Archives)

JANUARY 2012 GENERAL MEETING

JCK GENERAL MEETING
Wednesday, January 4, 7:00-9:00pm
Crescenta Valley Methodist Church, 2700 Montrose Ave., Room 24, Montrose 91020
Agenda:
    6:30pm: Meet and Greet, Sign In, Get Organized, etc.
    7:00pm: Call to Order [Evelyn Van Orden, President]
    Approval of December Minutes [Marsha Stoddard, Secretary]
    Thanks for Treats [Cathy Wacker, Hospitality]
    Treasurer's Report [Jerri Nicol, Treasurer]
    Philanthropy Report [Judy Gregory, VP Philanthropy]
    Announcements [Members]
    Holiday Potluck Follow-Up [Evelyn Van Orden]
    Annual Planning [Members]
    Show and Share [Members]
    9:00pm: Adjourn
Minutes:
    7:10 pm: Meeting Called to Order   Evelyn Van Orden, President    17 members were present.
    A. Approval of Minutes    Marsha Stoddard, Secretary
        1. A partial version of the minutes for the December Holiday Potluck Party were posted on the website, and a hardcopy was available for review at the meeting. They will be added to, reviewed, and approved at the February meeting. Note: The December minutes (with photos!) and the 2011 Philanthropy Summary can be found by following the link in the PRIOR MEETING ARCHIVES section below.
        2. Marsha apologized for not sending out the December minutes, as she was trying to collect totals for all the charities for the year. Thanks Marsha for your fabulous Philanthropy Summary Report. It is an inspiration to us all.
    B. Treasurer's Report    Cindy Vogel, Treasurer
        1. Evelyn reported, in Cindy's absence, that the balance in our treasury is $815.24 (plus interest).
    C. Thanks for Treats   Cathy Wacker, Hospitality
        1. Wacker thanked Chris Bachwansky and Lili Horjea for the delicious goodies for the meeting. Cathy also brought some cookies.
        2. We send a special thank you to Cathy for all her work organizing and reminding people to bring our delicious food each month.
    D. Philanthropy Report    Judy Gregory, VP Philanthropy
        1. Evelyn facilitated in Judy's absence.
        2. Olga read a thank you from the pastor of her church for all the hats and scarves we made and sent for their December meal for the homeless men, women and families in the Eagle Rock area. Olga reported that there were over 80 people there. She brought back hats that were not distributed, and Cathy will take them for the homeless people that their group serves.

3. The people at Operation Gratitude were overwhelmed by the 34 hats and 22 scarves that we donated to the troops. They sent a nice thank you from Operation Gratitude. Evelyn spoke of a CBS special show that was aired in December about the group and will send a link so that we can view that show. Here's the link to the Operation Gratitude news segment that aired Saturday, December 24: Operation Gratitude on CBS Evening News (3:55 minutes long). Or you can visit the CBS News website and search for “Operation Gratitude”.

        4. Jerri Thomson reported that Knots of Love (hats for chemo patients) has collected and sent over 106,000 hats since their beginning. They updated their website at www.knotsoflove.org, and it contains many interesting hat patterns on it. At the meeting she collected 13 hats to add to her delivery to KOL.
        5. Betty Molinaro said that when she took our hats to the Huntington Hospital NICU in honor of Lynne Emery, she was told that they also receive bags from Christ Child Society, which always includes a handmade blanket. In fact, this month Betty collected 4 blankets with hats, 6 blankets, 1 sweater, 1 sweater/hat/booties, 10 hats, and 1 set of booties. That is an amazing amount of kind donations! Thanks to you all!
        6. Mary Kaye Busalacchi reported that her daughter Kimberly Smith, a NICU nurse at L.A. County USC Hospital, offered to arrange another guild visit to the NICU. Mary Kaye will find out which upcoming Saturdays are available.
    E. Announcements    Members
        1. Evelyn recently read an article in Newsweek Magazine about boosting our brain power and increase our IQ. One of the activities listed as helpful was knitting.
        2. Evelyn said that our February meeting will be the ninth anniversary of the founding of JCK. She pointed out our logo, which is a heart and an amethyst jewel because we were founded on Valentine’s Day. A crochet hook and 2 knitting needles are used in the spelling of Jewel City Knitters. She asked if someone would bring a cake in celebration. Mary Kaye Busalacchi will order a decorated sheet cake, and Jerri will bring some heart-shaped tarts. There was a motion to allow a budget of up to $25 for the cake. It was seconded and passed.
        3. Jerri Thomson read us a true story about immigrants who were leaving their old countries long ago and sailing to a new home. They held huge balls of yarn that they let unwind out over the ship as they sailed away from their families on the shore. The yarn made trails that extended out for miles from the harbor.
        4. Evelyn reminded us that Needle in a Haystack (www.needhay.com) has been a silent sponsor for our guild since we were founded in 2003. We get many new members through that shop, which holds knitting, crochet, and needlepoint classes. Evelyn is one of the teachers there and offers Beginning Knitting, Beginning Crochet, and Knit/Crochet Therapy drop-in classes.
    F. Holiday Potluck Follow-Up   Evelyn Van Orden
        1. The proceeds for the Holiday Potluck Party Raffle were $217. Evelyn added to it and wrote a check for $225 and sent it with a cover letter to Cathy Wacker to donate to the church where we meet in appreciation for allowing our guild to use their facilities for our meetings for several years. The Pastor of the church sent Evelyn a very nice thank you card which she read aloud at the meeting.
        2. Evelyn reported that member Bonnie James, who won the yarn swift and ball-winder in the raffle at the Holiday Party, will bring them to the February meeting and demonstrate the use of them, as well as offer them to other members to use at the meeting. The swift and ball-winder work well for yarn purchased in long hanks.
    G. Annual Planning   Members
        1. An involved discussion was held regarding our meeting place. For a number of members, the stairs at the church are quite difficult to negotiate. Many others said they have no problem and like our current room just fine. Evelyn would like us to meet with Cathy and the pastor to find a way to meet downstairs by offering to pay a little rent. Cathy said that she has already approached her church 3 different times and will not do it again. Several members do not feel we should ask the church any more about it, as they have been kind enough to allow us to meet there for free for a number of years. There are quite a variety of differing opinions among the members. Jerri, Janice, and possibly Evelyn will form a subcommittee to investigate other sites, but many felt that we have looked in the past and found nothing that is both free and available and also open late enough in the evening to accommodate us. Many members indicated that they are very willing to pay dues and feel that is the way to go if we have to pay for a room. No consensus was reached.
        Note from Evelyn: A committee was formed to methodically seek and analyze various candidate locations, report their findings at upcoming meetings, and facilitate a decision involving all active guild members.
        2. Annual Planning for 2012 was not completed. We will resume discussions at the next meeting, specifically ideas for programs, events, and field trips. We will also seek a volunteer to be Program Coordinator.
    H. Show and Share   Members
    9:05pm: Meeting Adjourned

PRIOR MEETING ARCHIVES