Email Newsletter for September 2008
Greetings from the West Cascade Peace Corps Association!
In this edition of our electronic newsletter, you'll find:
October 9: Board Meeting at 7:15pm at Rob Dwan's home
The full text of the minutes is available on the website.
Attending: Artis Spriggs, Evangelina Sundgrenz, James Cloutier,
Michael Kresko, Benj Epstein, Rolly Thompson, Wayne Thompson,
Dorothy Soper
The board acknowledged WCPCA's receipt of 501 (c) (3) status
from the IRS which occurred in late August. We have a probationary
status for four years and will need to follow certain guidelines to
retain the status. With this step we can make plans to create an
endowed fund with OCF of $25,000.
Note: A group of board and off board members will meet with Sara
Brandt of the Oregon Community Foundation on October 1st to go over
the steps required to create an endowed fund with the organization.
This will be the 'Beryl Brinkman Memorial Fund.'
The board is learning about the regulations that accompany the
WCPCA's having received 501 status from the IRS. Our grants must be
made to other 501 organizations. Thus to support active PC projects
we will fund them through the PC Partnership Program. This program
vets and lists PC projects on the PC website. Donations are made
through the PC. No fee is taken by the PC.
We encourage our membership to look at this portion of the PC
website, http://www.peacecorps.gov.
The board is looking for more information about PC projects that we
funded such as photos and periodic updates on the project's
progress. Currently we are offered only a final report and no
contact names or numbers. James will call to talk to someone at the
PC about this.
Evangelina presented the treasurer's report. Our current
financial position is:
Checking account, OCCU: $1,957
6 mo. money mkt. act., OCCU: $2,612
Calvert fund: $2,000 (payable to WCPCA in September)
Beryl's fund invested at Edward Jones:
Principal Life Income bond: $20,000
6 mo. CD: $2,512
We reviewed our preparations for participation in the Eugene
Celebration Parade.
Evangelina presented to the board draft copies of informational
handouts about the organization. The board approved them.
Flags: James found a vendor that sells flags at a reasonable cost.
He'll buy a few more for our stock to use in the parade. James
will refresh the paint job on the taxi. We will be #3 in the
parade. We tried to complete the staffing for the booth and also
verify the transportation of items for use in the parade and at the
booth.
We anticipate selling international calendars and shirts at the
booth and also having new PC literature to give out. James will
have some new tee shirts made with the Ghandi design which has been
popular. Otherwise our stock for sale are left over from previous
years.
The board reviewed its dues structure and decided to lower the
level of dues paid directly to WCPCA in order to have them
consistent with dues paid through the national organization for an
affiliate (such as WCPCA). We had found that half of our members
had a practice of joining WCPCA through the national organization
and thus paying the lower amount.
For members who have already paid the higher amount in 2008, we will
extend a second year of membership for the amount that they have
paid. Felicia has put the new dues schedule on the website.
Jim Beyer is heading the nomination committee and thus securing
candidates for WCPCA officers and at large board members. Anyone
who would like to serve on the board should contact Jim.
WCPCA has five officers and may have an unlimited number of at-large
board members. The board prefers non-contested elections to
encourage full participation of the membership. All board members
must be paid up members of the WCPCA. Job descriptions for the
board may be found in the bylaws which are posted on the website.
The term of office will be for the year 2009. The election will
take place at our potluck in November.
Empty Bowls: Michael is working to identify people who can help
clean up after the Empty Bowls fundraiser sponsored by Food for Lane
County. Volunteers should arrive at the Food for Lane County
headquarters on Bailey Hill Road at 8:30 pm on Saturday, September
13th. Please let Michael know in advance if possible.
International guests: James encouraged the board to invite
international guests to our potlucks. This would be a welcoming
place for them to socialize and it would be interesting for us meet
them.
Justin Overdevest is the new UO Peace Corps Recruiter. He was an
agro-forestry volunteer in the Dominican Republic 2002-2004 and Peru
2004-2006. Most recently Justin worked with the Resource for Rural
Environments (RARE) program for two years in rural economic development
in Newport, Oregon. Justin can be reached at pcorps@uoregon.edu or
541-346-6026. The Peace Corps recruiter office is located on the UO
campus in the 2nd floor of Hendricks Hall in the Career Center (across
from EMU).
The UO Fall Street Fair is being held October 8, 9 & 10th on campus
(13th Ave between Kincaid St. and University St.). There will be a Peace
Corps table to give attendees a chance to learn more about serving
abroad in Peace Corps. RPCVs are needed for 2 hour time slots between
10am and 5pm. If you are able to help out please contact Justin at
pcorps@uoregon.edu or 541-346-6026.
Volunteers Clean Up at Food For Lane County Fundraiser
A special thank you to volunteers Wayne and Rolly Thompson, Michael
Kresko, and Diana and George Jeffcott who helped clean up after the
Empty Bowls Fundraiser benefitting Food for Lane County on September
13th. WCPCA members have volunteered for this event and for the
Chef's Night Out fundraising event for years. Watch for
announcements in the Spring to help out at a fabulous community
event that supports ending hunger in our community and eat delicious
food in the process!
November gathering: We'll have a potluck, a program, and the
election of officers and at-large board members to serve WCPCA
during 2009.
Jim Beyer is our nomination committee for board positions and has
identified candidates whose names he'll present to the board at its
October meeting. Nominations are still open so if you would like to
nominate someone, including yourself, please contact Jim.
If you are interested in working on the business side of WCPCA
please feel free to come to a board meeting and take part in our
discussions. They are announced in the newsletter and open to all
members.
The date, location, and program for the November potluck will be in
an email announcement to be sent out by mid-October. Please check
your email and plan to join us for this important meeting.
Eugene Celebration: WCPCA marched with thirty or so participants
in the Eugene Celebration parade on Saturday, September 13th. James
Cloutier, WCPCA president, secured the #3 position in the parade for
us so we were up front and looking colorful and snappy. Onlookers
gave us an enthusiastic reception.
The taxi had been refreshed with a new paint job. We had lots of
flags on it and in our hands. The WCPCA banner led the way. We
made a strong statement for 'Peace as Policy.'
WCPCA also had a booth on both Saturday and Sunday. We distributed
recent Peace Corps publications, answered questions from interested
bypassers, and signed up almost twenty local RPCVs who are
considering joining our activities.
We sold international calendars and tee shirts and gave away much
pre-Halloween candy. With such good weather, a good time was had by
all.
Many thanks to WCPCA members and family who helped transport and set
up our equipment, took part in the parade, staffed the booth, and
let our presence be known.
About 30 people attended our September potluck. We had a
festive backyard barbecue at the lovely home of Benj and Joann
Epstein. Rolly
Thompson gave a presentation that she called, "The Real Kenya." She
showed
slides and told us of the month long visit that she and Gwen Meyer
made to Kenya
during this August. They visited several schools and other community
development projects to which the NGO founded by Gwen, "Friends of
Kenya Schools and Wildlife" had contributed.
They also attended meetings regarding resettlement of
refugees from the post election violence in Kenya. And they
worked with community groups where women are learning
to use the wool from their sheep as a craft item. Rolly
called these hardworking people the "real heros" of
Kenya."
