Meeting brought to order by President Dennis Marsh at 9:00 AM.
This meeting is being recorded.
ROLL CALL: Recording Secretary, Virginia (Ed) Myers.
Officers: All present
Appointed Officers: All present, except: Barbara & Larry Schaumburg
Delegates: All present except: Coleeta & Chuck Quigley, Interstate Highlanders
Active Goodwill Ambassadors: All present except: Al & Fran Westphal
INVOCATION: Dave Cooper
FLAG SALUTE: 1st Vice President Barbie Cooper
MINUTES:
MOTION by Barbie Cooper to accept the minutes as amended. Seconded. Motion approved.
OFFICERS REPORTS:
PRESIDENT: Dennis Marsh (Ilana Widders)
It has been a long weekend for us. We had a great time, and I think the festival explained what we were trying to do. All the smiles that were seen and the fullness of the halls really showed that everyone was having a good time. We do thank everyone for coming.
1ST VICE PRESIDENT: Barbie Cooper (Dave)
First of all, let me say thank you to Dennis and Ilana and the 2006 Mid Winter Committee!!! Their group put on an absolute wonderful festival. Dave and I had a wonderful time dancing, attending meetings, participating in the fashion show and the showcase of rounds, and Dave cueing, but lets not forget the best part of all shopping at the vendors booths.
We have been busy in Central Oregon with the Sundown Round Dance Club with lessons, we have been thrilled with so many students, we have been averaging 38 students for Slow two step, Cha Cha, Foxtrot, and Two Step and next Sunday we will start waltz lessons!
I have been busy preparing for the September meeting when I become President with what I thought would be an issue, but after this weekend I don't need to worry about anything at all. Thanks Dennis, your group put on a wonderful festival.
I just want to say thank you again, it is just awesome to be able to attend festivals like this and see so many dancers smiling, laughing and dancing!!!! It was refreshing.
2006 MID-WINTER FESTIVAL: Ilana Widders (Dennis Marsh)
Thank you Barbie for those wonderful comments. The 2006 Mid-Winter Festival is winding down. We had a great couple of days. As chair people we know we are ultimately responsible for all that needs fixing at our festival. However, to experience it is quite another thing, but we must say we can attribute our success to our fantastic committee. They have worked very hard and over and beyond our expectations. Please remember if you see one to thank them personally.
From the comments we have heard so far, everyone enjoyed their time here. We have heard nothing but complements on our caller, Brian Hotchkies from Australia, our cuers Randy & Marie Preskitt from Washington, and our clogger Matt Sexton from Tennessee. Our youth had a very fun after party with Darrell Kalmbach and Brian Hotchkies calling some energetic tips. Brian even rolled up his pant legs and danced bare foot with them.
We are still waiting for the exact numbers. Our most recent estimate of attendance is approximately 1,500. Due to increased cost of flooring and its storage, our projected profit this year is about $4,000.
Thank you all for coming and we also want to give a special thank you to our co-chairs who have worked ultimately very hard to help us look very good.
2006 SUMMER FESTIVAL: Co-Chairs: Kay & Jim Rogers and Tim & Kathy Roberts
As usual we had a wonderful weekend and Mid-Winter is fantastic. We wouldn't miss this no matter what, and I thank you and appreciate all your work.
I have distributed to many of you a copy of the letter that the Oregon Federation recently received from the Seaside Chamber of Commerce. I hope you will take the time to read it through and understand that Seaside is a business community like any other; and of course they want our business. The letter I gave you has been signed by the Chamber of Commerce, the Mayor, the City Manager.
Any rumors or misinformation that you have about a beach town or tourist town not wanting tourists is not accurate. Please read this letter, that is all I ask so that you know what is going on. Other than that, we have a fantastic city to have the Summer Festival in in the middle of July at the beach. What could be better.
Letter to President Dennis Marsh, Oregon Federation of Square and Round Dance Clubs, dated December 7, 2005.
"On behalf of the Seaside Civic and Convention Center and the City of Seaside, I would like to personally thank you for choosing Seaside to come the host site for the 2006 Oregon Federation of Square and Round Dance Clubs Summer Festival.
Having been selected for your program in 2004, we understand how important this event is to our community and look forward to serving you again.
Our entire staff will do everything possible to accommodate your event. Our goal is to exceed your expectations by providing first class customer service.
You can be assured we are looking forward to building a long-term relationship with you and your organization. If you should have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly.
The following City of Seaside officials and business leaders listed below, share in my desire for you to consider our facility for all of your future convention needs."
Signed by,
Russell Vandenberg, General Manager, Seaside Civic and Convention Center
Mark Winstanley, City Manager, City of Seaside
Don Larson, Mayor, City of Seaside
Alan Smiles, Director, Seaside Chamber of Commerce, City of Seaside
Wayne Poole, Owner, Oregon Fine Foods
Bree Philliips, Seaside Downtown Development Association, City of Seaside
We have some really fun things planned for you. There is an ice cream social; we have a dance completely called by youth callers and cuers. We have some fun youth activities planned by Amanda Roberts. Scott Zinser, Les Seeley and Darrell Kalmbach are our featured callers. Dave and Barbie Cooper are the featured cuers. Thursday night will feature a Trail's End Dance, not included in the weekend package. Susan Healea will be cueing and Jim Hattrick and friends will be calling.
We hope you all have ribbons. If you have not, now is the time. Please make your hotel or RV reservations as soon as possible. You know a beach town in the middle of summer is somewhere everyone wants to be. There is a complete list of hotels and RV parks in the Seaside booklets we have distributed to you. Did you know that when the RV parks fill up, the City of Seaside issues permits for RVs to park around town?
Please take some forms and booklets back to your clubs.
See you there!
2007 MID-WINTER FESTIVAL: Dan & Ginger Allen
Dan Allen: Good morning. First of all, I am wearing Mid-Winter material today because it's been an honor this year to have worn it and to assist Dennis and Ilana.
With our pre-registrations, we are around $8,000 as of yesterday and are pleased with that. Our first Mid-Winter meeting will be February 19, 2006 in Brownsville. We have our staff set up for the 2007 Mid-Winter.
Ginger Allen: Good morning. It has really been an honor to work under Dennis and Ilana. They are really easy to work with and it helped us prepare for our year. We do have our ribbon packets ready for the delegates to take to their areas and sell tickets for 2007.
OREGON FEDERATION NEWS: Vivian Fairburn
Good morning everyone. I hope you have been on the website to see that there is a new link on the front page called "Where and When." It will show where and when people dance, especially for newcomers and people coming to town.
This year has consistently been profitable. Starting with the March issue we will be using heavier paper on the front, back, and color pages. This should give it some more substance. I would appreciate feedback next month as to the quality of the magazine when it arrives in the mail.
River Graphics and I review the status of our account and the accounts with Eagle Press on a quarterly basis. This month we discovered an accounting error from Eagle Press which slipped through the cracks. Starting in September we have been overcharged by approximately $400 each month. The Printer cost figure on the P&L that was distributed in the POOF meeting yesterday should have been $1120. So we were more profitable than we look. We will correct that on Monday. This probably happened because we had 48 pages in August with UV coated paper for color and 16 pages of color. That price apparently got stuck in the computer and it just kept moving along each month. Postage did not increase noticeably as the increase was for first class postage.
The March issue will have a Banner Inventory page. I will list all the banners that each club has in their Banner closet to encourage visitations to retrieve these banners. Please communicate to your clubs that I/or their Area Editor need the information by February 5th.
The new deadline is working quite well which helps us produce the OFN in a timely manner.
This month we have 968 subscribers (not including comps and exchanges). 145 apparently are independents as they don't list a club on their renewal form. That is conceivably 15% of the subscribers.
There is still room for growth in subscriptions. In July I mentioned that we have many Club/ Council Presidents and delegates who do not subscribe. That list is still pretty accurate. I received 2 more President's subscriptions and there were 2 that I didn't know I had as they were listed under different names. Even though we all discussed this problem and it was discussed in Council and Club reports, very little has changed.
2008 MID-WINTER FESTIVAL: Leonard & Marcia Snodgrass
We have been working quite diligently this weekend looking at ideas. We have a caller scheduled, Stefan Sidholm from Sweden. He is one of the callers that calls in Leavenworth, Washington. Stefan said he would be glad to come over and call for our 2008 Mid-Winter Festival.
One of the nice things about this is the people that dance at the Leavenworth Festival in Washington probably will be coming to our Mid-Winter Festival, so we may get a good draw from that area.
2ND VICE PRESIDENT: Jim & Kay Rogers
As usual, we have had a wonderful time at Mid-Winter and want to express a heartfelt thank you to the committee who works so hard to put this festival on each year.
We have been dancing close to home the past couple of months. It has really been nice to hear from our clubs how surprised and pleased they were with their portion of the profits from the 54th National Square Dance Convention. We are ready to do it again, under the leadership of Tim and Kathy Roberts, who we feel will still be young enough to do it around 2014.
RECORDING SECRETARY: Virginia Myers (Ed)
I want to thank Dennis Marsh & Ilana Widders and all the committee's for organizing a fabulous Mid-Winter Festival. I have only been to three Mid-Winter Festivals but I am hooked. We are planning on attending many festivals throughout the year.
We really enjoyed square and round dancing, seeing friends from all areas of the state,
meeting new people and, of course, shopping. We are always eager to help with the Used Clothing Section and finding all those wonderful bargains.
CORRESPONDING SECRETARY: Glory Guches (John)
Thank you Lois Klinok, Delegate of the Emerald Empire Council for hosting the meeting.
Our Chairmen Dennis Marsh and Ilana Widders put on a fantastic Mid-Winter Festival for us and deserved a big Thank-you for all their hard work with their staff!
The cards I have sent out:
Get Well:
Condolence Cards:
Special Anniversary:
TREASURER: Bill Rooper (Annadale)
I think most of you have a copy of the Treasurer report. I would like to point out an item marked Grants with $23,000 +, which is our share of the National Convention. We also received $5,000 in addition but that was in a prior fiscal year so it doesn't show this time. I used the money to make some long-time deposits and received the required signatures on the card.
I want to thank the Mid-Winter Festival people for their work.
MEMBERSHIP: Judy Gelmstedt (Chuck Bos)
Thank you to the Mid-Winter Festival; we had a great time. It is a lot of fun to dance and visit with the people we get to see only once a year.
The following clubs Corporation Dues are coming up for renewal as follows:
February
Past Due
INSURANCE: Kay Rogers (Jim)
I have distributed the 2006 insurance certificates to each delegate. They are one of the most important pieces of paper that you will be dealing with in your year of office. Please make sure you get them to your councils and the proper clubs as soon as possible.
Everyone has been really great about sending in their additional members and class lists. Keep up the great work. Thank You.
PAST PRESIDENT: Dave Cooper (Barbie)
Good Morning. This has been a great weekend; one I look forward to each year.
Today I have a few things to report. First, the Blazer Demo was a success, although not a rousing one. There were some communication problems between the Blazers and us, which caused some communication problems between us and the dancers. We had five squares on the floor, had fun, smiled, and received some nice feedback from the Blazer announcer Mike Rice, and from the Blazer front office. They would like to have us back again next year, and it would be great if someone from the Portland area would organize it.
Second, the H.O.R.S.E.S. State Benefit Dance is on April 2nd, at the Pine Forest Grange in Bend and we have the pleasure of having Wild Bill and Calamity Neva Reid Calling & Cueing for us. I know you are all planning on coming. If you want a great weekend, come on Saturday, dance the Hawaiian Luau with the Bachelor Beauts, spend the night, then come to the Benefit dance the next day. This is on the First Sunday in April. Let me challenge each Council and Club to send a square of dancers and a donation to this year's State Benefit Dance! We always have the dancers who generously donate, but lets just add a little something more this year!
Third, thanks to all the councils for sending their Randall Award nomination sheets so promptly. Out of the thirteen councils, we had 10 councils send in nomination sheets. That gave me plenty of time to order the plaque, etc. I announced last night the winners were Larry & Ann Lauderdale from the Emerald Empire Council. This is one special couple who has put in lots of time on committees, the clubs, councils, festivals and at the state level. Larry still angels at club lessons.
2006/2007 STATE OFFICERS RUNNING FOR ELECTION:
Dave Cooper: I am presenting this year's slate of nominations for officers for next year, 2006/2007. We had a great committee working on this and have some very good names.
| President | Barbie Cooper |
| 1st Vice-President | Laurie Cooley, Jim Rogers |
| 2nd Vice-President | John Guches, Dar Sconce, Marilyn Schmit |
| Treasurer | Bill Rooper |
| Recording Secretary | Virginia Myers |
| Corresponding Secretary | Glory Guches |
| Membership Chairman | Coleeta Quigley |
| Past President | Dennis Marsh |
Dave Cooper: I will now open nominations for the position of Membership Chairman.
MOTION made by Barbie Cooper to close the nomination for Membership Chairman.
Motion seconded and approved.
Dennis Marsh: I will now open nominations for Corresponding Secretary.
MOTION made by Barbie Cooper to close the nomination for Corresponding Secretary.
Motion seconded and approved.
Dennis Marsh: I will now open nominations for Recording Secretary.
MOTION made by Dave Cooper to close the nomination for Recording Secretary.
Motion seconded and approved.
Dennis Marsh: I will now open nominations for 2nd Vice President.
MOTION made by Dave Cooper to close the nomination for 2nd Vice President.
Motion seconded and approved.
Dennis Marsh: I will now open nominations for 1st Vice President.
MOTION made by Dave Cooper to close the nomination for 1st Vice President.
Motion seconded and approved.
POOF MEETING:
Vivian Fairburn: We had a good turnout. I appreciate it when past officers come and help with the OFN ideas.
We talked about the budget, the future of where we are going, the profitability and new ideas. We decided that in the past the POOF has had, as part of their Practices and Procedures, to go out for bid every two years for the OFN. We talked about the idea that maybe we just need to review it every other year and as long as we are financially solvent and everyone is happy, we should just leave it alone. We don't want the reputation of changing every two years to different printers. Otherwise, we will be out of luck in four or five years; no one will want us.
MOTION (Dave Cooper): Mr. President, I move that the Oregon Federation of Square and Round Dance Clubs authorize a payment of $275.00 per month to the Editor of the Oregon Federation News as an independent contractor. This payment authorization is to be effective September 1, 2006. This payment is to be made as long as the OFN remains fiscally solvent. This will be paid from the general fund and is dependent on a signed contract between the Editor and the Oregon Federation.
Barbie Cooper seconded.
Discussion:
Dave Cooper: The job of editing and publishing the Oregon Federation News has progressed to a very professional position. The requirement to hold this position requires the Editor to have all their own equipment in addition to the time requirement of approximately 40 hours per month to put the OFN together.
Bill Rooper: I have no objection to paying this amount but why don't we pay it out of the OFN fund? Why did you decide to pay it out of the general fund?
Barbie Cooper: That is a very good question. There was a lot of discussion on that and we felt it was like any other line item on a budget, that it should come out of the operating expenses of the Oregon Federation and not out of the OFN; because it is a part of the overall business that we transact each month here. We stated during the proposal that the OFN would have to remain fiscally sound; it would have to be making a profit.
Bill Rooper: Right, that is where the money could come from. If it wasn't making a profit, then you don't pay.
Barbie Cooper: This is definitely open for discussion. At the meeting we felt it was better when we are doing our budget each year to take it out as a separate line item, not including the OFN. It would be a line item on the budgeting expenses.
Bill Rooper: You budget the OFN's income and expenses. If you put it as a line item for the OFN, then there's no problem but I just wanted to make sure that I was hearing you right.
Barbie Cooper: It is definitely open for discussion. We should get everyone's input on this; that's for sure.
Marilyn Schmit: Even though I have no vote on this, I do have an opinion. I do believe it should come out of the OFN fund because the income and expenses of the OFN are a separate page in the Treasurer's Report. I think that the funds for the $275.00 should come out of the OFN funds to keep it all on the same page. If we pay her out of the General Fund, then we have to look on another page. An accountant wouldn't agree with this because of the fact that OFN funds are a separate entity all to itself, and it needs to be kept that way.
Bill Rooper: That is my point; she said it better than I did.
Lee Ashwill: Our intention was to get this on the agenda and a motion made to table it so that the delegates can go back and get input on this. However, this is an individual contractor and our opinion was that it should come out of the President's budget and should not be an item from the OFN. It is a separate issue from the OFN, in our opinion.
Vivian Fairburn: This issue was brought up because we're not attracting anybody to come forward to take it over.
Dennis Marsh: What's that tell you. You're doing a great job.
Vivian Fairburn: I wanted to clarify what you were saying. I'm paying $40 a month for broadband. It takes 30 to 40 hours a month; it takes time every single month, year to year to year. I think we would attract somebody if we offered something in return. That was the point of this.
Bill Rooper: I have no problem with the payment. In fact the amount is really low, but I think if the OFN is making money, then that is where the money should come from. Like somebody said, it is a separate fund. Actually it's a separate organization as far as our bookkeeping is concerned, and that is what I'm concerned with.
MOTION (Jim Rogers): Mr. President, I make a motion that we table this motion until the May meeting. Seconded by Barbie Cooper.
Ilana Widders: I just wanted to let people know that when tabling this motion and you're thinking about it for the May meeting, you should probably take advice from people who are in accounting or have an accounting degree as far as where this money should come out of. Everybody has an opinion, but I think we should take their advice and go with what they say.
Motion passed. Tabled to May.
PARLIAMENTARIAN: Tim Roberts (Kathy)
I have distributed a two-word update to your Practices & Procedures as a result of the
Summer Festival discussion at the last meeting. In the last few days, I received a rewrite of the OFN editor's section (section X) from Vivian; I will distribute that in May, along with the change to the mileage reimbursement.
You will see on your Agenda a section that I wrote up describing a procedure for submitting and voting on Summer Festival bids. We will talk more about that in New Business. However, we need to talk about the procedure for today. If there is another council that wishes to bid for the 2007 Summer Festival, then it doesn't make sense to vote on them one at time, which is what we have under Old Business. If that happens, then I suggest we let that motion die on the table, listen to all of the presentations, and vote by secret ballot. If the TVC is the only council to bid, then we can just do it as we have it.
I have one other item of business before I give a short speech. Kay & Jim Rogers are interested in serving as the USDA Western Region Vice President. In order for them to serve, they have to be nominated by a USDA affiliate organization, which we are. Therefore, I would like to have someone make a motion that we nominate Kay & Jim Rogers for the position of USDA Western Region Vice President.
MOTION (Tim Roberts): I make a motion that the Oregon Federation nominate Kay & Jim
Rogers for the position of USDA Western Region Vice-President. Barbie Cooper seconded. Motion passed.
Tim Roberts: I will write the letter and send it to the USDA.
Because it has been several years since we reviewed the basics of Robert's Rules of Order during our new officer/delegate training session in September, I thought it might be useful for me to go over some of the items that tend to be confused or misused. I'll do a couple at a time, so I don't chew up my time and Vivian's, too.
One of the most commonly misused motions is "tabling" a motion. The formal name of the motion in Robert's Rules is "lay on the table". This motion is intended to set something aside temporarily, while the body attends to more urgent business. For example, if a topic is being debated and the body wishes to adjourn for lunch, which is surely "urgent business", someone would move to lay the question on the table, and then move to adjourn. When the body reconvened, someone would then move to remove the question from the table, and debate would continue.
"Lay on the table" is not intended to be used to defer something to a future date. The literal reading of Robert's Rules is that, if a tabled motion is not taken up "during this or the next general session of the body", that motion dies. This was intended for use, for example, at political conventions, where the "next session" happens the next day. We have used that loophole to allow us to conduct our business.
When someone moves to table a motion, what they really mean is what Robert's Rules calls "Postpone to a Certain Time". Technically, we should say, "I move to postpone the question until the May meeting." When passed, that causes debate on the question under consideration to stop, and the question will appear on the agenda for the designated meeting. In this body, when you say "I move to table the motion", we treat it as "I move to postpone the question until the next meeting."
There is a related motion called "Postpone Indefinitely"; when passed, this kills the current question. This is usually considered "unfriendly".
Another commonly misused motion is "calling for the question." Many people holler out "question" as a way to say "I'm tired of the debate, let's vote." This usage is considered rude. The formal motion "to move the previous question" does immediately stop the debate. However, that is a privileged motion, which must be seconded and approved by a 2/3 majority, and it cannot interrupt someone who is currently speaking.
This is another case in which we do what was meant, not what was said. The chairman is supposed to be monitoring the table, watching for people who wish to speak, and judging when the last person has spoken. In this body, when someone "calls for the question," the president will interpret this as an informal request to vote. If no one else wishes to speak, a vote will be taken. However, is someone still wishes to speak, the informal "call for the question" that we get here will not stop them.
FINANCIAL ADVISOR: Mike Odell (Shirley)
I want to thank the Mid-Winter Committee for a great dance. They did a wonderful job and the round dance instructors were just fabulous. I would like to see them return some year; they were great.
Vivian's collection reports match up to the "OFN" ads perfectly. Most of the "When & Where" annually-paid ads have been paid. Vivian is again talking with the ones who are tardy.
In the last report, one check (for a September activity advertisement) was uncollected. In January of 2006, it was collected after much persistence by Vivian.
She has done a wonderful job for us. We should try to retain her valuable services as quickly as we can.
Vivian Fairburn: Clarification. He's not talking about the "Where and When," he's talking about the Club Directory books. They are paid annually and I'm still missing two from Central and Braids & Braves.
PUBLICITY & STATE REPORTER & EDUCATION ADVISOR: Marilyn Schmit (Ron)
The Education Seminar was attended by 11 people. Jan Margosian from the State Attorney Generals Office did an excellent job in going over details for Senior Fraud, ID Theft, and how to check out your charity. Too bad more people didn't take the time to attend. They missed out on a lot of good information.
I picked up some magazines and you can pick one up at break as long as they last. It's called "Take Charge Fighting Back Against Identity Theft." There are a few here and there are a few business cards and refrigerator magnets with phone numbers so you can call. There is also a web page you can go to.
I have window decals with me for $1.00 each. Also have about 50 directories left and I am turning in some money to Bill Rooper today.
HISTORIAN: Patty Reese
I am still collecting club history. That's my big push, to collect the history of every club that has ever danced in the State of Oregon. I only have 20 that have been turned in so far, and I know a lot of clubs still have to gather that information.
Also the South Coast Area Council is hosting the May 2006 state meeting, and we are looking forward to welcoming all of you to our wonderful area. I have distributed packets of information and we will see you in May.
BMI/ASCAP: Ralph Lambert (Linda)
I have received an invoice from BMI for the Federations $125.00 annual fee. I have requested a check from the State Treasurer for this payment.
ASCAP has advised that they have raised the per dancer rate for 2006 to $0.068/dancer. (This was $0.066/dancer in 2005.) The per event minimum fee has also increased from $70.00 to $80.00.
2006 Mid-Winter Festival
I have provided a memo to the chairs of the 2006 Mid-Winter Festival regarding their fees for BMI and for ASCAP.
YOUTH ACTIVITIES COORDINATOR: Kathy Roberts (Tim)
It was great seeing all of the kids dancing and having a wonderful time this weekend. Last night's youth dance was full of excitement and a good time was had by youth of all ages. Thank you to Mid-Winter for all of the special efforts that you made to encourage the state's youth and for making them feel welcome.
We received and approved requests to purchase 5 Mid-Winter Youth ribbons this year. One request was from the Lebanon Squares Club and four from the Independence Wagon Wheels. I really want to thank the delegates that brought this to my attention.
I have been corresponding with the head of the 2006 4-H Summer Conference at Oregon State University in June regarding offering 8 beginning square dance lessons on June 22 & 23 to the 300 youth that will be attending the conference. I am waiting to hear from either the 4-H or the caller that was to contact them as to whether or not an agreement was reached. Unfortunately this happens to be the week of the National Convention and they want eight 90 minute lessons, plus on a volunteer basis. So it's probably going to be hard to find somebody to fill that spot; but the caller was to contact them and ask about one day with four lessons.
I am in the process of planning a State Youth Benefit Dance for Sunday, April 23, 2006 at the Salem Square Dance Center. We will have one caller and one cuer. Youth callers & cuers will be welcome. Look for the ad in the March & April OFN's for additional details. Please come and support this dance as it will be for all ages. It is a benefit dance and there will be a motion made later in the meeting to explain what I hope to use the money for.
I am also planning a Youth Dance for the TVC on May 21, 2006, at the Hillsboro Odd Fellows Hall. There will be 3 callers from the TVC, PAC and Evergreen Councils with Dave Cooper of Central Oregon cueing. Youth callers and cuers will also be welcome to participate. The Odd Fellows hall is one block from the Max Train. Look for the ad in the April & May OFN's for additional details. Please bring your youth dancers to this dance and join us for an afternoon of fun.
During Summer Festival, there will be an hour of dancing on the beach Saturday morning for the youth and the young at heart. The caller will be Ed Craig. Amanda is busy planning other youth activities for Summer Festival.
Youth callers and cuers are also invited to participate in a Youth Caller & Cuer Showcase during Summer Festival on Saturday, July 15 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. All youth who are currently working with a caller or cuer, or have completed a calling or cueing class will be eligible to sign up for a time slot. This will be a mainstream dance that will be open to all Summer Festival attendees. Please have your youth contact me as soon as possible to be sure they are on the program.
The PAC's Country Cut-ups will be hosting a Youth Dance on February 26, starting at 2:00 p.m. at the Boring Barn. Please check the OFN for details and plan on bringing your youth dancers.
If you have any youth that would like to attend Summer Festival or other state supported square dance activities and cannot afford the fees or ribbons, please contact me. We have scholarships available to help youth dancers.
Zola Jones: I do have a question about our youth. I know they were raffling off a quilt for funds. Is that to go to the International Youth Competition in British Columbia?
Kathy Roberts: That was the Canby Coverleafs and they are planning on attending the competition; that is what they were raising money for.
Zola Jones: In the past several years ago, Oregon held that competition and I thought it was well received and well attended. From what I heard, everybody had a good time and a lot of youth attended. Has Oregon thought about doing this again, sponsoring the International Youth Competition? Has anybody approached you?
Kathy Roberts: No, but I would be willing to talk to them about it. It sounds like a lot of good fun. I will contact Ann Scully (?) and find out what information she has and who to contact in Washington to get us on the schedule. I think they had it in Washington a couple years ago so it must be able to move around.
ORDTA: Dennis Smith (Elaine)
I want to add my thanks to you Dennis and your committee's for a good festival this weekend.
ORDTA held their "annual meeting" yesterday, January 28.
Nominations for next year's officers were presented. The slate of officers presented by the nominating committee was elected by acclamation. I will be continuing in this chair for at least another year.
We finished up with a short Q&A session with Randy and Marie.
Our "So You Want to be a Cuer" session was held yesterday afternoon.
ORDTA's spring meeting will be held on Saturday, April 8, at 10:00AM at the Emerald Square and Round Dance Center in Springfield. You are all welcome to come and attend that meeting with us.
CALLER ADVISOR: Leonard Snodgrass (Marcia)
Quite a number of people have come up to me this weekend, saying they have enjoyed reading my articles. Probably because of the "jabbing" that I do, you're making people think. I think that's part of something we really need to start doing, thinking about what we're doing. Are we just doing something because we've always done it that way or is there something new that might be better?
A good example might be a couple nights ago, this little gal came up to me and said "I have to call this weekend and I don't have any records." I spent quite a bit of time chasing records and sitting down with my computer, probably a couple of hours with her practicing.
And last night she got up at the after party and called, with a smile on her face and the great job that she did.
We need to be taking time with our youth and helping any new callers that are out there, supporting them. If you know of a new caller, make sure that the club they go to knows they are a caller so the caller can put them up. We need to really work with them.
ROUND DANCE SCREENING: Barbara Schaumburg (Larry)
(Read by Kay Rogers)
Howdy, Howdy, from the great state of Texas & the Winning National Football Team the Texas Longhorns Whow!!!!! What a team...
Our weather is great here. It's been in the middle 80's most of the time. I've been really busy cueing. Twice a week, but this week I have 4 dances. The least amount of squares is 3, but mostly at least 7 squares to 26. Square & round dancing is going great guns down here. Everyone dances casual & we have A/C in all halls. We're 238 miles south of San Antonio. Any dancers going to the nationals in San Antonio should visit the Rio Grande Valley, Deep in The Heart of Texas.
I'm sorry I couldn't make the meeting, but hope to see Y'all at the next meeting in May.
Oregon Round of The Month
April 2006
"YAKKITY SAX" written by: Shirley & Don Heiny
Record: Star
Phase: II Two Step
May 2006
"BLUE MAGIC" written by: Corrine Labbel
Record: Epic
Phase II Two Step
The OFN, Promenade Shop, Cue Sheet Magazine & all cuers on my email list have been notified of rounds chosen.
SHOWCASE OF IDEAS: Marilyn Schmit (Ron)
We have reserved one table for San Antonio. The photo collage is scheduled to be completed by the benefit dance in April. We will make contact with POVA for magazines for touring and get them sent to the convention. The collage is going to be traveling with Ted & Pat Young and we appreciate the space in their rig.
STATE TRAILERS: Jim Kinkaid (Avis)
In the Area Delegates information package is a letter and pictures describing the trailers. Please make a copy of this letter and give a copy to each club. I realize that the trailers are not logistically feasible for the far away clubs. As there is always some turnover in membership, many clubs may not know that there are trailers available for this type of activity. Hopefully this will let some people know that we do have square dance trailers available for various purposes and maybe we can get some more interest in them.
The trailers had six usage's by five clubs or organizations during 2005, from Portland to Cottage Grove. This usage could be a little higher as one trailer was kept in the Portland area for a while this summer. I have no record of any additional usage there.
One trailer has had the floor refinished this winter. When the weather either gets warmer or I get my shop emptier, I will get the floor refinished on the other trailer. It will be ready to go this spring some time. The floors have not been refinished for at least four years. They were pretty rough.
Tires are all in good condition as far as I can tell. So both trailers should be ready to go.
I have turned in a bill to the Treasurer for about $100 and still need to buy another gallon of spar varnish. The floors are really rough and taking a lot this time.
Also, the licenses are up for renewal in April. I will send a bill for reimbursement to the Treasurer at that time.
Ever since we have been responsible for the trailers, over ten years, I have used fellow square dancers Ken and Ardelle Wolf's belt sander and have wore it out. Ken and I have refinished the trailer floors numerous times. It will cost almost as much to repair the sander, if it is even repairable, as a new one will cost about $65. Would it be permissible to purchase a replacement belt sander for the Wolf's?
MOTION (Bill Rooper): Mr. President, I would like to make a motion that Jim Kinkaid be authorized a maximum of $100.00 for trailer repairs and equipment. Seconded by Barbie Cooper. Motion passed.
MOTION (John Guches): Mr. President, I move that we untable the summer festival proposal that was tabled at the November meeting, so we could have further discussion and vote on a place to hold the 2007 Summer Festival. Barbie Cooper seconded.
MOTION (Jim Rogers): Mr. President, I move that we hold the 2007 Summer Festival in Seaside, sponsored by Tualatin Valley Council. Pat Young seconded.
Letter and Proposed Estimated Budget for 2007 Summer Festival at Seaside Convention Center from Gary & Joyce Clark, Tualatin Valley Council President, dated January 25, 2006.
I am Gary Clark and this is my wife, Joyce. I am the current President of the Tualatin Valley Council of Square Dancers. Janice Sminia, TVC Vice-President and Tom Sminia, TVC Treasurer are also here to support the presentation on our bid. We are here to place into consideration the TVC's bid to host Summer Festival 2007.
The TVC has approved this bid for holding Summer Festival 2007 on the 3rd weekend of July in Seaside. It is our understanding that the Seaside Convention Center is reserved for this weekend but we must confirm and place a deposit on the facility as soon as possible. The dates of this event are as dictated by the State Federation and would include a Thursday evening Trails End dance.
Budget for this event is calculated based on 500 dancers attending with the price per dancer set at $25.00 each. The entry price for the Trails end dance would be $5.00 per person. A list will be provided of available campgrounds and hotels in the area for the dancers convenience. If all campsites in Seaside are full, dry camping may be allowed around town with a permit issued by the city.
Loans to the event will come from the TVC's Special Square Dance Fund; however, the TVC reserves the right to apply for Federation Loan money if needed.
Six vendor spaces would be available in the upstairs area of the Convention Center at $100 each. We would also hope to increase revenues with the possible sale of a few ads for the program book.
We are looking at several possibilities for scheduling dancing Mainstream and Plus in the same building or on an outside off-site location part of the time. Rounds would again be in an upstairs meeting room with appropriate flooring provided.
We appreciate your consideration of our bid for the 2007 Summer Festival in Seaside.
Seaside is Heaven in 2007.
Gary & Joyce Clark
TVC President
Summer Festival 2007, Seaside Convention Center
Bid Proposal, Estimated Budget
| EXPECTED REVENUE | INCOME | EXPENSE |
| Registration 500 @ $25.00 | $ 12,500.00 | |
| Vendor Booth Rentals 6 @ $100 | $ 600.00 | |
| Program Book Advertising | $ 200.00 | |
| Split the Pot | $ 300.00 | |
| Trails End Dance | $ 300.00 | |
| Total Expected Revenue | $ 13,900.00 | |
| ESTIMATED EXPENSES | ||
| Facility Rent | $ 1,650.00 | |
| Callers/Cuers | $ 1,500.00 | |
| Ribbons | $ 200.00 | |
| Bank Fees | $ 120.00 | |
| BMI/ASCAP | $ 100.00 | |
| State Insurance | $ 250.00 | |
| Meeting Expenses | $ 300.00 | |
| Hospitality | $ 100.00 | |
| Advertising | $ 300.00 | |
| Printing Expenses | $ 200.00 | |
| Sound System | $ 500.00 | |
| Floors | $ 500.00 | |
| Postage | $ 200.00 | |
| Program Books | $ 300.00 | |
| Total Estimated Expenses | $ 6,220.00 | |
| NET PROFIT FOR DISTRIBUTION | $ 7,680.00 | |
President Dennis Marsh: Any questions for Gary and Joyce.
President Dennis Marsh: All in favor of Tualatin Valley Council hosting the 2007 Summer Festival in Seaside. Congratulations, motion carried.
Vivian Fairburn:
Vivian stated she has OFN's and lots of magazines from other states available and asked the Delegates to take them to their clubs.
15 Minute Break
MOTION (Bill Rooper): Mr. President, I move that the Federation set up a 3 person committee to receive applications for an Award Scholarships, not to exceed $500.00 each, to Caller School for worthy applicants. The committee would also have the power to make loans to new callers under terms to be agreed to by the committee and the new caller. Seconded by Dave Cooper.
Discussion:
We are losing Callers as well as Square Dancers and we need to encourage new people to learn to Call so that there will be a adequate supply of Callers available. The cost of learning to call may be a reason for not learning to call and the Federation has an obligation to help Square Dancing in whatever manner possible. I have run this idea by several existing callers and other people and have received nothing but encouragement.
I know in our area we had a possible caller simply due to the fact that people got together and gave her a scholarship to caller school. I would like to encourage that.
John Guches: Is this motion for new callers or are we going to be able to do it for existing callers that would like to increase their skills?
Bill Rooper: I intended it for new callers because we are running out of callers.
Dave Cooper: I agree with this idea of providing funds for new callers because we are short of callers. In our area, we have one caller. We also have a shortage of cuers in this state. I would like to have the motion amended to include new cuers and their schooling.
Bill Rooper: We need to amend the motion.
Sandy Eddings: I would like to stand on what they just said. I think if we are going to do this, it should include callers, cuers and leaders of contra, youth dancing and clogging. Any kind of leaders that want to promote this activity should be able to have the same help that we are giving callers and cuers.
MOTION (Dave Cooper:) I move to amend the motion to include callers, cuers, prompters and instructors. Seconded.
Discussion:
Al Wolf: The motion says scholarship(s), how many are they going to award? If there are 5 or 6 that want to take advantage of this, are they going to award 6 of them at $500.00 each or is it $500.00 total?
Bill Rooper: My intention when I wrote the motion was to leave the amount open to the committee to decide.
I have a question on the amendment, my motion said to give scholarships to caller schools; do they have schools for cuers and prompters? Response favorable. We should probably change the motion to read, a scholarship to a recognized school so they could get some formal training.
Kay Rogers: By eliminating the word "an," the motion would read, I move that the Federation set up a 3 person committee to receive applications for award scholarships at $500.00 each. You could award more than one $500.00 scholarship a year, but you are only awarding one $500.00 scholarship per person.
Barbie Cooper: My question is for budgeting purposes. Any incoming president would need to know how many scholarships we are thinking of presenting each year. Because $500 vs, $5000 is a huge difference when you are trying to create a budget for a year. So I think we need to come up with either 3 a year or one a year. We need to define that.
Kay Rogers: If you had a year when the Federation had no summer festival or didn't have any mid-winter income and the budget was short, couldn't the incoming president budget a smaller amount for scholarships. In a year when you felt you could afford to, you would budget more, 3 or 4.
Larry Reed: I understand what she is saying on this; the president is trying to put this in the general budget. What about considering some of the funds that the Federation has recently received from the national convention. We have not had an opportunity as the Federation to look at those funds to see what we are going to do with them with future activities and promoting square dancing. This is an opportunity to set aside some of these funds for scholarship programs. The funds would be in a "CD" to earn interest but also be available to draw from or to utilize in a scholarship process without necessarily touching the annual general budget for the president.
Lee Ashwill: We need to establish a fiscal amount that you could spend per year for the incoming president to be able to budget that amount. The amount of money that came from the 54th Nationals; we need to consider doing another national convention and earning more money for that.
Ray Jones: Mr. President, could we have the motion as it was amended and corrected reread so everyone understands exactly how it reads?
MOTION (Dave Cooper): The Oregon Federation will set up a 3 person committee to receive applications for an award scholarship, not to exceed $500.00, to an accredited caller, cuer, prompter or instructor school for a worthy applicant. The committee will also have the power to make loans to new callers, cuers, prompters or instructors under terms to be agreed to by the committee and the new caller, cuer, prompter or instructor.
President Dennis Marsh: Let's vote on the amendment first. Motion passed.
Harold Kleve: I do cue and I do contra. I didn't go to school for cueing or contra but it is something that can be done if you have a sense of timing. As far as caller classes, I heard the word accredited schools. The only accredited caller in Oregon is probably Daryl Clendenin through Caller Lab, although there are a lot of other qualified callers. One thing about calling is that it takes a lot of dedication. I don't know that the lack of funds to go to class is causing the shortage of callers. If you have the dedication you're going to find the funds for both the class and the equipment.
For a number of years, the Willamette Callers & Cues Association ran classes almost annually and sometimes had 10 to 15 people in those classes. Very few of those that went to the class, and they did it with their own funds, ended up being callers on a permanent basis. Most of them wanted to do it, but they just didn't have the quality it takes to be a good caller.
If you are going to be awarding funds, that's great if the Federation has funds that they can grant, or loan or give scholarships. You are going to have to have a good screening process because probably only about one of ten people that go through caller's class really makes it as a caller. I really think that if people are dedicated and want to become callers, they will do it whether there is a scholarship or not.
Dave Cooper: There are cuer schools available because we went through one. So that is not a problem.
MOTION (Dave Cooper): Mr. President, I would like to postpone this discussion until the next meeting in May, 2006. Barbie Cooper seconded.
Bill Rooper: I protest.
Motion passed.
MOTION (Barbara Tipton): Mr. President, I move that the Oregon Federation of Square and Round Dance Clubs adopt the following outfit as the official Oregon outfit to be worn at all future National Conventions commencing with the next one to be held in June 2006 in San Antonio, TX.
Ladies: White skirt and Blouse (or white dress) with Green overskirt and green petticoat.
Men: White shirt, Green tie and Black pants. (they can wear the vest with the wagon on it, but it is not required.)
Motion seconded.
Discussion:
Barbie Ashwill: As most of you probably know, Barbara is a delegate from our area and I asked her if she would make this motion. I just wanted to let you know that the outfit that was described, as most of you recognize, is what we wore to the 54th Nationals. I absolutely don't care what you pick or choose. If you want to find something different, my concern is that this body shows a united front when we are at future national conventions. So don't feel that you are necessarily locked in to this, if you want to come up with something else. There are a number of people from Oregon who are going to San Antonio. I can't recall if they are going to do an outdoor parade, but there are different times when we need to represent Oregon as a unified front. I think we need to consider this.
Kay Rogers: I realize that some of us are a little white and green weary, but I also recognize that we need to continue to be seen amongst convention delegates as a convention state that wants to hold future conventions. I think it is a very good idea that we have a club color and that we are identified with white and green as we have always been. The official outfit is something you may have to wear during one or two one-hour sessions, not the entire convention and anything white and green would work just as well.
President Dennis Marsh: All in favor of accepting this.
Motion passed. Bill Rooper, opposed. Duly noted.
MOTION (Dave Cooper): Mr. President, I move that the attached guidelines for awarding summer festivals be inserted into Section VIII of the Practices & Procedures.
Bidding for a Summer Festival
Any organization wishing to host a summer festival shall create a printed bid package consisting of, at a minimum:
The organization should make 38 copies of the bid package, one for each delegate and officer.
Organizations may announce their intent to bid at any Federation meeting. Bid packages should be distributed at the May Federation meeting 2 years prior to the proposed date. The winning bid will be chosen at the Summer Festival 2 years prior to the proposed date. If only one organization has submitted a bid package, the award may be made by voice vote. If more than one organization has submitted a bid package, the award will be made via a written ballot. The choice receiving a plurality of votes cast will be chosen.
If no organization has submitted a bid package by the Summer Festival meeting 2 years in advance of the proposed date, bid packages may be submitted at the September and November meetings 22 and 20 months in advance, respectively and a vote will be taken at the Mid-Winter meeting 18 months in advance.
If no organization has submitted a bid package by the Mid-Winter Festival meeting 18 months in advance, there will be no Summer Festival during that year.
Seconded by Barbie Cooper.
Discussion:
Tim Roberts: This came out of the confusion that we had over the last year. I wanted to have something down in writing so that we could have it "in writing," with something to refer to.
Kay Rogers: I think this makes perfect sense except the very last paragraph. I would like to see this motion amended to say that if there has been no bid submitted by the Mid-Winter meeting, the Federation reserves the right to hold the Summer Festival themselves. I think we need a failsafe.
Larry Reed: I have to agree with Kay. Barbie is getting ready to do a new budget. Without a Summer Festival, you rely totally on Mid-Winter Festival income. The Summer Festival is part of that general budget. Without a Summer Festival as part of the budget, the money. situation could be in a bind. Plus you have some national convention money, with the approval of the committee, that eventually you could fall back on. This Federation has enough members who have been past chairman's of festivals, special dances in your areas and other people that the Federation could use as a backup. I agree with what Kay is saying as a possible amendment to this motion.
MOTION (Dave Cooper): I amend the motion to say that if no organization has submitted a bid package by the Mid-Winter Festival meeting 18 months in advance, the Federation reserves the right to hold a Summer Festival during that year. Seconded by Dar Sconce.
Discussion:
John Guches: The question I have is the funds from the Summer Festival and the Winter Festival are split equally between the council, a club or whoever is sponsoring it. If we hold it like this with the Federation holding it, are the funds going to be split between all the clubs and the federation and the councils or will it be split with the council where we end up holding the location at? The reason why I am asking that question is we're trying to get the councils to start holding a Summer Festival throughout the state. The goal behind that is for those councils to make some money. If they see that the Federation is going to be able to step in at any time when nobody bids on it, that all the money would go to the Federation. The next question is where would we end up holding it?
Sandy Eddings: I agree with the amended motion wholeheartedly. If the Federation should come into that situation where they have to host the Summer Festival, then the Federation gets the money and whoever the Federation decides to help hold it.
Barbi Ashwill: I concur with this idea 150%. As you know because of the National Convention, no Summer Festival was held this past year. Barbie Cooper's comment really lit up my eyes a little bit along the same lines, and I hope that this body is looking at somehow coming up with a figure to provide her some extra money that you are going to transfer into her year. That's why the Rogers and the Roberts are co-chairing the 2006 Summer Festival, which is sponsored by the Federation, because we get 100% of those profits and that will make up any money that has to go to Barbie to be able to do that.
Barbie Cooper: I just want to make a comment that this Board is not trying to stop or undue the Summer Festival and take away from any council. Our goal is just to make sure, what Barbi just said, that there is a Summer Festival in the event that someone else doesn't step forward to host it. Because I know as dancers, we love going to Summer Festival's and Mid-Winter's and that's something we book on our calendars way out every year. As an incoming officer, we need those funds in order for this body to work.
Bill Rooper: As far as budgeting is concerned, we have an emergency fund in the Federation. It can be used to take the place of any losses from Mid-Winter or Summer Festival or lack of money from either one of them. So when you make your budget, if you dip into the emergency fund, it is perfectly legitimate.
Dave Cooper: I'm going to support this motion as amended for one reason. Dancers need to have a Summer Festival to go to; they are used to doing it. If you skip one, it's like you missed a lesson and people don't come back. If you skip one Summer Festival, you are going to lose dancers. So it is a great motion and we should support it.
President Dennis Marsh: We'll vote on the amendment. Motion carried.
President Dennis Marsh: We'll vote on the motion as amended, and this body shall step up and put on the Summer Festival if no council picks it up. Motion passed.
MOTION (Barbie Cooper): Mr. President, I move that the Federation establish a Scholarship Program for graduating high school seniors in Federated clubs, to be administered by the Youth Activities Coordinator. The net cost to the Federation will not exceed $250 per year. Dave Cooper seconded.
Discussion:
Kathy Roberts: We have many outstanding young dancers throughout our state that are involved not only in their schools, but in volunteering and supporting our Square Dancing Community. This scholarship would be a way of recognizing and rewarding an outstanding youth square dancer for their support and contributions to our activity. Each graduating high school senior who is actively involved in their Federated club or council, or at the state level and is planning on attending a university, college, professional, vocational or technical school would be eligible to apply for the scholarship. The student will need to submit an application, a 250-word essay and a letter of recommendation to the Youth Activities Coordinator prior to May 1st. The Youth Activities Coordinator will then meet with a selection committee to determine the recipient of the scholarship. The selection announcement will be made during the May State Meeting. The funding for the 2006 Scholarship will come from a Youth Scholarship Benefit Dance that will be held on April 23, 2006, at the Salem Square Dance Center. If our net profits equal or exceed $250, we will award one (1) $250 scholarship with no cost to the Federation. The balance of the profit will be deposited to our designated State Youth Fund for future scholarships. If our net profits are below $250, the difference between our net profit and $250 will be paid from the designated State Youth Fund. Future scholarships will be primarily funded by annual Youth Scholarship Benefit Dances that will be organized at the discretion of the State Youth Activities Coordinator. Also, should our Benefit Dances prove to be successful, more than one scholarship may be offered to eligible applicants, provided the cost to the Federation does not exceed $250.
A link to the application form will be created on the Federation web site for applicants who wish to download the application form and information. If the student does not have access to the Federation web site, an application form and information can be requested from the Youth Activities Coordinator.
The Selection Committee will be comprised of the following members:
When dancing last night and looking around, did you notice how many teenagers are out there and how many of them are having a great time promoting square dancing. They are bringing in their friends, and it's really great to see how involved they all are. This would be one way of the Federation acknowledging the contributions that these teenagers are making to our square dancing community. We had a lot of kids out there that were calling on stage last night at the program. I think it would be a good thing for us to do for our community in offering a scholarship to the kids.
For those of you around the table, I did distribute a sheet describing the eligibility and guidelines for anybody who would be interested in applying for the scholarship. I gave a brief overview in my discussion. There is a description of the nomination procedure and there is an application form that, once it has been approved, will be on the website.
Bill Rooper: Kathy, on your motion at almost the end, "should our Benefit Dances prove to be successful, more than one scholarship may be offered to eligible applicants, provided the cost to the Federation does not exceed $250," are you contemplating two scholarships at $125 each.
Kathy Roberts: I would like the scholarships to be about $250. The cost of education has increased dramatically and textbooks are running extremely high.
Bill Rooper: I realize that but what you are saying is that if you have two scholarships, you are giving only $125 each. If you make enough profit and you want to give more than one scholarship, then the cost to the Federation would be higher.
Kathy Roberts: No, if our benefit dance brings in $480, I then would be $20 short of being able to make two complete scholarships.
Bill Rooper: Okay, I'm sorry. I misunderstood what you were talking about.
Kathy Roberts: I never want to approach the Federation, at least at this point, for more than $250. So if our benefit dance is greatly successful, thanks to all of the efforts and the attendance of this board and other clubs and kids, then we would be able to offer additional scholarships. I would never go to the Federation and ask for more than $250; but if I did make $400 at the dance, then I would ask for $100. If we had eligible applicants submit their forms with everything in tact, then we would be offering two scholarships. I am not an English teacher so the 250-word essay that they are submitting, we are not going to be critiquing every comma, every period. They need to put some effort in their essay. It needs to be thoughtful; it needs to really catch our attention. They will be evaluated on their entire package. They need to present themselves as a good role model.
Al Wolf: If you make $250 on this dance, would you then go to the Federation and ask for another $250 for a second scholarship?
Kathy Roberts: No, I think that the benefit dance should be able to provide most of the funds. Hopefully we will have a lot of people attending. If you can't come, you could still send a donation to our Treasurer earmarked for the Youth Benefit Dance; this would be one way of supporting it. I don't want to ask for the full $250.
Carol Bro: Will this scholarship include both square and round dancers? We have a lot of round dancers in Central Oregon who don't square dance but they are very active in our round dancing.
Response: As long as they are a member of a federated club in the State of Oregon.
Kathy Roberts: Directly from the guidelines that will be on the website it says, the Oregon Federation of Square and Round Dance Clubs expects to award scholarship(s) to a student who is currently active in a square, round or clogging club, which is affiliated with the Oregon Federation of Square and Round Dance Clubs.
I wanted it on the merits of the student, not the financial status of the parent. It needs to be just the student.
President Dennis Marsh: All in favor. Motion passed.
Other Business:
Marilyn Schmit: Mr. President, I sent you an e-mail about a week ago, requesting that you give me a Delegates name for the USDA meeting in San Antonio. Ron and I have volunteered but we need 2 more because Oregon does have 4 votes.
President Dennis Marsh: Is anyone willing to participate? I will ask Kay & Jim Rogers to represent the second Delegate with Marilyn & Ron Schmit.
President Dennis Marsh: Ralph, did we finally get rid of all the equipment donated by Clyde Charters?
Ralph Lambert: I have one soundsphere speaker and I have a few miscellaneous speaker cords. All the rest of the equipment has been distributed.
President Dennis Marsh: In regard to the secretary's old recorder, there were three councils that wanted it: Rogue Sis-Q Council, Central Oregon and Emerald Empire.
Kay Rogers: Could you put the three requesting party's names on a piece of paper, fold them up, put them in a hat, shake them up, draw one and then you would put an end to this problem?
President Dennis Marsh: I think that is a good idea. We'll move along and get back to that.
EMERALD EMPIRE COUNCIL: Lois Klinok & Sharon Greeman
The Christmas season has always been a season of giving for the clubs in the Emerald Empire.
Whirl-A-Ways held a casino night in December for the benefit of "Toy's for Tot's." They raised over $1,500.00
Danebo Circle 8's supported 3 charities with a barrel of toys for "Toy's for Tot's," non-perishable food for "Food for Lane County," and over $400.00 plus other items for "Women's Space."
Sweet Home Squarenaders also held a dance to benefit "Toy's for Tot's," but I don't know the amount they raised, as I was not given that information.
Single Tree's held a Christmas potluck and dance December 9th. Ikuko Abe entertained the club after the dinner with music from her keyboard.
The Wolf Pack hosted a New Year's Eve dinner and dance at the Emerald Square Dance Hall. They had 10 squares of mainstream dancers and 1 square of new dancers.
LINCOLN-TILLAMOOK COUNCIL: LaVonne Bussey (Al)
The Lincoln - Tillamook Area Council plans to hold their Area Dance at the Gleneden Beach Community Hall scheduled for March 26, 2006, from 2 to 5 PM with the Sea Twirlers as our host.
Toledo 49'rs Square Dance Club Activity Report
Club members donated over 53 fun, fuzzy animals to be given to the sick and injured children in the wards at the Pacific Community Hospital in Newport. At our Christmas dance the club supplied the complete meal for everyone attending and a gift exchange was held later in the evening.
A New Years social party for members and guests was held with fun and games prevailing to welcome in 2006. On our first dance in January, we held An After New Years Eve Party, with all the extra hats, horns, and fun games added to the square and round dancing for that evening. What a fun time we all had again.
Our new dancers graduated at the second dance in January. We hope they will join us in our dances. All of our new dancers attended the Mid-Winter Festival. We were very pleased about that. We have 8 or 9 couples from our club attending the Mid-Winter Festival.
First dance in February will be our Valentine Chocolate Frolic. Sounds like fun.
We are getting everything in order for our 7th Annual Loyalty Days Festival on May 5 and 6th, 2006 at the Middle School in Newport. Dancing starts at 7:00 pm until 10:30 pm. We have a wonderful group of callers and cuers that will be on the agenda Friday night, which is a casual dance. On Saturday night, Les Seeley and John Juhring will be our feature caller and cuer. We will have dancing on Saturday afternoon for A-1 and Intermediate Round Dancing from 2:00 to 3:30 pm with a potluck at 5:00 pm. We will also have dancing on the broadwalk in Newport in the morning at 10:30 am. And yes, we hope to have our Silent Auction again, this is something that we never know how it might turn out.
Sea Twirlers Activity Report
The Sea Twirlers have been busy this holiday season with family activities, but have found time to attend the Valley River Dancers Gospel Dance and regular club dances at the Toledo 49'rs and the Valley River Dancers. The Sea Twirlers have four couples planning to attend the 2006 Oregon Mid-Winter Festival in Albany. The Sea Twirlers are also looking forward to hosting the Lincoln - Tillamook Sunday Afternoon Area Dance scheduled for March 26, 2006, at the Gleneden Beach Community Center.
I would like to thank Dennis and Ilana and their committees very much for giving us a wonderful, wonderful weekend. All their hard work paid off.
MID-WILLAMETTE AREA COUNCIL: Barbara Tipton (Bill)
Corvallis Squares hosted the first area New Dancers Dance on November 27th in Corvallis. They had 20 squares of Dancers dancing to the calling of 10 different callers and five cuers from the Mid-Willamette Area. Jim and Joyce Voll were the emcees.
Other Clubs holding New Dancer Dances in the Area were Funtastic Squares, Salem Swinging Stars, Timber Twirlers, Lebanon Square Circlers, Valley River Dancers, Independence Wagon Wheelers, Capital Callers and Cuers, Crazy Creek Rockers, and Willamette Squares. What an enthusiastic group of New Dancers. It has been reported they even learned how to steal Banners! Way to go New Dancers. It should be a great time in the New Dancers Hall at Mid-Winter.
Lebanon Square Circlers celebrated their 57th Birthday on January 15th at the IOOF Hall in Lebanon. Approximately 10 squares enjoyed the celebration with Jim and Joyce Voll, the Clubs long time Caller and Cuer, along with Roger Putzler and Bruce Lowther calling and Sharon Greenman cueing. They served Strawberry Shortcake they are so famous for at break. Several long time members were in attendance. They are the second oldest club in the State. Congratulations to Lebanon Square Circlers.
The Mid-Willamette Area's New Dancer Dance will be held March 12th at the Salem Square Dance Center in Salem. Valley River Dancers will host and Corvallis Squares will co-host. We will have callers and cuers from the area. All are welcome to attend.
PORTLAND AREA COUNCIL: Al Wolf (Gail Domine)
Most clubs are winding up their classes in the next few weeks and will graduate their dancers, hoping many will join their club.
Those clubs that hosted New Year's Eve dances report good attendance. Happy Hoppers had about 11 squares, Swap & Swing had a "formal" dance with 5 squares (sponsored by Jeans & Calicos), Country Cut-Ups report that they had 5 squares in attendance. River City Dancers had a nice crowd with 13 ½ squares.
Country Capers have not as yet hired a cuer. If interested, contact their president who is listed in the State Directory. Les Seeley is the new caller for the Tumbleweeds on the 1st, 3rd & 5th Friday. Guest callers on the 2nd & 4th Friday. They dance every Friday afternoon, and Tami Helms is their cuer. The Bachelor 'n' Bachelorettes are auditioning for a caller. They dance every Wednesday night. Tami Helms is their cuer.
River City Dancers are proud that one of their members, K. C. Curtis, is the new caller for the Toe Draggers. 40 of us visited them for his first dance on January 6.
The Tri-Council Christmas dinner on December 12 was very well attended. In fact, it was the largest ever with 59 people from PAC, TVC and Evergreen Councils. They had a very short meeting before dinner with lots of visiting afterwards.
Country Capers "Elvis" dance will be March 4. If you haven't been to one of these, you are missing an exciting evening. Georgia Bailey will call and Tami Helms will cue. Watch for their ad in a future OFN.
The next PAC 5TH Friday dance will be March 31st at the Oak Grove Community Center. Les Seeley will call and Tami Helms will cue.
The Tri-Council dance, consisting of PAC, TVC and Evergreen, will be held on April 29th at the Clark County Square Dance Center in Vancouver with Randy Dibble calling and Tami Helms cueing. She sure is a very busy lady.
ROGUE SIS-Q COUNCIL: John Guches (Glory)
I would like to say thank you to Dennis and Ilana for a fabulous weekend.
Next Council dance is April 29th 2006 with Kris Jenson of Albuquerque, NM calling and Elaine Funk of Grants Pass, Or cueing. Pre-Rounds at 7:30 pm and Squares at 8:00 pm at the Rogue Valley Square Dance Center 3377 Table Rock Rd, Medford.
Club Activities:
The 3 Valley clubs started new dancer lessons in January. The Charlie Browns with 28 students, the Lantz's Dantzers with 5 new students, and the Star Promenaders with 23 new students.
Star Promenaders' will be holding their Birthday Dance in Feb 2006 with Daryl Clendenin calling and Bob Dingman cueing.
Lantz's Dantzers' will be holding their Birthday Dance the first Saturday on April 1st with Andy Rawlins from California calling.
SUNSET EMPIRE COUNCIL: Dale Worthington (Kathy)
The Hayshaker Square Dance Club had their food drive in November and they collected 66 pounds of food that was distributed to the local food bank.
Beginning in January, the Hayshakers started a plus dance held at the Swenson Grange every 2nd and 4th Friday at 7:30pm.
Our square dance lessons ended in December and we acquired 3 new members to the club. We have also started lessons again with one square of new students. Round dance lessons have also started with 5 couples participating.
January also marks the 50th year of the Hayshaker Square Dance Club.
TUALATIN VALLEY COUNCIL: Pat Young (Ted)
The TVC's attendance banner is once again at the Sunset Promenaders club, for the highest percentage of their club in attendance at the New Year's Eve dance.
The TVC's "Cirque" New Year's Eve Dinner and Dance was wonderful with over 100 in attendance with great food and representatives from most of the Council's clubs.
The TVC voted to bid for the 2007 Summer Festival to be held at the Seaside Convention Center. As we voted earlier, that bid has been accepted by the Oregon Federation of Square and Round Dance Clubs.
The next Tri-Council Dance is April 29th at the Clark County Square Dance Center. These dances are hosted alternately by Portland Area Council, Tualatin Valley Council or the Evergreen Council from Washington.
Jim & Kay Rogers received the TVC Recognition Award at the President's Potluck held earlier this week for their service to the square dancing community. Congratulations.
As a sample of what the Council's clubs have been up to: The 4n8r's celebrated their birthday in January; the Coast Swingers held a Christmas Bazaar; the Cross Trailers had a great holiday party, the Eager Beavers are dancing easy plus; the Fireballs have been visiting some of their Washington club friends; the Hillsboro Hoedown had a great lasagna dinner and dance; the Mix 'n Mingles held a Teddy Bear dance to help the Cornelius Fire Department; the Sunset Promenaders held a Christmas New Dancers Jamboree; the Toe Draggers have a new caller, KC Curtis; the Tri-Squares' started lessons this month; the Valley Squares are purchasing hearing enhancement equipment; the R Square D's supported the Longview Square Dance Association's New Year's Eve dance; and the Grand Squares continue to dance as members of the TVC.
UMPQUA AREA COUNCIL: Dar Sconce
Thank you Dennis and Ilana, Mid-Winter Festival and Emerald Empire Council for a wonderful Mid-Winter Festival in 2006. It was awesome and I had a great time.
Umpqua Area Council sponsored a New Dancer's Jamboree in early January. We had 25 new dancers in attendance. We had dancers from Coquille, Grants Pass, Cottage Grove and Springfield as well as our own new dancers. Dancers had the wonderful opportunity to dance to 5 great callers: Dale Roberson, Peter Wood, Cheryl Muir, Bob Ewing, and Coleeta Quigley. Claude Butler also cued some rounds for the round dancers. Our area clubs donated door prizes for the new dancers, which included Mid-Winter Ribbons, subscriptions to the OFN and square dance clothes from the Buckeroos Open Closet. With new dancers and club members we danced over 8 squares! We received lots of compliments on our dance. All clubs in the area and the UAC donated either a Mid-Winter Ribbon or a subscription to the OFN as door prizes for the new dancers. As a result, many of our new dancers won ribbons and were able to come to their first Mid-Winter Festival!!
The Buckeroos held their annual Thanksgiving Dinner/Dance on November 19th with over 100 in attendance. It was great to see all the old friends and new friends too. It was a special time to share memories and give thanks for our many blessings. During the Christmas holidays, we gathered canned goods to be given to the Roseburg Mission. The Buckeroos were also awarded the "Most Braggable Club in 2005" at the Pioneer's 'N' Petticoats New Dancer's Dance.
All clubs have invited new dancers to their dances during the holidays with good attendance. Also, in December several area new dancers visited the Cascade Caller's and Cuer's New Dancer's Dance in Springfield and several won door prizes and experienced dancing to a variety of callers.
BLUE MOUNTAIN COUNCIL: David Stutzman (Sharon)
The Elgin Club was host to a New Year's Eve Dance. Front page advertisement in the local entertainment weekly brought seven high school girls out to the dance who had not danced previously. They were dressed up in square dance costume, some in shirts & petticoats others in prairie dresses. I am proud to say that the dancers welcomed the girls to the dance. The cuer adjusted the program to include line dancing to get the girls up
dancing. The men each took a girl for a square dance tip and the caller led them through some introductory calls.
The La Grande and Baker City clubs are starting lessons in February. Baker City is having lessons Saturday evening which is their regular dance night. On dance night a shortened lesson will take place before the club dance. A 3-hour lesson will be held on the off Saturday evening. The Milton-Freewater club is having dances with guest callers.
CENTRAL OREGON COUNCIL: Carol Bro (Ben Oakes)
Central Oregon would like to thank the Mid-Winter Committee for a great festival this year. Also, the Sundown Round Dance Club would like to thank you for inviting us to again participate in the Showcase of Rounds. Our dancers enjoy the challenge and even the rehearsals are fun.
Lessons are underway in Central Oregon. The epidemic of round dancing has now spread to square dancing. The Bachelor Beauts have lessons on Thursday nights, while all the other clubs hold theirs on what we call our Marathon Sundays. Square dance lessons begin at 1:30 pm with the Sagebrush Shufflers in Prineville from 1:30 till 3:30 pm. Then you can run to Bend for round dance lessons from 3:30 till 5:30 pm or head to Redmond for more square dance lessons with the Red Rock Squares from 4:00 till 6:00 pm. Then if that's not enough, head for Bend for plus lessons from 6:30 till 8:30 pm. There are about 65 new dancers taking part in these lessons.
We have several special dances to look forward to in the next several months. They include:
Red Rock Squares Sweetheart Dance in February (who will be Central Oregon's new Sweethearts this year?) We'll know on February 3,
Bachelor Beauts Birthday Dance in March,
The H.O.R.S.E.S. Benefit Dance in April,
The Central Oregon Council Dance in April,
The Swinging Mountaineers Birthday Dance in May,
And, of course, our popular Central Oregon Round-Up coming the 2nd weekend in August. We have ribbons here today and if you would like to see Lonna, you can purchase the ribbon and be ready to come dance with us. Stay turned for more details at the State Meetings and in the Oregon Federation News.
The round dance epidemic continues to grow thanks to Sundown's dedicated cuers, Dave and Barbie Cooper. Back-to-back lessons keep adding enthusiastic people to the dance floors of Central Oregon. New students have progressed from Phase II Two-Step to Fox Trot to Slo Two-Step to Cha Cha and will soon be challenged by Phase II Waltz.
We now dance the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month averaging 30 couples each dance. The club recently purchased a hearing enhancement system to benefit our guests and members. Come by and see us. We have a beautiful new sign to advertise our home at Bend's Pine Forest Grange.
We look forward to sharing the fun we are having with all of you. Come join us in Central Oregon whenever you can.
SOUTH COAST COUNCIL: Coleeta Quigley (Chuck)
With all the wet weather, dancing has been challenging to say the least! We have started a beginner class and this time seem to have enough to keep it going. Plans are underway for our Birthday Celebration over the 4th of July. We know how time flies by so want to get started. Several plan on going to Mid-Winter so hopefully we danced in a square or two with some of you.
Jefferson State Squares
We are still dancing on Thursday nights and having a great time so we are alive and well. We plan to have a meeting this month and in February will have a crab feed for all the square dancers and with no meeting … just dancing.
Saints n' Ain'ts
Saint's and Aints are planning their 50/60's dance for February and our annual birthday dance in April. Plans are in the works for a club travel night. In March we will begin having a Plus dance every second Friday of the month. We have an energetic, enthusiastic beginner's class on Sunday afternoon from 4 - 6 p.m. with a Plus workshop before that from 3-4 p.m. Round dance lessons are on Monday from 6 - 8:30 p.m.
Sets-in-Orders
Once again this year we collected sundry items at our Christmas dance to be given to the T.H.E. House in Coos Bay. They are always so appreciative of our donations to them. Our lesson classes are continuing. With enough interest we will be starting another set of beginner square dance lessons on February 7th. Our Valentine's Dance will be February 11th with another "famous" silent dessert auction. Always fun for everyone!
EASTERN OREGON COUNCIL: Lorene Griffith (George)
We just started this year dancing in January. We dance at the Gilliam County Fairgrounds in Condon, and it is the policy of the club to rotate between Ione/Condon and the old school house near Arlington during the dancing season. We invite company to dance with us so we will have more than one square. We just ask that you contact one of us: Ron & Deena Davis, Lloyd & Shirley McNary or George & Lorene Griffith. See you in a square.
INTERSTATE HIGHLANDERS COUNCIL:
No report.
Ray & Zola Jones
We have been to all of our own club, the Whirl-A-Ways dances, also their special "Toys for Tots" Casino Night and of course their Toys for Tots Christmas Dance. We also attended a special New Years Eve dance at the Square Dance Center in Springfield, and early this month a plus dance by the Buccaneers Club. We are serving as Club Reporter to the O.F.N. for the Whirl-A-Ways, and also as their alternate Delegate to the Emerald Empire Area Council.
We have been busy this weekend helping out-as we continue to serve on the Mid-Winter Festival Committee. One of our biggest enjoyments this weekend is getting to see and visit with friends once again that we only get to re-connect with at our State Festivals!
In just three days we once again head South in our motorhome on our annual two to three months Winter trip to Southern Arizona and Southern California. We will be seeing and dancing with many Oregon friends in Mesa, Tucson and Yuma, Arizona, and also attending the annual Yuma Square and Round Dance Festival. We will be taking Pre-Registrations for Summer Festival to distribute wherever we go.
As always, we have enjoyed being with you this weekend, and thank all of you for coming. We look forward to seeing you again in May; so until then ---
Safe travels and Happy Highways,
I have one additional note I would like to make. We are just so proud and happy that Annie and Larry Lauderdale from our council was chosen as recipient of the Randall Award this year. I can't think of another couple in our area that deserves it more. They have been active for so many years, and I appreciate the comments that Dave Cooper made. This is emotional for us. We have known them for so many years; and one thing about Larry, I can't think of anyone who loves to dance more than Larry does and, of course, Annie's illness has hindered his dancing because she can't go. Another thing about Larry is he loves to cue. He is always at new dancer dances and has been for many years. He gets a young girl out there in a square to be sure they are dancing. He encourages youth dancers and they love children. He has always been so attentive to the youth on camp outs and everywhere you see them. They are a wonderful couple and we thank everyone for choosing them for this award.
Al & Fran Westphal
Greetings and love to all. We are missing you and missing Mid-Winter Festival. It leaves a hole in our hearts not to be a part of it after about 40 years of participation.
Al is continuing physical therapy and we are keeping involved in Yuma Square and Round Dance Association. The annual Yuma festival approaches. We are working on publicity for that event, as well as publicity for other association activities.
The most recent was a square and round dance demonstration today in Old Town Yuma during the community's Lettuce Days celebration. Steve and Patty Porter (relocated from Portland) called and cued.
Last Saturday night Scott and Kami Zinser called the January association dance. They were very well received, as you can imagine.
We are doing a little bit of round dancing. Al hopes that with three knee injections, which are scheduled to start Jan. 30, he will see great improvement in his left knee. That may enable him to add some square dancing once again.
We have received correspondence from Bernice Gruchalla (Federation past president couple 1973-74), who is very busy in Mesa, Arizona. However, she is facing shoulder surgery when she returns to Oregon.
We are in contact often with Dorothy Murray (Federation past president couple 1978-79), who is not enjoying the cold weather lately in Madras and we had a wonderful phone conversation with Graham Wood (Federation past president 1975-76), now of Lacey, Wash., Federation past president 1975-76). Graham sent us a copy of the book he recently published, which includes a number of great photos of his wide variety of life experiences and an array of fun and touching dance photos, plus reminiscences and Graham's philosophy of life. At age 92, he can certainly boast of a life well lived.
Once again, here's an invitation to come on down to the sunny Yuma area to enjoy the dancing and multitude of other activities.
Harold & Barbara Kleve
Barbara's not here with me this morning. She's over in the motor home; she recently developed a problem with her hip. I don't know where else we could come to a dance and enjoy ourselves and not be able to dance. She did enjoy herself and we had a good time.
Winter weather and classes have kept up close to home. The beginner's class is about to graduate just in time for Mid-Winter Festival. Again we had some young kids in the class. We had two under ten and a group of teenagers, six or seven of them. I encourage all clubs to not set age limits for their classes and take them on their ability and willingness to learn. I have had older kids that we have had to ask to leave the class because of their conduct. These little ones that we have had, and you may have seen two or three of them out on the floor. They are easy to spot, they are only about "that" tall and they are just wonderful. They dance well. The smallest one has some problems but he is coming along too. Along with the kids, we get the parents, another plus. That is the only rule. Our only restriction as far as age is; if they are young kids, their parents have to be in the class too.
We have been asked by Texas officials to serve on two Panels in San Antonio, so I guess our National obligation continues. We will be visiting relatives in Kansas and Oklahoma on the way so will spread all the Oregon Goodwill we can along the way.
Lee & Barbi Ashwill
Although we have not been doing much traveling in connection with Square Dancing, we have been dancing with our local clubs, reconnecting and spreading Goodwill to the best of our abilities.
We vacationed in Vancouver, B.C. in November 2005 and in Escondido, CA in December 2005. Throughout our travels we wore our square dance jackets and/or T-Shirts. As always happens, this opened up conversations everywhere we went to discuss our favorite activity (square dancing) and the recent National Square Dance Convention held in Oregon. It is amazing how many folks had family or friends who attended the Convention and had a great experience.
Don and Shirley White were here for about a month in Salem and we were able to enjoy many fun times together. We are extremely sorry that they have resigned from the National Executive Committee and we will miss their many ideas to improve square dancing and, I am sure, everyone else will also.
The year of 2006 appears to be a busy one for us regarding travel. We will do our very best to spread Goodwill and to promote all activities in Oregon.
Don & Lonna Bramhall
It's been a busy fall, and we have managed to include a lot of dancing. Lonna is serving as president of the Sundown Round Dance Club and Don is currently president of the Red Rock Squares. We are both also busy putting together the logistics for some summer travel and dancing as work will allow but so far, our winter travel consists mainly of just driving north and south on Highway 97!
Lessons are under way in Central Oregon now, and we are both very involved in those efforts. We are pleased to report that all of the lesson efforts are being well attended and Central Oregon is hoping to add a number of new dancers to club rosters in the next few months.
And speaking of Central Oregon, we invite all Oregon and Washington dancers to the Oregon Federation Fund Raising Dance for H.O.R.S.E.S. (Adaptive Riding) which will be held on April 2nd 2006 at the Pine Forest Grange in Bend. This will be the first time that Central Oregon has had the opportunity to host this important annual dance and our local dancers are looking forward to seeing everyone. Our guest caller and cuer will be none other than "Wild Bill" and "Calamity Neva" Reid. It's going to be a great dance. Please come and join us on the east side of the Cascades. Don can even draw a map for you!
We would like to thank Dennis Marsh and Ilana Widders and their Committee's for a great Mid-Winter Festival. It has been lots of fun; we had quite a few folks from Central Oregon. Our January trip to Albany for Mid-Winter Festival is always on our travel calendar - snow or no snow.
GOOD OF THE ORDER:
John Guches
During the months prior to Mid-Winter Festival, they stole a lot of banners. I would like to pass the Rogue-Sis-Q Council banner (River Rock in a Red Wagon) on to the Summer Festival.
Marcia Snodgrass
I would like to make a couple of announcements. Funtastic Squares is starting a new dancer class on February 5 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the Salem Square Dance Center. We are truly a family club; we have a lot of 8, 9, 10 year olds and teens and up to 84. So we have the whole family spectrum.
The other thing that we're doing in March is "Learn to Plus in a Weekend" in Central Oregon at the Eastern Star Grange in Bend on March 24, 25, 26th. There are flyers on the table. There is room for RV's and we really hope we have a full house for that weekend.
Barbi Ashwill
Lee and I have been receiving many phone calls recently, e-mails and written letters from various clubs and councils. When the 54th checks were placed in the mail, no letter went with them. Now at some point, I don't know what the issue was. I know it was printed in the OFN, about how the distribution of the liquidated assets was going to take place. A lot of people had forgotten that it was there or had forgotten what it said. I have 90 copies with me today if anybody wants to take one back to their areas to refresh their memories as to where the funds came from.
The other thing, because we set the distribution up this time so that more money went to the clubs and councils than it did to the Federation, we felt that was where the funds should be. We had so many people talk about how they are getting new roofs on their granges and they are getting more hearing enhancement for their clubs. This is bringing it back to the dancers. We hope that sometime you will manage to get into your various clubs and council's minutes to determine what your particular club or council received. A few years from now if Oregon decides to bid again and people will say, why do we want to do this, you can remind them what a nice benefit this was although we did work a lot of hours. There is some rewards to come from that.
The other thing I would like to mention is, I can only speak for myself, I always felt it a privilege and an honor to serve on this body, as I see all of you sitting around the table today, and felt so proud to be visiting any other club, any other area, any other state and let them know that I was a Federation officer. People look up to you; you are the leaders. As such, everybody should not leave today without having a pink ribbon proudly displayed somewhere on one of your badges. You are suppose to set the example. Many of you do have them and we applaud you. If you don't start by registering for these festivals and right now, it should be the Summer Festival first and then with the next Mid-Winter Festival. How else do you expect to encourage the dancers and people you are around to register if they don't see that you're registered?
Lee Ashwill
There was some comment this morning and Tim and Kathy being the ones young enough to chair another national convention. I would certainly support that 100%. However, remember old age and treachery will out do youth and vigor every time.
We have a storage area that has the remaining Ways and Means items left over from the convention. In 1994 those were distributed to the councils to be divided up amongst their clubs for door prizes or whatever. We would like to do the same thing this time; however, if there are any councils who do not want this, we do not want to divide it up and send it to them. So we need to hear from the counsels by March 1, 2006, whether or not your council wants some of these items. Please contact us at 503-393-9320 or e-mail at leebarbiashwill@comcast.net.
Kathy Roberts
Thank you very much for approving the scholarship for the graduating seniors. I know they will really appreciate it.
Also, you can tell I don't have a child that is a senior in high school so I know that I have to be looking at scholarships way in advance of graduating. Our daughter will be graduating in two years so this is a good learning lesson for us.
While researching this scholarship, I went out on several web sites. One of the sites I went out on was the USDA site. They do have a $500 scholarship available for one student from throughout the United States. Anybody that is a member of an affiliated organization, which we are, and if the dancer is a member of a club in the Federation, then they would be able to apply. However, the deadline is February 1, 2006.
If you know of a student who is a graduating high school senior and would like to apply for this, they need to move very, very rapidly. They can get the application on the USDA web site, fill it in and send it back promptly. They do need to have a letter of recommendation so they need to work on it immediately.
There is a $500 scholarship that is available so please pass this information on. Next year I will be sure and have scholarship information probably in time for November so that is when the kids need to start looking at it.
(Barbie Cooper): Kathy, there were only 3 students who submitted for this national scholarship last year. They were from Central Oregon and there were only three who applied.
Well for sure if we remind the kids in November, we have an excellent chance of an Oregon dancer receiving the $500 scholarship. College is so terribly expensive; textbooks are running $250 to $500 each.
Also, If any of your classes have youth dancers and they don't know how to go about finding youth dances, they would like to help, they have some ideas, please have them contact me.
Lois Klinok
I just want to echo Zola Jones and tell you how thrilled the Emerald Empire is that Larry Lauderdale was awarded the Randall Award. Also I want to personally thank everybody at the tables here who voted for him, and I don't think you could have found anybody who was more deserving than him. He was absolutely thrilled and he shows everybody, "look what I won." I just want to say thank you.
Ray Jones
I have two questions for Tim Roberts. I haven't been able to post the Practices & Procedures on the website and there is a block there for it. I know there's another way to get these, I believe you can purchase them through the Federation or at least you used to be able to. In that block, rather then trying to keep those updated on the website, which I know is a terrible job, could you just have a contact point on there or a form to fill out to apply for it?
Tim Roberts
Actually the web version is much, much easier than actually going out and making another copy of them. The link should be alive. I'll look at the site, it should work. It's a good idea and I'll put a link to say contact me if you have any problems.
Virginia Myers
There were three council's, Rogue Sis-Q, Central Oregon and Emerald Empire, that would like the old recorder. As suggested, their names were written on a piece of paper, placed in a hat and one name was drawn as the winner. This is who will receive the old recorder: Emerald Empire.
ADJOURN: Motion made by Dave Cooper to adjourn the meeting at 12:24pm. Motion seconded by Barbie Cooper. Motion passed.
Virginia Myers (Ed)
Recording Secretary