General Meeting called to order at 9:12 AM
CALL TO ORDER President, Pat (Cherie) Cox
Please turn off your cell phones
ROLL CALL Secretary, Lorri McIntosh
Absent: Tami Helms, ORDTA/Round Dance Screening; Blake Smith, Rogue Sis Q Delegate; Rikki Lobato, Goodwill Ambassador; and Roger & Linda Putzler, Goodwill Ambassadors
Substitutes: Elaine Funk substitute for Blake Smith, Rogue Sis Q Delegate
INVOCATION Immediate Past President, Karyn (Matt) Buchheit
FLAG SALUTE 1st Vice President, Joyce (Mike) Welton
MINUTES Secretary, Lorri McIntosh
Motion: Cece Glidewell moved to accept the minutes as distributed, Brooke Davison second the motion. Motion passed.
PRESIDENT – Patrick (Cherie) Cox
We attended the National Convention in Louisiana. Marilyn and Lorri will have a report on the trip to the National Square Dance Convention.
1ST VICE PRESIDENT – Joyce (Mike) Welton
I hope you all enjoyed having the banner on display. The stand worked out perfectly. Zola: I love the colors green & gold. Lee Ashwill would be so pleased.
2025 MIDWINTER FESTIVAL - Julia Buchheit
No report
2025 SUMMER FESTIVAL - Lorri McIntosh
We had 225 registrations. A final accounting will be completed on profit/loss when I get home and spend time with the treasurer. It looks like we won’t be in the red after all the expenses are paid. I think everyone had a great time, there were a few glitches, but the Summer Festival committee members were fantastic at putting out fires and taking care of the glitches. I want to thank everyone for participating and to thank my committee for a job well done.
Joyce, you did an awesome job. The program was great.
Betty Chipps - good job by the team. They greeted us with a smile. I enjoyed Dan Preedy; he was really fun.
2026 MID-WINTER - Karyn (Matthew) Buchheit
Things are progressing. There are some experiments in scheduling/halls this year – we will see how it goes. The visitation chairs will be scheduling visits in the next few months to get to as many clubs as they can. Program booklets will be available in November.
2027 MID-WINTER – Brooke Davison
I have contracts signed with our caller Ted Lizotte and our cuers Jeff & Pamela Johnson out of Florida. We don’t have a contract for our clogger prompter, yet. We are working on our registration form. Our theme is Diamond Circulate. We will be asking for our seed money check during the September meeting.
OREGON FEDERATION NEWS - Tim (Kathy) Roberts
Not much has changed in 5 weeks.
2ND VICE PRESIDENT – Julia Buchheit
Please remind your clubs that they need to make sure that their information in the OFN/Website has been updated as that will be the information used in the directory. I do need the numbers of directories for your councils today.
Rogue Sis-Q, 10 directories; South Coast, 10 directories; TVC, 54 directories; Umpqua, 10 directories; Central Oregon, 14 directories; PAC, 60 directories; Interstate Highlanders, 1 directory; Emerald Empire, 36 directories; and Blue Mountains, 3 directories.
SECRETARY - Lorri McIntosh
No report.
TREASURER - Marilyn (Ron) Schmit
The financials for May and June are done and copies will be provided at the meeting. I have written checks for the youth scholarships and reimbursed Brooke Davison for the SESAC fee for the next year.
The Key Bank check signers for the new fiscal year will be Joyce Welton, Dave Cooper, Patrick Cox and Lane Clem. The check signers for the Insurance account will be Vicki Pounds and Lane Clem. The insurance account is in the works to be moved from US Bank to Umpqua Bank. Lane Clem will be added to the Oregon State Credit Union CD accounts as a person allowed access. It will be his decision if I am still allowed access after installation as a backup.
I have asked State Farm for the forms for Dave Cooper and Lane Clem to be added to the Fidelity Bond and Marilyn Schmit and Karyn Buchheit will be removed after they go out of office.
I will get together with Lane Clem in August to get his signature on the accounts needed and I will complete the financials after September 1 and complete the Form 990N. Patrick needs to get someone to review the books once they are ready for the 24-25 dance year.
MEMBERSHIP CHAIRMAN – Susan Harrel
The Membership dues were to be paid by July 1st. Sadly, I have not received 1 Council’s check as of the 1st of July. Why has Blue Mountain not sent in their membership? Dave Stutzman gave the membership information to the appropriate person. He will speak with their treasurer and find out where the check is.
INSURANCE CHAIRMAN – Vicki Pounds
Come September I would like to meet with the insurance committee from the delegates in September. Kathy Roberts – The annual training session in September includes all of the delegates. You are already on the agenda to speak to them about their responsibilities.
PAST PRESIDENT – Karyn (Matthew) Buchheit
Grant Committee – no report
Randall Award – I have one nomination; we need more than one. You have until the end of this week to get them in.
PARLIAMENTARIAN - Tim (Kathy) Roberts
No report.
EDUCATION/PUBLICITY - Kathy (Tim) Roberts
Our Educational Seminar was held on Saturday. During the seminar we discussed how to make and use QR Codes to promote your clubs. We spent most of our time on how to use Facebook’s Administrative tools. We also briefly discussed how to sign up and use MeetUp and Nextdoor to promote clubs. Sadly, we only had 4 people attend the seminar. Each attendee received a thumb drive with the seminar information as well as the mini seminar on flyers and posting I gave to the TVC in June. There was also additional information including how to update their club information on the Federation’s website.
The TVC invited me to their meeting on June 2 to discuss flyers and how to post them in the OFN & Facebook. The mini seminar was well received. I gave all the officers and delegates a thumb drive with a copy of my mini seminar as well as my Basic Social Media seminar from January and additional information I felt would be helpful.
When posting information and flyers please include the state and not just the city/town. The Federation’s Facebook page is viewed throughout the world.
During 2026 Mid-Winter, our Education seminar will be on how to handle medical emergencies, including falls during a dance, possible stroke or heart attacks and how to use AED’s. Every club should plan on having a representative attend this seminar. We will also give information on how to fill out the insurance paperwork,
Zola- Midwinter Festival book has a note “do not move a person that is down until medical personnel arrive.”
HISTORIAN - Marilyn (Ron) Schmit
No report.
LICENSING – Brooke Davison
SESAC dues for 25/26 paid. Increase of $33 over last year. Sent reimbursement memo to Summer Festival Chair. Will provide Marilyn with Summer Festival's share of the licensing fees when received.
YOUTH ADVISOR - Julia Buchheit
We have 3 scholarship recipients this year. Each of them received a check for $500.00. They are: Kaylia Avila, Courtney Phillips, and Elizabeth Wiesner.
Patrick- When was the last time the youth grants were raised? USDA will be giving 3 grants, one for 2500, 1500, 1000,
ORDTA - Tami Helms (Tim Keck)
Marilyn Schmit – we had a meeting yesterday, no quorum. We are talking about a round dance weekend sometime next year. If we do a mini lab, it has to go through Roundalab, it will take longer for decisions to be made. If we do it on our own, we don’t have to apply for the $3,000 festival seed money.
ROUND DANCE SCREENING - Tami Helms (Tim Keck)
No Report Received
CALLER LIAISON - Terry Halley (Betty Chipps)
CALLERLAB is moving slowly. They still don’t know which move is going to go where.
WEBMASTER - Tim (Kathy) Roberts
No Report.
STATE FAIR - Marilyn (Ron) Schmit
Dancing on August 26 at 1:30 with George Hermann calling mainstream
Dancing on August 28 at 1:30, no cuer yet
Dancing on August 30 at 1:30; Youth Day, KC will be the caller
Free entrance to fair, dance first then enjoy the rest of the day. Unopened water bottles are OK to bring in. Will make sure the Gatekeepers know. Be prepared to have bags searched, like last year. Karyn has scheduled KC for the youth day, no cuer yet for Thursday.
BACKGROUND CHECK - Tim (Kathy) Roberts.
I will check in with Brooke about your Mid-Winter talent.
USDA - Marilyn (Ron) Schmit
My week at the National Convention was spent recording three different meetings. The Pre-Annual on Tuesday, the Annual on Wednesday and the Post Annual on Saturday. I have two of them typed in draft form and sent for approval before being formatted. I will have the third one done by Tuesday.
The Youth Scholarship winner is from Wisconsin and the Oregon applicant came in second. I will get with Karyn to explain why. Next year is the 45th Anniversary of USDA and three scholarships will be given in the amounts of $2500, $1500, and $1000.
The winter meeting is in Somerset, KY, for the General Butler Bash, a plus and advanced weekend, but since we will only dance part of it (none for me) we only have to pay half price. I will miss Mid-Winter so there will be no USDA display or Historian table set up for 2026.
USDA voted to accept the CALLERLAB Policy Program with a resolution of support.
USDA has been approached by an anonymous U S donor for $5000 annually to be administered by the Youth Committee in USDA. The form and regulations are being worked on and grants will be given to applicants who submit forms. The amounts will range from $250 to $1000 and can be used to help families with lesson costs, advertising, and convention and housing expenses. There will be many emails coming through for me to read and reply to as Executive Secretary.
There are monthly webinars and all are available for download to listen to or watch on the USDA website, www.USDA.org/webinars.
I have resupplied my publication rack and hope that you take some time to go look through it and find some information that will be helpful to you or your council.
The 2028 National Square Dance Convention will be held in Daytona Beach, FL with dancing on the beach, on the pier and possibly on the boardwalk. A tour of the Raceway is listed as an activity. I have four registrations, first come, first served, to join the first 235 that registered after the announcement last Saturday. Tennessee put in an intent to bid for 2030 but location unknown at this time.
Shreveport saw 2188 attendees at last count late Saturday afternoon and there were 21 Oregonians there. I have a list of about 18 of us.
No Old Business
Lorri and I would like the Federation to send a letter of objection to the NEC. They would like to discontinue the Youth Hall during the National Convention. There were 41 children in the youth hall this year having games, fun, and enjoyment.
MOTION: Marilyn Schmit - I move that the Oregon Federation write a letter to the NEC that we are in favor supporting the youth and not shutting down the youth hall. Joyce Welton seconded the motion.
Patrick passed the chair to 1st Vice President Joyce Welton so he could speak. Patrick- this only applies to nationals not our clubs.
Robert- we have attended nationals for several years. They have high energy and do so much more and are quicker. To eliminate this would not be positive for the youth. Youth are our future. Cece- will Lorri write the letter; will you provide statistics from previous? This would provide vital information for the board to consider. Elaine- the older generation have the kids cut up in the square it upsets the older generation. I think the youth room should be kept. Brooke- is this a financial decision? Marilyn- part of it is room limitations. As a suggestion, remind the NEC the youth could be the next generation for NEC, there is marketing information from CALLERLAB for the next generation. Tim- ordinarily this does not require a motion, but in this case, we should have a motion to support it, but we need to show the Federation is behind this letter unanimously.
Cheri Cox- I was at National, it sounds like this youth room was optional, so we need to lobby Waco and Loveland. Laura- whether or not it is a baby sitting service, we need the youth room. Patrick was requested to appoint a Committee to write the letter. Acting temporary president Joyce Welton called for the vote. The motion passed unanimously.
The chair was passed back to Patrick.
Patrick – The committee to write a letter to the NEC in support of the Youth Hall at the NSDC will be Karyn, Tim Roberts. and Lorri McIntosh.
I will be asking for Mid-Winter 2027’s seed money during the September meeting.
Patrick asked Barbi Ashwill if she was willing to do a financial review. Barbi feels she does not have the time to commit to this task. We need to continue looking for someone to review the books.
BLUE MOUNTAINS COUNCIL - David (Sally) Stutzman
The Muddy Frogs are planning an Open House August 10 at 2 p.m. in the Milton Freewater Community Building!
The dress will be casual and there is no charge! It will be a time to get together; share the fun of square dancing; and brush up on our rusty skills!
CENTRAL OREGON COUNCIL – Robert Swee
High Desert Dancers
On June 6th a group of HDD dancers made a visitation to the Red Rocks at their birthday dance. During the dance HDD president Dan Duggan “arrested” Red Rocks president Tom Klug for the crime of taking HDD’s club banner several years ago. Tom was placed in a human jail cell or a square of HDD members at the dance until he could return the banner. Everyone got a big kick out of the arrest.
HDD is planning on displaying a "Remembrance Wall” at the Pine Forest Grange to honor former members who have passed away.
Red Rock
The Red Rocks had a great Birthday dance, with lots of dancers and a fun caller, Phil Ramey and cuer Cathy Houston. Thank you everyone for coming and celebrating with us.
Sage Brush Shufflers
Sagebrush Shufflers is preparing for the 4th of July Prineville Parade. Decorating the trailer/float the evening of the 3rd and dancing on the float July 4th.
Ridge Riders
Ridge Rider Rounds just finished the SLOW TWO STEP Lessons over the last 6 weeks with an average of 24+ dancers. They will pick up lessons again in September.
I invite everyone to Central Oregon Round-Up with Mike Kellogg calling and MaryAnne Callahan cuing.
EMERALD EMPIRE AREA - Zola Jones
Emerald Empire Council needs 36 State Directories for our Area.
Some of our clubs go DARK in July and August, so if anyone is going to be in our Area and would like to attend a dance, please contact the club first.
Our next Council Meeting will be on the 3rd Monday, July 21, at the Emerald Square Dance Center.
Four clubs in our Area are helping a special committee put on a 3-day great dancing weekend: "Life's a Dance Festival", August 22 to 24, 2025 at the Emerald Square Dance Center in Springfield. The special Caller is "Hunter Keller", and special Cuer is "Rikki Lobato"! I have placed 'Flyers' with registration to everyone here at the table, and they are also on Facebook. Come and join us for these days of really fun dancing.
INTERSTATE HIGHLANDERS - Cece (Sarge) Glidewell
The Klamath Country Squares are finished with spring lessons at the Knights of Columbus building. They will be back at the dance hall in the Fall, starting September 2 for rounds and September 4 for Squares. On June 7 the KCs visited the Charlie Browns in Grants Pass. With nine KCs dancers attending the event, a banner was stolen. A couple of the KCs new students attended and had a great time dancing at their first out of town dance. The Charlies have been challenged to come get their banner back. On June 18 the KCs caller, Cece Glidewell, did a youth square dance teach at Camp Esther Applegate. There were about 100 kids who were willing to learn to square dance. Per Cece Glidewell it was bedlam at first with that many youth, although, once the lesson got on the way the youth started getting the moves down quickly. The LDS church made a generous donation to the club in thanks for providing this experience for their campers who were mostly from the Bend and Burns, OR area.
This summer the KCs are dancing at the Glidewell’s home when they are not attending festivals. They will be reviewing the SSD moves they have learned and about 10 new dancers will graduate on July 19 with a potluck dinner and dance. Also, the club has some promotional demos planned for August.
The council will look at bringing back 5th Saturday dances if or when the club is functioning with enough dancers to support the expense of the council dances.
MID-WILLAMETTE AREA COUNCIL - Brooke Davison
No report, MWA has not met since last Federation meeting.
PORTLAND AREA COUNCIL - Betty Chipps (Terry Halley)
PAC is DARK in July, the next business meeting is August 18.
Thank you, Lorri and the Charlie Brown Squares for hosting the 2025 Summer Festival. The featured Caller, Dan Preedy was fun and funny, and the whole team was welcoming and dancing to our Oregon Callers and Cuers was so special.
PAC Clubs … News & Events:: PAC hosted dances:
- Tri-Council Dance, Friday, May 31st at Oak Grove Community Club (Kalmbach & Helms) had 106 dancers and made a profit.
- FREE Community Dance (no experience needed), to be held August 29th at Oak Grove Comm. Club: S. Zinser calls, Tami Helms cues
- Next Year Oregon Federation Dance and Meetings - September 19 & 20, 2026 will be co-hosted by Bachelor & Bachelorettes, theme: Harvest Moon - caller: Randy Dibble, Tami Helms cues.
PAC Clubs dancing through the Summer are: - Bachelor ‘n Bachelorettes (BnBs), Abernethy Gr., 1st, 3rd & 5th WED - begins 7 PM - Country Cut-Ups, Boring Barn, 1st, 4th & 5th SAT, and it’s summer, they dance outside - River City Dancers (RCD), Milwaukie Comm. Club, 2nd & 4th SAT
The Happy Hoppers (Vancouver) celebrated their 66th Anniversary on June 21 a huge turn-out for their Ice Cream social with Caller/Cuer: Adam Christman and Craig Abercrombie. River City Dancers celebrated their 35th Anniversary on June 28 with six (6) squares dancing to Darrell Kalmach and Tami Helms.
ROGUE SIS-Q COUNCIL – Elaine Funk for Blake Smith
Charlie Brown Squares
We will be dark for August due to the county fair. We will start new SSD classes on Thu, Sept 4th. Our next Saturday night dance is our community dance on Saturday, Sept 6th. We have the always fun. Andy Allameo calling our 58th birthday dance in December. Our 2026 Boatnik Festival will feature Hunter Keller & MaryAnn Callahan - always a fun duo! We always look forward to having visitors at our club, and we hope to get out and visit during August as well.
More info at our website: www.cbsquares.com
Kountry Rhythm Rockin' Outlaws.
Be sure to register for the annual Country Fever weekend. The weekend is held at the Buckeroo Barn in Roseburg. This year's featured callers and cuer will be Jim Steele, Adam Christman, and Rikki Lobato. October 3-5, 2025.is when the fun will happen! Contact Jan if you need more info or flyers - rockinoutlaws@gmail.com
Star Promenaders
Diamond Lake Festival, July 23-26, 2025, Caller & Cuer are David & Dawn Mee.
Alzheimer's Association Benefit Dance, Aug 16, 2025, with Phil Ramey and callers and/or cuers from the floor. This is a donation event with raffles and a goodies walk. All proceeds go directly to the Alzheimer's Association.
New SSD classes start Monday, Sept 8, 2025, 6:30-8:30 pm at the Rogue Valley Sq Dance Center, 3377 Table Rock Rd., Medford, OR 97504.
New Mainstream to Plus Classes start on Thursdays, Sept 11, 2025, 6:30-8:30 pm, also at Rogue Valley Sq Dance Center. More information at our website: www.starpromenaders.org.
Circle N Square
The club plans to start classes in September. They have been doing demos around the area, hoping to get some new students, and Dean has been busy calling.around the state.
SOUTH COAST COUNCIL – Cherie (Patrick) Cox
Dancing is alive and well in Port Orford. After graduating 26 new square dancers we organized a parade float caravan and demo in Port Orford after the 4th of July Jubilee Parade.
Roseburg, Coos Bay and Coquille joined the Beachcombers with floats all coordinated to showcase dancing and promote lessons in all areas. There were almost more square dancers than firetrucks but not quite. Bob Houston, Dave Cooper, and Phil Ramey did the calling, and each float had a square dancing and extras waving and smiling. Afterward, Jim Steele called a rousing demo in Ray’s parking lot. The 72nd Anniversary dance weekend was a great success with 6-8 squares enjoying three nights of dancing as well as comfortable temperatures and the friendly atmosphere in Port Orford.
Mavericks
The Mavericks have started a beginning two-step class and are maintaining the original 17 couples that began after Memorial Day. Class continues with Dave Copper instructing through the summer.
Saints n Aints-
Next weekend we have Roger Putzler with Cathy Houston and Cherie Cox cueing on August 19th.
Sets and Order
Dancing the second Saturday of every month
TUALATIN VALLEY COUNCIL – Laura Irvan
TVC has a nomination for the Randall award. The information should be available for the Sunday Federation meeting.
TVC has a dance on Saturday August 30th at the Aloha Grange (Eager Beavers helping.) Theme “End of Summer Dance” Darrell Kalmbach, caller Tami Helms cueing 7:00 to 9:30.
TVC in person meetings with also providing a zoom option has been popular for our clubs that have to travel a long distance to attend the TVC council meetings.
The number of state directories needed by TVC should be finalized by Sunday. Still waiting on two clubs. Currently at 42, the total should probably be about 54.
UMPQUA AREA COUNCIL – Doris (Neil) Koozer
The Buckeroos enjoyed a very successful Buckeroo Round Up this year with Scott Zinser and Rikki Lobato. There were events for all the dancers in our area, including round dancing, mainstream, plus & advanced square dancing and line dancing. We had a potluck luncheon on Saturday, and breakfasts on Saturday and Sunday which were included in the price of the ribbon. Saturday evening there was a Pizza Food Truck in the parking lot where people were able to enjoy the pleasant weather and play games horseshoes and Corn Hole.
Next year the Buckeroo Round Up will feature Tim and Bev Pepper as caller and cuer on June 12,13&14, 2026.
Dancing at the Barn is limited, but many of the dancers are enjoying the opportunity to travel to other areas and participate in the many festivals. For the 4th of July they traveled to Port Orford and joined in their parade as well as the square dancing.
In August the UAC will sponsor another outdoor BBQ and Sunday afternoon dance. We have changed our date to Sunday August 17th, so that we do not conflict with the Springfield 3-day weekend dance with Hunter Keller & Rikki.
On September 6th the Buckeroo Club will be sponsoring a Community Darn Dance, co-sponsored by all the other clubs in the area. The whole community is invited to this free dance, no previous dance experience required. It will be a combination of demonstrations, and dances people with no experience can participate in.
Lessons for Square and Round dancing will begin the following week.
Rikki Lobato
Sorry that I couldn't attend the meeting today - I am scheduled to review dances from 10 a.m. to noon. I have been busy cueing and traveling and wearing my Goodwill Ambassador badge with pride.
I cued the Buckeroo Round-up in June, as well as a weekend in Bend. At the end of June, I spent 10 days in San Francisco for the IAGSDC convention. There were 14 callers at the convention and over 800 dancers. Lots of fun.
I really enjoyed Summer Festival and had a great time cueing and teaching a couple of dances during the festival.
The rest of July and August will be busy with Diamond Lake, a weekend cueing in Redmond/Bend, Central Oregon Round-up in Sisters, and then a weekend in Springfield, cueing with my friend Hunter Keller at Life's a Dance Festival.
Roger & Linda Putzler
No report received
Laura Irvan: how much are the directories? Julia: We still don’t have the cost.
Brooke Davison: Our next meeting will include the officers and delegates training on Saturday, September 13 in Salem. Our next meeting will be on Sunday, September 14.
Marilyn Schmit: I donated a quilt to Boatnik with the provisions that the youth would get a percentage of the funds. Here is a check for the youth.
Cece Glidewell: While Robert is kindly selling Oreos, I am selling spuds for the bargain price of $35 per person that includes dinner and breakfast. She has ribbons with her.
Joyce Welton: The High Desert Dancers are looking at accepting credit cards at their dances. Tim Roberts - it is easy, but it takes 3 ½%. Joyce – the club has a deal that if you buy 4 dances, you’ll get the 5th dance for free. If they go to a credit card, they will be further ahead. Most people aren’t carrying that much cash. So, it’s convenient. A caller thinks it is coming since people don’t carry cash. Many times, when we are on the way to a dance we have to stop and get cash. The Round-up takes credit cards. They get more money at silent auction since they accept cards. There is a cost, but if you sell more, it is profitable.
Joyce Welton: We never go to a club dance during a state festival. How come we have clubs not supporting the state festival? Lorri M – this is a very sore subject. In my council, who is hosting this festival, we have one club who only supports their own activities. It has been a challenge. They will bypass council clubs to go to other council dances. We’ve tried going to visitations to that club and other things. They voted to have a dance last night instead of coming here. It’s been a challenge to get cooperation. Tim Roberts – when the OFN was on paper, there was a policy that the OFN would not run advertising for any clubs on the day of the festival. I have not been enforcing that, but I can. I thought there was a clause in the P&P’s, but haven’t found it. It must have been in the old OFN section. We can’t enforce it but can strongly recommend. Laura Irvan – I know we have a lot of dancers that wouldn’t drive at night. They wouldn’t come anyway.
ADJOURN: Motion: Cece Glidewell moved to adjourn the meeting. Motion was seconded by Brooke.
Meeting adjourned at 10:50 AM
NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING
Sunday, Sept 14, 2025, 9:00 AM
Mid-Willamette Area
Salem Square Dance Center
Salem