Meeting Minutes
5/30/2002 MINUTES OF ALUMNI COUNCIL MEETING 7pm
ATTENDING:
Mark Richer
Lewis Frisch
Eric Weiss
Stephanie Segal Hartman
Jeffrey Paul Bobrick
Bob Solomon
Jackie Keveson
Lisa Wanderman, Charlie Ledley, Juliet Ross by telephone
Executive Director’s Opening Comments
Jeffrey characterized The Concert for Friends of Buck’s Rock as lovely and joyous, noting what an achievement it was to go from a vision to a publicly functioning and successful organization in one year.
As you know a new Membership Director was needed since the demands of Catherine Cohen Topp's new employment required that she resign this position.
We have let it be known the position is vacant. Juliet Ross, who has already made such impressive contributions to Friends of Buck’s Rock’s activities in this area, wishes to fill it.
Vote: Juliet Ross is appointed to this position on the by unanimous vote.
The concert took in about $1500 after paying the necessary expenses. This represents about 50% of the gate. Triad got $ 1300 with the balance going to the lighting crew and incidentals.
Attendance was about 100 people plus performers.
We need a better system of counting guests at future events.
Legal Report
Eric reported on conversations with the IRS office in New Haven regarding our NPO status. He did get a response letter from them asking about 10 more questions. The blanks were filled in and the letter was returned 5/26. Hopefully a final response will be received in a month or so. There is a good possibility that NPO status will be in place by the 60th Reunion.
*******
Fundraising
The concert took in about $1500 after paying the necessary expenses. This represents about 50% of the gate. Triad got $ 1300 with the balance going to the lighting crew and incidentals.
Attendance was about 100 people plus performers.
We need a better system of counting guests at future events.
Another fundraising letter would not make sense until AFTER the database is re-done and updated. It probably is best to proceed with the letter after the 60th Reunion. At that time we might look into the possibility of another concert.
There is an idea about a public art mural at the camp that would allow for tiles to be sold as a fundraiser. Juliet and Lisa will discuss this and touch base with Mickey Morris. Further down the line, a idea has been presented for an Art Gallery type store. Serious fundraising efforts will be a higher priority once NPO status is secured.
There will be fundraising items sold at the 60th Reunion but the success of this will be dependent on how well the Reunion itself is publicized.
**************
Business Report
Bob Solomon reported on the birth of his granddaughter, Jordan Lilly Nesser. Other more mundane matters included the status of the bank account which is currently holding at
$3315.23.
**********
Events Outreach/Reunion Repot
Lisa Wanderman phoned in the Events Outreach report from Medfield, MA. She claimed to have done "absolutely nothing" but we knew better. Lisa related her conversations with Mickey Morris. Mickey is delighted to have an Friends of Buck’s Rock presence at the reunion. He is offering to mail publicity cards for us and to work with us to bolster the database. Mickey was moved by the Friends of Buck’s Rock concert and suggested we might repeat some of it as a part of the daily activities at the Reunion.
This was discussed by our group. Dan, Orrin, Ivan, and Jeffrey could possibly perform at the camp. It was suggested that Roy Bookbinder might also be available.
We discussed the possibility of Mickey using his New York Times advertisement to publicize the Reunion. But that would require immediate action on his part this late in the season. It is uncertain whether this is practical. Who reads camp adverts in June ?
At Reunion, the camp will provide lunch and open the shops. These activities are independent of Friends of Buck’s Rock, and will happen with or without our presence. Essentially Friends of Buck’s Rock plugs into the existing framework of camp activities and Mickey is basically giving us the freedom to do what we can and what we want to enhance the camp's activities that day. The camp handles overall feeding and logistics. He will allow us to participate in or conduct a check-in registration type activity as alumni and visitors arrive. This will go along with our emphasis on repairing and expanding the database. We will look into the possibility of computerizing the check-in to assist in this. It was suggested we post a "Who's Coming" sign-in section and related 60th Reunion publicity on the website but this may not be feasible, given current delays in updating the site.
Marc will look into organizing an alumni softball game.
Mickey will print-up a directory of attendees after the reunion and sell it for a nominal fee.
The June 9th meeting will be the springboard for a successful Friends of Buck’s Rock participation in the Reunion.
The hope is to get a mailing out about the Reunion prior to the start of the camp season. It would have to be designed and produced ASAP. If Mickey is going to be involved we need to firm up who does what. Jackie Keveson will look into doing a design -- probably it would be from Bucks Rock with Friends of Buck’s Rock. Due to time constraints it is not feasible to research the 50th reunion directory or other camp alumni listings and verify if addresses are still valid. Mickey might have some recent directories that could bolster our mailing list.
***********
New Database Coordinator
We have a new database coordinator, Ian Schlieffer, who is very skilled and has taught Computers at Buck’s Rock. Nat Budin and Noah Landow are putting together a schedule for database repairs. Noah has a strong background in managing web site design projects and their implementation. Charlie is thrilled to have him working on this and is setting up some conference calls this coming weekend to get this rolling. Note: There are issues involving database address verification that need to be considered.
********
Newsletter
Jackie would like to have this ready for the 60th Reunion. There are many ideas:
Pictures from the Friends of Buck’s Rock concert. We can get a disc with these for use on website and newsletter.
Interview with Mickey and Laura
Jackie - A Parent's Perspective
Myq Kaplan ?? - Coming of Age at Bucks Rock
Eric - Growing Up at Bucks Rock
Erika- Camp Then and Now
The newsletter will probably be eight sides of 8.5x11 folded. Jackie is still getting pricing. Roger might do a comic strip.
A very good idea was getting camper's to write a personal reflection on each decade of the Bucks Rock history. Can we still locate anyone from the 1943-1944 years. Bob Solomon will try to contact his relatives who attended in the 1940's. Some interesting side points arose from these discussions of “Bucks Rock Across The Decades.”
Remember the Rifle Range? Many current campers might be surprised at how many of us cherished the NRA Medals we won at BRWC, Hiroshima Day notwithstanding. Jeffrey said he has suggested to Mickey and Laura a cooking shop could at least grow some herbs and keep some of the tradition going? Besides, wouldn’t it be great to give campers the opportunity to make gourmet meals? Could a cooking shop lead to a revival of vegetable farming at Bucks Rock ?? . Can we really continue the Bucks Rock we knew through so many decades without farming?? Food for thought.
Regarding the newsletter, the question raised was should we issue a call for submissions or invite specific individuals to contribute. We decided upon invitations. Jackie will draw up guidelines for these submissions and distribute them to those of us who volunteer to contact the potential
contributors.
1940's -- Bob will Research
1950's -- Lew will contact Dan in Allentown PA. Others will
contact Tony Saletan and Mark Lawrence
1960's -- Contact Wally. Also Bob Steiner
1970's -- Erika
1990's -- Mike Kaplan
1980's -- This decade is lost !! Maybe someone else can find it.
Scholarship Fund
Jeffrey reports that Charlie has found two great volunteers. Laura Casper and David Golden. They will be involved in the Reunion. David has fundraising experience and good connections. After the reunion, scholarship fundraising will be a priority. A conference call is being set up the first week in June to begin to assess the needs of this program.
********
Lew requests that we remove meeting earlier minutes from the website until all minutes can be posted. Website currently shows no meetings after January 2002. Agreed, until minutes are all typed and ready for post.
********
FUTURE MEETINGS :
June 9th Planning for 60th reunion. Place is still to be determined.
Executive Committee June 18th
Next Alumni Council July 8th
|
