Meeting Minutes
April 2011
Topics
C.N.M.C. Donation
WRAMC Spring Fling & Donation
C.N.M.C. Donation
Rhonda has been in touch with the New Horizons group at C.N.M.C. and is working with them to secure a date, time and place to present them with $500 donation.
WRAMC Spring Fling & Donation
Lee has worked really hard to help WRAMC and provided the following information for the event.
1) Presentation of colors: we are working on having the four Armed/DoD services' flags along with the US Flag. If we are successful in finding them all we will need two additional folks to help with the presentation.. If you are willing to help with that (prior military experience is helpful but not mandatory) please let me know ASAP.
2) We will be manning booths to make and serve snow cones, cotton candy, and popcorn. We can rotate through these sites so no one is "stuck" for too long. While we are there to serve, we also want you to enjoy yourself, and mingle with the warriors and families- the Scottish garb is very popular. Please let me know if you can take a rotation in any of the booths.
3) For anyone who is able to help David with balloon animals, the organizers think the balloon idea is awesome (their word).
4) Finally the organizers have asked us to provide some desserts for their cake walk event (doesn't need to be cake!). If you can bring a dessert, that would be fantastic. Please use a container that you don't expect to be able to retrieve.
Meeting closed
March 2011
Topics
National Tartan Day
Tartan Day Parade NYC
WRAMC Spring Fling
National Tartan Day
It was a cold and rainy day, but spirits where running high as we recruited one individual new member and one family membership. The balloon twisting went well with the children and by the end of the day with both membership fees and donations we collected in $154.
Tartan Day Parade NYC
This was a long day for us but we were given 2 separate donations of $50 totaling $100 this was a huge surprise as the came from members of the public.
WRAMC Spring Fling
We have been approach by WRAMC to help run their Spring Fling (family fun day) on April 30th this would be a great opportunity to make the $1000 donation to them. We will be providing members to help staff the event in whatever capacity required.
Meeting closed
February 2011
TopicsSidney Harman Hall (Shakespeare Theater Company)
National Tartan Week
Tartan Day Parade NYC
Financial Statement
Donations to WRAMC and CNMC
Fund Raiser
Fund Raiser
Rhonda and Mark have again graciously opened up their home to host a Stella & Dot jewelry party with proceeding going to Walter Reed Auxiliary on behave of Mid-Atlantic Scots4tots. The event was well supported and lots of jewelry purchased, after all the food was eaten and the counting completed to total figure being donated on behave of Mid-Atlantic Scots4tots was a staggering $310. Our thanks to all for making this a wonderful success also to Rhonda and Mark for their unending hospitality
Sidney Harman Hall (Shakespeare Theater Company)
This was a well attended event; the chairperson Michael Kahn for the Shakespeare Theater Company gave a very complimentary address to the patrons about the efforts of this team. We did gain some interest about Mid-Atlantic Scots4tots and may have some promising new members.
National Tartan Week
We are booked to attend the Alexandria market place event and will have T-shirts and other items to sell for fund raising. David will provide balloon twisting for the children.
Tartan Day Parade NYC
After further discussion we as a group will attend this event and open it up to the membership. All cost for the event will be at the cost of the attendees not Mid-Atlantic Scots4tots.
Financial Statement
A financial statement has been sent out to the board to review, below is the top line report.
Total Income before deductions $3,748.32
Total deductions $1,595.07
Current balance $2,153.25
Donations to WRAMC and CNMC
The board agreed that a donation of $1000 be presented to WRAMC at the end of April and $500 to CNMC at the end of April too.
January 2011
TopicsSidney Harman Hall (Shakespeare Theater Company)
National Tartan Week
Tartan Day Parade NYC
Financial Statement
Sidney Harman Hall (Shakespeare Theater Company)
Due to the nature and exposure of the this event the board has agreed to partner with Shakespeare theater company with their opening night sponsors dinner, this will be an abbreviated version of a Burn’s supper. We will supply kilted members to act as hosts for their patrons. David will talk with the pipe band to supply 2-3 pipers to Pipe in the Haggis and play during the cocktail reception.
National Tartan Week
There will be a number of events the week of April 2dn – 9th, starting with the Alexandria market place event. The cost of having a stand at the event is $25 Lee & Ronda suggested it would be good to have some attendance at the event and will donate the cost of the stand if we are to move forward with this. Item tabled for further discussions later.
Tartan Day Parade NYC
Some of the board attended this event last year for the St Andrews Society and think although it can be a long day we should look at attending this event as a group. Item tabled for further discussions later.
Financial Statement
David has created the spreadsheet for April – December and will share it with the board once the treasurer has agreed its release.
Meeting Closed
December 2010
Topics
Alexandria Scottish Walk
Sidney Harman Hall (Shakespeare Theater Company)
Alexandria Scottish Walk
Great turn out for this event all round. Made some possibly good contacts going forward
Sidney Harman Hall
We have been contacted by the Shakespeare Theater company asking if we can help them with an event in January 2011, the event is the Black Watch Play which focuses on the real live of the Scottish regiment serving in Afghanistan,. In particular the day to day life of the men on the ground. Our rule would be the same as WRAMC in that we provide a service in helping them put on a Scottish themed event this would be a partnership going forward and they would help us when we require a venue for a fund raising event.
The board agrees to have further discovery talks with them.
Meeting closed
November 2010
Topics
Alexandria Scottish Walk
Due to holiday this will be a short meeting, we will look at the possibility to join in the parade as an organization. This would help to promote us within our local community
Meeting closed
October 2010
TopicsKirkin of the Tartans
WRAMC
Campagna Center
Children's National Medical Center
Kirkin of the Tartans
Member Dan Dowd, contact David per our honor guard team to present the colors at his local church they would like to make Mid-Atlantic Scots4tots a donation of $200. We provide this service for them which gave us an opportunity to introduce ourselves to a new audience.
WRAMC
The team was well represented at the “Domestic Violence Awareness” event. Staff was on hand to help the event run smoothly during set-up thru take down.
Campagna Center
David had a meeting with the Campagna Center to discuss ways in which we can help them through our charity and possibly hands on with their events. Although the meeting went well, we need to grow as an organization with regard to increasing our membership numbers. These item maybe something for future discussions.
Children's National Medical Center
Rhonda has had initial talks with Children's National Medical Center
and although they are interested in us supporting the New Horizons group we have to be placed on a waiting list to entertain the children, but first you have to provide activities during working hours before you can be added to the week-end list. This would be a problem for most of the members because we are all employed and only have the week-ends to provide services. The board deiced to at least continue fund raising for them and look at other locally based children’s organizations.
Meeting closed
September 2010
Topics
Virginia Scottish games
What a fantastic event, the girls did an outstanding job with the face painting pulling in around $180 in donations, Ronda sold out of wands they where a real hit. David’s balloon swords where to be seen everywhere. We signed up a few new members and possibly around 5 more interested. Did not sell as many T-shirts as we hoped but going forward we still have the remained in stock for other events.
Board has agreed that next year we look at running the children’s highland athletics as there seemed to be a need for replacing the existing group as lots of people complained to us on how it was being run. The board believes that this would be an ideal fit and give us greater exposure to the main focus of our mission.
WRAMC
Domestic violence awareness event is on track and we have a good response from the team to facilitate the event
Meeting closed
August 2010
Topics
Virginia Scottish games
Domestic Violence Event
Virginia Scottish games
All hands on deck for the event as planning is going well. Tom confirmed that as President of Virginia Scottish games our space has been confirmed and at no cost to us.
The team will provide schedules for the event coverage and also identify how can bring folding tables and chairs etc.
Domestic Violence Event
We have around 10-15 members interested in helping staff the event at WRAMC the board will publish more information when we receive it from WRAMC.
Very short meeting this month
Meeting closed\
July 2010
Topics
T-shirts
Shields
Wands
Membership drive
Website
T-shirts
After conducting research on T-Shirts and presenting the board with a verity of option the board agreed that the Manassas firm could supply the best product and will work with our design and not charge set-up cost normally incurred with other provides plus will reduce the standard minimum to 150 shirt orders at a cost of $5 each. The board agreed that collectively we will share the cost as a major donation to Mid-Atlantic Scots4tots. This would mean all proceeds from the sales would help boast our charity donation fund.
Shields
David has identified a family member that is willing to sponsor the cost of the shields; this will cover the cost of purchase and delivery amount of $134. All proceeds will be donated to the organization.
Wands
Ronda has confirmed she will not need to make any purchases for the wands as she has all the equipment / supplies at home.
Membership drive
What a great time we all had Mark and Rhonda opened their home to around 40+ people and we increased membership numbers up to 44 and raised just over $950 in donation and new membership fees great job!!
Website
David confirmed that the new website in up and running and is working with Paypal to create a “Donate Now” button and a “Pay now” button for membership on the site. Please visit www.scots4tots.org when you get chance and provide feedback from the site.
BB&T Mid-Atlantic Scots4tots bank account has now been set-up
Meeting closed.
June 2010
Topics
Front Royal Event
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
Virginia Scottish Games
Membership drive
Front Royal Event
We attended the event manning the car park and received $285 in fees and new membership, although this was not as much as expected for the number of people at the event and the problems they had securing the event from casual walk-ins it was good to get our name and mission to those of interest.
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
David Close and Rhonda Wardlaw attended a volunteer orientation event at WRAMC. This is a prerequisite to allow us to volunteer at their events. After learning more about Mid-Atlantic Scots4tots and David’s connection to a Scottish pipe band and honor guard they asked if we could provide help with the family fun day the following week-end.
After making some calls we supplied 6x pipers 3x drummers 3x highland dancers and 5 members of the honor guard. After the opening Mid-Atlantic Scots4tots worked with WRAMC team to entertain the families and provided staff to help run the event. Great job all round.
Upcoming event at WRAMC is planned to assist with the domestic violence awareness month in October, a call will be sent out to our membership to help with staffing the event.
Virginia Scottish Games
The board voted on and agreed that we should look into purchasing branded tee shirt to sell for donations for the Labor Day week-end event.
We have volunteers lined up from local high school, Kevin and Ana Mann’s daughter Carmen plus friends will provide face painting to raise additional donations. The board agreed the service will be free but donations will be accepted. Kevin and Ana will provide all painting supplies as a donation to support this effort.
David stated he has learnt some balloon twisting skills that he will bring to the event, David then taught the team to make balloon swords. Mark suggested making or purchasing some toy shields (with our brand) to sell with the balloon swords.
Ronda Shackleford said she can make wands for the girls that could be sold for a few dollars each. Ronda has all she needs to make them herself.
Membership drive
Mark and Rhonda will host the Whisky tasting and membership drive at their house in at the end of July
Meeting closed
May 2010
Topics
Market Branding
Events
Brand Marketing
After several suggestions we have decided to use the logo on the top of this page as it would be easy to have reproduced and cost effective only being 2 colors Black and Blue on white.
T-Shirts and Children’s Shields
We will look to Labor Day week-end for the Virginia Scottish Games to have a stand selling promotion goods for fund raising plus face painting as we are a charity they do not charge for tent space (if we can find someone to do face painting)
President spoke with Richmond Games for a stall by unlike Virginia Scottish Game they want $150 per 10x10 tent. This high cost does not make it a good business decision to spend $150 as we do not know how much we could raise.
Events
Virginia Scottish game as mentioned here earlier.
President, was contacted by Mike Turner Front Royal Celtic festival would we like to have a tent at the event in June? (Free of charge)
Mike also asked if we could man the car park taking parking costs as a donation to Mid-Atlantic Scots4tots.
We did not think we would be ready in time to have our own tent but did think manning the car park as a great way to earn some donations money.
Mark and Rhonda have offered to have a membership drive at there house at the end of July. Bart Forbes said he would make a donation of his time conducting a Whisky tasting to help
a) Get people to attend
b) His normal fee would be present to us as a donation.
Meet closed
April 2010
David Close (President)
Welcome very one to the first BoM’s for the newly formed Mid-Atlantic Scots4tots and is looking forward to working with everyone as we decide the on the mission and goals of the group.
Open floor Topic’s
Who will we serve?
What do we want to achieve?
As a group we discussed who we aim to serve.
The Walter Reed Army Medical Center
To help the families of our wounded warriors by raising funds and help run family fun-days and other events
National Children’s Medical Center in particular the New Horizons ward.
Look at ways to help with wards social interaction events with the children
Brand Marketing
The group discussed a number of options and will report back at the next meeting with some preferred suggestion.
• T Shirts
• Badges
• Banners
Events
The group brainstormed a number of possible venues to raise funds and get our message out.
Options:
• Scottish type festivals
• Whisky tasting as a membership drive
• Volunteering at events
All good suggestions, but we need to reach out to other organizations for dates so we can plan a strawman calendar
• Front Royal VA (music festival)
• Virginia Scottish Games
• Richmond Highland Games
Lots of good discussions from a very motivated team