Saturday, August 26, 2006

Friends Forum in Spokane

The Friends Forum is October 21st in Spokane. A group of us will be carpooling together. If you are unable to pay your own way the Friends have agreed to pay a portion of the fee or all of it if needed. Registration deadline is September 22nd. Go to the website for more information or stop by and ask me for a registration form. www.wla.org

DOVIA Meeting

Directors Of Volunteers In America meets the last Wednesday from 11:30-1pm at United Way in Kennewick. This is a group that the Volunteer Center facilitates. All are welcome to attend.

Friday, August 25, 2006

Author Visits to be a Fundraiser for the FRIENDS


The library will be hosting two author visits in the coming months. Jan Underwood, Dayshift Werewolf, $11.95, will be coming September 28th. Thelma Ritchie, Columbia High graduate, will be coming October 4th. Her two books are Terra Nova: Settling the Red Planet, $16.95. and Terra Nova: Expanding Red Planet Horizons, $19.95. The Library will order the books and the Friends can sell them the night of the talks. The Friends would make 40% profit. It would work best if we could kind of do a presale to see how many we need to order. They are returnable. If you would like to purchase any of the books let me know. Please get the word out about the visits as well.

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Volunteer Tea A SUCCESS

The Burbank Community Tea was a success.


We had 20 individuals participate. They were representatives of Community Churches, Columbia High ASB, Parents, Community Members, Junior Miss, Teachers, School District Employees, Students, Grand Parents, Librarians, and Library Friends.

The attendees currently volunteer by making goodies, helping with landscaping, decorating, leading youth, recruiting, doing all the little extra jobs that come up, serve seniors, cooking, working with ESL students and wildlife, through 4-H, school, sitting on boards, and volunteering with parents and students.

How can we instill the value of Volunteerism in Burbank and sustain it?

Have your organization or group clearly state your goals and mission.
Have a mission.
Have a float in the parade in October.
Have events.
Network with others.
Make and post signs or utilize the reader boards in the community.
Have group shirts.
Create a community newsletter for getting the information out.
Use email or create a Myspace site or blog.
Get the children involved so they can see us modeling volunteerism.
Start new events in Burbank and collaborate with others to make it happen.


What are ways that we can collaborate to share resources?

Exchange information.
Promote the Volunteer Center.
Ask what you can do or what is going on.
Create a directory of groups and organizations in Burbank.

A theme that ran through the afternoon was that people must ask what is going on around the community since there is not a central way of disseminating information. One example was of a parent who is under the impression that nothing is happening at the school because her child says there is nothing going on. Parents must ask for themselves to find out where they are needed at the school.

When there are community events there is usually poor attendance so people must not assume that others are attending. Sometimes a person does not need to show up early to help out or stay late to clean up. They just need to attend the event, pay a couple of dollars for the hot dog and stay positive.

Friday, August 11, 2006

August 8, 2006 Meeting Minutes

August 8, 2006
Meeting Minutes

Meeting Called to Order at 7:05 PM

Present: Kim Dotta, Virginia Gutierrez, Maria Montalvo, Mary Reynolds, Laura Schmidt, Brandi Tevlin, Jennie Tevlin and Debbie Williams.

The minutes were approved from the last meeting. They were posted on the blog. Please let Virginia G. know if you do not know how to access the blog.

Reports from Officers-
Secretary reported that she had received a thank you from the Library for the summer reading support. She also received a request for support from Brandi Tevlin. There has been one new member since last month. The membership contest stands at Virginia G. 2-Laura 1. The address change notice has been mailed to the bank.
Jill was unable to make the meeting so Virginia G. reported that the United Way check came in.

Unfinished Business-
Since Betty was out of town Virginia G. reported that the cheapest for coping fliers would be at Budget and it would be around $160 for 2,000. Kinkos and B&B were higher. Colored ink was around $1 per copy - way to expensive. At Postnet they would do the coping and bulk mailing for $752.65. The postage would be $282.75 of that total. The group discussed the pros and cons of doing a bulk mailing. Debbie shared that as long as the information supported the school then they could include a flier with the District Newsletter. They would need to help stuff them however. This may be the best option if the Friends want the flier to get out to everyone rather than just those that we know or come to the Library. The Friends are able to use the Library copier as long as it benefits the Library so they will continue to make up fliers as needed until a decision is made about the newsletter. The group can also check into advertising with local media outlets including the NickelNic.

Virginia G. has not heard back from the IRS. It may be more like 6 months before we hear anything. Virginia will continue to contact them.

The current members need to keep handing out fliers. The group discussed what they have been doing to recruit and what helps. Hopefully the volunteer training will give some new ideas.

Rich addressed the group about the book club. The first meeting will be on August 15th at 7 PM. Carlotta is coming from the Touchet Library and will help facilitate. There may be enough for 2 groups. One in the afternoon and one in the evening. It was suggested that maybe some of the Friends credit at the Bookworm be used to make sure everyone has a copy. The group agreed that this was a good idea.

Virginia G. gave everyone an outline for the Tea. Jenny is going to help set up. Virginia G. will do the check in. Kim and Jenny are going to drop of their tea set s to be used. Virginia G. will try to get bottled water donated but if she is unable to do then she can purchase bottle water, cream, sugar and spoons. Maria is going to try to get cookies donated. There are table covers and the paper factory and Betty was going to look on the west side. Jennie said she could look at the $ Store. Debbie is going to take care of the 6 center pieces. If anyone has trays or tea cups bring them to the Library by Monday. There are 16 people registered so far. A mailing list was handed out and people committed themselves to contacting someone on the list. The Volunteer Center would like the Friends to become a part of their association. The Friends agreed that this would be a good benefit.

Debbie said the school has made $3 this summer on GoodSearch. She said she can stop by on a Wednesday to meet with Josh to set up the Friends account.

Discussion of the 10 year anniversary was Tabled.

On October 21 there will be a Friends Forum in Spokane. The group decided that it would be good to attend. The Friends agreed that if someone was unable to pay for their own way then the Friends would pay the registration of $50. Virginia G. will email everyone the registration when it comes out.

Committees was Tabled.

Brandi Tevlin made a request for sponsorship for a pageant in Seattle. She has to meet a second deadline of $190 by September 1st. The group decided that they would like to make a donation of $50. They also discussed that we set this as a limit or consideration when other youth or groups make a request. Since part of Brandi’s service project for the pageant includes donating books the Friends would also like to make a donation of books.

Jenny will bring refreshments fro the September 12th meeting.

Meeting Adjourned 8:05 pm.