NORTHWEST CHORAL SOCIETY
MEETING MINUTES
October 8, 2013
CALL TO ORDER:
The October Board Meeting of the Northwest Choral Society was held at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, 1095 Dempster/Thacker, Des Plaines, IL. The meeting was called to order at 6:37 PM by NWCS Board President Penny Perles. The following board members were present:
Greykell Dutton Penny Perles
Kelsey Green John Schindler
Noreen LaValle Diane Szuberla
Mary Jane Matecki Ruta Veitmanis
Also present: Alan Wellman, Artistic Director
MEETING MINUTES:
The meeting minutes of the September 10 board meeting were reviewed and no corrections were needed. Noreen LaValle made a motion to accept the minutes. The motion was seconded by Diane Szuberla. The motion passed.
TREASURER’S REPORT:
Noreen presented the treasurer’s report for September. Cash disbursements totaled $4,220.27. There were no cash receipts. Our regular account balance was $7,346.30. Including the J. Melcher Memorial Fund and petty cash, our final total was $10,398.30. Ruta Veitmanis made a motion to accept the treasurer’s report. Mary Jane Matecki seconded the motion. The motion passed.
Reimbursement for our outreach programs was discussed. Alan Wellman will receive $150.00 for the three rehearsals and the performance at the Des Plaines Arts Festival and the three rehearsals for the Northwestern Hospital program. Lori Mackie will receive $200.00 for the six rehearsals and her accompaniment at both outreach programs. Diane made a motion to accept these two reimbursements. The motion was seconded by Mary Jane. The motion passed.
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR:
Alan Wellman has secured all but two of the musicians for our December concert.
On the last Tuesday before the concert, we will have our dress rehearsal with the orchestra. Penny will see if we can use the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Des Plaines for this rehearsal. Friday’s dress rehearsal will be with the harpist at Grace Lutheran Church in River Forest.
Alan will also arrange to have our concert recorded.
ADVERTISING COMMITTEE:
Greykell Dutton announced that so far we have secured three half-page and three quarter-page advertisements for our program book.
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE:
Later this month David Hitch will send out donation request letters to everyone on our mailing list.
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE:
Greykell has name buttons for the new chorus members.
MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL CHOIR TOUR:
23 people are signed up for the tour with two more people considering attending. We are offering scholarships for those who may need them. We are signed up for three singing events on Friday, singing at the State Capitol on Saturday and at the Cathedral of Saint Paul on Sunday.
OLD BUSINESS:
When Jerry Borek, our new graphic designer and webmaster, went to the printers used by Geoff Green, he discovered that Geoff had been given a special low rate because he apparently had a reciprocal business arrangement with the printer. They did print our season brochures at the same low rate, but all future printing would be at the much higher regular rate. Jerry used Vistaprint for the small postcards for the Christmas concert, but he is still looking into where we can get the large posters printed.
Dick Knepler will no longer be able to help us with our fundraising/donation-seeking activities.
We have now bought nine years’ rights to the website name: nwchoralsociety.org.
NEW BUSINESS:
Kelsey Green pointed out that Twitter is not appropriate for our use. It is meant for people who are simultaneously taking part in an event. Thus, we will not use our Twitter account for the time being.
Kelsey will make a visual graphic to display our progress in the members’ donation program. At the moment we are 47 active members, but the donation request will also be sent to the three members who will only be rejoining us in January. So far six members have contributed $375.00.
NEXT MEETING:
Our next Board Meeting will be November 12, 6:30 PM, before rehearsal at St. Martin’s.
ADJOURNMENT:
The Board Meeting was adjourned at 7:05 PM by a motion from Noreen and a second from Mary Jane. The motion passed.
Ruta Veitmanis
Recording Secretary
Northwest Choral Society