Board Of Directors Meeting

Days Inn, Bismarck, ND

October 27, 2007 - 1:30PM

Merrill Braaten, President called the meeting to order at 1:30PM.

Roll Call was taken by the secretary. All members were present except Vice President, Bob & Carol Kennedy, President Elect, Marlan & Sharon Sorenson, Historian Tammie Hughes, North East Director’s Tom and Marlene Miller and South East Directors Ernie & Delia Walker.

The minutes were read from the Annual Board Meeting. Rose Hall made a motion to accept the minutes as read. Rita Lizakowski second the motion.

The Treasurer’s Report was given by Clayton Brennan. The current balance as of October 16, 2007 is $3766.68. Complete report is attached. A motion was made by Carlyle Hillstrom to accept the treasurers’ report as read. Second by Rose Laning. Motion carried.

The Insurance Report was given by Ruth Michaelson. She sent out letters reminding clubs to enroll in the 2008 insurance program. She did not send letters to those clubs who chose to not take insurance with us last year. So far she has received only two responses. Ruth would like all clubs who want insurance to do so by Nov. 1, 2007 so she can get information to the National Insurance Chair. Insurance is $4.10 per member. Those people who belong to more than one club will be counted only once. A club’s minimum premium is $45.00.

The Prairie Squares Report was given by Ray Hall. He appreciates the feedback he has received and would welcome more. All suggestions are considered for the website. Ray thanked everyone for getting their schedules to him on time. Thanks to the Fargo clubs for taking care of their club sites. Thanks to Larry Pfennig for doing the dance by date again.

The Directors Reports were given by each of the district directors present and Norene read the reports that had been sent in for the two directors that were missing. See attached.

The 2008 Convention Report was given by Rita Lizakowski. Their last meeting was October 15, 2007. There are 97 people registered including three cloggers. All the committees are in place and getting organized. They are doing something different this year and having a banquet on Saturday evening. There is room for 100 people with 81 already signed up so if you want to get in on the banquet and you’re not signed up, please do so as soon as possible. The sewing seminar is Friday afternoon. There will be tours available for the Mansion and the Winery in Casselton. There will be a photographer, at this time we are not sure if it will be Friday or Saturday evening. Our next meeting will be sometime in January. We are looking forward to seeing all of you in Casselton, ND on April 25th and 26th.

The 2009 Convention Report was given by Vernon Laning. The convention will be held April 24 & 25, 2009 at the Bismarck Amvets Club with clogging held at the Burleigh County Senior Center. The theme is “Circle to a Line in 2009” and the colors are Red & White.

Convention officers are as follows:

Co-Chairs: Vernon Laning

Marlan Sorenson

Secretary: Judy Baaken

Treasurer: Ray Hall

2008-2009 State Officers:

President: Marlan Sorenson

Vice President: Vernon Laning

Secretary: Sally Hillstrom

Treasurer: Diane Lenertz

Old Business:

At the annual meeting it was decided to change the $700 loan to a $300 loan and a $400 grant to help with the convention funds as long as the state treasury has sufficient funds to do so. Discussion was held in regards to a minimum balance that should be held in the state treasury. Current bills for the state include ASCAP, USDA licenses, website upkeep and yearly loans/grants to conventions of which 2 convention years could be outstanding. Rita Lizakowski made a motion that the $400 grant and $300 loan made by the state to the convention sites be continued as long as the state treasury has at least a $2000.00 balance maintained in the treasury. This should be reviewed twice yearly by the current board. Sally Hillstrom second the motion. Motion carried.

New Business:

Clayton Brennan made a suggestion for generating monies for conventions could be done by attempting to get corporate donations prior to conventions. Discussion followed with the recommendation that this is a suggestion the convention committees each year could use if they would like.

The Historian Report was given by Tammie Hughes as she took a break from the caller’s seminar. Tammie took pictures at the April convention and also at the Jerry Junck dance held this fall in Fargo. She asked that if anyone has pictures or old ribbons from past activities/conventions that they could be sent to her. It was suggested that Tammie let Ray know what events/years she would like pictures and other items for so that he could post it online on the state website to let people know.

Announcements:

Next year’s caller’s convention will be held in Bismarck again the last weekend in October.

Tonight’s callers convention will be with Wayne Morvent at 7:30 at the Senior Center. Vic Schwahn will be cuing rounds.

December 31st – The FM Square dance clubs are holding a New Years Eve dance with Jim Jirak calling at the Glyndon Senior Center, Glyndon, MN with potluck at 7:30PM. The dance will be from 9-12. The dance will be in honor of Mark & Hella Helfter’s 40th anniversary and Allan Currie’s retirement.

The Golden Plus weekend in Moorhead is being held on March 7 & 8, 2008 at the Minnesota State University Moorhead with Gary Shoemake as caller and Mike & Edie Kirsch as cuers.

Rose Hall made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Second by Rita Lizakowski. Meeting adjourned at 2:25PM.

Respectfully Submitted

Marge Swanson

Secretary

Southwest Director Report—Carlyle and Sally Hillstrom

The Bismarck Belles N’ Beaux square dance club dances two times a month on the 1st and 3rd Saturday at 7:30 to 10:00 PM at the Burleigh County Senior Center , 310 N 20th Street. Regular dances are held from September through May. Our Plus Club dances on the 2nd Monday at the Senior Center at 7:30. Larry has been having plus workshops every Monday. Larry & Deb Pfennig will be giving mainstream lessons every Thursday starting on Jan. 10 2008.

Our Christmas pot-luck will be on Dec. 15th. Dinner will be at 6PM, 7:30 dance. Cliff & Bert March will be calling. Our New Years Eve Dance will be at 9PM at the Senior Center also. Our Club will be hosting the State Convention in 2009 at the Amvets Club in Bismarck, ND on April 24 & 25th. Our theme will be “Circle to a line in 2009”; our colors will be red & white.

Northwest Director report— Helen & Orlin Thompson

Souris Valley Dancer –Minot currently have 30 members. We feel we are lucky if we have 2 squares at regular dances.

Our dance schedule is being changed as of 1/1/08. We will have one dance a month on the 2nd Friday in the Minot City Auditorium during January, February, March, April, October, November and December at 7:30PM. The Steve Sullivan dance will be held Friday, May 9th. Then starting on the 4th Wednesday in May, we dance on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays during May, June, July, August and September. The summer dances will be held at the Swenson’s RV Park which is located east of Minot on the north side of Hwy 52 bypass.

Reelected officers are:

President……………..Don and Linda Siebert

Vice-president………. Verla Hodgson

Secretary……………..Erna Eidmann

Treasurer……………..Don and Frances Tank

We are co-hosting with Town and Country Dancers the International Convention in June of 2008. Marcy Frye reported 101 pre-registrations at the time of the Canada International in June of 2007.

Our callers vary between Mel Diers, Larry Pfennig, Cliff March, or Don Siebert; with Doc. Brooks recently joining the Caller’s Association.

Town and County Dancer - Martin continue dancing the second Sunday of each month from October to May at the Martin Community Hall at 2:30PM. They have only 10 members but average 2 squares each dance. The October 14th dance boasted 3 ¾ squares, thanks to all the visitors.

Their Christmas dance will be Dec. 9th. The New Year’s Eve dance will start with a 6:30PM potluck supper with dancing and games to follow – weather permitting.

Officers remain the same:

President………………Robert and Darlene Appelt

Secretary/ Treasurer….. …Kenneth and Lois Weltz

They are co-hosting the International Convention June 5-6-7 with the Souris Valley Dancers, to be held at Jamestown with Cliff March, Chairman.

Southeast Directors—Ernie and Delia Walker

Jamestown Square Steppers— are holding in their club with 16 members and still average 1 to 3 squares per dance. They dance from September through May on the 1st Friday of each month at 7:30 PM and the 3rd Sunday of each month at 2:00 PM. Their dances are held at the Senior Citizens Center #1 in Jamestown. They will again participate with the Christmas Bell Ringers for the Salvation Army. One exception is no dances in January.

Dakota Ramblers—This club has five campouts per year with one camp in. They have 36 members as of October 2007 and average 8-12 campers at each campout. Their camping weekend is every third weekend from May through September with one camp in in January. In May we hosted a reunion for all former campers. We had a good turnout of 44 and lots of fun. This was held at Wesly Acres, Dazey, ND.

The 2008 campouts are as follows:

May 16-17th – Wesly Acres, Dazey, ND

June 20-21st – Bismarck, ND (Fort Lincoln?)

July 18-19th – Hoffer Lake, McClusky, ND

August 15-16th – Viking View Resort, Fort Ransom, ND

September 19-20th – Swenson Valley View R.V. Park, Minot, ND

January 18-19th –Chieftan Inn, Carrington ND

The Circle 8 Plus Club of Fargo/Moorhead dances on the first, third and 5th Saturdays of the months from September through May. They still dance at the Glyndon Community Center in Glyndon, MN, which is providing to be a good place. They have 14 members this year, having lost one couple and gaining 3 new members. They average 1 or 2 squares per dance. They are also very active in visiting other clubs in the area. They are starting a session of beginning plus lessons and hope to have some new plus dancers by Christmas.

Saturday Fun Nite –Fargo – This club membership for this season is about 28 paid members. On August 4th their dancers were to the Leach Nursing Home at Wahpeton and entertained the residents with Mark Helfter calling. Jim Lizakowski and Myron Hollatz also shared the mike. On September 21 & 22nd, they attended the Harvest Festival at Bonanzaville, USA with Mark Helfter and Jim Lizakowski calling the tips. They also attended the Rollag Steam Threshers Weekend September 1-3rd. They started their 2007-2008 season on September 8th with Jim Jirak calling to three squares. So far they average 1-3 squares per dance. Jerry Junck also called a dance in Moorhead on September 12th with 6 squares in attendance. They also had square dance lessons started on September 18th and going well. There are 4 men and 13 ladies, all single except for one couple. Roger McNeil and Jim Lizakowski are teaching this class.

Prairie Promenaders-Fargo—This club has increased its membership from 26 to 30 members since the April report. They had a reunion of all former square dance members and had a very good turn out of 62. They still dance the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month September through May. Their club will be doing some dance demonstrations this fall at nursing homes, one in October and one in November.

NE Directors – Tom & Marlene Miller

Prairie Partners –Devils Lake has up to 3 squares in attendance at their dances. They dance the 2nd and 4th Saturdays.

Border Belles and Beaus-Langdon has had only around two squares and 2 couples, very small attendance. We dance the 1st and 3rd Mondays. We did dance at Dresden this summer and at Maple Manor nursing home.