Minutes of the Staying Put May 5, 2008 Board Meeting
The Staying Put Board of Directors held a meeting at 4 PM on May 5, 2008 at the New Canaan Library.
Tom Towers introduced Jane Knaus who has agreed to coordinate future SP newspaper publicity. He also thanked Judy Bentley and her husband Dave for sponsoring, arranging and doing publicity and hosting the very successful Four Freshman SP Benefit Concert on April 26 at the New Canaan Country School. The Freshmen gave us a memorable trip down memory lane and the sizeable audience enjoyed every moment.
Arrangements for our First Annual Staying Put Meeting and Party on Tuesday May 20 at 4 pm Morrill Hall are proceeding well. Invitations are being mailed to all SP members, advisors, volunteers, donors and directors.
Tom Towers and the Board will express thanks at the meeting for a year of major progress for Staying Put. The importance of continued membership growth will be stressed as well. In order to have SP operating and available we need support now from those New Canaan Seniors who feel they can postpone joining until they need our services. Finally fund raising will be ongoing in order to close the gap between operating costs and dues income. After the business meeting refreshments will be served, the Gentlemen Songsters will be entertaining and here will be time for informal conversation and socializing. John Engel is putting together a revolving slide show of SP events, programs and personnel which will be shown during the party.
Director Jane Nyce reported that we have met our current membership goal with 212 members including 8 special memberships. Altogether the office has received 90 requests for help from members-half of which have been handled by volunteers and the other 50% by our professional service providers. A varied and popular series of programs and events for members has been proceeding with success.
May will be a busy month. Plans include a Director led tour of the "Art of the Northeast" show at Silvermine Guild on May 14 and dinner at the adjoining Silvermine restaurant and the First Annual SP Meeting and Party on May 20. At The New Canaan Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 26 an SP group decked out in SP logo-decorated baseball caps will be marching behind our large new Staying Put banner and John Engel's Dad's handsome red convertible.
Jane Nyce reported that she and her assistant Donna Simone are happily settled in the new office at 58 Pine St. Jane reviewed figures for SP operations through April. Our original projections for membership dues plus donation amounts to date have been met. However, membership dues were deliberately set low in order to attract initial memberships and it is clear that it is time to reignite our fundraising efforts. SP is attracting members, enthusiasm and interest, and our increased visibility should help to give momentum to our increased fundraising efforts.
David Brown advised that we stress that Staying Put is helping to provide a "new way of life" for New Canaan Seniors. SP is in the process of becoming an institution which can help to fulfill the challenging needs of the growing number of New Canaan's older citizens. We are seniors helping one another and hoping that our younger neighbors will assist us in that mission.
Respectfully submitted,
Eleanor Q. O'Neill,
Secretary
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