September 5, 2018 Meeting Minutes

President Joan Smith called the meeting to order at 12:05 PM in the National Grange Goss conference room via conference call.  In physical attendance was Joan Smith, Jessica Cope, Stephanie Wilkins, Amanda Brozana-Rios and Stephanie Tiller.  On the conference line were, Burton Eller, Leroy Watson and Cheri Watson.

MINUTES

President Joan Smith read the June 6 minutes which were approved with no additions or corrections.

TREASURER’S REPORT

BB&T Operating account balance $3,139.91. The PayPal function has been added to our website by Stephanie Wilkins for payment of dues by our membership.

PNC, KILE Fund, balance will be reported at our next meeting as access to the account is still being worked. National Grange is up-to-date with all of its monthly loan payments to us reference the $25,000 loan provided to support the Boiler repairs.

Motion made to add a donation button on our website for members to utilize when paying their dues.

OLD BUSINESS

NAITC -Joan C. Smith provided a report of the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference held in Portland Maine and the presentation of the Agriculture Advocate award to Maggie McKeen, New Mexico on behalf of the National Grange Foundation. A thank you note was received and read from Mrs. McKeen.

DC AITC – Amanda presented that Annie Montes has volunteered to develop coloring pages dealing with agriculture laid against the Washington DC landscape/landmark background that we could use for our AITC DC program. (i.e. Bee Hive on our roof, Arboretum carp fish and bonsai trees, White House National Christmas Tree, farm animals at the National ZOO, etc.) This idea was found favorable and Amanda will pursue this further. The idea is that PG#1 would provide the pages to schools/teachers along with maybe a seed pack or other items for their use in support of agriculture in their curriculum.

NEW BUSINESS

Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) will hold a “Foster our Future, cultivate, discover, grow” event in WDC on Feb 5, 2019 at the Ronald Reagan Building. The National Grange Foundation is a $2,500 sponsor. PG#1 agreed to sponsor FIAA at the $2500 level itself and thereby will receive 4 tickets to the event which we would then distribute to two teachers to attend the event and 2 Potomac members to attend.

GOOD OF THE ORDER

Dick Weiss is in the hospital with a foot injury. Stephanie Tiller to send a dish garden/balloons to him from PG#1.

All members of PG#1 to be emailed to support the Good Day Magazine and to provide the link to sign up for a subscription.

There was no further business and the meeting adjourned at 12:40 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Joan C. Smith, President
Potomac Grange #1