President Joan Smith called the meeting to order via telephone at 2:35 p.m. from the National Grange building in Washington, D.C. Also participating in the meeting were Overseer Leroy Watson, Community Service Director Loretta Washington, Membership Director Stephanie Wilkins, Communications Director Amanda Rios, legislative Director Burton Eller, Executive Committee member Cheri Watson, Secretary Richard Weiss, and new member Paul Rich.
The March 13, 2019 minutes were approved as published on the Potomac Grange web site.
TREASURER’S REPORT
There was no Treasurer’s report at this time.
Richard Weiss will manually calculate Potomac’s first quarter 2019 dues and send the results to National and Potomac’s Treasurer Jessie Cope.
OLD BUSINESS
Grange Month – Loretta Washington reported that the tenants’ breakfast was well attended and quite successful. Brochures developed by Amanda Brozona-Rios about the Grange were passed out and resulted in the sign up of Paul Rich and strong interest from at least two others.
Spring Fling – Speaker for the April 11 Spring Fling was our own Grace Boatright. Grace described the workings of her company Unfold, Inc, a software provider for tracking legislative and regulatory activities. Attendees feasted on Joan Smith’s Italian meal.
NEW BUSINESS
Grange Revival – Joan and Amanda will participate in the Grange Rival July 23 to 28 at the Mulberry Mountain Lodge in Ozark, Arkansas. Participating Granges will cover various function costs. Joan has recommended Potomac sponsor agricultural educational workshops using Ag in the Classroom materials. One would demonstrate cotton ginning all the way from boll to ball and piazza from wheat to slice. Cost of project workshop materials plus the Potomac Grange sponsored Olympic fame event winners’ medals and games items are estimate at $1,200.00. Richard Weiss moved these costs be covered from the Kile Fund. Leroy Watson seconded the motion and it passed.
Opioid education program – Next July a conference to educate youth on opioid addiction prevention will be held in Dallas, TX. Four Grange youth will attend, one each from Texas, Maryland, Rhode Island and New York plus National Grange Youth and Young Adult Director Mandy Bostwick. The conference’s goal is to have these Grange Youth go home and educate other youth and they educate more youth and so on. While participants’ room and board expenses will be covered, they have to raise their own air fare. Grange Advocacy has already voted to cover Mandy’s expenses. Richard Weiss suggested $1,000.00 be put aside from the Kile Fund to cover any short falls in the youth funding. After some discussion, it was moved and seconded to do so.
YOUTH REPORT
Rachel Watson is participating in regional poll vault competition. We will get the outcome at the next meeting.
GRANGERS IN NEED
Our thoughts go out to Stephanie Wilkins’ family over her daughter’s health problems.
There was no further business and the meeting adjourned at 3:40 p.m. The next meeting is scheduled for June 5 at noon. VP Leroy Watson will call the meeting to order as Sister Smith is moving that day to a new home.
Respectfully submitted,
Richard Weiss
Secretary, Potomac Grange #1