Heartworks of Vermont

Heartworks Monthly Meeting
August 27, 2008


In Attendance:
Lisa
Margot
Victoria
Carmel
Julie
Karen

Lisa called the meeting to order at 7:35 pm. An open discussion followed about the group’s organization with a focus on the following:
1. What is the best day and time to hold monthly meetings?
• Would a breakfast - morning meeting be more convenient for some members?
• Would 6pm instead or 7 or 7:30 be better for evening meetings?
• What day of the week works best?
• Should the day and time vary from month to month?
2. How best can we communicate with members? Many people want to be a part of Heartworks, but can’t attend meetings.
• Should we email members and/or should we have a blogspot?
• What technology is out there to best communicate to members? Blogspot? Constant Contact?
• What works for everyone?
3. Meeting formats and membership.
• Meetings should focus and follow topics such as:
Old/New Business
Treasurer’s Report
Environment
On Going Projects
Personal Space
Closing Moment
• Suggestion made that 2-3 members are responsible for each topic. Responsibility is divided and not left to just one person.
• Meeting agendas should be emailed and/or posted to blogspot before meeting.
• Heartworks could also have a kids group. The power of kids is great.
• Not every member should feel they have to help with every cause. Participation is not about the amount, it’s about the act.
4. An important realization was made that Heartworks has still reached out and assisted people without holding meetings.
• Gift Baskets and cards have been sent to people.
• Gardens have been weeded.
• Sympathy plants have been given to those grieving.







5. How should we stay in touch and follow up with recipients after Heartworks initially helps someone? How should we go forward and help the person and stay in touch with them after the first contact? There is a feeling that we lose touch and/or the person still needs our help. Here is an update on some of the people we have helped:
• Megan is in remission
• Scotty and Paul sadly passed away
• Brian is still fighting his courageous battle and just started eating
• Kami ???
• Gift basket for Melissa Reece


6. Heartworks is about giving, but also learning to receive and ask for help. Carmel discussed a book titled Year of Magical Thinking in which the point is made that if you ask people if they want something they will say no, but if you pour a cup of tea and put it in front of them they will drink it. We are not taught to ask for help; people find it awkward and embarrassing to ask. There are probably many community members that we could help and even Heartworks members, but they go under the radar because they don’t know how to ask for help.
7. A Personal Space time followed. Here is where members are given the opportunity to say what’s going on in their lives that may be of interest to others.
• Margot is having an awesome tag sale Saturday, August 30, 2008 from 8 – 1.
• Julie will be participating is a Marathon for Autism on October 23. Julie’s friend lost a twin autistic child to a drowning accident. If anyone wants to contribute to her fund raising efforts, that would be great. Julie has to raise $500.
Julie Crosier is jatraen@hotmail.com
• Lisa is participating in a triathlon for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. She is holding a fundraiser at the Perfect Wife on September 6th starting at 8pm. There will be a band, Raffle and Silent Auction.
8. New Business:
• Carmel has an idea to collect and distribute clothes to families. Heartworks could organize the Community Clothes Cupboard. Based on the food cupboard, we could hold a clothes giveaway once a season. A significant amount of advertising a spreading the word to all area communities would be essential along with securing a central place to hold the give away. Carmel will look into some of the preliminaries of what such an event would entail. It looks like November 8th is the date and it will be held in the Maple street gymnasium.
• A local mother’s child, Adrianne, who attends MEMS is suffering from a rare disease. Norene Peck has taken on coordinating assistance to this cause and is planning a fundraiser. The question remains as to how Heartworks could help. Lisa will speak w/ Norene to see if we can help in any way. Otherwise, we will have a meeting Sept . 28th, send me some feedback on times. We will update the blog and let you know what the meeting will focus on – most likely – the CLOTHES give-a-way ( we need a catchy title)

A huge thanks to everyone who contributed the a great basket that went to Grace. Thanks Karen V. for organizing that one…

Respectfully submitted,


Victoria Silsby for Lisa Kelly