Steering Team Meeting Minutes

Tuesday December 18th, 2007

5:00 PM, Valley Media Center

 

In attendance: Sharon Rich, Tim Corkery, Linda Watson, David Runyon, Malinda Hanson, Cassie Friederich

 

A.  Financial Reports: 

-Let the minutes reflect- Valley Mentoring has enough money in their budget to sustain the program for approximately 4 months.  The Fund Development Team needs to work on raising funds for Mentoring!

-While Mentoring is trying to become self-sufficient, General Coalition funds will be used to help sustain the program.

-Community Grant- We need to take a look at this grant and start spending the funds were they have been designated. 

-DFC Budget revision was approved.  Here are the totals for the general categories.  If you would like to see a complete breakdown, let Cassie or Malinda know.

      Salaries Composite:  $56,989

      Benefits Composite: $ 11,113

      Travel Composite: $13,600

      Supplies for Program and Office- $7,810

      Contractual-Audit- $600

      Other- $9,888

 

B.  Sub-Group Reports:

1.      Youth

-              SODA Leadership Team is helping promote the Mentoring program:

-              SODA Service:  Leadership Team members helped a local club move some benches~We have a SODA Service phone tree for each town to help make it easier to contact the kids once the coupon books start

-              SODA Leadership Team:  We’ve been meeting regularly and are getting a lot done!  They're AWESOME!

-              Take It Back Community Briefings:  We got our kit and the kids are excited about doing this project!  We will need to ask the Steering Team for some assistance

-              January All-VCC Meeting and Basket Auction:  We need to start promoting it!  The Leadership Team will be doing the agenda, and ALL SODA members are invited to attend a planning meeting in January

-              Snow Ball:  Tammy Moser and Linda Davis are planning it!  The date is Saturday, January 26

-              All Stars!  Classrooms presentations: Thursday, January 3 / Parent's meeting late in the week of January 7 /  Begin the program Monday, January 21

-              Pancake Breakfast:  SODA has decided to work with Clermont Neighborhood Watch again this year to have the pancake breakfast.  Date is set for Sunday, January 27

-              COMET Report:  Done and submitted!

-              Winter Fun Day and Farm Park Board:

-              Happy Bunny Update:

-              Clermont Days 2008:  SODA will be having a horseshoe contest

-              Great American Smoke out Presentations:  Went great!  There were a lot of SODA members who helped out and have had very positive feedback!

-              Presenter ranger Horton:  SODA will sponsor him coming to Valley

-              DACCA Membership???

-              SODA Leadership team help with presentation for HS All Staff meeting:

-              SODA PowerPoint:  Jenna Pollock will be finishing it up during Christmas break.

 

2.      Parent/Community:

-Pharming Training this Spring?  I have been emailing with Linda Kalin from the Iowa Poison Control Center about having a Parent/Community presentation about over the counter and prescription drug abuse.  Cathy Molumby and David Fox are discussing the possibility of having a presentation during the day for the teachers on an in-service day, and then there would be a presentation that evening open to adults in the community to attend.

-“Parents Who Host, Lose the Most” campaign to be implemented this Prom and Graduation Season!!  If you would be interested in being a part of implementing this campaign, please let Cassie know!!  We need everyone’s help in making this a success!

-Smoke-free Restaurant Initiative!  Working with restaurants in the Valley to create a smoke-free dining environment! If you are interested in being a part of this initiative, please let me know!

3.      Mentoring:

- We currently have 9 Mentor/Mentee Matches!  There are 6 mentors waiting to be matched with youth (just interviewed a new mentor last week)!  I have met with two male mentees and their moms.  Hopefully will be able to match them soon!

- Mentoring Calendars!!  We’ve decided to try something new!!  Check out the calendar for upcoming dates and details of meetings and events!  If you would like a copy of the calendar and did not receive one, let Cassie know and she will send you a copy!!

-January is National Mentoring Month!!  We have a lot of things planned to get the word out about Valley Mentoring!!

    1. January 12th, 11:00am-1:00pm, Mentoring Event/Mentee Recruitment!!  Free Pizza and Bowling will be provided for current Mentors, Mentees, waiting mentors, and waiting mentees!  We are also inviting all interested 1st-7th graders and their parents to come to this event to learn more about Mentoring!  A few SODA members have agreed to go into the classrooms to talk to the students about mentoring and hand out fliers about this event!! 
    2. January 26th, 11:30-1:00, Mentoring Celebration Potluck at First Baptist Church in Elgin.  Mentors, Mentees, Families, Steering Team Leaders, and Mentoring Subgroup Members are all invited to attend!  You will be receiving an invitation in the mail!!  This is a time to gather together as a group and Celebrate Mentoring!! 
    3. Posters, ads in the Newspapers, article in The Union about Mentoring (highlighting Tom Rich and his Mentee, Alexander), Letter to the Editor, information sent to local church’s, PSA’s on the radio, etc…

 

C.  Take It Back Community Meeting:

This is a Youth led movement!!  SODA has received their information for Take It Back!  March 5th or 6th will be the Take It Back Community Meeting!  More details soon!

 

D.  Coupon Book-Update and Discussion

-The Echo is currently working on a mock up of the coupon books.  Hopefully we will have an example ready to proof this week!

-I asked for an estimate of printing expenses.  So far, they have told me last year it cost $75 for 150 books!  Hopefully it will be nearly the same!  We have two sponsors at $50 a piece, so we will more then have the printing costs covered!

-I’m hoping we have the Coupon Books ready to sell shortly after the first of the year!  Mentoring and SODA will need everyone’s help in selling the coupon books in order to have them be as successful as possible!

 

E.  Next All VCC Meeting, January 30th, Clermont Opera House, Theme: Celebrate SODA!

-Theme Basket Silent Auction!!  If you would like to donate a basket, please let Malinda know as soon as possible!  Encourage others to donate a basket!!

 

 F.  DFC Update-Linda:

Linda presented the Steering Team with a revised budget.  Money was moved from the Administrative Assistant position line item to other areas of the budget that needed a boost.

A meeting will be held at 4:00 on December 4, prior to the Steering Team Meeting, in the Valley media center, to review the DFC budget.

 

G.  Heating Update:

The office is warm!!  All of the leaks have been fixed!  John Gass is now in charge of running the boiler and he is doing an Excellent Job!!

 

 

 

H.  VCC Fund Development Update/Report:

Al has been sending out Holiday Letters!!

 

In addition to the above minutes:

 

1.  The VCC has decided to apply for a CADCA Membership!  It was agreed that if we attend trainings, conferences, and utilize the online resources CADCA has to offer, it will be worth the membership fees.

2.  It was also decided that the VCC will not be sponsoring or collaborating with the Farm Park this year for Winter Fun Day.  The VCC will encourage members and the Mentoring program to participate in the event. 

 

 

 

Next Meeting: Tuesday January 8th, 5:00 P.M.,

Valley High School Media Center.