Date: April 24, 2008
Time: 5:45-6:55 p.m.
Location: Perkin’s Restaurant at Germantown Road and Wolf River Boulevard
Attendance:

• John Schultz
  
• Kathy Schultz
  
• Debbie Sellmansberger
  
• Mary Ann Lucas
  
• Jackie Garner
  
• Sue Malone
  
• Mary Clausi

Reading of Minutes and Treasurer's Report

Sue moved that the minutes of the last board meeting be accepted as they were submitted to the Board on the website. It was seconded by Debbie and was unanimously approved. Debbie volunteered to call all past members who have not paid their dues. The Board also approved the Treasurer’s Report as submitted at the evening.

Discussion of the Scholarship Program

Debbie led a discussion of the MSSI scholarship program, who was eligible, how applications were made, concerns in the past, how payments were made, etc.

Christmas Party

The MSSI Christmas Party will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Neshoba Unitarian Church on Raleigh-LaGrange Road near Trinity. Members are asked to bring a pot luck dish, decorate their tables, and a $5 for the gift exchange plus a toy for Toys for Tots drive. Volunteers are needed for setup and cleanup and to supervise the line. The cost of renting the space is $40/hour.

Grace Notes

The Grace Notes will be issued shortly due to the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. All articles need to be submitted to the Grace Notes staff by the 15th of the month.

Check to Lyon College

The check submitted to Lyon College last spring for an MSSI tent space has not been cashed. Tom will check on this matter.

Scholarship Committee

The Board discussed a suggestion that Lyon College recommend students who are studying pipes and Scottish dancing for possible scholarship monies. This idea was tabled until a later date.

Programs

Can grants fund an honorarium to cover food and gas for a speaker? Mary moved that the Programs Vice President be given a budget of $100 per month and if he/she needs to spend more for a particular month, then they would need Board approval. Sammy seconded it and it was passed unanimously.

Banner

Debbie submitted 3 drawings for the new MSSI banner but the drawings have been misplaced. She will redraw them and Mary will contact several local flag companies to check on the cost of a new banner.

Burns Nicht

Kathy and Jackie requested a copy of the tax number to help with expenses for Burns Nicht. Mary Ann and Sammy discussed the TV appearance, possibly cooking several Scottish foods and as of yet we do not have anyone to do this demonstration. It was suggested we ask the chef at Crumpets Tea Room. It would be on Alive at Nine on Channel 3 with Mary Beth Conley. Bud and Lore were on WKNO today taking about Burns Nicht. Can we get on Robert Campbell’s show to talk about Burns Nicht? There were several complaints on last year’s Burns Nicht and the Board discussed how their problems could be remedied. January 19th is the last day to accept reservations. Lore has also invited Michael Donahue from the Commercial Appeal. So far the reservations are as follows: 54 total reservations, 13 Patrons, and 6 Benefactors. Several calls were made to round up all of the decorations. Tom and Cheryl will handle the silent auction. Mary Ann is planning the seating chart for the event.

New Business

The Board revisited the idea of name tags for every member, who would be in charge, etc.

Next Board Meeting

The next MSSI board meeting will be held on Thursday, February 24, at Perkins Restaurant at 5:30 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,
Mary E. Clausi, Secretary, MSSI

Date: January 3, 2008
Time: 5:30-7:20 p.m.
Location: Perkin’s Restaurant at Germantown Road and Wolf River Boulevard
Attendance:

• Tom Lewis
  
• John Schultz
  
• Kathy Schultz
  
• Jackie Garner
  
• Mary Ann Lucas
  
• Lou Garner
  
• Sammy Rich
  
• Sue Malone
  
• Mary Clausi
  
• Debbie Sellmansberger

Reading of Minutes and Treasurer's Report

Sue moved that the minutes of the last board meeting be accepted as they were submitted to the Board on the website. It was seconded by Debbie and was unanimously approved. Debbie volunteered to call all past members who have not paid their dues. The Board also approved the Treasurer’s Report as submitted at the evening.

Discussion of the Scholarship Program

Debbie led a discussion of the MSSI scholarship program, who was eligible, how applications were made, concerns in the past, how payments were made, etc.

Christmas Party

The MSSI Christmas Party will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Neshoba Unitarian Church on Raleigh-LaGrange Road near Trinity. Members are asked to bring a pot luck dish, decorate their tables, and a $5 for the gift exchange plus a toy for Toys for Tots drive. Volunteers are needed for setup and cleanup and to supervise the line. The cost of renting the space is $40/hour.

Grace Notes

The Grace Notes will be issued shortly due to the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. All articles need to be submitted to the Grace Notes staff by the 15th of the month.

Check to Lyon College

The check submitted to Lyon College last spring for an MSSI tent space has not been cashed. Tom will check on this matter.

Scholarship Committee

The Board discussed a suggestion that Lyon College recommend students who are studying pipes and Scottish dancing for possible scholarship monies. This idea was tabled until a later date.

Programs

Can grants fund an honorarium to cover food and gas for a speaker? Mary moved that the Programs Vice President be given a budget of $100 per month and if he/she needs to spend more for a particular month, then they would need Board approval. Sammy seconded it and it was passed unanimously.

Banner

Debbie submitted 3 drawings for the new MSSI banner but the drawings have been misplaced. She will redraw them and Mary will contact several local flag companies to check on the cost of a new banner.

Burns Nicht

Kathy and Jackie requested a copy of the tax number to help with expenses for Burns Nicht. Mary Ann and Sammy discussed the TV appearance, possibly cooking several Scottish foods and as of yet we do not have anyone to do this demonstration. It was suggested we ask the chef at Crumpets Tea Room. It would be on Alive at Nine on Channel 3 with Mary Beth Conley. Bud and Lore were on WKNO today taking about Burns Nicht. Can we get on Robert Campbell’s show to talk about Burns Nicht? There were several complaints on last year’s Burns Nicht and the Board discussed how their problems could be remedied. January 19th is the last day to accept reservations. Lore has also invited Michael Donahue from the Commercial Appeal. So far the reservations are as follows: 54 total reservations, 13 Patrons, and 6 Benefactors. Several calls were made to round up all of the decorations. Tom and Cheryl will handle the silent auction. Mary Ann is planning the seating chart for the event.

New Business

The Board revisited the idea of name tags for every member, who would be in charge, etc.

Next Board Meeting

The next MSSI board meeting will be held on Thursday, February 24, at Perkins Restaurant at 5:30 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,
Mary E. Clausi, Secretary, MSSI

Date: November 29, 2007
Time: 5:45-6:55 p.m.
Location: Jason’s Deli at Poplar and Highland
Attendance:

• John Schultz
  
• Tom Lewis
  
• Mary Ann Lucas
  
• Mary Clausi
  
• Sammy Rich
  
• Sue Malone
  
• Debbie Sellmansberger
  
• Rob Sellmansberger

Reading of Minutes and Treasurer's Report

Sammy moved that we accept the minutes of the last board meeting and the treasurer’s report as sent to the board via e-mail. Sue seconded it and all approved.

MSSI Possible New Location

The board discussed Jason’s Deli, Poplar and Highland, as a possible new location for Scottish Society monthly meetings. A meeting room seating 100 is available with audio-visual capabilities. A minimum of $100 from MSSI would be needed in food orders. Mary Ann made a motion that we consider the deli as a possible location for future meetings. It will be mentioned at the Christmas Party and members will be asked to visit this location and give feedback to the board. A decision will be made at the January 31st board meeting by the new board members. We will meet at the Holiday Inn in January. The possible new location will also be discussed in upcoming Grace Notes.

Christmas Party

The MSSI Christmas Party will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Neshoba Unitarian Church on Raleigh-LaGrange Road near Trinity. Members are asked to bring a pot luck dish, decorate their tables, and a $5 for the gift exchange plus a toy for Toys for Tots drive. Volunteers are needed for setup and cleanup and to supervise the line. The cost of renting the space is $40/hour.

St. Andrew’s Day Tea

The tea will be held Saturday, December 1, from 3-5 p.m. at Crumpets Tea Room on Highland Street. Twenty people have made reservations so far at a cost of $20 per person. The limit for the tea room is 25 people.

Burns Nicht

Burns Nicht will be held on January 26, Saturday, beginning at 6 p.m. Press releases were mailed today and the Germantown News asked for pictures of the festivities. The menu will consist of green salad, cranberry stuffed chicken, carrots, neeps and tatties au gratin, and cranikan (?). Celtic Word will provide the entertainment and the event will take place at Woodland Hills Country Club. Sammy will do the immortal memory, the Traffords the toasts, Bud the address to the haggis, etc. The tickets are silver in honor of the MSSI 25th anniversary. Seldon will host the whiskey tasting which will take place at the patron’s reception. Cheryl is in charge of the silent auction. No introduction of officers will take place that evening. Table names will be taken from Burns poems or Scottish geographical locations. Tickets are available now.

Scotland 101

Scotland 101 will again be the theme of The January meeting with Morse and Sheena Rose doing the honors.

Clanjamfry

MSSI will be the honored society at the 10th Clanjamfry in 2008.

Dues

Dues are due (50 members or families are now paid for 2008) and a new directory will be printed soon.

Next Board Meeting

The next board meeting will be held at Perkins, Germantown Road and Wolf River Boulevard, Thursday, December 27 at 5:30 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,
Mary E. Clausi, Secretary, MSSI

The board did not have a quorum when it met this month so nothing was official. Hence, no minutes from the meeting.

Date: July 30, 2007
Time: 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Location: Perkins at Germantown Parkway and Wolf River Boulevard
Attendance:

• John Schultz
  
• Tom Lewis
  
• Mary Ann Lucas
  
• Mary Clausi
  
• Sammy Rich
  
• Sue Malone

Reading of Minutes and Treasurer's Report

The minutes were distributed online and Sue sent Mary corrections concerning the St. Andrew's Day tea. Tom gave a Treasurer's Report which was also sent out online. Fourteen couples have paid dues for 2008. MSSI fell short on last month's bill to Holiday Inn by $135 due to several no-shows. We need to stress to the membership the importance of timely reservations and cancellations since we are responsible for the number of reservations we have given to Holiday Inn. Those who did not cancel will be billed for the missed dinner. A check was sent to Evergreen Presbyterian Church for $500 as a grant. The money was taken from the General Fund and $500 will be transferred from the Scholarship Fund to the General Fund since it was a grant. Tom gave Sammy a check for $148 to cover fans, songbooks, etc. Tom received two additional memberships today. We broke even on our expenses for Clanjamfry of $40. Sue made a motion and Mary Ann seconded it that the Secretary's report and Treasurer's Report be accepted. The vote was unanimous.

Clanjamfry Results

We are in need of a new table cover since the older one has come apart. Mary Ann is in the process of locating one that was made several years ago by Becky Seivwright. We are also looking for a better way to display the 9 foot long MSSI banner in front of the tent and we need to do a better job of decorating our tent. John will ask Ken Noe and Lee Hutchison to work on the banner display. Discussion also centered on displaying the different Scottish flags.

MSSI Banner

The old banner has been missing for approximately three years and we need a new flag for the Kirkens. The board decided to have a contest to design a new flag, approximately 3 feet by 4 feet. The Society's current flag needs to be larger. Sammy and Sue will research the purchase of new flags for the Society.

Halloween Party

The Halloween party will be hosted by Mary Ann. It will be held on October 27, Saturday, 6-10 p.m., at Agnes Stark's home in Arlington. We will have a catered meal, possibly bar-b-que, with members bringing some desserts and/or side dishes. Drinks will be furnished. No decision has been made yet on a bonfire or the witch. $300 has been budgeted and each attendee will pay $2 for the catered meal.

Burns Nicht

The date for Burns Nicht is January 26, 2008 at Woodland Hills. The toasts will be given by Frank and Becky Trafford. Sherry Moore will give the Immortal Memory. The Burns Nicht committee will ask Colin Grant-Adams from Glasgow, KY, to present the musical entertainment and give a talk. Do we try to do too much on Burns Nicht? The Board decided that we will omit the induction of the new board and the president's farewell speech from this year's Burn's Nicht. Cheryl Nolan will collect donations for the Silent Auction and only those who are present will be able to collect the auction items that they "won" that evening by paying the treasurer. Named tables will be sold instead of the numbered tables.

Christmas Party

The Christmas Party will be held Monday, December 10. Mary Ann has not found a site for the party. She is checking on a place that will also allow us to bring liquor and will charge a nominal fee for the use of the facility.

Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee for the 2008 MSSI officers will consist of Ben Kemker, past president, Seldon Murray selected by the current president, and one member chosen by MSSI members. Since the committee will only have a short time to prepare the nominations, if any of the current board would like to continue in their present office, please notify the committee.

The Hisky Library

Ken Letterman has been unable to talk with Rhodes about donating these books to their library. Would the books be available to the general public? Sammy has seen the books and many of them are in paperback. Sammy suggested that Rhodes may only be interested in a limited number of the books.

St. Andrew's Day Tea

The Saint Andrew's Day Tea will be held this year on Saturday, December 1, at Crumpets on Highland Avenue. Sue, as chairman, asked Sammy to make three cards for each table to be used at the next two meetings to advertise this event. Mary Ann and Sammy will take care of printing the flyers and the invitations that will be handed out. Reservations are limited.

Reservations for the October MSSI Meeting

The reservations for the October meeting will be picked up by Mary as Mary Ann will be out of town. We will need to call Holiday Inn on Friday before the meeting with the number of reservations needed.

Next Board Meeting

The next board meeting will be held on Thursday, October 25, 5:30 p.m., at Perkin's.

Respectfully Submitted,
Mary E. Clausi, Secretary, MSSI

Date: July 30, 2007
Time: 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Location: Perkins at Germantown Parkway and Wolf River Boulevard
Attendance:

• John Schultz
  
• Sammy Rich
  
• Tom Lewis
  
• Sue Malone
  
• Mary Clausi
  
• Mary Ann Lucas

Reading of Minutes

The minutes were distributed online. Sue made a motion and Sammy seconded it that the minutes be approved. The vote was unanimous.

Treasurer's Report

Tom will email a copy to the secretary of this month's treasurer's report. The beginning balance was $9122 and the ending balance was $8908. We have $5500 in the scholarship fund. We broke even on the dinner this month.

Tennessee Genealogical Society

MSSI will take part in the Genealogy and History Fair and Seminar on October 13. A check for $20 will be mailed by Tom for booth space. If we show up, we will receive $15 reimbursement. MSSI will check on other local festivals to see if we should be represented.

News from Mary Ann

Mary Ann would like MSSI to compensate guest speakers with a complimentary dinner when they make a presentation. Mary made a motion and Sammy seconded it that we do so. It was approved unanimously. Also Mary Ann will email directions to Mary on how to pick up the phone messages in case she is unable to do so.

Membership List

We are continuing to work on an accurate membership list including spouses and other family members, emails, phone numbers, etc. We do not have a completely accurate list of who has paid in the last two years so we will start anew in October when dues will be collected for the upcoming year.

Clanjamfry

MSSI would like to give a grant totaling $500 to Clanjamfry for this year's Scottish fair. Ken and Bill are in favor but have been have difficulty contacting Margaret. We need to have a vote by September 8 to have MSSI listed in the program as a supporter. John will continue trying to contact Margaret.

News from Sammy

Sammy said that the Go Box is ready and he will transfer it to John. Mary Ann will bring the butterscotch candy and Sue will supply the "church" fans. Sammy is continuing to work on a new song book but is having a problem with the page size. The board suggested 8 ½ by 11 inches for the paper size.

Burns Nicht

Sue suggested that a mail out be done to nonmembers from last year's list. John will pass this suggestion on to Kathy.

Scottish Walk

John announced that a Scottish Walk will be held in Alexandria, VA, the first week of December for those who are interested.

Hisky Library Donation to Rhodes College

It was suggested that all or part of the Hisky Scottish library be donated to Rhodes College. Ken Letterman is planning to talk with Rhodes about this donation. Could the Scottish Society use scholarship funds of $500 to pay for the books since the Hisky's were planning to sell them? Another idea was to have individual members give matching funds. If Rhodes accepted the books, would the public have access to them? If Rhodes declines the books, would Lyon College want them? There are a between 300 and 3000 items available. John will contact Bud and Lore about these ideas and what funds are available.

Next Board Meeting

The next Board Meeting will be held on Thursday, September 27 at Perkin's at 5:30 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,
Mary E. Clausi, Secretary, MSSI

Date: July 26, 2007
Time: 5:30-6:45 p.m.
Location: Perkins at Germantown Parkway and Wolf River Boulevard
Attendance:

• Kathy Schultz
  
• John Schultz
  
• Mary Clausi
  
• Janet Mandanna
  
• Tom Lewis
  
• Mary Ann Lucas
  
• Sue Malone

Reading of Minutes

The minutes were distributed online and Mary Ann e-mailed several corrections to the Secretary (see attached e-mail). Mary Ann made a motion and Tom seconded it that the minutes be approved with the necessary corrections.

Treasurer’s Report

Tom handed out a copy of his report which listed several one time charges such as storage unit and the post office box. By paying for a year, MSSI can save money. The Secretary of State for TN was called and has received the necessary paperwork for nonprofit status. MSSI has also saved money by e-mailing the Grace Notes to as many members as possible. Mary Ann made a motion and Mary seconded it that the treasurer’s report be approved as presented.

Go Box

Sammy is in charge of the Go Box. The Box is in need of MSSI publications, Grace Notes, Tartan books that came from Sue Malone, etc. A copy of Tartan for Me will be purchased from Amazon to be placed in sleeve protectors and kept in the Box. Other items will be added as needed.

Piper Information

Mary Ann received an e-mail recently wanting a piper for a funeral. The Board discussed having such contacts listed on the website. Mary Ann will ask Gavin to set up this addition to the website.

Backup for Urgent E-Mails

MSSI Board discussed the need for getting urgent information to members, especially funeral notices. Notices are sent out via e-mail as soon as all information is available, but the need is for a backup plan in case the main person who sends the e-mails is unavailable. At the present time, the Grace Notes software is only on Sammy’s computer with the address book being on Dena’s and John’s computers. John will take care of the backup for urgent e-mails, if Gavin is unavailable or unable to handle it. The phone tree can also be used. Janet will rework the tree and handle those members who need to be reached by phone. Some people have said they do not care to be called with notices. Mary Ann will also help get information out to John and the Board.

Membership List

The Board is continuing to work on a correct membership list that also contains the names of family members.

Burns Nicht

Kathy said Burns Nicht plans are progressing well. Robert Campbell has been asked to do the Immortal Memory but has not replied. Also Pat Potter may be asked to speak. Planet Reel will be part of the entertainment for the evening.

Clanjamfry

Presently we are referring members to the Clanjamfry website for tickets. We will have a tent at Clanjamfry and Tom will send in the fee for the tent site. We will most probably use two tents.

Compensation for Speakers at Meetings

Only outside speakers will be compensated for presentations at meetings.

Geneological Society

The local genealogical society has asked MSSI to take part in its October 13 meeting. John will send in the necessary form and we will have a table at this event. The cost is $20 and we will receive $15 for participation. Sign up will take place at the September meeting.

Fans

Sammy is working on the printing of information on the fans and members are encouraged to bring paint sticks.

Celtic Fest

John received a form to participate in the Celtic Fest, November 3, in Jackson, TN. The Board decided to have two tent spaces at a cost of $50. Members will be asked to sign up and help with this activity.

Next Board Meeting

The next Board Meeting will be held on Thursday, August 30, at Perkin’s at 5:30 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,
Mary E. Clausi, Secretary, MSSI

Date: June 28, 2007
Time: 5:30-6:20 p.m.
Location: Perkins at Germantown Parkway and Wolf River Boulevard
Attendance:

• Mary All Lucas
  
• John Schultz
  
• Kathy Schultz
  
• Sammy Rich
  
• Mary Clausi
  
• Sue Malone

Reading of Minutes

The minutes were distributed online and approved as written. Mary Ann made a motion and Sue seconded it that the minutes be approved as mailed.

Treasurer's Report

There was no treasurer’s report due to Tom’s absence.

Questions on Membership List

David Parrot joined at Lyon College but we did not have complete information on him. Sue suggested giving out membership cards to all members. All new members who attend MSSI meetings will receive the cookbook. There was some question regarding the ability of downloading the address book. We still do not have a printable list of all Society members. Who will be in charge of this list? Mary Lewis is working on the address list in a printable form.

Discussion of Meeting Site

It was stated that Holiday Inn gave us a good price on the meal but will be increasing the charge to $16 per person. The price has not been raised in two years. Members have suggested that we have more variety in the food served. John will talk to them about the availability of 2 separate meals. No charge was incurred for the lectern, screen and microphone.

Status of Virtual Telephone Service

Our number is 757-4200. Mary Ann is waiting on a manual from AT & T regarding the sett up and operation of the phone service.

Clanjamfry

MSSI will have a tent at Clanjamfry but we will need to call Lee about the cost of the tent. Mary Ann is responsible for the Scottish Heritage program. Clanjamfry is being sponsored by Rhodes College. MSSI will help out in any way possible but most of the work is being done by members of Evergreen Presbyterian Church.

Jackson TN Celtic Fest, November 3

The cost of tent space for this year’s Celtic Fest is $25 and MSSI will have a tent represented. It will be held again at Casey Jones Village. Lyon College presently charges $65 with tables and 4 chairs. The board is considering canceling our tent space at the Arkansas Games. Mary Ann moved that we have at tent at the Celtic Fest; Mary seconded it.

St. Andrew’s Day Tea

The tea will be held this year at Crumpets on Saturday, November 3. It will be a high cream tea/buffet. Sue is hoping to contract with High Road, a local Celtic group, as entertainment. There will only be 50 reservations available. The event will be from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Centerpieces will also be made. Sue reminded Board members to bring the paint sticks for the fans.

Next Board Meeting

The next board meeting will be held on Thursday, July 26, at Perkin’s at 5:30 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,
Mary E. Clausi, Secretary, MSSI

Date: May 31, 2007
Time: 5:30-6:45 p.m.
Location: Perkins at Germantown Parkway and Wolf River Boulevard
Attendance:

• John Schultz
  
• Tom Lewis
  
• Sammy Rich
  
• Janet Mandanna
  
• Sue Malone
  
• Mary Clausi

Reading of Minutes

The minutes were distributed online and approved as written. Tom made the motion, Sue seconded it, and the motion passed.

• Objective: Met

Scholarship Fund Account

The scholarship fund needs to be retitled as such. The present balance is $5492.88.

Treasurer's Report

Tom reported regarding reservations for the dinner meeting — we still have to pay for the no shows. We will urge members to call on time with cancellations and reservations. At the last meeting, the Holiday Inn charged us for the speaker system, podium, and screen — $124.61. Mary Ann will talk to them about this matter as we can bring our own equipment if we will be charged by the hotel. This was the first time we have been charged for the equipment. Tom paid the MSSI insurance — $451/ year — for liability we might incur at different events.

A discussion ensued regarding memorial cards from the Society that could be printed on John's computer.

Storage Rental

John said that the storage rental if paid for one year in advance would be $624 which would include 13 months with the last month being a free month. It would run from July 2007 through July 2008. Mary made a motion that we accept this agreement with Janet as second. It was approved by the board and Tom will pay the rental bill.

Virtual Telephone Service with Bell South/ATT

Mary spoke with a representative from Bell South regarding an MSSI phone number and mail box to be used for reservations, announcements, etc. The charge would be $12.95 monthly plus a one time charge of $24 for installation. Can we get 756-SCOTS or 756-MSSI? The box would need to be checked each day for the designated parties and we would need to know how to set it up and how to check it and how many messages it would hold. Would we be notified when it is full? We would also be tax exempt on this arrangement. Sammy made a motion that we set up the virtual service with a second from Sue. It was approved by the Board. Mary will talk with Bell South and arrange for the phone number. Mary Ann will do the initial message.

Purchase of a New Tent

Mary reported on the prices of a new tent for the Society in an earlier e-mail sent to the Board. Janet said she would like to purchase the tent for MSSI in memory of her Mother, Juanita Long, who recently passed away. Janet will check with Sam's Club about the tent and make the necessary arrangements. We would need a 10 X10 tent with sides. She will call John when it is ordered.

Summer Picnic

Janet and Debbie are in charge of the picnic which will take place at the Selmanbergers in Wiliston, TN. All information including a map is shown in the June Grace Notes. It will be a potluck dinner with drinks and paper products being furnished. Gavin will also send a mass email closer to the date. We hope we will have good attendance and good weather.

Fans

Sue suggested that we print and assemble fans that can be used to advertise the Scottish Society. She will work on this project with Sammy and hopes to have 200 fans ready for distribution at various events. Sue has also asked everyone to gather clean paint sticks for the assembly process.

Cookbooks at the Meetings

The board decided several months to give each new member a cookbook from MSSI. John will make sure the cookbooks are at each meeting as a handout.

Directory

At present it is costing us $50 each month to mail out the Grace Notes to approximately 40 people. We would like as many as possible to receive the Grace Notes online. We will ask members to notify us of any new e-mail addresses and if they would prefer the Grace Notes by mail or online. Dena Warth is compiling an up-to-date and accurate list of all members and within a few months we will have a new directory.

MSSI "Grab and Go" Box

Sammy is continuing to compile the list for "Grab and Go" Box of all necessary supplies for events. He will also gather the necessary supplies and the appropriate box.

Next Board Meeting

The next Board meeting will be held on Thursday, June 28, at Perkin's.

Respectfully Submitted,
Mary E. Clausi, Secretary, MSSI

Date: April 26, 2007
Time: 5:30-7:25 p.m.
Location: Perkins at Germantown Parkway and Wolf River Boulevard
Attendance:

• John Schultz
  
• Mary Ann Lucas
  
• Sammy Rich
  
• Kathy Schultz
  
• Sue Malone
  
• Mary Clausi

Reading of Minutes

The minutes were distributed online and were approved as written.

• Objective: Met

Concerns of Former Member

Former member Jim Stephenson discussed with John and Mary Ann his concerns about the Memphis Scottish Society, particularly a skit at the 2005 Christmas Party. A check will be made with several attendees and old minutes as to the validity of his concerns. John also wrote him a letter concerning this matter.

Treasurer’s Report

Tom was absent but had e-mailed everyone a copy of the latest Treasurer’s report. There was discussion about the charges for dinner for April ($75.13 difference). Mary Ann will check with Tom on this matter. She will discuss with the hotel the need for the lectern and a greeting table for every meeting.

Report on Members

Janet Mandanna’s mother, Juanita Long, is home from the hospital and under hospice care. Frankie Atkinson has moved to Waverly Gardens Retirement Community/Assisted Living.

Spring Ceilidh

There was an excellent reponse to the spring celidh and all attending had a great time. Thank you Sammy. Sammy also received a hand written thank you note from Dick Bevier. Over $150 was made for the scholarship fund. Paper products are still available for other functions.

University of Memphis Multicultural Festival

The festival went well with the Schultzes manning the MSSI table. Because of weather concerns, the event was moved into the lobby of the Rose Theatre. Many contacts were made with people who did not know about the society.

Lyon College Scottish Festival

MSSI acquired two new members thru this Scottish Festival. There were several concerns discussed: lack of food vendors and other vendors, unorganized massed bands, lack of Scottish heritage tent, etc. It was suggested that MSSI no longer attend this event as a group but go individually. News from the Wolf River Pipes and Drums — The band placed second in Grade 5; Kenny Hiner placed 1st in Tenor Drum and 2nd in Bass Drum competition; Dave Corbett came in 5th out of 17 in Grade 4 Individual Piping competition.

The Board discussed limiting the number of events we attend as a society where board members act as representatives; we could ask other members to act as representatives. It was suggested that a Community Liason Committee be formed and publicity be placed in neighborhood papers such as the Shelby Sun Times.

Arlington Middle School

The Schultzes represented MSSI at this event and it went very well. This international festival was another event where we were able to reach a new audience. They gave out a great deal of information on the Scottish Society and Clanjamfry. It was suggested that we look into having a booth at the Bartlett Festival, Cooper-Young, and other local festivals and events.

Summer Picnic

Both chairpersons were absent but concern was expressed as to the location away from Memphis and the heat. The picnic is scheduled for June 9, 3-8 p.m. at the Selmansbergers.

Scholarships

The duties and guidelines for the scholarships/grants committee were discussed. The Board recommended that $3000 be allotted for scholarships/grants but would not have to be completely used and the committee could ask for additional funds, if needed. There were two possible candidates from Lyon College. The application would be available online but would need to be mailed in to the committee. It would also be mentioned in the Highlander Directory. The committee needs to set a deadline for the Scholarships/Grants. The committee’s recommendations would be brought before the board for final approval.

Games/Festivals “To Go” Box

It was suggested that a rolling box be available containing the following items that could be taken to Games and festivals by MSSI members:

Cookbooks	table clothes	brochures
Grace Notes	business cards	Burns Nicht programs
Tartan books	Tartan For Me book	little flags
duct tape	tool box	paper weights
pens	clipboard for signups	sun screen
receipt book	scotch bottle box with candy (butterscotches)

Sammy volunteered to gather things for the To Go Box.

Scottish Society Tent

The MSSI tent is 15-20 years old and needs to be replaced. Mary will look into the cost of replacing the tent. We will need a 10 x 10 tent (vinyl) with sides.

New Business

Sue suggested MSSI have bumper stickers made; also a possibility of magnetic car signs and “funeral” fans could be printed and made. An answering service was discussed and Mary will check into the cost of establishing an MSSI phone number with an answering service for announcements, reservations, etc.

Plans were discussed regarding Burns Nicht — tickets, discounts, payments, entertainment. Information will be more conclusive at a later date. The Board also discussed two upcoming events sponsored by the English Speaking Union.

Next Board Meeting

The next MSSI Board meeting will be held Thursday, May 31, at 5:30 p.m. at Perkin’s.

Respectfully Submitted,
Mary E. Clausi, Secretary, MSSI

Date: March 29, 2007
Time: 6:10-7:50 p.m.
Location: Perkins at Germantown Parkway and Wolf River Boulevard
Attendance:

• John Schultz
  
• Mary Ann Lucas
  
• Tom Lewis
  
• Sammy Rich
  
• Kathy Schultz
  
• Mary Clausi
  
• Janet Mandanna
  
• Sue Malone

Reading of Minutes

Mary read the minutes of the February 22 meeting. A motion was made by Sammy and seconded by Sue that they be accepted as read. Passed.

• Objective: Met

Treasurer’s Report

Tom passed out the report for February and March. He is still processing some Burns Nicht receipts and the checking account has a balance of $12,682.75. John Schultz has signed the signature card for the account. Tom did find that MSSI has a separate savings account which has approximately $3000 in it. He will add approximately $2500 raised at Burns Nicht 2007 to the account which is designated for scholarships and grants. Monies from the quilt raffle, silent auction, and Ceilidh will go into this account. There will be no additional expense for the two accounts. New signature cards need to be signed for this account. Janet made a motion with Sue seconding it that the report be accepted. Passed.

• Objective: Ongoing

Multicultural Festival

The Multicultural Festival will be held at University of Memphis, Friday, April 13, from 12 – 2 p.m. John and other volunteers will man the table. A check will be made on the exact location and places to park. We will need to bring old Burns Nicht programs, applications, and other MSSI and Scottish information. Will Clanjamfry staff be at our table?

• Objective: Ongoing

Spring Ceilidh

The Spring Ceilidh will be held Saturday, April 14, 6 p.m. until ?? at St. Luke Lutheran Church. Entertainment will be furnished for a small price by MSSI members including Mary Ann, Elaine, Sue, Bill, Bud, and Sammy who will also act as servers. It will be a pot luck with all funds going toward the scholarship/grant fund. Tom will serve as treasurer of the event. Entertainment will consist of songs, stories, poetry, limericks, piping, dancing, etc. Sammy has purchased table clothes, paper products, drinks, etc. and will turn in receipts at the next meeting. We will ask SAMS to furnish a color guard.

• Objective: Ongoing

Batesville Games

The Scottish Highland Games will take place at Lyon College, April 20-22, Batesville, AR. MSSI will bring the tent and other items with chairs and tables being furnished. Who will take the tent to Batesville? The board will ask members to man the tent. The person who brings the tent will also receive a parking pass.

• Objective: Ongoing

Summer Picnic

Janet and Debbie will host the MSSI Picnic, Saturday, June 9, 3 – 8 p.m., at the Selmansbergers. Janet described the setting and discussed possible activities including a paddle-boat, games, trails, etc. A list of what to bring and a map will be included in the next two Grace Notes. Members will be encouraged to carpool since the site is approximately 40 miles from Memphis. Pipers are needed. An ice cream making contest was also suggested. Paper products and drinks will be furnished.

• Objective: Ongoing

Scotland 101

Mary Ann passed out a list of possible Scotland 101 topics for the upcoming year. These programs would take place every other month and cover a host of topics on Scotland and would last approximately 1 hour. Expenses would include the cost of recording the program, handouts, etc. It was suggested that Scotland 101 have a chairperson after January 2008. The budget will be $150. Check Office Max for a discount on the printing. A motion was made by Janet and seconded by Tom and the programs were accepted.

• Objective: Ongoing

Burns Nicht Financial Report

A financial report of Burns Nicht 2003-2007 was passed out showing all expenses and all monies received.

Arlington Middle School

Arlington Middle School has asked MSSI to participate Tuesday, April 24, 6-7:30 p.m. in its International Forum. It was suggested that a piper come for entertainment at our booth. The board will ask for members to volunteer to run the booth.

• Objective: Ongoing

WKNO Action Auction

The Action Auction will take place the last two weekends in April. Because of previous commitments in April, the board asked to hold off on this event and participate in the Art Auction in the fall.

• Objective: Met

Scottish Folk Knowledge

Sammy suggested that society members accumulate and collect our “folk knowledge” of stories, songs, etc. for future generations and have it recorded. We will discuss this objective at a later meeting.

• Objective: Ongoing

Membership Committee

Dena has been updating the membership information from both old and new members. Now we need to have a member be in charge of printing the directory. We also may be looking for someone to handle the web site in the near future. Gavin has volunteered to train another person for this job.

• Objective: Ongoing

Next Board Meeting

The next board meeting will be held Thursday, April 26, 5:30 p.m. at Perkins.

Respectfully Submitted,
Mary E. Clausi, Secretary, MSSI

Board Meeting moved to the last Thursday of each month at the Perkins on Germantown and Wolf River (about a mile north of Poplar) at 5:30 p.m.

Date: February 8, 2007
Time: 5:30 – 7:20 p.m.
Location: Shoney's at Sycamore View
Attendance:

• John Schultz
  
• Mary Ann Lucas
  
• Tom Lewis
  
• Mary Clausi
  
• John Simmons
  
• Elaine Meece
  
• Kathy Schultz
  
• Sam Rich
  
• Sue Malone
  
• Ben Kemker
  
• Janet Mandanna

Reading of January Minutes

Mary read the minutes from January. One correction was made – only the proceeds from the quilt tickets and silent auction are designated for the scholarship fund. A motion was made my Janet and seconded by Tom to approve the minutes with the correction. All approved.

• Objective: Met

Scholarship Committee Nominations

The Caledonian Chorale nominated Margaret Zavodny to be a member of the Scholarship Committee. Other nominations were Bill Crump and Ken Letterman. Sam moved that we approve these three nominations; Mary Ann seconded it. All were in favor.

• Objective: Met

2006 End of Year Treasurer's Report

John passed out a detailed copy of the Treasurer's Report for his tenure – January 31, 2006 thru February 8, 2007. The first page was a summary of the checkbook. Additional pages listed all checks and deposits. John further explained the setup of his summary to the group including a $20 error made by the bank. The current balance in the checkbook is $10, 930.24. All materials and paperwork were turned over to the new treasurer, Tom, including a bill for the storage unit. It was further explained that four signatures are listed on the check signing cards, but only two are needed on the checks. These include the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. Tom has these forms which were signed later in the evening. Sue suggested that an audit be done of the books. J.O. Ray does the taxes for MSSI and it was suggested that we ask him to do the audit. John had received a form from the IRS stating that they needed more information on the organization.

1. Further discussion was made of how the Holiday Inn charges for the dinners at the meetings. We are charged by the number of reservations phoned in by Mary Ann. We have been spending a little more than we are taking in, including a complimentary meal for the speaker. The board expressed its thanks to John for an excellent report.
   
   
   • Objective: Met
     
   • Assigned to: John
   
   
   
2. The feasibility of a separate account for scholarship funds and grant funds, separate from the current checking account, was also discussed. Some members prefer that their donations go to either scholarships or grants. These monies can come out of the same account but this would be a bookkeeping concern. Is there a minimum balance that must be maintained on such an account? Are we charged for the account we currently have? Tom will check on these concerns and report at the next board meeting.
   
   
3. The charge for the post office and several other miscellaneous expenses was mentioned by John who will be reimbursed for these expenses.
   
   
   • Objective: Ongoing
     
   • Assigned to: Tom

Meeting Check In Procedures

Mary Ann will receive all reservations and email them to Mary who will help check in members at the door.

• Objective: Met
  
• Assigned to: Mary Ann, Mary and Tom

Future Board Meetings

It was decided that board meetings will be held on the last Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m. John will check on possible sites and will e-mail the board with the new location.

Also it will give the board two times each month to sign checks that are needed.

• Objective: Ongoing
  
• Assigned to: John

Burns Nicht 2007 Review

Mary Ann said that Burns Nicht made money this year and she will have a complete report ready at the next Board meeting. She would like to have receipts, bills, etc. in as soon as possible in order to complete this report. A total of 202 tickets were sold, with 200 attending. The Silent Auction made over $1800, one of the best we have had. The quilt raffle made over $337. Both of these monies will go to the Scholarship fund. It was asked that the Scottish survival kit be used as a door prize at the next MSSI meeting. Two tickets for Battlefield Band have also been donated to MSSI and may be used as a door prize.

There were several concerns regarding Woodland Hills and Burns Nicht this year including:

1. poor sound system – not loud enough
   
2. no drinks on the table for toasting of the haggis
   
3. food was not the best, especially the dessert
   
4. no coffee was served to several of the tables
   
5. staff started cleaning up during the singing of Auld Lang Syne and very few stayed for dancing
   
6. people talked loudly during Dr. Cantrell's presentation

If we decide to use Woodland Hills again in 2008, these concerns will be addressed.

A discussion ensued as to whether Patrons and Benefactors should automatically be given membership in MSSI. This item was tabled until the next board meeting. This distinction may be shown on next year's reservation form.

• Objective: Ongoing
  
• Assigned to: Mary Ann

Burns Nicht 2008

The co-chairs for 2008 will be Kathy Schultz and Jackie Garner. The Board discussed alternate locations for Burns night and John had prepared a comparison sheet with pictures. We need to set the date, place and entertainment by the end of February. Points discussed included a place for the Patrons Reception, can alcohol be served or brought in, can we bring in food for the Reception, etc. Sam moved to continue at Woodland Hills but it was not seconded and the Board decided to have Kathy and Jackie make the final decision. It was suggested that the board approve the date and place after Kathy and Jackie do further research. Apparently we had paid only $500 deposit at Woodland Hills in 2007 instead of the usual $1000. The down payment for a Burns Nicht location can be made without board approval.

On another topic, Sue suggested that each officer turn in their books at the end of their term to the president at the end of his or her term in order to have more accurate records.

• Objective: Ongoing
  
• Assigned to: Kathy and Janet

E-Mail Announcments Guidelines

Due to a flyer being sent out by a Scottish Society member regarding a trip to Scotland, the board discussed E-mail Guidelines. Basically, if we do an announcement for one, we have to announce for all. A suggestion was made to put the announcements in the Grace Notes or in an e-mail as needed if it would be of interest to the Society. We cannot advertise or take paid ads because of our nonprofit status; but we can put it out in an e-mail. We will elaborate on this point to the membership in the next Grace Notes. Janet will work (along with several other members) on a phone tree to call those who do not have internet service. The Board also discussed making sure Gavin received a copy of the guidelines.

• Objective: Ongoing
  
• Assigned to: All

Giving Cookbooks to New Members

It was suggested that the MSSI cookbook be given to all members and was passed.

• Objective: Met
  
• Assigned to: Board Members

Informal Scottish Society Events

Several Scottish Society events were discussed and each board member was asked to chair and/or supervise one event. $300 will be given to each chairperson to use for that particular event. Members will also be asked to chair or help with these events:

• Ceilidh – Sam
  
• Picnic – Debbie and Janet (will be held at the Sellmansberger's in Williston)
  
• Halloween – no chairperson
  
• St. Andrew's Day Tea – Sue and Mary
  
• Christmas Party – Mary Ann
  
• Hogmaney – no chairperson

• Objective: Ongoing
  
• Assigned to: Members

Public Visibility Events

MSSI plans to attend and be represented (with its tent and flyers) at the events listed below. Members will be asked to assist.

• Batesville Games – April
  
• Clanjamfry – September
  
• Jackson CelticFest – October/November
  
• WKNO Auction and/or Pledge Drive
  
• Germantown Festival – early September
  
• Bartlett Celebration
  
• TN Scots/Scots-Irish Day – summer
  
• Tartan Day – April 6
  
• Gift Wrapping at Barnes and Noble – December
  
• Multicultural Day – April 13

• Objective: Ongoing
  
• Assigned to: MSSI Members

New Directory

John and Tom will work on organizing and distributing a new MSSI directory.

Next Board Meeting

The next board meeting will be held Thursday, February 22, at 5:30 p.m.; place to be announced. [editor's note: Board Meeting moved to the last Thursday of each month at the Perkins on Germantown and Wolf River (about a mile north of Poplar) at 5:30 p.m.]

Respectfully Submitted,
Mary E. Clausi, Secretary, MSSI

Date: January 4, 2007
Time: 5:30 – 7:25 p.m.
Location: Shoney’s at Sycamore View
Attendance:

• Ben Kemker
  
• Mary Ann Lucas
  
• John Simmons
  
• Sam Rich
  
• Mary Clausi
  
• Bud Hisky
  
• Dena Warth
  
• Janet Mandanna

Old Business:

Item 1: Burns Nicht
To date, we have sold 14 tickets, with unopened mail and presumed ticket purchases pending. The society will accrue a profit starting at the 148th ticket sold. The deadline for sales is January 21, 2007. Tickets may be purchased at the monthly meeting or through the mail at P.O. Box 241934, Memphis, TN 38124-1934. Ticket prices are: $50.00 – Member; $60.00 – Non-member; $70.00 – Patron; and $100.00 – Benefactor. The program has been shortened. A photographer will be available. Members are asked to take photos during Burns Nicht and email their best to Sam Rich at the Grace Notes website by the following day.

Current tasks and assignments are as follows:

Obtain band count and complimentary dinners	-	Rick Clausi/Mary Ann Lucas
Current Reservation Count by	1/8/07	John Simmons
Emphasize ticket sales during meeting	1/8/07	Ben Kemker
Ticket sales table during the meeting	1/8/07	Mary Ann Lucas
Inquire regarding smaller building for Burns Nicht	-	Mary Ann Lucas
Table placard Burns Nicht reminder for meeting	1/8/07	Sue Malone
Vouchers for paid tickets for meeting	1/8/07	John Simmons

Publicity Update and Suggestions:

• Contact Mary Beth Connelly at Channel 3.
  
• Contact WKNO.
  
• All Presbyterian and Episcopal churches have received promotional info.
  
• Contact West Tennessee Celtic Association.
  
• Memphis Playbook is running our information.
  
• Commercial Appeal will attend our event.
  
• Send publicity information to Kirby Pines.
  
• Smithfield Fair posters will be available for distribution.

Future Burns Nicht Considerations:

• Do our ticket sales reflect a change in the current celebration? Should we change the ‘gala’ to a more informal, smaller ‘supper’?
  
• As we have few scholarship requests, do we need a large gala to support funding a large scholarship account?
  
• Do we need to book Woodland Hills Ballroom at a $1000.00 non-refundable deposit 1 year in advance? The decision tonight is that the deposit and location will be decided by the new board at their determined date.
  
• Availability of credit card ticket purchases during the monthly meetings.

Objective: Ongoing

Item 2: Treasurer Report
John Simmons reports an approximate checking account balance of $7,700.00. Members may purchase Burns Nicht tickets for guests at the ticket price. The board approved the purchase and use of a receipt book for cash transactions. Checks will be sent to Lyon College and to Sam Rich (Chorale) for the disbursement of the Scholarship Awards.

• Assigned to: John Simmons
  
• Objective: Met

The meeting was adjourned at 7:25.

We apologize that no notes are available for this board meeting, because our regular correspondent was out of town.

Date: November 9, 2006
Time: 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Location: Shoney’s at Sycamore View
Attendance:

• Ben Kemker
  
• Mary Ann Lucas
  
• John Simmons
  
• John Schultz
  
• Emily Smith
  
• Dena Warth

Old Business:

Item 1: Burns Nicht
Mary Ann Lucas reports tickets should be available at this month’s meeting. She is awaiting price finalization. Cheryl Noland has agreed to be in charge of the program ads and the silent auction. Seating will be 10 per table. If one reserves for 6, they will be seated at a table with 4 other new friends. All ticket sales will be halted on the Sunday evening prior to the Monday deadline for a total head count required by the country club. Any cancellations after this date will be non-refundable unless sold to a ‘stand-by’ person.

• Assigned to: Mary Ann Lucas
  
• Objective: Ongoing

Item 2: Scholarship Committee
Ben Kemker will address Woodland Hills regarding seating arrangements with their coordinator. Mary Ann Lucas reports that Royal Stewart will prepare Cheryl Noland for the Public Relations and Advertising position. Wolf River Pipes and Drums have been asked to perform with compensation of complementary meals or a capped fee.

• Assigned to: Scholarship Committee
  
• Objective: Ongoing

Item 3: Scholarship Committee
The committee has not informed the board of any applications.

• Assigned to: Ben Kemker
  
• Objective: Ongoing

Item 4: Enchanted Tree
Mary Ann Lucas will inquire about the MSSI providing a ‘Scottish-themed’ tree. She has decorations and has volunteered to complete this assignment.

• Assigned to: Mary Ann Lucas
  
• Objective: Ongoing

Item 5: WKNO Telethon Coordinator
All volunteers are encouraged to ‘dress up’ in Scottish gear for the event. They are encouraged to meet at the WKNO building at Getwell and Park by 6:00 for a 6:30 – 11:00 assignment. Directions can be obtained from the WKNO website.

• Assigned to: Sammy Rich
  
• Objective: Met

Item 6: Halloween Party
A great success!! $44.00 was collected for admission. This amount will be sent to St. Columba.

Item 7: Celticfest
Another great event! John Schultz reports that our society was well represented and our membership contributed to a good attendance.

Item 8: 2007 Board Nominations
The following board nominations will be submitted to the membership at this month’s meeting. Nominations from the floor will also be accepted, with membership voting during the December meeting.

• President: John Schultz
  
• Vice President: Mary Ann Lucas
  
• Treasurer: Cheryl Noland
  
• Secretary: Mary Clausi
  
• Members at Large: Sue Malone, Janet Mandanna, Sammy Rich

Item 9: Dougie McClain – Bartlett Performing Arts Center
Margaret Zavodny will chair organizing our attendance for this event.

• Objective: Met

Item 10: MSSI Banner
The banner has not been located. Acquiring a new banner with the current logo was discussed.

• Assigned to: Board
  
• Objective: Ongoing

Item 11: Mailing List Policy
The board approved a written Mailing List Policy submitted by John Schultz. See Policy Book for the original. It reads as follows:

Mailing labels shall only be provided to an organization to help publicize an event that is consistent with the aims and purpose of the Memphis Scottish Society, Inc. There should be a reasonable expectation that the event would be of interest of a significant portion of the MSSI membership, though not necessarily a majority. In considering the request the board may also consider whether the event would be better publicized through an announcement or article in the newsletter.

If approved, the mailing list shall only be provided on printed sheets of labels. The board may charge for the labels in order to defray the costs. In order to cover incidental costs, the board may charge up to twice the cost of the mailing label sheets used.

Any request that the mailing list be provided as a computer file, or other electronic form is to be rejected.

• Assigned to: Board
  
• Objective: Met

New Business:

Item 1: Christmas Party
December 11th, at All Saints Episcopal Church. The charge for this location is $100.00. The church requests that the tables be covered. A suggestion for a ‘best decorated table’ contest be held, with participants supplying table clothes and decorations. Emily Smith will visit the location and advise the board on the set up. A $5.00 gender appropriate gift, as well as the Toys for Tots donations will be continued.

• Assigned to: Board
  
• Objective: Ongoing

Item 2: St. Andrews Tea
Reservations are available through Mary Ann Lucas. The event will be held on Thursday, November 30th, from 2:30 – 5:00 pm at Crumpets Restaurant, 262 S. Highland.

• Assigned to: Mary Ann Lucas
  
• Objective: Met

Item 3: Holiday Inn Credit Application
Mary Ann Lucas received a credit application request from Holiday Inn which would allow them to bill us after our monthly dinners. It was agreed that we deny that request and continue to pay our settled bill on the night of service.

• Assigned to: MSSI Board
  
• Objective: Met

Item 4: MSSI Songbooks
Mary Ann Lucas requested additional printing of our current songbooks. The board agreed to pay for this expense. Mary Ann Lucas will submit the bill to the treasurer for payment.

• Assigned to: Mary Ann Lucas
  
• Objective: Met

Item 5: The Order of the Thistle and The Order of the Heather
Nominations are now sought for these awards. Nominations are to be submitted to the Grace Notes Staff.

• Assigned to: Grace Notes Staff
  
• Objective: Ongoing

Item 6: FedEx Tree
John Simmons will decorate his workplace tree for St. Andrews Day. Mary Ann Lucas will provide the decorations.

• Assigned to: John Simmons and Mary Ann Lucas
  
• Objective: Met

Item 7: Southland Greyhound Park Radio Ad
It was suggested that the MSSI respond to the Southland Greyhound Park Ad with a Scotsman’s response as to “Why would anyone wear a kilt anyway?” The board suggested a written proposal.

• Assigned to: Mary Ann, our writer, or Ben, our Scottish accented kilt-wearing man
  
• Objective: Ongoing

Item 8: Website Fee
All tech mail and annual fees will be submitted to Gavin Anderson (webmaster@memphisscots.com). Mary Ann Lucas will submit a bill for her payment of last year’s domain fee of $78.00.

• Assigned to: Mary Ann Lucas and Gavin Anderson
  
• Objective: Met

Item 9: Proposed Policy Book
Dena Warth will prepare a 2 year compilation of board policies. She will also prepare a list of all annual activities requiring chairpersons. These reports will be submitted to the 2007 board.

• Assigned to: Dena Warth
  
• Objective: Met

The meeting was adjourned at 7:00.

Date: October 3, 2006
Time: 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Location: Kemker Family Chiropractic, 2743 Barlett Blvd.
Attendance:

• Ben Kemker
  
• Mary Ann Lucas
  
• John Simmons
  
• John Schultz
  
• Emily Smith
  
• Dena Warth

Old Business:

Item 1: MSSI Mailing Labels/ information files (2006 Board Policy)
The board rejected Frank Stewart’s request for excel data of membership address information. This board made a policy decision to consider all requests for membership mailings on a case by case situation, when those requests are from organizations with shared goals and objectives of the MSSI.

• Objective: Met

Item 2: Burns Nicht
Ben Kemker will address Woodland Hills regarding seating arrangements with their coordinator. Mary Ann Lucas reports that Royal Stewart will prepare Cheryl Noland for the Public Relations and Advertising position. Wolf River Pipes and Drums have been asked to perform with compensation of complementary meals or a capped fee.

• Assigned to: Ben Kemker and Mary Ann Lucas
  
• Objective: Ongoing

Item 3: Scholarship Committee
Ben Kemker will contact the committee members to ascertain action on scholarship applications.

• Assigned to: Ben Kemker
  
• Objective: Ongoing

Item 4: Enchanted Tree
The membership will be addressed for volunteer interest in decorating a Scottish themed Christmas tree.

• Assigned to: Ben Kemker
  
• Objective: Ongoing

Item 5: WKNO Telethon Coordinator
Sammy Rich has agreed to serve as the coordinator for the MSSI telephone manning assignment on Saturday November 11 from 6:00pm to 11:00pm. Suggest piper to play instead of ringing a bell with each donation.

• Assigned to: Sammy Rich
  
• Objective: Met

Item 6: Celtic Fest
Ben Kemker will call for application fee and will submit payment. Mary Ann Lucas will attend and bring the tent. Dena Warth will attend and assist at the tent. The membership will be asked to attend.

• Assigned to: Ben Kemker, Mary Ann Lucas, and Dena Warth
  
• Objective: Met

Item 7: October MSSI Meeting
During this month’s meeting, the door prize is a quart of Scotch donated by Dick Bevier. Mary Ann Lucas will email reservation list to the Holiday Inn.

• Assigned to: Mary Ann Lucas
  
• Objective: Met

Item 8: Treasurer’s Report
John Simmons will not attend the monthly membership meeting. He will leave the checkbook with Dena Warth. He will also leave the payment form for dues/meal/Burns Nicht with Dena Warth.

• Assigned to: Dena Warth
  
• Objective: Met

New Business:

Item 1: Celtic Tenors
A chairperson will be sought for organizing MSSI attendance at the Bartlett Performing Arts Center for the Celtic Tenors Concert.

• Assigned to: Volunteer; requested during the October meeting.
  
• Objective: Ongoing

Item 2: Nominating Committee
The membership will select a representative to the nominating committee during this month’s meeting. This nominee will join past president Bill Crump, and a designated person selected by current president Ben Kemker to form the nominating committee for the 2007 board.

• Assigned to: Ben Kemker
  
• Objective: Ongoing

Item 3: MSSI Banner
As of 1 week ago, it was discovered that our banner is missing. While location efforts will continue, it was suggested that a more current banner with our logo be created. Ben Kemker suggested that each clan tartan represented by our membership be arranged in 6 inch blocks with the logo attached to the center of the banner. Upon donations of clan tartan, Dena Warth will agree to create the banner.

• Assigned to: Dena Warth
  
• Objective: Ongoing

Item 4: Halloween Party
The Halloween Party will be held at St Columba’s on October 28, 2006 at 7:00 pm. Emily Smith will bring sodas. During meeting, volunteers will be requested to assist, contact Mary Ann Lucas. During the meeting the membership will be asked to bring firewood for the fireplace. Mary Ann will contact Brenda MacGuire for dance arrangements. Mary Ann will make the program.

• Assigned to: Mary Ann Lucas
  
• Objective: Met

The meeting was adjourned at 7:00.

Date: September 7, 2006
Time: 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Location: Shoney’s @ Sycamore View/Summer
Attendance:

• Ben Kemker
  
• Mary Ann Lucas
  
• John Simmons
  
• John Schultz
  
• Emily Smith
  
• Dena Warth

Old Business:

Item 1: Clanjamfry
The board approved to provide printed labels of the MSSI members to this non-profit organization for event publicity mailing. The board approved to supply approximately 300 MSSI informative brochures to be included in the 5K Runner’s goodie bag. The board is awaiting final approval from the Scholarship/Grant committee for a grant to Clanjamfry.

• Objective: Pending Grant Finalization

Item 2: Membership File/Label List
The board has appointed John Schultz to draft a policy position for supplying our membership address list to non-profit organizations which share our goals.

• Assigned to: John Schultz
  
• Objective: Ongoing

Item 3: Burns Nicht
Ben Kemker will work through the seating details at Woodland Hills. If a mutual agreement can not be met, we are assured of a back-up location. John Simmons has submitted a form to simplify receiving funds for Burns Nicht, Membership dues, and dinner payments. Emily Smith will assist receiving payments for Burns Nicht during the monthly meetings.

• Assigned to: Ben Kemker
  
• Objective: Ongoing

Item 4: MSSI Marketing Brochure
The board approved an order for 2000 color brochures at a cost of $603.00.

• Objective: Met

Item 5: Treasurer’s Report - John Simmons
Two parking passes to Clanjamfry are provided to the board. One pass is given to Emily Smith, the other will be offered as a door prize at this month’s meeting. The IRS form has been submitted and received by the IRS. The MSSI, as an organization, will not attend the Tennessee Highland Games, October 7-8, 2006. The Scottish Leadership Conference in Chicago, October 27-29, 2006 was announced to the board. John Simmons asked for assistance in preparing a ‘St. Andrews Tree’ for his workplace; Ben Kemker will speak to a Canadian friend about the tree. Our current checking account balance is approximately $10,000.00.

• Objective: Met

Item 6: Membership Roster Maintenance
The membership address information will be updated monthly. The changes will be submitted to Sammy Rich before the 20th of each month.

• Assigned to: John Simmons
  
• Objective: Met

Item 7: Enchanted Tree
During this month’s meeting, an interested volunteer will be sought to decorate a Scottish themed tree during the Enchanted Tree exhibit. A budget of an undetermined amount will be provided.

• Assigned to: Unknown
  
• Objective: Ongoing

New Business:

Item 1: Board Policy
The board will provide a listing of board policies to be presented to the 2007 board. These are only valid for this current board and not intended for adoption by the 2007 board, but will be provided for informational purposes only.

• Assigned to: Dena Warth
  
• Objective: Will be met at the termination of the 2006 board.

Item 2: Celtic Fest
The board agreed for MSSI to be represented at the Celtic Fest in Jackson, Tennessee on November 4, 2006, if the booth space is less than $100.00. During this month’s meeting, volunteers will be sought to assist with tent duty. Our attendees will also be encouraged to attend in Scottish attire.

• Assigned to: Mary Ann Lucas
  
• Objective: Met, pending space cost.

Item 3: Marketing
Suggestions for marketing venues:

1. Local festivals
   
2. Gift wrapping booths during the holiday season
   
3. WKNO – telephone manning during fund drives
   
4. Enchanted Tree participation

Item 4: Board Meeting Location
The board will continue to meet at Shoney’s. Celtic Crossing was considered more fun, but too noisy for conducting business.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:00.

Date: August 10, 2006
Time: 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Location: Shoney’s @ Sycamore View/Summer
Attendance:

• Ben Kemker
  
• John Schultz
  
• Mary Ann Lucas
  
• Emily Smith
  
• John Simmons
  
• Dena Warth
  
• Linda Simmons
  
• Diane Wade

Old Business:

Item 1: Meeting Location
As there has been no suggestions for a location suitable for our needs, this item will be closed.

• Objective: Met

Item 2: Membership Directory
Thanks to John Schultz fo