Newsletters - November 2006
NOVEMBER 2006 NEWSLETTER
Welcome to the New Jersey Support Group, Inc. website! I will begin the newsletter by summarizing the previous month’s meetings. Then I will acknowledge the efforts of our Webmistress after which I will list upcoming programs.
October 7, 2006 Meeting
Immediately preceding the regular membership meeting, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., three members of the Board of Trustees (Jennifer Barnes, Pat Hunt and Ronnie Dougherty) met with Jane Shafer, the new rentals chairperson for the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Washington Crossing. Hopefully the appointment of a rentals chairperson will eliminate the number of conflicts with other events going on in the church building. The church is renting premises to numerous groups, and is requiring all renters to carry certain types of liability and property insurance, specified in the lease and accompanying documents. In addition to insurance and new leasing terms (our rent is not being increased), the Sigma Nu Rho picnic, the Holiday Banquet of the New Jersey Support Group, Inc. and the annual Auction to be held on May 5, 2007 were also discussed. We also mentioned that the Support Group had incorporated as a non-profit on June 26, 2006 and was planning to join the New Jersey Center for Non-Profits,
The actual meeting itself was a first at least since I have been attending Washington Crossing meetings in January 1998, namely a business meeting. The first issue addressed was the insurance that the church’s new rental policy would require us to purchase. Initially it appeared as though the Support Group would have to purchase directors’ and officers’ insurance as well as liability and property insurance. Consultation with CIMA has revealed that the former will probably be unnecessary. The Board of Trustees wishes to thank those members who indicated that D&O insurance might not be required for an organization such as ours. While the final decision will depend upon what a CIMA agent who is now on vacation says when she returns, not having to purchase this type of insurance will save us a lot of money. Once membership in the Center for Non-Profits was approved, the process of acquiring liability and property insurance in accordance with church guidelines was initiated. The second issue addressed was our separation from Renaissance. In the absence of a formal vote, the consensus seemed to be that we should do nothing, and in effect adopt a wait and see attitude. Resuming connections with Renaissance at a future date may be possible, or we may decide we like being an independent organization, or another national organization may come along. The meeting ended with a motion introduced by vice president Pat Hunt that the Support Group should join the Center for Non-Profits, which motion carried unanimously. Joining the Center would be necessary to obtain group rate insurance. Membership was approved on October 24, 2006. Because of the lateness of the hour, the Open Forum Discussion, chaired by Pat Hunt, dealt with participant introductions.
Acknowledgment of our Webmistress
Frankly a business meeting is not everyone’s favorite program. Many members like to let the Board of Trustees take care of business matters, and it is often appropriate that they do so. But it is good to introduce some motions at regular meetings because this organization needs increased member participation. One member who has responded to the call for increased participation is our Webmistress. The entire Support Group owes her our thanks not only for helping with purchasing a domain and finding a carrier, setting up the Content Management System (so simple even I can use it), and transferring material from our old site, but also for searching out listings of our Support Group and links to our website and updating them. She has graciously devoted a great deal of her time to these tasks in the last few weeks.
Upcoming Programs
November 4, 2006: Trish Sheridan of Lia Sophia (formerly Lady Remington) Jewelry will come and show us the new products from her company and perhaps help some of us take care of part of our holiday shopping. She usually comes to the September meeting, but this year we felt that most people who shop at our meeting do not go to Vendors’ Night at the Greater Philadelphia Chapter November meeting at King of Prussia, and that the September meeting is too close to Labor Day. UPDATE: During the confirmation call of November 2, 2006, Trish Sheridan disclosed that she will not be going to Vendors' Night at King of Prussia. She is rather surprised, but she has not given a presentation to a transgender organization in months. Sometimes she has given three presentations a year, at the Sigma Nu Rho and at King of Prussia in addition to our support group. The point is that IF YOU WISH TO PURCHASE LIA SOPHIA JEWELRY AT AREA MEETINGS BEFORE THE HOLIDAY SEASON, TOMORROW IS YOUR ONLY CHANCE.
December 2, 2006 Holiday Banquet at Diamond’s Riverside. See Calendar of Entertainment Events page.
January 6, 2007 If I cannot find anything better, I will give a program on Amnesty International’s book Stonewalled: Police Abuse and Misconduct against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People in the U.S. The book can be downloaded at Amnesty International’s website www.aiusa.org or simply by searching using the keyword stonewalled. I have promised a speaker from Amnesty several times, but Amnesty only has two speakers on transgender affairs, and they are overtaxed with speaking engagements. I participated in the International Law Honors Program at Rutgers School of Law-Camden (missed honors, I fear), and have been involved with international law in combating lethal injection. (For the record, though I am a legal consulting expert, I never practiced law, one reason for retiring this years) I promised to give this program in March 2006, but illness prevented me from doing so. For the record, I have been an Amnesty International member for a number of years.
May 5, 2007 Jane Shafer advises that the church would prefer we meet elsewhere on the annual church auction night. Anyone for a Spring Banquet? One year we went to New Hope and listened to Lee Etscovits read and interpret her poetry. We have met in upstairs rooms during the auction and may be able to do so this year. The Board is open to suggestions. If members wish to have a Spring Banquet at a restaurant other than Diamond’s, they should start proposing restaurants right now.
Jennifer Mae Barnes
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