2010 Annual Report
WCPCA's mission:
The mission of WCPCA is to promote humanitarian and educational programs in connection with accomplishing the third goal of the Peace Corps as mandated by Congress in 1961, "To promote a better understanding of other people on the part of the American people."
The WCPCA board met monthly in 2010 to conduct the organization's business. Meetings were announced in the newsletter and listed on the website and were open to the full membership. The board held the annual full membership meeting required by the constitution in November and those who attended elected the 2011 board at this time.
Introduction:
This report summarizes the board's work in 2010 to develop the organization, serve the membership, and reach out to the general as well as the Peace Corps community in Lane County. At its December, 2009, meeting the board set five goals for 2010.
The report begins with a listing of these goals and a summary of the work to accomplish each. The next sections discuss the website and newsletter, affiliation with NPCA, membership, WCPCA's financial status, organizational and outreach activities. Members of the 2010 board are listed at the end.
Goals:
Goal #1: Continue bimonthly potlucks with a program
The board also discussed having other types of social activities during the alternate months. Suggestions included having family friendly activities, sports activities, and social gatherings in a home or bar. Board members or others were invited to give their suggestions to George.
Outcome: Potlucks were held in January, February, April, May, August, October, and November for a total of seven. A gathering at Rennie's Landing in Eugene was held in March.
Six formal programs were presented, one at each potluck except August's. The May potluck was the NOM party to celebrate new PC nominees. The October potluck was a welcome to recent PCV returnees. These two potlucks were held at the Many Nations Longhouse on the U of O campus to encourage student attendance. The other potlucks were held in members' homes. The August potluck was an afternoon picnic with a program of swimming and games at a member's home. The November potluck was the annual full membership meeting required by the constitution at which those attending elected the 2011 board.
Program topics included the following:
- PC projects in Mexico, Senegal, and St. Lucia, and a member's return to her project site in the Philippines after twenty years; presentations by Nancy and Walt Meyer, Laura Massengale, and Maggie Keenan and her daughter, Emily, and Andy Behl.
- Professor Emeritus David Povey of the U of O addressed the NOM party regarding the PC organization and his early participation as a PCV in the Philippines.
- Mentorship support available to RPCVs through the National PC Association presented by Nick Bosustow and his daughter, Dr. Nicole Brulé.
- Stove Team International presented by Nancy Hughes.
Approximately 50-70 people attended each of the two potlucks held in the Longhouse and the August picnic. Approximately 25-35 attended the other potlucks that were held in members' homes.
The 2010 budget for potlucks included $300 to purchase food for the potlucks held at the Longhouse because we exempted students from bringing food to share. Approximately $100 was spent on potluck supplies (paper plates, cups, cutlery, and name tags), $90 to rent a sound system for the October potluck in the Longhouse, and $25 to rent a projector for the November potluck.
Two WCPCA members are prepared to loan a sound system for use in the future so there should be no cost for a sound system in the future. We may have to continue to rent a projector but are considering submitting proposals to granting agencies for funds to purchase one. If we have to rent a projector, a $25 rental fee for six programs would total $150.
Total cost for potlucks this year was: $515; anticipated cost for 2011 is $550. The increase is due to anticipated projector rentals.
Justin and Dorothy organized most potlucks. Bob and Rosa organized the August picnic which was held at their home.
Goal #2: Use $2,000 to fund humanitarian projects starting in March
In the spring the board used distributions from the Beryl Brinkman Memorial Fund at OCF to award grants to the following Peace Corps Partnership projects:
- $230 toward building renovation to accommodate a library in a primary school in Samoa.
- $770 to help fund Camp Glow in Armenia.
The board also awarded $100 toward relief efforts in Haiti through Esp Fe Viv, a local fundraising effort organized by Eugene RPCV Kathy Lynn.
In November the board awarded two additional grants to PC Partnership projects using distributions from the Beryl Brinkman Memorial Fund which WCPCA has established at the Oregon Community Foundation.
- $700 toward drilling a water well in a rural community in Madagascar.
- $300 toward the purchase of English language library materials for a high school in Ukraine.
In compliance with the terms of the gifts to establish the memorial fund, WCPCA notified the donors of this use of the fund's distributions and also informed the recipients (and/or the PC directors in the countries where the projects are located) of the source of the funds and of Beryl's dedication to humanitarian causes. Funds for the other awards came from the organization's general fund.
Shannon identified the PC Partnership Projects that the board reviewed to determine the awards using the rubric posted on the website. The grand total of the awards was $2,100.
Goal #3: Identify fundraising projects and people willing to pursue them
Bluegrass music played by the Fork Coast Ramblers was the main event at a family friendly fundraiser on Sunday, May 2nd, 6:30-8:30 pm at Cozmic Pizza. Shannon organized the event. Net income from the event was $321.
The board organized the sale of 200 international calendars which is still underway. James and MIchael are coordinating the effort and Felicia is receiving orders placed on the website with Paypal. Anticipated net income is the same as that in 2009: $1250.
Voluntary donations to WCPCA totaled $158.
Goal #4: Identify local service projects for members of WCPCA to take part in as a group.
WCPCA members volunteered to work at two Food for Lane County fundraising events, both evening clean up work after meals. Ten to twelve members worked at each event. John organized these activities.
Goal #5: Plan local activities for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps
Justin is organizing a Peace Corps display in the Knight Library, U of O, for spring, 2011.
Maggie and Wayne are organizing two events for March 1, 2011. At noon there will be a gathering at Broadway and Willamette in Eugene. That evening there will be music, dancing, and socializing at Cozmic Pizza in Eugene. James is providing the artwork for these events.
Dorothy is working with a committee to organize a panel presentation to OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) at the U of O. The presentation will be called "The Peace Corps at 50: Will you need me when I'm 64?" This will be February 11.
The League of Women Voters of Lane County has invited the organization to give a panel presentation on the PC at 50 at a noon meeting on April 21st. Dorothy and Felicia will organize this.
WCPCA 50th activities are listed on the calendar of the National PC Association.
Website and newsletter:
The website and newsletter are the main avenues of communication that WCPCA uses to reach its membership and others in the community who are on the email list.
Felicia continued to develop the website including creating a special page to list activities for the 50th. James provided artwork for the website.
Felicia also edited the monthly email newsletter that was distributed to all members as well as others on the organization's email list. She organized and distributed two editions of the membership directory. This year she has added short biographies of members to the directory.
Felicia also manages our Paypal account. This allows members to pay their membership dues online and the general public to purchase calendars or other merchandise online.
Affiliation with the National Peace Corps Association
WCPCA continued its affiliation with NPCA this year for which the annual fee was $90. This affiliation keeps the board abreast of national initiatives, allows us to list our 50th events on the NPCA website, and has secured 20 to 30 memberships for WCPCA. Many WCPCA members belong to both organizations and choose to renew for both using NPCA online access. In addition, within the last 3 months most of our "first year free" memberships have come from NPCA as people joining that organization decide to join WCPCA as an affiliate with the same membership category.
NPCA periodically issues a membership directory which the WCPCA board has used to contact local RPCVs to invite them to join. We would not have the opportunity to reach out in this way to potential new members without NPCA support. The most recent directory was published in 2009 in preparation for the celebration of the PC's 50th anniversary.
Membership
WCPCA had 115 members in January, 2010, and closes the year with 143 members. Several people allowed their memberships to expire during the year but at least 30 RPCVs joined for the first time.
Annual membership fees with WCPCA are $15 for an individual and $22 for a family. The individual membership fee is the same as that charged by NPCA. The latter has no family membership category. WCPCA has three other membership categories that require no dues. Active PCVs, students, and anyone joining for the first time may join at no cost. The current membership includes 5 active PCVs, 8 U of O students, and at least 15 members who have joined for the first time, in many cases through NPCA.
Of the members who pay dues there are twenty-seven couples that pay $22 each in annual dues and sixty individuals who pay $15 each in annual dues. With our current membership continuing, the anticipated income from dues in 2011 is approximately $1,500. It will be helpful if those who join in the "first year free" program renew their membership and pay dues in the coming year.
Financial status
As the WCPCA treasurer, Jack has overseen our accounts and spending plans, prepared the annual budgets, managed expenditures, and acknowledged donations.
Account balances in December, 2010 were the following:
Checking account at OCCU: $2,014
Savings account at OCCU: $5,026
Restricted funds' account at OCCU (including distributions from the memorial fund): $1,556
Beryl Brinkman Memorial Fund at OCF: $26,652
Organizational activities
January: Rolly and Bob attended the 6th Annual NonProfit Organization Board Training at LaSells Stewart Center Oregon State University, Corvallis., and gave a report to the board.
February: James and Wayne attended the Western Regional RPCV Group Leaders' meeting in Portland and gave a report to the board.
March: Joe Hindman, WCPCA member and northwest regional representative to NPCA, attended the NPCA Board of Directors meeting in Washington DC, and sent a report via email about the meeting to the board.
May: John attended a seminar organized by OCF of which the topic, "Landing Major Gifts for Your Endowment," was based on research from Indiana University. WCPCA sponsored his attendance at the seminar and gave a report to the board.
In the spring John organized a telephone survey of the WCPCA membership to determine the level of interest in a 50th celebration along with the most appropriate ways to commemorate the founding of the Peace Corps. Several board members participated by making phone calls.
John reported the following outcome from the first phase of the survey which was carried out by himself, Shannon and Wayne. Thirty WCPCA members were contacted by telephone. The most popular activities among those surveyed were an international music event , a picnic, or other informal gathering. Most members indicated a willingness to pay $35 - $50 for an event. Several members indicated their willingness to help plan an event or assist in putting on the event.
WCPCA members supported the work of the U of O campus PC recruiter by helping staff the PC booth at Street Faires on the U of O campus in the spring and fall, cooperating on the organization and funding of the NOM party in the spring, and holding the October potluck on the U of O campus to welcome newly returned PCVs and meet aspiring PCVs. The recruiter identified recently returned PCVs to present programs at the potlucks.
Outreach activities
Jack hosted three Wednesday morning TLC discussions, February 3rd, March 3rd, and April 7th, at the Midtown Marketplace in Eugene.
In April WCPCA responded to an invitation from Deon Saraceno who teaches at the Eugene International High School participate in the 6th annual African Conference and Celebration. WCPCA set up one of several information "booths" set up by different community organizations whose purpose was to share various aspects and experiences regarding Africa. The three people representing the Peace Corps as returned volunteers were Brenna Glenn, Gambia 2005-2007, Amanda Garcia, Ghana 2004-2006, and James Cloutier, Kenya 1964-66. James organized WCPCA's participation.
In August WCPCA members took part in the Eugene Celebration parade and staffed a booth on two days. At the booth volunteers answered questions, sold calendars, cards, and shirts, and distributed PC literature. Cost was $140.
Also in August the 20th annual "West Regional Peace Corps Campout" was held at the Crane Prairie Campground in the Deschutes National Forest near Bend, Oregon. Approximately 60 RPCVs and their families attended including at least three members of WCPCA.
In November WCPCA had a booth on one Saturday at the Saturday Market in Eugene where we introduced the organization and the PC to shoppers. Calendars and shirts were on sale and PC literature was available. Traffic at the booth was limited.
Felicia hosted an evening current events discussion gathering in December at Sam Bond's Garage, Eugene.
WCPCA Board Members in 2010
President: James Cloutier
Vice President: Dorothy Soper
Treasurer: Jack Meacham
Secretary: Geoff Walser* and Wendy Nelson
Communications Coordinator: Felicia Kenney
University of Oregon PC Recruiter: Justin Overdevest
Members at large:
John Hofer
George Jeffcott
Maggie Keenan
Michael Kresko
Shannon Micheel
Evangelina Sundgrenz*
Rolly Thompson*
Wayne Thompson
Bob Watada
*These board members resigned during the year.
Report prepared by Dorothy Soper and approved by the board, 12/6/10.
