National League of American Pen Women–Denver Branch
Meeting Minutes
November 1, 2014
I. Ruthy Wexler called the meeting to order at 10:17 a.m.
II. Members in attendance were: Juliana Adams, Sophia Baldwin, Diane Chambers, Beverly Chico, Donna Clark, Kelly Ann Compton, Ruthy Denker/Wexler, Florence Elliott, Jody Hinrichs, Pat Kennedy, Ann Klaiman, Sherry Leonard, Nancy Peterson, Gwen Scott, Virginia Small, Sheila Phelan Wright.
III. Inspirational Reading: Kelly Ann, Gwen, and Ruthy each shared something inspirational. Ruthy shared a quote used as an epgraph for the book Orphan Train. The quote comes from Bunny McBride’s Women of the Dawn: “In portaging from one river to another, Wabanakis had to carry their canoes and all other possessions. Everyone knew the value of traveling light and understood that it required leaving some things behind. Nothing encumbered movement more than fear, which was often the most difficult burden to surrender.”
IV. Introduction of guests: Our guest member Lorraine Walker Williams, a member of a Florida Branch of NLAPW, attended the meeting.
V. The October Minutes were approved as written.
VI. The October Treasurer’s Report was accepted. Our current balance is $2,575.39.
VII. Committee Reports:
A. The Blog Project:
1.Ann reported that the “Trick or Treat” theme received three entries. She encouraged everyone to read them and make comments.
2. A sign-up sheet was passed around for the November/December theme of “The Magic of Cold.”
3.The Blog Project Committee will meet today following the Pen Women meeting.
B. Website: Virginia reports that the website is going well.
C. Programs:
1.Our December 6 Meeting/Pot Luck/Book Exchange will take place at Gwen Scott’s house. We will begin our meeting at 10:30.
2.In January, we will meet on the 10th, NOT the 3rd.
3. Diane suggested Gail Hamilton as a future speaker. She is an opera singer, pianist and author who also happens to be blind.
4. Jody suggested Judith Briles saying she is today’s “voice of independent writers.”
D. Outreach Projects: See Old Business.
VIII. Old Business: The Dakota Ridge High School Craft Fair was a relative success. Everyone who was present in the booth made sales. Kelly Ann made a deposit for next year’s fair that is refundable until September, 2015. While at the fair, Kelly Ann took down information on other fairs that occur around the same time of year. She will gather information about these fairs for future reference.
IX. New Business: Ruthy brought up the need for a water/coffee pump pot. Everyone agreed to this need. Ann volunteered to make the purchase.
X. Announcements:
1. Emeritus member Jane Carpenter will celebrate her birthday on November 5. She is doing well.
2. Emeritus member Dorothy Donovan is also doing well.
XI. The meeting was adjourned at 10:59.
Before the meeting: We held our first Round Table where various members bring information and ideas on their works in progress for a bit of brainstorming. Virginia, Sherry, and Jody were today’s presenters. We decided that the Round Table will be held in the months where no one has signed up to be critiqued. Requests to be critiqued need to be received by Kelly Ann one week prior to each monthly meeting.
Following the business meeting, copyright attorney Steve Replin gave a marvelous presentation and answered many, many questions on copyright laws. One of the big takeaways was that sending your work to yourself in a sealed envelope is not a legally binding form of copyright. The only way to have full proof of copyright is to file with the copyright office at copyright.gov. Everyone agreed that we would like Mr. Replin to come speak to us again.
Respectively submitted,
Kelly Ann Compton, Secretary