The board met by teleconference the afternoon of Wednesday, April 27th. Several items were discussed. The secretary gave an update on the website and how it is operating. There have been a few glitches in the way the membership list and the calendar of events programs are working, but overall the board is very pleased with the new site.
It is the goal of the president to have between 3-5 new entries to the home page blog each month. So far, several members have volunteered to write articles for the blog, so this goal has been met. My thanks to everyone who has volunteered – keep those ideas coming!
There are still some 2010 BLU members who have not renewed their memberships for 2011. Although this year the official grace period of 60 days was extended, those people will now be removed from the on-line membership list, and will not receive their flockbook information until the 2011 dues are paid.
The BFL National show committee reports that several subcommittees have formed and have been working on plans for the 2012 show. As a reminder, the show is in Ohio, at the Great Lakes Fiber Show in Wooster on Memorial Day weekend. It was suggested that a class for “breeders choice” be added to the sheep show as a fun award.
Secretary Kris Barndt is working, organizing the information provided from our registrar, ASR, and hopes to have the electronic version of the 2010 Flockbook available to our membership by the end of May.
A committee has been formed to work on filing for non-profit status with the IRS. Anyone with experience in this process would be welcomed onto this committee.
The upcoming Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival was discussed. Jolene Vezzetti and her family will have a display for BLU in their pens in the barn. She will also help organize an informal gathering of BLU members and others interested in BFLs during the lunch break in the sheep show arena on Saturday.
The board decided to order another BLU banner so that the one we have does not need to be shipped back and forth across the country.
Some of the board positions will be up for re-election this coming fall. Robina Koenig has agreed to be the election committee chairperson. Watch for more information later this summer, and for a call for resumes of members interested in running for these board positions.
The next scheduled meeting of the board is on July 27th.