VERMONT HONDURAS PARTNERS OF THE AMERICAS
June 29, 2000
6:30-9:00PM
Bio Research Laboratory, Spear St.
Present: Dan Baker, Dan Bramley, Michele Cranwell, Carolyn and Don Cruikshank, Betty Anne and Tom Dowe, Gail Feitelberg, Bill Kelly, Janet Patterson, Rick Peyser, Tom Plumb, Fred Schmidt
Meeting called to order at 6:30 by President, Bill Kelly
Introductions
The members of the Board of Trustees introduced themselves to acquaint the new members with the experienced members. New members included: Dan Baker, Dan Bramley, Michele Cranwell, and Rick Peyser.
Bill Kelly made a motion to approve the minutes for the Board of Trustees Meetings on 2/29/00 and 4/25/00, and Annual Meeting on 5/7/00. This motion was seconded to approve as distributed.
Betty Anne Dowe distributed a Treasurer’s Report, which is attached to the official minutes.
A. A list of current Trustees was circulated for review during the meeting for members to check for accuracy and completeness. There are currently three vacancies.
B. POA Foundation Grants Program for 2000 was distributed and reviewed by Kelly
C. Tristam Johnson is working with one of the Honduran participants on a library for her village. A flyer was distributed regarding a former Peace Corps volunteer’s request for funds. She also worked on this project with Tristam Johnson.
D. Bill Kelly’s copy of the booklet, prepared as a tribute to Jose Elias Sanchez, was distributed.
Bill Kelly was re-elected as President
Janet Patterson was re-elected as Vice President
Betty Ann Dowe was re-elected as Treasurer
A motion was made, seconded, and passed to approve the election of Michele Cranwell to the position of Secretary.
There are still three positions open on the Board of Trustees. No nominations were made at this time.
Development of an Outreach
Committee
A notion was made, seconded, and approved that Dan Bramley and Michele Cranwell will become chairpersons of the Chapter’s Outreach Committee. The Outreach Committee needs to develop a mission statement and outreach plan and timeline. Questions raised include: how can people get involved besides through donation? How can we best publicize the organization? Ideas generated include: send information to schools or towns, write newspaper press releases of project success stories, obtain a media list from the state, update website with other photos and new digital images from recent Partners’ trips, Bramley is working on completing the Chapter orientation video.
Bill Kelly discussed that there is a narrow focus of the Honduras Chapter and there are issues with John Chater’s projects, domination of the Farmer to Farmer Committee, and involvement of the Rotary Club.
A.
Rotary money in Honduras and European Union money for Hurricane Mitch relief
Tom Plumb reported that there is 200 million dollars in funds for Hurricane Mitch Relief bound up in the bureaucracy of the European Union. Funds from the Rotary Club and match money are being put towards the Marcala Project. Housing projects are being undertaken in Tegucicalpita (septic system installation), Don Li, and Choluteca. Plumb also discussed a student exchange sponsored by the Rotary Club. A 23 year old Honduran woman will be sponsored by the Rotary Club to attend school in the United States to learn English as a second language. The Rotary Club will cover the expenses of the schooling. St. Michael’s College was suggested as an option. Feitelberg offered for the woman to stay in her home.
B.
Current status of Hurricane Mitch Reconstruction Project
Bill Kelly addressed that there is the remainder of the $19,000 that needs to be spent by July 12 for airfare and per diem expenses for two weeks in Honduras to hold a workshop. Emails have been sent to Honduras in Spanish to send two people down to the location, however Kelly has not yet received a response.
C.
Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Project
Chairperson Janet Patterson reported that they will be holding an evaluation meeting in San Pedro Sula and have travel grants to send three people to the area to hold this workshop.
D.
Farmer to Farmer Update
Michele Cranwell distributed an email update on the House Building project with the South Burlington students. Dan Bramley presented two posters that are final products from the January 2000 course with UVM students, Fred Schmidt, and Tom Hudspeth for the museum project through Aldea Global. Bramley also mentioned that two students completed a children’s story book to be distributed to schools in the Siguatepeque area and is looking to get the book published. A suggestion is made to contact Philip Drum Heller publishing Co. A suggestion is also made to write a press release for local newspapers about the trip.
A. Request for assistance from Honduras
Kelly distributed two requests for assistance from villages in Honduras. One request is to restore the local infrastructure and provide materials that were lost during Hurricane Mitch. A suggestion is made to narrow down the request to one specific area and attempt to locate a sponsor in Vermont to follow through with the request. The other request is for office equipment for a school that was also lost during Hurricane Mitch. Tom Plumb noted that he could look into obtaining office equipment but would need a way to transport the materials to Honduras.
Dairy Development Project in Honduras, directed by Deep Ford, has received funding.
Rick Peyser reported on the Coffee project. The Green Mountain Coffee quality control/buyer is still in the process of buying Honduran coffee.
Next Board meeting: Tuesday, August 22, 2000 at 5:30 at the Dowe’s camp near Star Farm. This will be a pot luck meeting . Information will be sent out via email.
Adjournment: The Board of Trustees meeting was adjourned at
9:00pm.
**Minutes prepared by Michele Cranwell. Please direct changes to Michele via email at
mcranwel@zoo.uvm.edu" or 656-0256 (w).