May, 2018 Meeting Minutes
MINUTES OF DION GENERAL MEETING
Monday,May 14, 2018
-Intros and Welcome – met at home of Rabbi Dorit Edut
- Minutes of last month’s meeting had been sent out electronically. They were approved by those in attendance.
- The Treasurer’s Report was given by Rabbi Dorit in the absence of Rev. Dianne VanMarter. Currently we have $3940.70 in the checking account and $3,000.24 in the savings account. We paid the $50 required deposit for Belle Isle for the Summer Picnic on Aug. 5, and reimbursed Janet Meir $12.89 for literacy supplies, and $274.04 to Shimon Edut to reimburse for refreshments and one-day insurance for the Coffee Concert in March. We deposited the $600 check from the Interfaith Leadership Council for the three scheduled Coffee Concerts , though the last one was cancelled; they told us we did not need to return the $200 but could record this as a donation to DION. We sent a letter of thanks to them for their generosity.
- Committee Reports and Old Business
a. Membership – Shimon reported that all members have received at least one email and all those who were paid members last year are receiving phone calls reminding them to renew their membership. To date we have 15 paid members, including several gold and platinum members.
b. Picnic – Barbara Emerson reported that letters for soliciting donations and funds have gone out ; we have received a letter for BetterMade Potato Chips offering us a donation for the picnic – Dianne Van Marter agreed to pick this up on the Friday prior to the picnic. We are still in need of help with publicity, signage, grilling for this event. Sylvie Salei has agreed to do the kids’ makeup again. David Meir wants to donate a generator which will be stored at The Party Source, along with the stage we gave them last year – and they will bring these items at no additional cost to the picnic. They provide us the tent, tables, chairs and coolers – and we have received their bill of $449 which we will pay shortly. The State of Michigan is requiring an additional $250 Site Fee because we are classified as an “Event”. We have filled out and submitted all the paperwork they required and have been assigned Area 6B, near the Giant Slide. There was discussion about either going to a different park next year or seeing if we can get reclassified as just a picnic for next year ( it would mean not having any interfaith service and not having people distributing literature about their organizations, according to the State’s classifications.) This decision will be made after this year’s event. A Picnic Committee Meeting is scheduled for
c. Education and Partnership with Central High School – Janet thanked those who participated in the Career Day at Bagley Elementary School last month. We hope to continue our Literacy Tutoring Program there next fall and are always in need of more tutors. Janet has also agreed to set-up a schedule whereby different faith sites and organizations agree to take one month ( two Fridays) where they will prepare the Snack Packs for Central High School to help DION with our partnership program there to ease the food challenge issue for many of the teens. Janet will be calling people during the summer so we can restart this in Sept. DION made up Snack Packs for May which Rabbi Dorit will deliver this week. We are also continuing to supply Central High School students with hygiene products, socks and washcloths on a monthly basis. We are grateful for all those who have contributed to this effort. Another delivery will be made this month and again in June, and then we will take a break until Sept since most of the students will not be there over the summer.
d. Elections - We will have three vacancies on our Executive Board for At-Large Board Members due to the resignation of Jennifer Young, and the completion of 6 year terms of Stephanie Day and Madge Anderson. Nominees for these positions are Sharon Curran, Rev. David Kasbow, and Helen Barnes. Also, the Executive Board met and voted to amend the Bylaws by making a temporary extension for the next two years so that Rabbi Dorit Edut would continue as President until 2020 while a search for a new President is made. Elections will be held at the July 2018 meeting – though online ballots will again be available.
e. Gardening with Common Word Alliance
DION will help Common Word Alliance, the interfaith organization led by Arif Huskic , based in Hamtramck, with their Community Garden.DION members will be going to help with planting, weeding, and picking crops once a month –in June, July and August. Dates will be forthcoming. We did help with the CWA CleanUp of Hamtramck on Sunday, May 6.
5. Reports from Partners and New Business –
Michelle Abd El-aziz invited all to attend the Talbiyeh ,Inc. Theater Night Fundraiser for the Learning Lab in Detroit at the Detroit Repertory Theater on June 17 at 7:30pm. Money raised from this will go to help this former Veterans Post on Harper Ave to become a place for kids and adults to learn or improve their grades and be involved in positive activities after school. Tickets are $35@ or 2 for $50. Contact Michelle at 248-219-9879.
CrimeStoppers of Southeast Michigan along with Pastor Barry Randolph is holding a Million Children March on June 30 to Stop The Violence. It will begin at the Church of the Messiah on East Grand Boulevard and march down Jefferson, near Belle Isle. This is just the Detroit contingent – there will be marches all over the country on this day and DION is asked to participate, and spread the word to schools and families to join in. Exact times will be available shortly.
The NAACP chapter of Grosse Pointe will be having a program honoring Rosa Parks on Thursday, May 27, at the Grosse Pointe Unitarian Church, 17150 Maumee, off of Cadieux. Prof. Danielle McGuire of Wayne State University’s History Dept will be speaking about her recent book about the life of this great Civil Rights pioneer.
The Metropolitan Council of Churches of Detroit and Windsor has asked us to save the date of Sept. 20 for their 19th Annual Herald Awards Banquet at 5:30pm at St. George’s Romanian Orthodox Cathedral , 18405 W. Nine Mile Rd, in Southfield. DION was a recipient of this award several years ago, and the Metropolitan Council has been a supporter of DION for years.
6. Next Meeting: MON, JUNE 11, 6PM – at Crime Stoppers of SE Michigan, 18000 West Nine Mile Rd, Suite 500.
Respectfully submitted – Sandra Terry, Recording Secretary