Location of meeting: Rowe Photography

Attendants: 11 (based on sign in sheet)

Call to order: 8:15a.m.

April Groves began the meeting by welcoming everyone in attendance.

Announcements:

• April discussed the website and how the members were receiving contacts through it. She stated that Naomi Havens had a contact from the website from Connecticut. Others had stated they too received contact from the website.
• April went over the June night meeting. We are looking into having an individual from SCORE to come and speak. Possibly Marjorie Young. The meeting will be held at Gianni’s on Monday June 23rd at 6:00p.m. The prices of the meeting are: $30.00 for members, $35.00 guests and $40.00 at the door.
• April announced that the WBA has been invited to the Sand Gnats Game again this year. Last year the WBA participated and it was a great time for all the members and their families. This year we are looking to get the Picnic Package which consists of all you can eat buffet for one hour and the play area for the children. The price is not exact but are looking for it to be around $24.00 for adults and $16.00 for children. The event will be held on July 24th.
• April explained how we go about picking a charity for the year. At the first of the year we announce to members to submit a charity they would like to nominate. The WBA board then compiles the nominations and the members vote. This year the members voted on the Bryan Animal Care Givers. This year the WBA has decided to hold a 50/50 drawing at every meeting to help raise money for our charity.
• Michelle Englehart introduced a new event, The Festival of Trees to be hosted every year by the WBA. This event will help raise money for the Bryan County Children’s Fund. The Festival of Trees is an event that businesses donate a decorated artificial tree to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Such events have been held in Savannah and raise an extensive amount of money. The event will be a three day event beginning November 21st through November 23rd. The location of the event is still undecided but the possibilities are the old Kroger and the Recreation Center. We are also looking to have vendors with retail for those holiday shoppers, an elf shop for the children to purchase items for their families, a sweet shop, pictures with santa for the children and centerpieces and wreaths to be auctioned off as well. All of the auctioned items will be put in categories. There will be an exclusivity on the vendors to reduce repeat businesses, so it is a first come first served basis. There will be a volunteer meeting held on Monday the 19th of May at Molly’s at 12:00p.m. If anyone has questions please contact Michelle Englehart.
• The treasury report was given by Shirley Heagerty. WBA checking balance: $1,868.20, PayPal balance: $100.00, Bryan Animal Care Givers fund: $69.00

Expression of Thanks -Cindy Gernatt thanked all the WBA members for their prayers for her sick mother.

April introduced the meeting host Shirley Rowe, owner of Rowe Photographers.

Shirley thanked everyone for coming to the studio. Rowe Photographers has been in business for 11 months. They provide portraits for family’s, weddings, pageants, business advertising, trash the wedding dress photos, glamour photos and many more. All of the portraits can be done in black and white and color print. Shirley goes on location as well and does event photography which provides you with a 4×6 print right there at the event. This is good for fundraisers. She likes to photograph how people live. She also started a program called eStork. This program provides family’s of deployed soldiers who would miss the birth of a child, photographs from right after birth to one month. This program is free of charge. If anyone is interested in portraits or any one of the programs that Rowe Photographers offers you can contact Shirley for more information.

Other events

• June night meeting to be held at Gianni’s. It will be on Monday the 23rd at 6:00p.m.
• Spring Fling networking event for all women to be held on Thursday, June 12th from 4:30p.m. to 6:00p.m. at Cha Bella’s at 102 E Broad, Savannah. All proceeds go to Girls On the Run.
• A Memorial Day Service will be held at J F Gregory park on Monday, May 26th at 11:00a.m. Call Jan Bass to purchase a brick for a soldier. The price is $50.00.
• Toastmasters meets every Monday at 8:30a.m. on the second floor of the Magnolia Manor. All are welcome to come join the organization.
• Business Networks International meets every Wednesday at 11:30 at Perkins. All are welcome to attend.

50/50 Winner - The 50/50 winner was Cindy Gernatt of Cindy’s Custom Frames and Antique Art won $25.00. Cindy donated her winnings back to the charity. The charity took in $50.00 at the meeting with another donation of $10.00 that was given by Jamie from Reflections Magazine. The total for the charity from this meeting was $60.00. Thank you for all who participated this meeting.