2022-10-09 AGM Meeting

Elderberries 2022 Annual General Meeting

Meeting at Radstorm on 9 October 2022.

Present:

• Board: Kevin, Anita, Stephanie, Dan (notes), Lynn, Barend (chair)
• Members: Mike Belland, Kirby, Erick Bickerdyke, Wil Murray
• Visitors: Jeffry Gray (hired help for Dan), and several young Radstorm people
• Regrets: Vance & Cecil

Chair's Report

JUNE 2021

• our Annual General Meeting

September

• Picnic at Pt.Pleasant Park

October

• Oct. 6th.Talk to Elizabeth Haggart's Gerontology class.
• Oct. 28th Talk at the NS Alzheimer Society AGM

November

• Nov. 2nd Sunday Salon Our first at Radstorm, 10 attended - many new people

December

• Holiday Social at the Universalist Unitarian Church Hfx. It was a Potluck, White Elephant Gift Exchange. 13 attended.

2022

• January (No activity)

February

• Presented at Elizabeth Haggart's MSVU class
• 2nd Sunday Salon Zoom Topic" Red Flags and Green Flags we notice when meeting new people.

March

• Dan spoke to medical students at "Winter Pride" (?) workshop regarding Queer and elder healthcare, at Dalhousie U.

May

• May 2nd Sunday Salon Our first No Talent Show.6 people presented.
• We contributed to the creation of the Gay Alliance of Equality creation story. Paying a journalist to interview as many signatories of the original incorporating document.This information was later turned into a pamphlet we handed out at Halifax Pride in July.
• June 12th High Tea at Radstorm paid for by Pride Halifax. Adam Reid and Patrick Maubert presented updates of what to expect at Pride in July.

July

• Pride 2022
• Sun 17th Youth and Elders Storytelling Salon
• A preset Q & A of issues in the Queer community. Organized by the youth themselves. Stephane and Barend were asked to be the elders speakers.
• Elders hangout, A celebration of the 50th anniversary of the official founding of the Gay Alliance of Equality. Fifty people showed. There was a big cake and a slideshow of our community's history narrated by Reg Giles. Small groups chatted at coffee tables.
• Also in July, We lost dear friend and vital boardmember Mike Sangster. His celebration of life was attended by thirty "chosen family" as well as his biological family.

August

• A picnic near Black Rock Beach at Pt. Pleasant Park despite a threat of rain, a jolly mixer.

September

• Our last picnic at Pt Pleasant Park. A walking group from Untoxicated Queers dropped by and chatted a while.

October

• Board members made headway in rewriting the bylaws that govern our non -profit society. We will finish rewriting them after the AGM. Then we'll present it to our membership for comment and approval.
• 9th Our AGM at Radstorm

Treasurer's Report

Anita:

• we spent $100 on gift cards for this meeting
• we gave $50 to Eastern Shore Pride
• we have 694.90 in the bank
• we're doing OK

Discussion: Lynn asked if we usually have more detail in our treasurer's report

Membership Report

We have 297 emails on our mailing list. We added 23 members in 2023 and probably dropped a few.

When we post a note to Facebook, 375 people see it but we NEVER get members attending from Facebook posts.

Election

Slate of:

• Chair: Barend
• Treasurer: Anita
• Secretary: Dan
• Ex Officio: Lynn
• Boardmembers: Kevin, Stephanie, Richard Crooks, Pauline, Richard Crooks, Erick Bickerdike

Richard Crooks and Erick are new boardmembers! Welcome! Everyone else: welcome back!

Dan moved that the slate be accepted; it was seconded by Kirby. Motion passed.

Erick motioned to adjourn the AGM. Dan seconded.

End of AGM

Several Radstorm youth joined us or took food away during the AGM.

Both Mike and Dan were on the CBC Weekend Morning show talking about the Elderberries and Wil attended as a result!

During the AGM we had turkey dinner as it was Thanksgiving.

An Eastlink journalist interviewed Stephanie and Barend - I'll let you know when we have an air date.

$50 gift card giveaway. The gift cards were won by Kirby and Dan.

Collection today: We collected $56.40 and gave $40 cash to Radstorm.