Solidarity 2009 Planning Committee February 15, 2008 Meeting Minutes
Type of Meeting: Conference Call
Attendance: Rob Alexander; Bob Bottarini; Roger Flint; Tom Fogarty, DNOS Office Manager; Reginia Huffman; Mary Smithson, Assistant Conference Manager; Sue Willis,
Call to Order and Introductions:
Tom Fogarty, Conference Chairman, called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. All members introduced themselves. Tom gave a special welcome to Rob Alexander, who is Consumer Affairs Coordinator with RSC and a new DNOS Board member.
Discussion of Hyatt=s request to move conference to April 2009:
It was explained that the Hyatt has asked DNOS that Solidarity be moved to Tuesday, April 14th through Thursday, April 16th. The Hyatt offered to reduce the overnight room rate from $129 to $119. 25 sleeping rooms are being held for Monday night of April 13th for conference planners, etc. Tom reminded everyone that April was the month originally desired by the committee for the conference. Roger Flint made a motion, seconded by Regenia Huffman to accept the proposed dates in April. Motion passed.
Financial reports & Solidarity 2009 budget:
Bob Bottarini, Treasurer, reviewed the reports which had been disseminated by e-mail prior to the meeting. The Statement of Revenues and Expenses for Solidarity 2007 indicated total revenues of $132,750.96; total expenses of $109,511.40, with $23,239.56 remaining in the bank. The report is basically final (except for one $150 registration). Sue asked if the office expenses included the 800 phone line and the response was yes.
Bob reviewed the proposed budget for 2009, which included only one major change of increasing the speaker/entertainment fee in line with planning committee members= desire to have a big name speaker. Discussion followed about the hope that a big name speaker would generate increased attendance and garner additional corporate sponsorship. Reginia made a motion, seconded by Roger, to approve the proposed budget for 2009. Motion passed.
Funding sources from Solidarity 2007:
Tom asked if there were any questions regarding this list, which had been disseminated by e-mail. Tom will send contact name for each group on the list to Sue. Sue suggested that members might want to think about a Ken Campbell memorial fund for 2009, and Reginia suggested it could be a memorial fund for all former leaders of the conference.
Meeting participants discussed the various sponsors, the problems with funding cuts at all the state agencies, and the need to seek more funding from businesses and corporations for 2009. Rob will be involved in prospect research and planning aspects, and will also research educational grants.
The group discussed the fundraising that was done when Christopher Reeve was the keynote speaker. At that time, Nationwide Insurance Company contributed more than $50,000 to bring Reeve to Columbus. Nationwide required that the Solidarity planning committee work with a corporate fundraising company, Hodge-Kramer, to learn how to do corporate fundraising. This included educational sessions. Sue was conference manager at that time, and she developed information packets and went with planning committee members to some of the meetings. Rob and Tom offered to help prepare packets for fundraising for Solidarity 2009.
Sue noted that, with the state agency budgets being so tight, we need to approach them with information about how the conference benefited participants. We need personal stories to help do that. Stories can be just a paragraph - or they can be longer. Reginia will work with Stuart Jones to write his story. Tom knows two people in Dayton he can contact. Everyone should try to get at least one story from someone; we should offer to help them write it.
Roger suggested contacting corporations that depend on people with disabilities to make their profits, such as hearing aid, wheelchair and durable medical equipment manufacturers.
The group then concurred with Sue=s suggestion that planning committee members and staff attend other conferences and make a "Solidarity 09" presence by having a table or booth and talking to people attending those conferences. Sue and Mary will compile a list of such events.
Time table schedule:
Sue will develop a timetable from March until the conference; it will be discussed at the March meeting.
Keynote speaker conversation:
Reginia had sent a list of potential keynoters and the committee discussed each person, selecting those to be contacted about availability and fees for April 15, 2009. The first choice was Matt Roloff, star of a TV show. He has been suggested by several people, and Tom and Reginia shared that they find him inspiring. Others to be contacted include: John Kemp, Robert David Hall, Patty Duke, Kathy Buckley, Chris Burke, Alan Osmond, Montel Williams, and Teddy Pendergast. We will also contact Joyce Bender and Andy Imparato to be a speaker at one of the other plenary sessions. Tom has received some e-mails about Max Cleland, who has spoken before but could be asked back. Mary will follow-up with the contacts. Roger will contact Teddy Pendergast about holding a concert on the night of April 15th, in place of a dance.
Miscellaneous points made during this call:1. 2007 Conference fee was $150. There was group consensus to keep it at $150 for 2009.2. Tom will contact DD Council about having someone on the committee.3. Other entities to contact: Governor=s Council, Ohio Advocates for Mental Health, People First of Ohio.
Next Planning Committee Meeting Date: Thursday, March, 20 at 1:00 p.m., via conference call.
Adjournment