Abelard and Heloise always always enjoy the brunch.

20th Annual Winter Meeting and Beat the Winter Doldrums Brunch.

Chez Apu, Woodstock, New York, February 4, 2018.

Minutes

The meeting was called to order at 12:30 p.m.

Present: Signing in were Susan Kamen-Marsicano, president; Lisa Osenni, vice president; Debby Mayer, recording secretary and sunshine secretary; Karen Sahulka, treasurer; board member Karen Christensen; honorary member Frey Johnsson; and club member Malley Bragg Heinlein.
Absent due to bad weather was board member Sue Schulz.

Treasurer’s Report

Treasurer Sahulka: The club is solvent, with a balance little less than at this time last year.
2017 charitable donations: Basenji Health Endowment, American Red Cross, Puerto Rico Relief, Northwest SPCA. Basenji Club of America dues: $25.

President’s Report

Memberships: 50+ family, 11 honorary, 10 newsletter exchanges and 192 Facebook members.

The online Wrinkler and the RVW web page cost a total of $20 for the year. Perhaps the last issue has been done Susan K-M. “Like Jon Stewart, I am quitting to pay attention to my animals.”

Discussion of newsletter. It’s a huge job, and Susan K-M feels readership tiny (ie: people don’t scroll down). Discussion of readership. Those present agreed that projects have a life. No one else was willing to take on this huge job. Formal announcement may not be made: 1) see if anyone notices and 2) in case we want to start it again at another time.

Match Show

Saturday, May 12 in Westerlo, NY, in conjunction with the Hudson River Valley Hound Association Coursing Ability Tests (CAT). The town park is safe and has a large steel building – large enough for vehicles to pull into, under a roof, in case of rain.

Hounds can be pre-entered in the CAT tests, held May 12 & 13, or entered day of, if cap has not been reached. Four tests in two days, two per day. A hound can get CA after her name.

Other than participating in CAT tests (optional), RVWBC does what it wants to do. Discussion of how much, realistically, would get done of Match Show contests. Costume class and lunch, definitely; veggie eating, probably; also rally? Demos only (no winning or losing); no judging so no judge needed.

In addition to bringing food for our vegetarian potluck lunch, the RVWBC has promised to bring lunch for HRVHAs CAT test judge and workers for both days, Saturday and Sunday, May 12 and 13. Discussion of what foods to bring, how to make them last through Sunday.

Costume class: after much discussion and some iPhone research, the theme of “My Favorite Mythical Beast” was decided on by acclamation.

New Business

The Dog Writers Association of America, for the second time since they have been accepting online publications, made the Rip Van Wrinkler a finalist for Best Newsletter. While we won in 2014, this time we only made it to final four. AKC’s Companion Dogs newsletter was the winner.

New donations: Approved by acclamation were donations to:

Bobbi [Giordano] & the Strays, based in in Freeport, NY, and Queens, NY (bobbiandthestrays.org).

Take the Lead, based in Watertown, NY, which provides direct services, support and care for people in the sport of purebred dogs who suffer life-threatening or terminal illness (takethelead.org).

Decision to research whether Karen Jones is still at the Medfly Brigade Basenji Rescue in Acton, CA (southern CA) before donating. (Jones is still referred to on the website, basenjirescue.com.)

Raffle prizes: Johnsson will create a necklace. Christensen has some photos of artwork. Kamen-Marsicano may have some books. Other ideas welcome.

There being no further business, Kamen-Marsicano moved, and Mayer seconded, for adjournment at 1:15 p.m. so that members could get home safely during the winter storm.

Minutes submitted by Debby Mayer.