The 2025 Activity Coordinating Committee Team:
Mike Frey, Chairman
Chick Lowry
Ken Main
Dennis Mierzwa
ACC Mtg Notes for March 2025
+ Plans are for Dennis Mierzwa and Ken Main to present information about their activities at the next luncheon…
- Dennis to discuss Cribbage, Bargain Wines and Wine cellar fillers. Ken to discuss his idea for a new activity called SIR Music Jammers.
+ Ken and Chick still need to send the Emergency Contact Information to their AC’s
+ Since Ron Smith is moving, an Activity Chairman is needed for the Bargain Bites activity. Ken will be heading up this search.
+ Chick to update the Activity List new AC for Wine Finders #1 (Ken Stehr)
ACC Mtg Notes for February 2025
Under Mike Frey’s leadership, the ACC team coordinated a breakfast meeting on 2/21/25
for BR8 Activity Chairmen (all but 5 AC’s attended). The purpose of the meeting was to:
+ Understand membership involvement in our activities
AND
+ Recruit new and existing members to our activities
The AC’s participated in small group breakout sessions to brainstorm new ideas re these purposes.
More to follow as the ACC begins to summarize and implement some of the ideas from this meeting”
ACC Mtg Notes for January 2025
+ Mike reported that we have 18 participants so far for the AC Breakfast on Friday 2/21/25. Mike to reach out to the remaining AC’s that have not yet committed to attend (about 8)
+ AMS notification process: Dennis is working with Dan Weller to understand and resolve this system issue (i.e. how new member interests and member resignations are reported to the AC’s & the ACC). We are hoping this will be resolved before the AC breakfast meeting.
+ The new AI investment group was discussed. This activity will be categorized as a “sub-activity” (& a shared activity) of the SUMS activity.
+ Chick Lowry plans to present his Car Enthusiasts Activity at the February luncheon. Plans are to ask Dennis if he will present his Cribbage activity at the March luncheon.
+ Mike discussed the updates he is making to the Website content (eg under the benefits & members tab).
ACC Mtg Notes for December 2024
+ The AC breakfast planning meeting was approved by Tom Di Grande. Mike plans to send out an email inviting the AC’s to attend this meeting on Friday February 21, 2025. The invite will request the AC’s send an Assistant chairman to represent their activity if they cannot attend.
+ Mike to reach out to Dave Dawson to clarify the status of the combined Partner/Contract bridge activity (ie when do they meet and what is the name of the activity)
+ Mike to contact Ira Dorf regarding the Travel Activity. Will the travel chairman at BR146 agree to be a contact for travel opportunities in our Branch?
+ Ken to prepare a discussion guide/questions for the AC breakfast planning meeting breakout session.
ACC Mtg Notes for November 2024
+ System Changes: The ACC team agreed with Dan Weller’s recommendation to use the database “roles” already maintained by Membership. Mike sent a note to Dan confirming the same. The team acknowledged Dennis Mierzwa’s persistence to make this happen.
+ AC Breakfast Meeting: Each ACC member agreed to send Mike agenda comments by 12/6/24. Mike plans to create a draft agenda by mid-December and send a note to the AC’s requesting feedback and availability and interest to attend. Mike to share the results at the January 2025 BEC meeting & request approval for the meeting to occur in Feb 2025.
+ January Luncheon Activity Highlight:
- Car Enthusiasts – Chick Lowry
+ Miscellaneous items :
- The current ACC team agreed to stay together in 2025.
- Ken to continue to coordinate monthly “zoom” meetings.
- Derek completed the website changes requested by Mike re updating the “About Us” link on the main Branch 8 web page.
ACC Mtg Notes for October 2024
+ In regards to the 16 “at risk” members ( i.e. no Lunch & no Activities) , Rich Knowles (Members Relations Committee) is taking the lead to reach out to these members. The ACC plans to update the AC members list annually, so that this effort can be repeated, in the future.
+ Mile Frey to contact Dan Weller about the new member interest email process. It is our understanding the “applicant accepted” input by membership triggers interest emails to the applicable AC(s) and the ACC. Is it working?
+ Mike Frey is the contact for any updates to the static information on AC web pages (e.g. changes of venue or a new AC. Mike is also updating web pages with activity updates submitted by ACs to Hotline.
+ The ACC team suggests inviting Carl Meyer to make a short presentation about his activities (ie Fishing and Puzzles). Ken Main will ask Chick Lowry to contact Carl in this regard.
+ Mike Frey to follow up with Derek Southern regarding a change to the BR8 website (i.e. moving the branch committee information to the more visible “about us” section on the website).
+ We discussed holding an AC breakfast meeting in early 2025. Mike Frey to coordinate with Boundary Oak for the venue and the BEC for funding. More to follow…
ACC Notes for September 2024 Mtg.
+ AMS member activity status update project. We are ~90% complete with our responses from the AC’s and the update to our activity participant lists. Mike will contact Dan Weller to request data in several formats (ie # members active or inactive in activities and luncheons). Mike plans to present this information at the 10/14/24 BEC meeting.
+ We discussed the process for how changes to current members status are handled. In particular, how resignations and changes to emails are being communicated to the AC’s. Mike to follow up with Dan Weller & Rich K in this regard.
+ Chick to make following changes to the AC list: Buck Cheshire is LDL chairman (not Ray deWit) and remove Dave Dawson as Poker Chairman (no poker chairman at this time; Ron Maciak is the point of contact)
+ Activity Advertising: Don Atwater to speak about internet games at the next luncheon.
+ Ken to forward Dave Dawson’s luncheon attendance ideas Rich C, Tom D, & Ray D. Also invite Dave to attend any future BEC meeting.
ACC Notes for August 2024 Mtg.
+ The ACC team discussed at length the concept of updating “active participants” in AMS. Mike Frey agreed to draft a cover letter to the AC’s asking them to verify for their activity 1) Who is on their list but should be removed & 2) Who should be added to their participant list. The goal is to use AMS to help identify “at risk” members ( i.e. members that do not attend our monthly luncheon and are also not active in activities). Dennis Mierzwa agreed to contact Dan Weller to discuss how AMS can be used to help identify at-risk members.
+ In regards to coordinating new member interests, Mike Frey to verify Chick Lowry is on the email distribution list. Mike and Chick can then follow up to ensure activity chairmen are receiving new member interest emails.
+ Rich C and Tom Di Grande are handling activity displays (photos, etc) for the September luncheon. Plans are for internet games to be advertised @ October luncheon.
+ We briefly discussed organizing an Activity Chairman’s breakfast for later this year or early next year. Chick to send Mike the agenda and slides from a prior AC breakfast meeting.
ACC Notes for July 2024 Mtg.
+ Activities: We updated the status of Fishing (new asst AC) and Dominos (Being retired). Ken contacted Larry Lang for a brief summary (for the BEC) of his new activity “Underwater Exploration”. Larry has put the Activity temporarily “on hold” due to a medical condition he is having addressed.
+ Activity Web page project: This project is 100% complete. Congrats are in order for Mike Frey and his team. Mike will be the point person for updates. Our Website is now much more user friendly.
+ AMS: Mike plans to meet with Chick after our next luncheon to provide training on AMS. Ken and Dennis are already “on board”. The goal is for each ACC member to be able to update the information in AMS for their assigned AC’s.
+ For BEC: Mike to ask Rich Carlston/Tom DiGrande to address the luncheon and highlight the issue of our declining membership. Mike Frey agreed to be both a director and the ACC rep at the BEC meetings.
+ Other: Mike to ask Dan Weller if there is a way to identify how many members attend luncheons but do not participate in any activities. Is our branch becoming solely a “monthly lunch” gathering?
ACC Notes for June 2024
+ Mike reported that the Activity Web Page update project is currently 50 % complete. Mike expects to announce that the project will be 100% complete by our next BEC meeting/luncheon on July 8th, 2024.
+ We discussed how the ACC plans to update AMS when there are changes to the Activity Chairman. Mike continues to be the primary contact for these updates. Plans are to train Dennis and Ken in AMS after our luncheon meeting on July 8th.
+ In regards to the Activity Exhibits at our luncheons, Chick is handling July (ie Car Enthusiasts photos), Photos of internet games are planned for August and photos of Wine activities are planned for September. Photos are to be sent to Rich C for handling.
+ The Poker Activity is struggling to find a new chairman. Ken will send Dennis a list of the active poker players. Dennis and Ken will contact selected members of the poker activity to see if someone is willing to be the primary contact (not the chairman). This way, at least a branch or new member can have a contact to inquire about joining this activity
ACC Notesa for May 2024
No Meeting this month.
ACC Notes for April 2024
+ Ken to contact Derek Southern to get “log in” information regarding the new SIR zoom accounts. Ken to send ACC team links for future monthly ACC zoom meetings (ie 4th Monday of month).
+ Mike indicated the AC website project has completed “Trial” updates for 3 activities (Nine Hole Golf, Car Enthusiasts and Cribbage). Plans are to request “static” update information from all AC’s over the next two weeks. Derek Southern, Steve Monksfield and Mike Frey will update the AC websites in the new format as the information is received.
+ For the Activity Sharing initiative at our luncheons, Mike Frey is handling Nine Hole Golf in May. Chick Lowry has volunteered to share Car Enthusiasts photos for July. Tom DiGrande will share Community Outreach photos for the August Luncheon. ALL the board game activities as a group (ie Chess, Pinochle, Cribbage, Bridge and Poker) will be highlighted for September..
+ Larry Lange wants to start a new activity (about Underwater Exploration). Ken will contact Larry & request he present his new activity to BEC for approval.
+ It is our understanding that new SIR COVID requirements are to follow County COVID Guidelines. If so, the ACC recommends the BEC (Big SIR?) communicate the new COVID guidelines to all branch members (ie via constant contact or other means).
ACC Notes for March 2024
+We discussed continuing our monthly ACC meetings via zoom. Our current zoom license runs out mid-April. Derek Southern indicated he will contact Ken Main regarding how to access new zoom accounts. Ken will create recurring monthly meeting links (4th Monday of month) and send them to the ACC team members.
+ Mike Frey updated us on the progress of the Activity Website Project. The project team met via zoom and planned to start with “test cases” involving ACC team members submitting their activity information (i.e. Mike Frey, Chick Lowrey and Dennis Mierzwa). Once the “static information” of each activity is updated, a “click here” link will be embedded into each Activity web page connecting users to additional information relating to each activity (such as Photos, schedules and results).
+ In regards to highlighting selected activities at each luncheon, the Bowling activity is planned for April. Chick to clarify with Rich and/or Tom regarding the plans going forward (ie will other AC’s be asked to “man a table” at the luncheon or just provide photo’s to promote their activity.
+ For our activity list, Chick will coordinate with Steve Schramm to confirm if Chess will be added as a multi branch activity. Regarding SIR’s in the Garden, we understand Tom DiGrande is taking the lead to find a new chairman to reestablish this activity.
ACC Notes for February 2024
+ We discussed our individual ACC duties and agreed to Mike’s “ACC Monthly Cycle of Responsibilities” summary. One additional duty is to email the ACC meeting notes to the Hotline editors (Currently Dan Smith).
+ Mike’s AC website update committee (Peter Shapiro, Derek Southern & Mike) is planning a zoom meeting. When the committee is ready, each ACC member will email the AC’s requesting them to fill out/return the Website Activity Static Info.Worksheet. Mike will also request a copy of the member photo file from Rich Knowles for use on this project.
+ One change to the activity list. Chick added Dan Smith as co-chair of Duplicate Bridge.
+ In regards to highlighting one or two activities at the Luncheons, Mike (& Chick?) will talk to Rich about this proposal at the next BEC meeting.
+ We discussed (at length) the use of Branch Marketing materials (ie business cards & pamphlets) to recruit new members. Mike agreed to discuss this topic with Tom (& BEC?) about how to recruit new (particularly younger) members. Also, Mike to verify who is currently in charge of Recruiting?
ACC Notes for January 2024
With the holiday events behind us the ACC is moving into the New Year making changes to your Branch 8 website. The Activity list has undergone some changes with the loss of 3 activities. Birders, DanSIRS, and Dine In #3 have disbanded. Always a possibility to have interesting opportunities go away, but a reality as the branch evolves.
The Website Activity index will be revised to reflect the current activities and be easier to navigate so members and the public visiting can find descriptions of our various offerings with the Activity When, Where and Meeting Times and then allow a deeper view of what happens if you join the organization. It will allow the ACC team to assist with keeping the information as current as possible.
The Ladies Day Luncheons will now be planned via a committee process rather than putting the entire responsibility on a single Activity Chairman and assistants. Ray de Wit will lead the committee and find volunteers to spread the work load. Your committee will be announced as soon as Ray has gathered his planning cohorts.
The ACC Team has undergone a leadership change with Mike Frey mfrey1784@gmail.com now leading the group. The four of us, Mike, Chick Clowry2845@gmail.com, Ken mainkenneth46@gmail.com and Dennis dennis.mierzwa@att.net, will continue to assist Activity Chairs with any problems where they require assistance and maintain the Activity elements of the Website.
Updated 01/28/2025 MLF
