Members Present: John B (host), David H, Tomas L, Brad P, and Ian C

  1. Check-In
  2. Process May 2019 Retreat
  3. Treasurer’s Report (Ian): $3178.00 Total receipts from registration and auction
    a. $1320.00 Invoice from Tanglewood
    b. $500.00 Invoice for food
    c. Ian didn’t have current balance at this time
    d. How much was used in Scholarships this retreat? Don’t have figures handy – Need to keep tally of how much is used for scholarships
    Proposal (David): “Any new man has the option of paying the full retreat fee or having the fee waived”. Passed by members present.
  4. Communication between board members
    a. Encourage communication between board members
    b. When replying to emails, it is suggested to reply only to that one person versus “replying to all”; hopefully, this will cut down on unnecessary email traffic.
  5. Upcoming Fall Retreat – Quilt Curator (Tomas) Tomas may be there or he may not be there – he is responsible to make sure that the quilt is there at the retreat even if he is not there.
  6. Website – Dan K offer
    a. Dan K has offered to help Tom B maintain and update the MCM website.
    b. How can Dan and Tom work together on the website? There should be 2 people responsible for the website.
  7. Mailing list needs another person to back-up Maine Bob; need to have 2 people able to update the master mailing list. Tomas volunteered to back-up Maine Bob.
  8. Meals at MCM retreat
  9. Tasks list: send blurb out to regular attendees: “hey, we need someone to do the dinner on Saturday night at the upcoming retreat – can you do it?”
  10. Suggestion: kitchen cooking workshop (15 mins) right after Saturday lunch – Brad will do it
  11. David to add to facilitator duties
  12. Review minutes of Business meeting at Retreat. Minutes reviewed and approved w/corrections: Joss Coggeshall’s name is incorrectly spelled in minutes.
  13. Group Photo and possible short movie YouTube
  14. John to get Retreat attendees list to David
  15. Someone? Volunteered to do short YouTube video of retreat? Do we need Tanglewood’s approval? People in the video – do we need release from them? Privacy? Confidentiality?
    a. Brad and Tomas to assist George A in the video. David will initiate the call.
  16. Retreat “getting ready” (John)
  17. Have MCM Mission Statement as a banner to hang over the entrance to the Tanglewood lodge. John to check on cost of banner from Staples.
  18. Have “registrar” or “registration” table-top board or poster to direct arriving men to registration table.
  19. Schedule all board members and “hosting” men to arrive at Tanglewood at 3pm on the Friday of the retreat to go over any changes to facilities, schedules, etc; to relax and to check-in.
  20. Attendees strongly advised not to show up until 4pm, or if they do show up early, they will have to wait until 4 pm to check-in so as to allow the “hosts” to be complete w/preparations.
  21. Change the registration form to a full sheet to accommodate more information and potentially more release of liability language. We no longer send out just a tri-fold; we use envelopes. The retreat flyer could be one 2-sided document. The registration form could be a completely separate document.
  22. Steve A – we (David) has not heard from him even after trying to contact him several times.
    Proposal (David): “Remove Steve A from the Board”. Passed by members present.
  23. Other:
    a. Transgender individuals – board needs to have a discussion on this issue (at next meeting?)
    b. The Non-profit MCM 501-C3 needs a corporate secretary – John S?
    i. Non-profit letter?
    c. Do we hire a professional corporate secretary? (hold on that idea) – Ian to look into it.
  24. Review and discuss Survey from May retreat

Question 1 – Registration Process

Suggestions: “Add 2 retreats” to MCM business/information card; board members reviewed the card and felt there was really no room to add additional type so it was suggested to keep the card as it is. John B suggested creating a glossy picture poster rather than ink and pen drawings as in the past – “MAINE COAST MEN AT TANGLEWOOD” would be the headline over a picture of a man walking in the woods at Tanglewood. The ‘theme’ would be whatever the program committee had planned. The poster wouldn’t necessarily be the one sent out in the initial mailing but would be posted around the local towns as advertisement about the upcoming retreat. John B will check with Staples on the feasibility and cost of doing this poster at Staples. Do we need approval from Tanglewood to use their name and locale? Ian to check w/Patti at Tanglewood on this?

Question 2 – Cost of the Retreat

Suggestions: keep the cost at $100.00 (if men set aside 55 cents/day for only 180 days, they would have the $100.00 fee); keep the $10.00 discount for early registrants; encourage men to pay more if they can; discussion about new men for free – would we have the space and the finances to host a weekend with 10-20 new men @ no charge? Brad related his meditation weekend “donation vs fee” idea.

Question 3 – How are the workshops?

Suggestions: Encourage stretching/meditations (could be before each meal – moment of silent gratitude for the fellowship and the meal; could be offered as a mini-workshop at set times during the weekend; lots of possibilities); encourage men to approach Board members for help if they want to host a workshop during the weekend; “Pop-up” workshops concept – add this idea to the agenda for the next Board meeting; more movement workshops; a workshop on doing workshops (see Board members).

Question 4 – Feedback on the Meals

Suggestions: Friday night potluck – meat served at last retreat due to generosity of Tanglewood – allow the practice of eating meat to continue? “If you bring a meat dish to the potluck, you need to label it as such”. Focus is still on being a vegetarian weekend. Board talked about food issues, allergy issues and was the information on the registration and/or the confirmation letters? Revisit this issue at the next Board meeting.

Questions 5 and 6 from survey will be covered at next Board meeting.

25. Next meeting set for June 25th (Tuesday) at Ian’s house 6-8 pm.
Meeting Adjourned.

Submitted by Registrar John Bangeman on 5/17/2019 Minutes approved on 6/25/19 by the MCM Board