November 2016

Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians

Countess De Markievicz, Div. #1

Minutes from the General Business Meeting

November 10, 2016

Attending (Officers): Megan Kelly, Kristin DeMain, Toni Dodge, Gretchen Moriarty, Lisa O’Connell-Paccioretti, Mary Driscoll, Janelle Brown, Pat O’Connor #2

(Members): Elaine Browning, Rory Clark, Leah Demko, Karen Finn, Teresa Harris, Rachel Hunter, Maureen Lovell, Julie McGhee, Beth Motika, Pat O’Connor #1, Erin Reidy, Lindsay Stemen, Katie Sommers, Cathy Sullivan

Absent (Officers):

(Members): Joanna Brand (ex), Phyllis Cain (ex), Colleen Campbell (ex), Dawn Clark, Maureen Clark (ex), Jo Ann Cormack (ex), Rose Eaton, Norah Fagan (ex), Rosemary Feka (ex), Mary Hayes (ex), Carol Higgins (ex), Mary Higgins (ex), Ginny Holleran (ex), Kristine Konich, Judy Leddy (ex), Julie Lovett (ex), Nona McGuire, Janet McGue, Mary Modic, Megan Moriarty, Heidi Motika (ex), Sue O’Connor, Holly O’Leary, Dawn Peterson, Judy Pitts, Louise Popich (ex), Deborah Reinstatler, Michele Sagraves, Jessica Schmitt (ex), Mary Ann Weber (ex), Megan Weis (ex), Mary Ann Williams (ex), Julie Wright, Heather O’Leary Ziccardi

The meeting was called to order by President Megan Kelly. Opening prayers were said.

Installation of Officers: None.

Initiation of New Members: None.

Approval of the minutes

· Motion (Janelle Brown/Kristin DeMain) to suspend with reading of minutes was PASSED and minutes were approved.

Presentation of bills:

· Motion to reimburse Megan Kelly $100 for the pre-approved fundraiser was PASSED.

Officers’ Reports

· Recording Secretary: Correspondence was read by Toni. We received a check from DIF for $5,169.72, more than 2015.

· Chaplain: A new Chaplain is needed. Rosie approached Sister Mary Riley at St. Matthias.

• President: Megan thanked Erin and Rory for the snacks. She also thanked everyone who came in to paint. She passed around thank-you cards for others who came. Motion (Mary Driscoll/Rory Clark) to give Mary and Barb Hagan thank-you gifts of cookies for their help with the Cottage (amended). Megan reminded everyone there are still positions to fill for 2017. Celtic New Year was last week. The County Board is having a food drive all week and Friday night is the conclusion, with General Guinness and 50/50 drawings. Motion (Maureen Lovell/Lisa O-P) to donate $100 towards the AOH County Board St. Llad’s food pantry (amended) was PASSED. The State Board meeting is November 12. Members donated food and Megan will put out a basket for a donation for meals. AOH/LAOH Christmas Installation is December 10 at Tara Hall; 4:00pm at St. Llad’s and pot luck following.

• Vice President: Kristin is still talking to Sister Jo Ann about possibly becoming chaplain.

· Financial Secretary: There are ___ paid members, 22 members in attendance, 7 seniors, 3 national life, and 53 total members.

· Treasurer: Total Receipts were $15.00 and expenses were $22.64. Account balances are: MIN - $960.10, Celtic - $429.71, Checking balance - $8,026.28 and $5,377.13 after Cottage Fund of $2,749.15. Outstanding checks were $112.64. Checks were due for the standing obligations: Columban Fathers, Columban Sisters, and Appeal for Aid ($200), SOAR & Project St. Patrick ($100).

· Historian: Mary discussed the DNA checks and recommended you only use Ancestry.com and not “23 and me” as they share this information with insurance companies and others. November 10 is Patrick Pearse’s birthday and the birthdate of the Marines (275 years).

· Missions & Charities: No Report.

· Catholic Action: Mary Higgins has taken over this position. Karen is looking for the sheets for the year-end report.

· Sentinel: No Report.

· Mistress at Arms: No Report.

Committee reports:

· Freedom For All Ireland-Heather O’Leary Ziccardi/Elaine Browning: No Report.

· Hospitality-Teresa Harris: Thanks to Erin Reidy and Leah Demko for snacks. Sheet was passed around for 2017.

· Newsletter: Information to be added to website and Facebook pages.

· Membership-Rory Clark: Working on potential new members for 2017. Colleen asked for excuse for the next year but looks forward to coming back the following year.

· Publicity-Leah Demko: No Report.

· Sunshine-Julie McGhee: No Report.

• Cottage-Maureen Lovell: Sisters, On behalf of the Cottage Committee, welcome to the clean, refreshed and much improved Pearse's Cottage. We hope you find it to your liking.

Thanks to the painting & cleaning team...LAOH sisters Megan Kelly, Lisa O-P, Boo Driscoll, Cathy Sullivan, myself...and painting friends Mary MacDonald and Barb Hagan. Special thanks to Brother John Crossin who painted the ceiling for us.

I believe our previous Cottage Committee Reports have captured the thank you’s to our Brothers for their time, talent and treasure but for the record: Ed Norris, Jim Fath, John Crossin, & John Hazard. This completes the 2016 improvement work for the Cottage. We are still hopeful James O'Shea will surprise us with a completed paver entrance way ... which he has confirmed many times...donating both labor and materials.

We had approval to spend $500 for the following improvements:

· Powder Room - high rise toilet, vanity & faucet, pantry area, and new door

· Painting - interior meeting room, powder room walls & ceiling and new powder room door;

· Kitchen - current stove vent is now actually vented to outside; and all the plumbing, installation, wiring and labor and materials.

For our 2016 improvements; we actually spent $478.95, under budget by ($21.05). We tried, and believe we succeeded, in being good stewards of our hard earned fundraising dollars. We started wage year with $2953.63 in the Cottage Fund and in November, our balance is

Our lovely curtains originally donated by Rosie have seen better days. The age and sun have pretty much done them in. We would like to hang mini-blinds to keep the winter winds out, provide privacy and protect any new curtains that are hung in 2017. Madam President, I'd like to make a motion for $100 from the Cottage Fund for 3 mini-blinds.

We also want to capture some ideas for the 2017 Cottage Chair & Committee to tackle:

· a screen door for the side door (not a standard size)

· curtains (Barb Hagan has offered her sewing skills)