PEER September 17, 2007 Minutes

President Marilyn Warner called the meeting to order at 10:00 A.M.

Members present:  Claire Cousins, Dave Byers, Sarah Byers, Janey Ball, Marilyn Warner, Heather Rosenhoch, JoAnne Wilson, Mary Ann Hartmann, Betty Taylor, Mary Ann Swogger, John Tomlinson, Marty Shapiro, Allin Turner, Jana Mapels, Mary Holtzman, Helen Lents, Nan Lanham, Marjorie Merrill, Bob St. Julien, Jane Lee, Sharon Agner, Barbara Schlerf, Bob Schlerf, Dallas Schimke, Linda Aldridge, Mary A. Anderson, Esther Albertson, Emilie Carter, Dawn Reid, Terry Plaia, Barbara Mink, Jeanne Abou Sharaka, Jean Beagles, Kathy King, Herb Miller, Denise Thomas, Jean Hope, Jay Beyersdorf, Judith Overcash, Margie Miller, Marjorie Knapp, Charlene Gervasi, Margie B. Stonom, Linda McGeehan, Joyce Walters, Harriette Beaven, Frances Wallace, Bill Wallace, Barbara Watts, Connie Purdum, Elinor Durham, Carol Fontaine, Margaret Hyde, Ethelstine Harris, Virginia Kates, Barb Henry, Mary Blackmon, Rosalie Davies, Beverly Campbell, Dorothea Koehler.

Claire Cousins introduced Jade Moore who spoke about issues important to PEER, PCTA/PESPA, and their effect on education in Florida and Pinellas County.

The minutes of the May 21st meeting  were approved.

Marilyn thanked the representatives of Tax Shelter America for providing breakfast treats, and Jamie explained their services that are available and relevant to PEER members.

Carol Justice, who handles PEER business in the PCTA office, was in a car accident and will have knee surgery soon.  For information to send a card or to call, look in the PEER directory under William Justice.

Reports:

President:  Emilie Carter was appointed as Historian and Dave Byers as Membership Chairman. Marilyn introduced officers Vice-President Janey Ball, Secretary JoAnne Wilson, and Treasurer Bob Schlerf.  Committee chairs for 2007-2008 are: Food Pantry–Allin Turner; Flea Market–Linda McGeehan; Membership/Volunteer hours–Dave Byers; PAC–Ethelstine Harris; Parliamentarian-Kathy Bell-Bakewell; Liason to Pinellas Educ. Foundation-Marjorie Merrill; Pinellas Educator-Jana Maples; Program-Claire Cousins (with help from Jane Lee), Scholarship-Allin Turner and Jane Lee; Sunshine-Ada Raynal; Book Swap/Potluck-Virginia Kates and Louise Williams.

Marilyn thanked Linda McGeehan for hosting the summer get-together, and the following for helping with the mailing of the Pipeline: Dave and Sarah Byers, Allin Turner, Linda McGeehan, and Kathy King.  Marilyn also thanked Linda McGeehan and her committee for their work on the new teachers’ Flea Market.

Attending the FEA-R Annual Meeting in Orlando at the end of September will be Dave Byers, Bob Schlerf, Janey Bell, Kathy Bell-Bakewell,, Allin Turner, Linda McGeehan and Marilyn Warner.  Attending the FEA Delegate Assembly will be Dave, Bob, Jane Lee, Kathy Bell-Bakewell, Kathy King and Marilyn.

Marilyn asked for a member to look into PEER’s participating in Read Across America on March 3.  Jana Maples volunteered to do so.

Marilyn asked that members who wish to receive e-mails about PEER contact her at 1Marilyn@tampabay.rr.com

Gifts of appreciation for their work for PEER were presented to outgoing officers Secretary Nan Lanham and Treasurer Dallas Schimke.

Vice-President:  Janey announced that PCTA has asked for a representative from PEER to serve on their new Civil and Human Rights Committee.  They will meet at 4:45 on the fourth Mondays of each month.  Their meeting this month will be September 24th.

Volunteers are needed on the telephone committee.  Members who wish to be reminded of meetings by telephone should let Janey know at 585-2995 or jball34616@aol.com

Treasurer: Bob Schlerf reported there is a balance in the PEER account of $10,870.42. After expenses of  $1,585.09 and dues income of $842.00, the balance as of August 30th is $10,127.33.  PEER has five CD’s with a total of $25,046.29 for total assets of $35,642.40.

Membership: Dave Byers reported that we have 229 life members and 35 annual members for a total of 264 fully paid members.  Twenty-three of those are pre-retired.  In order to be in this year’s Directory, new members will have to join by October 31st.

Volunteer hours in May were 265 school related hours and 1651 others for a total of 1916 hours.  The total for the year was 10,762  hours – 2891 school related and 7871 others.

PAC

Ethelstine Harris reported that $105 has been raised by selling tickets for the drawing  for the “relaxation” basket.  The funds are used for PEER’s contribution to the Political Action Committee fund at the FEA Delegate Assembly.
 

Scholarship

Allin Turner asked for volunteers to be on this committee.  PEER awards a $1000 scholarship each year  to a graduating senior who is a relative of a PCTA/PESPA or PEER member.  The volunteers will help plan and/or judge the applications and essays that the seniors submit.

Program

Claire Cousins announced that the programs for the regular meetings this year are listed in the Pipeline.  The choice of programs was based as much as possible on the results of the survey that PEER members completed last year.  Jane Lee will be planning other outings, and the first one will be a trip to the Ringling Art Museum in Sarasota on Monday,  October 8th.  Members should meet at the entrance at 11:00 AM, and are welcome to bring guests.  They may bring their lunch or take advantage of the restaurants at the museum.  Admission is free on Mondays. Car pools may be arranged for those who need rides.

Tickets are available for the trip to Ruth Eckerd Hall to see 100 Years of Hollywood in April. The cost is $14.40.

Flea Market

Linda reported that forty-nine new teachers came to the flea market and were thrilled and grateful for the materials.  The event was covered in the newspaper, including a picture. Linda requested that the names of those who worked on the flea market be included in the minutes.  They are: Sharon Agner, Linda Aldridge, Janey Ball, Sue Butler, Emilie Carter, Thelma Dumont, Wendy Hail, Jan Handura, Virginia Kates, Kathy King, Linda McGeehan, Marjorie Merrill, Joyce Walters, JoAnne Wilson, Becky Woodroffe, and Pearl Eloshway.  The Flea Market will be held again in August, 2008, and members are asked to remind their friends still teaching about donating materials.  More materials for high school are needed.

No Unfinished or New Business.

Announcements. Virginia reported that  Louise Williams fell at home, but is doing much better.  Cards may be sent to her home address.

Joyce Walters encouraged members to bring clothes for the Clothes to Kids program.  Claire said to bring them to a PEER meeting, and she will take them when she volunteers.  Shoes, coats, and all sizes of clothing are needed.  The hours at Clothes to Kids are M-F 9:00 to 5:00.

Ethelstine announced that site coordinators are still needed a several schools.

The next meeting will be held on October 15.  The speaker is Beth Warren on Organizing and De-Cluttering.

Meeting was adjourned at 11:45.  Paid-up members then enjoyed a lunch provided as part of the $600 grant received from AFT for membership recruitment.

Respectfully submitted,

JoAnne Wilson, Secretary