September 2006 Business

1) GUIDELINES:
The group decided to keep the new guideline (the one we tried out at this meeting). The wording is: “Though we do not share graphic descriptions of our abuse, some things people share may be triggering to others. If you are triggered, please handle it in whatever way works best for you without interrupting the person who is sharing. Some methods that have been helpful to others are: leaving the room, and/or using your own share time to talk about what the issue means to you.” It was agreed that at some time in the future, when we have a larger attendance, we will re-visit the idea of having a general check-out at the end of each meeting.

2) MODERATOR:
The moderator for the next 4 meetings (Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan) will be Jeanette. (“V” will still be there.)

3) PHONE OUTREACH:
Phone outreach is up and running. We discussed some of the glitches – emails not being received. Anyone wanting to talk to someone before coming to their first meeting can request that someone who has been to a meeting call them. There are several people who have volunteered to make the calls, and there are specific guidelines for the calls. At present, “V” is coordinating this. (After January, we will need someone else to coordinate it.)

4) FINANCES:
We have gotten a few donations by check, but if the check is made out to New Landscape, we can’t use it, because we don’t have a bank account—at present we have negative money. Expenses are: room rental ($50), duplicating for monthly mailing (depends on how many pages there are; in September it was $70); stamps for monthly mailings ($70); envelopes, mailing labels, post office box rental (annual fee of $74). We collect donations at meetings (donations are optional; no one has to donate), and “V” has been covering the balance. After January, she can no longer do this.

5) MONTHLY MAILINGS:
As the main expense is the monthly mailing, we discussed converting as much as possible to email. [If anyone who receives this mailing would like to be converted to email, please let us know.] For those who don’t want email notices, or those who can’t open Word documents, at present, we will still send out the mailings by regular mail. It was suggested that we look into putting the Writing Project on the Internet and not distribute it by mail at all. This will be discussed at future meetings.

6) CONTINUITY OF NEW LANDSCAPE (SO IT CAN CONTINUE AFTER JANUARY):
Topics we discussed were:

1) Increase the membership of people who actually come to meetings.

2) Doing publicity.
We have tried to keep a low profile. We don’t publicize the group on the Internet because we don’t want to attract voyeurs. We don’t put the meeting date and address on our pamphlet – we just put it on the meeting notice, and we email it to potential new members who make inquiries. We discussed the pros and cons of increasing our visibility (some members said they would have come to a meeting sooner if they had known the group existed). For now, we will focus on distributing our literature in clinics and give it to therapists. [If anyone who receives this mailing would like some literature, or knows of someone to whom we should send it, please let us know.]

3) Tasks which need to be distributed after January:
• Maintaining the relationship with the YMCA (making sure they have reserved the room; paying the monthly rental).
• Coming early on the day of the meeting to set up (chairs, table, signs for the door).
• Monitoring the e-mail account and the post office box (answering inquiries).
• Maintaining the mailing list (adds, deletes, changes).
• Putting together the writing project (compile any articles, poems, or letters received; write a summary of the previous meeting).
• Putting out the monthly mailings (duplicating, stuffing envelopes, mailing).
• Buying supplies (envelopes, labels, stamps, etc.).

If anyone would like to help with any of these, please contact us (email and post-office addresses are in the first paragraph of this Writing Project).

7) TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS (FOR PEOPLE WHO DON’T WANT TO TRAVEL TO MEETINGS ALONE):
We will put together guidelines for this at a future meeting, but we may make ad-hoc arrangements in the meantime.