Wiltwyck Quilters Guild
Established 1977

May 2008 Annual Report

In this last month of the '07-'08 Guild season, greetings to all. It went by very fast, but it was full of activities and happenings. The Board has worked diligently to streamline our guild business meetings and it has been working on ways to improve the finances of the guild. We changed the due date for membership to May in hopes that we have a better idea of the guild numbers and to help with getting the guild directory out in a timely manner for next season.

I have to give recognition to some guild members, because it was their hard work that made this '07-'08 year so successful. I would begin by thanking the members of the Board for their input and ideas and willingness to focus on the need for change and an expanded vision for the guild that is still in keeping with the original goals of the founders of the Wiltwyck Quilters Guild. I also thank the membership for their consistent attendance and attention during the meetings. We have succeeded in shortening our actual meeting time to give more time to our fun activities.

I attribute this, in part, to the addition of the business meeting minutes by the Secretary, Ana Rodgers, and the treasurer's report by the Treasurer, Sue Stepp, to the newsletter. I must thank Janna Whearty for the work she's done on the Newsletter. We all recall that she volunteered to take on the newsletter even before she became an official member of the guild. Little did she know what she was getting in to! LOL, LOL. After some growing pains, Janna has molded the newsletter into an informative tool. I thank the many members who make the meetings fun and Pat Clark for her remarkable work with the programs year after year.

To the committee chairs for their effort to keep their activities going and growing: Liz Edgar with the Charm Squares, Sue Gray with the FQs, Anita Rowell with the Community Service and Mary McLaughlin for lugging the Library into the meeting from home. Also thanks to Sarah Kessenich for her hands-on work with publicity, Shirley Darrow for bringing in the pot (for tea and coffee) and for organizing the goodies for every meeting and Leona Willis for her efforts to document the history of our Guild. Kudos to Gloria Frenza for, not only being in charge of all that is membership, but also, for making the bus trip the guild offered in '08 to the NJ Quilt Show a reality. I also would like to thank Shirley Swenson for taking charge of the trip to the Ricky Tims quilt seminars in May of '08; as well as for taking on the task of heading up the Program Committee. This alone can be very overwhelming; however, with the help of an enthusiastic committee, the work can become manageable.

I would like to acknowledge the resignation of WQG's VP Marjorie Livingston and thank her for her help these last two years. A big, big thank you goes to Jackie Brooks and Angee Opdyke for their tireless efforts to make the WQG 2008 Quilt Show in October a success. Their attention to detail has made mounting this show seem effortless, but anyone who has worked on past shows knows that it takes organization and a willing membership to put on a Quilt Show of which the Guild can be very proud.

My final thoughts go out to those members who have lost a close friend in the WQG, this year. In all that we do, their spirit, and their love of quilting and friendship in the guild will be with us. Thank you again for a great year.

Respectfully,
Larry Godinez
President, Wiltwyck Quilters Guild