Anne Harvey, President, Board of Trustees president@westsideuuc.org
Dear Members and Friends,
A letter concerning the auction alternative for this fiscal year has already been posted on the E-dition. You will be receiving this letter by snail mail soon. At our Congregational Meeting last May, we voted to accept the 2015-2016 budget. As in the past, this budget depended on the proceeds from the annual auction. Well, there wasn’t an annual auction. No one was able to volunteer due time restraints, family and job commitments, and health issues. You name it. We all had honest reasons to not take on this time and energy consuming commitment.
Fortunately, Kathy Spoon and Elizabeth Corbett committed to finding another way to find these much required funds. Their brainstorming has resulted in the 2016 Alternative Auction! Kathy and Elizabeth asked Terry Tyler, Finance Chair, and me, President, to meet with them to work through finances and logistics. We all agreed that the auction has always been a source of socializing with members and friends in small groups to get to know each other and raise the needed funds for the church. And, the feedback from you has confirmed the need for this social outlet. In 2007 when I started attending Westside, the small group social activities that I signed up for at the annual auctions allowed me to develop close friends that bonded me to our church.
As you read the alternative auction letter, please consider three opportunities. Firstly, consider donating the amount that you have provided at the auction in the past. Secondly, if you have provided an auction activity in the past, volunteer to provide it at a fixed priced item. If you spent a large amount of money and energy to provide this auction item, consider providing the activity at a fixed price at a lower cost and energy input. Thirdly, if you have not provided an activity in the past, consider providing a fixed priced activity for a small group.
What could you offer as a fixed priced activity to balance the budget and just as importantly have our members and friends interact and feel part of Westside?
Recently, I attended a beginner’s 101 fermentation class. I’m going to ask the instructor if she would volunteer to lead a class. I’m making sauerkraut!
I am going to host a Tex-Mex dinner. I did it two years ago. I am going to tone it down price wise on my part, but will still have Margaritas if a guest volunteers to squeeze the limes.
How many of us have walked on the Greenway that borders our church? I am offering to lead a walk that ends at one of the restaurants close by without crossing Campbell Station Road. We won’t get lost on this hike!
Get the idea for fixed priced activities? Elvis would come back from Planet IX if you offered peanut butter and banana sandwiches!
If all us of contribute to what we have in past auctions and volunteer to do a fixed priced activity, we can meet our affirmed voted 2015-20016 budget, celebrate our effort at a closing party, and have fun doing it.
But more importantly, let’s make a commitment to interact with other members and friends of Westside in at least one activity that is offered during our Alternative Auction.
I am so glad to be a part of Westside. And, I am continually grateful to our founding members who built this church.
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