Lethbridge Regional Women’s Committee - Meeting Minutes - Oct. 06/2020

Lethbridge Regional Women’s Committee

Virtual meeting via Zoom - October 06, 2020 @ 6:00pm MDT

Meeting Minutes

 

Attendance:

Stephanie Erb (30048), Sherry Hunt (30048), Karen Mah (30048), Danielle Poissant (30907), Krysty Thomas (30048), Dolly Ablitt (Calgary PSAC Rep) 

 

The meeting was called to order at 6:01 pm

 

1) Adoption of Agenda

 

2) Review previous meetings minutes (June 25, 2020) 

• minutes were accepted as presented

 

3) Financial report – S Erb.  

• Two cheques were deposited, dated June 24 and Aug 2 for $500 each. Closing balance on Sep 30 was $1806.06.  S Erb will add the cheque numbers to the report.

• K Thomas motioned to accept the financial report and D Poissant seconded. 

• K Mah questioned the $7 monthly bank fee.  S Erb explained that the community account always had the $5 monthly fee and that the $2 was required for a print statement. 

• S Erb wanted to get an ATM card to deposit cheques.  At the next bank visit, she will ask about this as well as the possibility of having the fees reduced. 

• D Ablitt mentioned that committees aren’t allowed a bank card for withdrawals but one could get a card for deposits.  Both her and Marianne Hladuk are not concerned about the bank fee as it is the cost of doing business.

• The financial report was passed unanimously

 

4) Old business:

a) YWCA cheque delivery 

i) S Erb explained that the first cheque was stale dated (over 6 months). A second cheque will be voided as the amount was incorrect. 

b) Update on Area Council Mask project  

i) K Thomas had asked for $300 to donate to Stitch it Forward, who supplied material for mask kits.  Volunteers put together 25 kits (each kit containing 5 masks) and the majority have been handed out. There are still a few kits left, which will be donated to Harbour House and Sage Clan.  S Erb added that she also had a few kits. 

c) Children’s Art Contest  

i) S Hunt reported that the event wrapped up on Sept 30. K Thomas was selected as the judge.  Total cost was $1400, 12 entries were received and every entrant received a prize. 

ii) Parents expressed interested in getting a calendar of the entries. K Thomas suggested that the Women’s committee pay for the cost to print calendars at $9 each. S Hunt suggested that the calendars be sold at $10 and the money would go to Harbour House and Sage Clan.  D Ablitt suggested adding in union facts about the occupations (e.g. nurses) that were drawn. S Hunt mentioned adding suggestions on special days (e.g. sending a valentine to a senior). K Thomas added that important dates to the labour movement could be highlighted.  She stated that the colouring contest Facebook post had 12000 visits. Everyone supported the calendar proposal.

d) 24 Hour Emergency Care Package Project with Sage Clan

i) K Thomas has purchased most of the items. 

ii) All volunteers will meet at Kinsmen park Thursday, Oct 8 at 5pm to put the packages together.

e) Labour Day 

i) most of the committee members were able to volunteer for the Soup Kitchen.  

ii) K Thomas asked about the funds ($800) that would normally go towards a bouncy castle on Labour Day. S Hunt confirmed that the funds would go to the Labour Council.

f) Sisters In Spirit Walk and Vigil – S Hunt proposed that $150 be donated for this event.  There was unanimous approval.

 

5) New business

a. Person’s Day 

i) S Hunt asked if the committee wanted to support the 3rd Sunday brunch at the Soup Kitchen.  A $200 donation was proposed and 6-8 Committee members and Labour District Council members would volunteer.  To mark the day, attendees could also receive a flower. There was unanimous support for the idea. 

ii) D Ablitt asked about provincial health standards and the use of thermometers.  S Hunt discussed the measures taken by the organizers at the Soup Kitchen (e.g. wearing masks, increased distancing in seating of attendees)

b. Coutts Food Bank Drive – S Hunt mentioned that K Slattery had enquired about support for this event. Everyone supported an increase in the donation to $300

c. December 6th Action? 

i) S Hunt hopes to have the calendars ready for sale. 

ii) K Mah suggested doing another brunch at the Soup Kitchen. 

iii) S Hunt and D Poissant talked about asking that the teepee in Medicine Hat be lit up in commemoration.  

d. City of Lethbridge Childcare Resolution – S Hunt will send out the resolution for comment.  A letter will be sent to the mayor to ask him to support a national child care plan and to write other cities to ask them to do the same.  Please email comments before Friday. 

 

6) Roundtable: 

• D. Poissant – Mustard Seed has been taking over a lot of homeless outreach.  She will reach out to see if they need help. 

• K Thomas – PRC is meeting on Thursday, however there is no women’s committee representative. Hopefully decisions will be made in regards to finance.

• D Ablitt – office is not opening anytime soon, only 30% of workforce should be in the office.  Decisions need to be made in regards to how to run larger meetings and maintain secret ballots. Some components are set up for mail-in ballots. 

• K Mah – idea of getting a women’s committee article of clothing (e.g. t-shirt) to wear during outreach events. There was unanimous support.  S Erb mentioned PSAC in the community t-shirts.  

 

7) Next meeting (#5) will be Tuesday, November 3rd at 6pm 

 

K Thomas motioned to adjourn the meeting and S Erb seconded. Meeting was adjourned at 7:15 MDT pm.