Dear CWR Friends:
In the interest of keeping you informed, the Communicators for Women Religious Board of Directors shares highlights of our monthly meetings. The Board met via videoconference on Tuesday, Nov. 15.
Sister Beth Kress, PBVM opened the meeting, sharing a prayer with the members.
Board Chair Eileen Dickerson, reporting for the Executive Team, informed the Board that a letter was sent, on behalf of the Board and CWR members, to Archbishop Joseph Tobin, C.S.s.R., thanking him for his inspirational presence at the CWR conference and congratulating him on his elevation to cardinal.
Eileen said that Rochelle Cassella resigned from the CWR Board, effective 11/1/16. The schedule required by her position as Direction of Communication for the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities prevents her from attending all of the Board’s meetings. The Board now needs to appoint someone to complete Rochelle’s term, in keeping with CWR’s by-laws.
The Strategic Plan Implementation Committee will not meet until Dec. 1, so no report was presented.
Executive Director Nick Schafer is in the process of researching possible candidates for a non-member seat on the CWR Board.
Sister Deborah Borneman, SSCM, Director of Member Relations and Services for the National Religious Vocation Conference (NRVC) invited Nick to present at the NRVC convocation. Nick gave a report to their members. He suggested a possible idea for a future conference topic/panel could be: How communicators and vocation ministers collaborate.
Nick told the Board that he had a good meeting with CWR’s international members at the conference. Membership Committee Chair Sarah Jenkins and Conference 2107 Committee Chair Dave Eck also participated in the meeting.
CWR Treasurer Beth Kress, PBVM, gave the bank and investment balances for the end of the Third Quarter. Sister Beth reported that our contracted CPA completed the 2015 compilation and filing of reports to the IRS. She also shared that the Finance Committee and the Executive Director are working on the 2017 budget.
Marketing Committee Co-Chair Jennifer Kaminski reported the following: “The committee is exploring exhibitor and advertising options to include in its 2017 budget. It recommends that CWR do an exhibit booth at the Catholic Media Conference in June in Quebec City, Canada. This would reach a new audience who could look to CWR as a resource about Catholic Sisters. We also plan to design a new tabletop banner and/or an unusual backdrop for our booth. We hope to do Facebook advertising and possibly consider advertising in Canada to promote CWR membership as well as next year’s conference.”
Membership Committee Chair Sarah Jenkins said that her committee is reviewing the conference evaluations about the orientation session and will use the input for planning and marketing a session for Conference 2017.
Conference 2016 Committee Chair Kathy Gatliff said that the committee would like to thank all those who attended this year. “We appreciated the comments made on the evaluation forms and have referred specific changes to the 2017 committee, including having lunch open for networking.”
Development Committee Chair Kate Martin sent thank you letters to all Conference 2016 sponsors and exhibitors. She is now turning her attention to Conference 2017. She would appreciate volunteers for her committee as well as any ideas for sponsors and exhibitors for the Niagara Falls event.
Conference 2017 Committee Chair Dave Eck submitted a preliminary conference schedule to the Board for review. He and his committee are working on lining up workshop presenters. Dave said that, after reviewing Conference 2016 evaluations, no luncheon speakers will be scheduled so that members have more time for networking and socializing.
Next Board videoconference: Tuesday, Dec. 13, 11:30 a.m. EST
Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving to all!
CWR Board of Directors
Eileen Dickerson, Chair
Sister Angela Szczawinska, CSFN, Vice Chair
Sister Beth Kress, PBVM, Treasurer
Dave Eck
Kathy Gatliff
Stephanie Hall
Sarah Jenkins
Jennifer Kaminski
Kate Martin
Jean Merry
Annmarie Sanders, IHM, LCWR Liaison
Carol Shuck Scheiber, NRVC Liaison