Dear CWR Friends:
We hope that those of you who journeyed to Albuquerque for our 21st annual conference returned home speedily to your families and your congregations!
This year’s conference delivered all of the experiences that we have come to expect at this event: heartfelt prayer, pleasant socializing, active networking, inspirational presentations and practical workshops.
We were most grateful that Richard Rohr, OFM was able to serve as our keynote speaker, and that Sister Annmarie Sanders, IHM closed our conference with her thoughts on contemplative communications. The full video of Fr. Richard’s presentation will be available soon.
We honored our veteran members with 5-year, 10-year, 15-year, and 20-year commemorative pins. View the complete list of these talented and dedicated individuals, as well as photos from the conference.
We also recognized and thanked our four outgoing Board members: Sister Paulette Gardner, SSA, Julie Gilberto-Brady, Stephanie Manseau and Paula Schultz.
Visioning the Future: A New Strategic Plan for CWR
Julie Gilberto-Brady gave a clear and comprehensive presentation of the new CWR strategic plan, which grew out of the capacity-building study conducted by American City Bureau and funded by the Conrad Hilton Foundation.
CWR is submitting a second grant application for start-up funding to implement the new strategic plan. The brochure outlining the Strategic Plan is available in PDF format on the CWR web site.
CWR Business Meeting
During the CWR Business Meeting:
- CWR members acclaimed four new Board members: Rochelle Cassella, Dave Eck, Sarah Jenkins and Jean Merry.
- Sister Beth Kress, PBVM, Board Treasurer, gave a finance update.
- Carol Shuck Scheiber, NRVC liaison to the CWR Board, gave a report on the organization’s initiatives.
- Conference 2016 Committee Chair Kathy Gatliff shared information on next year’s event in Indianapolis.
- By a show of hands, CWR members confirmed support for the new strategic plan.
CWR Board of Directors meeting, Friday, Oct. 9
The meeting opened with a prayer shared by Sister Beth Kress, PBVM.
September Board meeting minutes were approved.
The current Board Executive Team was re-elected for 2016: Chair – Eileen Dickerson, Vice Chair – Sister Angela Szczawinska, CSFN and Treasurer – Sister Beth Kress, PBVM.
Chair Eileen Dickerson asked Board members to share their observations on the annual conference. All thought the conference went well and provided members with spiritual insights, useful information and networking opportunities. Suggestions for improvement were offered.
Attendee evaluations were studied in depth and discussed. All comments and suggestions for improvement were noted and recorded for reference for future conferences.
The Board congratulated Conference Chair Stephanie Hall and her committee on an excellent job in planning and carrying out our annual in-person meeting!
The Board thanked Julie Giberto-Brady, Chair of the Hilton Grant Study Committee, for her comprehensive and clear presentation of the new CWR Strategic Plan. We now wait for approval of the grant application by the Conrad Hilton Foundation. A decision will likely be received in December.
The Board also thanked LCWR liaison Sister Annmarie Sanders, IHM, for giving an inspiring presentation on contemplative communications.
Conference 2016 Chair Kathy Gatliff reported that her committee has many details for the event next year (Oct. 4-7, 2016) in Indianapolis already in place.
Development Chair Kate Martin is looking for volunteers for her committee and will soon be posting more information about what it entails. The Board asks members to please consider assisting on this committee so that we can continue to have more participation by sponsors, exhibitors and advertisers at our conferences.
Susan Oxley submitted the Coordinator’s Report, showing that CWR now has 193 members, not including the 9 founding members (170 individual members, 23 associate members). She also reported that there were 134 attendees for this year’s conference.
The Marketing Committee was thanked and congratulated for the new promotional materials they created this year, which were on display at the conference: a stand-up floor banner, a CWR table runner and new brochures.
The Finance Committee submitted a written report.
Thank you for helping to make our 21st annual conference our highest attended conference ever!
CWR Board of Directors
Eileen Dickerson, Chair
Sister Angela Szczawinska, CSFN, Vice Chair
Sister Beth Kress, PBVM, Treasurer
Sister Paulette Gardner, SSA
Kathy Gatliff
Julie Gilberto-Brady
Stephanie Hall
Jennifer Kaminski
Stephanie Manseau
Kate Martin
Paula Staisiunas Schultz
Annmarie Sanders, IHM, LCWR Liaison
Carol Shuck Scheiber, NRVC Liaison
“Please remember that the benefits you receive as a member of CWR are made possible by an ALL VOLUNTEER Board and committees. CWR can thrive and grow as long as our members volunteer their gifts through Board and committee service.”