CT AMC Conservation Committee

Attendance:  John Crist, Andrew May, Adriana Gabarron, Jamie Lee, Aimee Santeler, Keith Santeler, Russ Charest, and Jim O’Rourke

• Committee Business
• Announcements/Successes
• CCC

Celebrated John Crist acceptance of Clubwide Conservation Co-chair with snacks and an awesome carrot cake made by Aimee (Thank you).  She promised to share the recipe J

We will add a standing agenda item to have updates from the clubwide conservation.  John suggested that maybe we can do more to bring together all the conservation chapters.   More to come…

• MWI Update (John)

With the help of both Aimee and Adriana raise another $121 selling bags for the MWI.

John will continue to keep us posted on what options are available to us for our donation.

Further discussions included how to continue to reach our goal (BTW… we need about $1300 more)

˙        Blueberry Pancake Breakfast – Andrew to reach out to see if this can be coordinated with FCG

˙        Annual Gathering in December… ‘Pass the Hat” and sell more bags

˙        Jamie to contact local org/natural grocery stores to set up bags… need more info cards regarding MWI to attach to bags.

• Special Project Funds (Jamie)

We received approval for another order of 150 bags and SPF will match our cost with $300 on the condition that the bags are self sustaining and we replenish our stock.  Which means we will need to take off about $4.00 from the sell to put back into inventory?

I will work on putting together an inventory log to track the next order of bag.

• EMS Club Days

Jamie and Bob tabled at the event and sold almost another $100 dollars towards the MWI.

• Naugatuck Earth Day

Andrews duck loss and he’s still bitter J 

The tabling went well… Andrew was there with Chris Rees from Young Members and they spoke to over 60 people and sold a few more bags for MWI.

Andrew also made a connection to possibly arrange a tour of a hydro plant.  More to come…

• Review Activities budgeted for:  (Jamie)    
• Special Project Funds (Jamie)
• Jamie will place the order for the 150 bags and set up inventory sheet to track and maintain
• T-shirts
• It was decided that Andrew and Russ as a side venture explore funding and purchasing a small number of t-shirts to see if worth exploring a conservation theme later in the year if budget allows.
• Andrew and Russ will work this venture with a MWI theme to gather more money to be used toward donations.  Need to decide on design for t-shirts… e-mails will be coming out and looking for your input.
• If t-shirts do well maybe committee will investigate a conservation them to continue into next year to be used at events and raise conservation awareness.
• Will also look into applying for special project funds again next year.
• Status on Hike w/ Rep Chris Murphy (Andrew)
• All systems go… planning to attend hike are Jamie, Andrew, John and Russ (update:  Jamie missed the hike L)
• Article (Interview w/Santeler's on how they are making a difference)  
• Andrew to send out questions and to research further biofuels for the article.
• Coalition to expand the bottle bill
• Look to do a CAN Announcement for Fall
• Start now knowing the turnaround time to get the announcement out there
• Upcoming Events 
• June 7^th Trails Day
• Update Invasive Species Hike in June 28th / 29th  (Jamie)
• Adriana is getting her co-lead on for this hike… go Adriana!
• Planning to attend hike are Jamie, Adriana, Andrew, John, Russ and ‘it’s about time’ Jim J (maybe)
• July 2^nd meeting – Guest Speaker on BioFuels
• All set for guest speaker
• Will make it a social with appetizers and drinks.  (Jamie will bring), but anyone feel free to bring something.
• Conservation Training on Global Warming – June 20^th
• WHAT: Training, Speakers and Networking with regional activists
  WHEN: June 20th-22nd
  WHERE: Yale University Campus, New Haven, CT
  Rideshares, mileage cost coverage, meals and accommodations, and more available!
  *************************
  Please contact Mary Anne Jaffe by email mary.anne.jaffe@sierraclub.org or by phone 518-587-9166 to sign up, get more information OR to nominate someone from your chapter or group.
  
  
• Round Table Discussion
• August 6^th meeting will be a Conservation Happy Hour with a small hike and social with food (possibly huge sub sandwhich), drinks and maybe sell more bags for MWI.  Advertise a small fee and use money toward MWI (John and Russ in charge)
• Advertise and get on short notice and possibly yahoo group
• I can also send to exec comm. group for them to share with their committee’s

Action Items:

Andrew:

˙        Article on Biofuels – send questions to group and Santeler’s to get the ball rolling

˙        MWI Pancake Breakfast – check into coordinating with FCG

˙        Contact David G… for more info cards on MWI

˙        Work with Russ on t-shirts

John/Russ:

˙        Work together on the August Conservation HH/Social/Hike

Jamie:

˙        Set up inventory tracking for eco bags

˙        Work with local organic/natural grocery store to sell more bags

˙        Will bring booze to August Conservation HH and will send advertisement/announcement to exec group to share with their comm.

Aimee/Keith: