Let me start off this Newsletter with great news!! As of February 11th we had filled four of the six Executive positions which need to be filled by the February AGM meeting. Suzanne Patchell has agreed to be our Treasurer, Norine McCaffrey has agreed to be our Member-atLarge, Joan Gold and Sonia Milanez have agreed to act as our Librarians, and Laurel Hickey has agreed to be our Newsletter editor. All of the Executive positions are for a two-year term and all members are expected to attend monthly Executive meetings which are held on the first Monday after our Guild meeting.

We did set up a phoning committee and most members of the guild will be receiving a phone call this month as a last ditch attempt to encourage members to fill the remaining Executive positions which are: Programs and Vice-President. If we can find a group of 3 or 4 members interested in working on the Program for our monthly meetings then we are set for another two years of exciting learning and discovery. There is much, much to learn about the many facets of quilting. The Programs inspire us and currently I am getting my creative juices flowing by trying to piece a quilt back. I was inspired by our January speaker, Felicity Ronaghan who is co-president of the Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild. Even though I have a very large stash I find that I still must go shopping for yet more fabric. So, you see folks, our Programs and Workshops are most important for each of us and for the general economy of Canada. By serving on the Programs committee you will be doing a national and public service.

I would like to quote from an email I received from our new Treasurer, Suzanne. She writes: “I have so enjoyed being on the raffle quilt committee and I’ve always felt that you only get as much from a group as you are prepared to give.” That statement is so true. Thank you Suzanne for reminding us of that.

Dorothy Porter has said that members are becoming very good at giving her the written total of the circumferences of their Show and Tell. In January we had a total of 6, 913 quilt inches with a grant total of 25,976 inches or 659.3 metres. At the January meeting it was delightful fun to open a brown envelope and see a beautiful fat quarter in there. It was a gift from the Inuvik Quilting Guild. The Challenge continues for just two more months.

We are going to have a very busy AGM this month with lots of business; time taken to thank all of the members who really help our evenings and months flow smoothly; Show and Tell; plus a program which is piquing my interest. And our Raffle Quilts are going to be on display.

If you enjoy the monthly meetings with its Show and Tell and great Program then please think about how you can contribute. THE FUTURE OF THE LIONS GATE QUILTERS GUILD IS IN YOUR HANDS!!

Happy Quilting,
Betty