A group of Kindergarten moms at Mulgrave School would like help making a quilt representing their children, to be  auctioned off on May 10th at a School Spring Gala. The teacher and parents already have some ideas but need some more help. The quilter/s would have to help with sewing squares of fabric together and quilting the project. They have money set aside for the project and are flexible. For further information please contact Betty Clarke (604-926-7098).

Here once again is the list of executive positions that will become vacant in February, 2012, along with a short bio by each member currently running for a new executive position.

Vice-President
This person assumes the duties of the President in her/his absence. Oversees the storage locker and post office box rentals.

Candidate: Katherine Morgan, currently Member-at-Large
“I have been a quilter and a sewer off and on for many years, but got re-acquainted with quilting in 2001 when I was working on the north shore and a friend brought me to a LGQG meeting as a guest. I joined in time to enter a quilt in the next quilt show! Since then I’ve enjoyed the programs, workshops, quilt shows, bus trips, community quilts, and especially COPS days (they’re like a day spa of quilting). For the last year I’ve been a Member at Large, and I have now volunteered to run for the Vice President position as I enjoy being on the Board and contributing to the success of our guild.”

Treasurer
Responsible for all accounting tasks related to Guild business, including preparation of year-end financial statements and required tax returns, as well as preparation of draft and final budgets each year . Presents all budget and financial report details to members at each year’s AGM.

Candidate: Bena Luxton, currently Treasurer

Newsletter Editor
Prepares and distributes the guild newsletter for each of the 9 months of January through June and September through November.

Candidate: Colleen Bohan
“I started quilting about ten years ago when I took a beginner class from a friend. I have been a member of LGQG for five or six years. I’m interested in both traditional and modern quilting. I also like to make bags. I enjoy hand quilting just as much as machine. My only regret is that I don’t have enough time to work on all the projects I’d like to!”

Program Coordinator
Prepares the Program for each guild meeting, including all arrangements for guest speakers and presenters.

Candidate: Andrea Cowie, with committee members Paula Bohan and JoAnne Lee

Members at Large
The two Members at Large (one is elected each year) provide another communication channel to the executive. Responsibilities include greeting people at the door for meetings, coordinating the 50/50 draw, and providing assistance for “show and tell.” A Member at Large, in the second year of the term, will also be the Nominating Committee Coordinator for future elections.

Candidate: Joan Elliott (one-year term)
“I began taking quilting classes in 1997 in an attempt to use up some bits of fabric that I had. In January of 1998, (taking more classes) one of my class mates asked if I’d like to go to the Lions Gate Quilt Guild meeting with her. At the membership table was someone I knew from work and it was a nice surprise that made me feel more at ease right away. I’ve been a member ever since. In 2004, I started working at the Thread Bear and enjoyed it very much; the staff, the fabric and the customers made it a great environment to be in and when the store closed in 2008, I really, really missed all of it. I think that the company of the members is one of the main reasons for being a part of this Guild and, while I’ve always entered two quilts each time we have a show and have always volunteered to help at those times, it’s time to do a bit more. Plus, I’d get to hang out with the cool people.”

Candidate: Terri Gareth (two-year term)
“I started quilting about 30 years ago before the days of templates and rotary cutters! In the last decade I revived my passion with an occasional course but it’s only been since my full time retirement in 2008 that I’ve had the time to give quilting the attention it deserves. I treated myself to a Bernina Artista last year and that sent me down a different path of new technology. I’m planning holiday trips around quilt stores – an adjunct to the geology stops we always make!! Best fun of all is making quilts for babies born into our circle of family and friends and donations to Community Quilts. The guild is a great community of creative, talented women and men and I appreciate all the help I’ve received to date. It is with pride and excitement that I join the executive group and hope I can be of some help to the organization.”

Librarian
Responsible for set up and take down of library at each guild meeting, recording of books in and out, library fines, and the purchase of new additions to the library.

Candidate: Margo Novak, with helper Debbie Speight
“I have attended the Guild’s Quilt Shows for many years but have only been a member for about a year and a half since ‘graduating from work.’ As a relatively new member, I thought that looking after the library would be a good way to contribute to the Guild and to meet other members (and my first career was as a librarian!) I enjoy the Guild meetings and workshops and look forward to participating in more classes and making new friendships.”

All of the above positions are two-year terms and require the elected members to attend monthly Executive meetings.

EXTRA EXTRA! A Special, Wonderful, Exciting door prize for members only! If you are a member of the guild, even if you haven’t renewed your membership for the 2012/2013 year, you are eligible for this fantastic door prize donated by Matt of The Quilted Bear:

***A Bali Pop package and Bali Pop book entitled Strip Therapy, by Brenda Henning. A total retail value of $65.00! ***

How can you enter for this fantastic membership door prize? If you were a member of the 2011/2012 year, you already are. If you are a new member, your name will go in the bag too. All you have to do is be present at the AGM, February guild meeting, and be sure to be wearing your name tag.

For those of you who have already handed in your membership renewals, thank you. For those who still need to renew, try out the membership form online. It is a pdf format that you can type your information right into and them print it, off, sign, and bring along with your cheque to the February meeting. New Membership cards will be available at the break during the February meeting.

Kate Burzuk
Membership Coordinator

Happy New Year, everyone. I hope everyone had a restful break and is ready to begin a busy and exciting new year of sewing and quilting. We are working our way toward a June Quilt Show with all of the fun, hard work and perhaps a little stress involved in that endeavour.

But before the Quilt Show comes we have our Annual General Meeting in February along with Executive Elections. During the business portion of our January meeting we will have the second and final discussion period about changes to our Constitution. Please go to our website and read through the Guild Constitution and the Community Quilts Constitution. If you have questions please bring them to the meeting or email them to Joan Herrin, Anne Pelton or myself.

As you read through these documents you will be able to see comprehensive write ups on the executive positions. To date we need only two positions to be filled, those of Vice President and Member-at-Large. In other words we have had 4 people come forward and offer to take on the positions of Treasurer, Programs, Library and Newsletter Editor. The Nominating Committee will make phone calls to each member of the Guild next month if we cannot fill the last two positions. So, please consider accepting a role on the executive as either Vice President or as a Member-at-Large.

At the Executive Meeting on November 28th we decided to increase guild fees to $50 a year. We read and listened to input from our membership and from other guilds’ executives’ comments. We listened to our Treasurer lay out our financial situation and then we made this decision. Any further concerns about our finances can be addressed at the February meeting when Bena Luxton gives her Treasurer’s report. Some other guilds are also having to implement membership increases.

We have business to attend to and money to spend. For what? To quilt, to sew, to hang out with friends/quilters, to learn, to give back to the community and to create.

I want to quote a few lines from the Introduction of one of my favourite books: The Gentle Art of Quiltmaking by Jane Brocket. “I hope to reassure tentative quilters….that quilting is easy and incredibly enjoyable, that anyone can do it in an ordinary home environment and without a dedicated room or table or design board, and that you don’t need hundreds of expensive fabrics. And I would like to convince you that, with a few fabrics and a small number of specialist tools you can create gorgeous quilts that reflect something of their maker’s personality and individuality, quilts that give pleasure both in the making and the finished article.”

We have a lot of wonderful workshops, exciting programs, Community Quilts days and in June a Quilt Show to look forward to.

I wish you all a healthy, happy and successful quilting New Year.

Happy Quilting,
Betty

You’ve read the pleas in the newsletter, you’ve heard the pleas at the meeting: we’re still looking for candidates for Vice-President and Member-at-Large.

• Vice-President: assumes the duties of the President in his/her absence; oversees the storage locker and post office box rentals
• Member-at-Large (one of two): greets members; coordinates the 50/50 draw; provides assistance for “Show and Tell”; sends cards to members who are ill or in need of support; in second year of term, chairs the Nominating Committee

Please consider putting your name forward for these positions; the responsibilities are small and the benefits are huge.