EVFAC Live/Zoom: All members board meeting 9-28-2024

EVFAC Live/Zoom all members board meeting 9-28-2024  

Attendees:  

Board members:  Dain Daller (President), Leigh Alexander (Treasurer), Mark Bond (Vice President), Maria Jonsson (Board member at large), Mary Pahl (New Secretary)

Employees:  Debbie Harris (Retail Manager), Kim Zitzow (Director), Amanda Speer (Education Coordinator)

Members:  Suzie Fowler-Tutt, Trish Spillman, Robbie Berg, Miranda Gray, Suzie Hart, Gloria Padilla, Carol Newkirk, Nancy Woodworth, Bob Davis, Clarity Kijs, Lyndsay Remerowski (Volunteer) 

Meeting began 1:10pm.    

ACTION ITEMS:

-Heating and cooling installed for the building (completed)

-New lights installed in building (completed)

-Eblast membership drive/Eblast volunteer drive-need more volunteers

-New volunteer for doing EVFAC membership duties:  Robbie Berg will help out

-Mary Pahl voted in as new Secretary of board

-Youth fiber studio underway in building

-Lecture series beginning at EVFAC

-Need more funding for weaving for disabled adults LANL?

-Fall Fiber Fiests at Scottish Rite Temple and Montezuma Lodge-volunteers?

-EVFAC name won the election-work to change records where needed to complete process

EVFAC membership:  Lyndsay Remerowski

Our membership is up, total of 250 members, 180 before covid.  We average 8 new members a month, with 10 members lapsing in their membership.  Need to find someone else to volunteer for EVFAC membership.  Need to have Microsoft Access 2010 to work on membership duties.   Automatic renewal for membership by email, if members don’t want to renew they respond.  Membership volunteer duties require a couple of hours a month.  Need to do a membership drive to get more members.  Does auto renewal retain CC info, no.  Streamline/modernize EVFAC membership shopify or paypal.  Robbie Berg will help out with membership duties.

New Board Secretary:  Mary Pahl

Trish moved that we vote in Mary Pahl as EVFAC new board secretary, Robbie seconded.  All were in favor.

Financial Report:  Leigh

EVFAC is still doing well financially with classes etc.  We have spent some money on improvements i.e. healing/cooling mini-split system ($43,000), and new lighting.  Hourly wage raises for Kim and Debbie.  Debbie works 40 hours a week, Kim works 30 hours per week.  Contingent on our donor who will pay in January 2025, we are going to hold off on the solar for now ($96,000).  Paid with credit card w/12% interest.  We should be able to pay off the mini-split system in January 2025.  EVFAC has been breaking even at best, hired a Director last year.  Discussion on being open another day.  We need a budget for 2025.  Post the budget on the website.   

Directors Report: Kim Zitzow

In process of redoing the class registration process.  Shopify is main point of sales system which is helpful for bookkeeping.  

Working on a youth fiber studio.  We had a fiber camp for kids this past summer, very successful.  Raised $23,000 for summer camp, McCune grant and United Way grant.  

Mark Bond is 3-d printing rigid heddle looms for kids to use, interns or teachers.  Several schools in ABQ a reaching out for these looms.  Mark 3-d printing looms at “Maker’s Space” in ABQ.  EVFAC maybe can get more grants for inexpensive looms.  Not selling these looms, strictly for educational purposes.  

Peg Ickes is helping with teaching teachers, 3rd Sunday every month.

Mini-split system working well, our old swamp cooler died.  Kim advocating for solar, will save money in the long run.

Starting a lecture series, first program about Churro coming up, honorarium $200.  

Retail Managers Report:  Debbie

Comparing our retail sales from 2023 we are up 29% in 2024.  Brown Sheep yarn, needle felting products and more consignment yarn, Badger yarns (Mark) sell well.  Trying to get more local yarn/weaving yarns to replace Clagsens yarn.  We have a new order in for sewing notions.  Michelle is helping out 2 days a week.  EVFAC needs a long term volunteer, need more volunteer help at the center.  Maybe we could offer a free membership for doing some cleaning at center? punch card?  Debbie and Kim will have a meeting about creating incentives for cleaning at EVFAC.  Free EVFAC rentals for cleaning at center?  Carol N. asked if EVFAC sells local churro yarn, batting, etc.  Very hard right now to get Churro yarn processed, mills are backed up, not enough mills in New Mexico.  Need to have a membership and volunteer drive, eblast.      

Gloria P. mentioned that teachers need to clean up after classes.  Gloria and Suzie have been cleaning up after them.  Need to mention this when teachers propose classes.  Maybe Amanda can stress this to the teachers.

Maria asked about in-kind volunteer hours.  For every hour volunteers log on website, EVFAC gets $31.75 in volunteer hour credit (does not include board meetings for board members)  Folks should log their volunteer hours on EVFAC website nonetheless.    

Educational Report:  Amanda

Amanda works 16 hours a month usually (4-8 hours a week).  Now she is working 8 hours a week in the lead up to FFF.  EVFAC has lots of teachers, lots of students.  More advanced classes are not filling up as much.  November may have been over-scheduled May have to reschedule some of theses classes later on.  Dye tanning classing is expensive but if 2 want to do it 2nd person would cost only $75 more.  

Vanessa Harris classes for disabled getting more popular, she may need an assistant, Kate Jacobsen maybe can fill in here and there.  Need funding for this program. LANL used to fund this, look into getting grant money from them.  

February 2024 Churro Week event, around Valentines day.  Los Luceros, lamb dinner.  Discussion about having dinner at EVFAC, Los Luceros etc....  Northern Rio Grande Heritage Area (NRGHA) getting more involved at Los Luceros.  Sheep need to be shorn when they need it (EVFAC pays for this).  Where can we have the lamb dinner?  Mission Espanola?  Need teachers for Churro Week, Carol will teach.  Bob maybe will build a new thumper by Churro week?

Fall Fiber Fiesta:  Filled up in 1 day, 18 people on waiting list.  Have rented Montezuma Lodge (8 x 5 ’ spaces) now for overflow just on Saturday and Sunday.  Parking may be a problem.  Tables included for folks at Montezuma lodge whoever needs them.  Also fiber demos in lobby area, Carol will help with this.  Raffle for a free class if people visit both Scottish Rite Temple and Montezuma Lodge.  Discussion about jury or not jury for FFF.  EVFAC wants to be inclusive, first come first served.  Will have 2 tables at Montezuma Lodge for consignment items (10 item limit) with 20% going to EVFAC for those who don’t want to have their own booth.  Volunteers for FFF, Lyndsay will help.        

EVFAC/NMFAC Vote results:  Mark

The EVFAC name won the most votes.  Steps will be taken to revert everything back to Espanola Valley Fiber Art Center.

Artist of the Month back at EVFAC.  Trish Spillman, our founder, currently has her work displayed in one of the front windows.  Trish talked about a members group show in May or both April and May at EVFAC.  Good idea.  Also Trish talked about a show and tell in May, and upcycling/recycling show with a lower consignment rate.

Amanda motioned to end the all members board meeting, Mary seconded.

Meeting ended at 2:58pm

EVFAC Board and all members meeting 7-25-2024 via ZOOM

EVFAC Board and all members meeting 7-25-2024 via ZOOM 

Attendees:  

Board members:  Dain Daller (President), Leigh Alexander (Treasurer), Mark Bond (Vice President), Maria Jonsson (Secretary), Mary Pahl, Roy Kady

Employees:  Debbie Harris (Retail Manager), Kim Zitzow (Director), Amanda Speer (Education Coordinator)

Members:  Karen Hampton, Nadina Barnes 

Meeting began 5:12pm.  Maria moved to approve the last meeting minutes (May 9)all in favor  Minutes approved.  

ACTION ITEMS:

-Heating and cooling improvements for the building ongoing.  Kim looking into a short term loan until our donor pays for the heating and cooling improvements in January 2025.

Financial Report:  Leigh

The board looked over the financial report from Jan-July and it appears that our profits are a bit lower than last year at this time.  We just got an Ariat grant $5000.  What has changed since last year?  We hired a new director, we have spent some money on some electrical work, and our insurance went up.  We also increased wages for our staff in 2024.  We have at present $51,000 in our bank account, and 10,000 in a CD.  

Directors Report: Kim Zitzow

The actual cost of the fiber summer camp was $19,000, EVFAC gained a $7000 profit from the camp.  Kim has been getting quotes from various places for heating and cooling improvements at the center.  We have a donor who is going to foot the bill for this and will pay us in January 2025.  We need to take out a short term loan to get it done before 2025.  First quote from Ace Tech seems to be the best, around $40,000, they are a local company and reputable.  Other quotes are higher.  May need an appraisal of building first.  Member Karen Hampton suggested getting a loan from a local credit union instead of a bank, the bank seems to have more fees.  May check with Del Norte Credit Union.  The loan quote we have is from Century Bank.  

The board voted that we go forward with ACE TECH and Dennis Electric of around $46,000 for the new heating/cooling system for EVFAC.  Dain motioned that we vote, Mia seconded, all were in favor.  

Retail Managers Report:  Debbie

We are selling lots of looms at the center.  We seem to have a higher quality of sales.  Being a Kromski dealer is helping our sales.  Artist of the month has started up, artists get a little more but EVFAC still gets 20% of the sales.  Future artists will be Karen Hepburn and Trish Spillman.  Debbie will be gone about 2 weeks in September, Kim Z. will cover for her while she is gone.

Educational Report:  Amanda

We still need more teachers to teach classes at center.  We still make most of our money on classes.  Churro week was discussed, what kind of classes will we have?  Churro week is in October, sheep will be sheared either the 20th or 27th of October at Los Luceros.  Will have classes at center, fleece processing classes, colcha (Julie Gomez maybe), natural dying, thumper, and maybe hide tanning classes.  Roy Kady says he could ask Jay Begay to teach hide tanning.   

All Members Live Meeting on September 28th:

Maria is stepping down as Secretary of EVFAC board, she will continue to be a board member at large.  Mary Pahl will step up as Secretary after our annual meeting in September.  She needs to be voted in as Secretary.  The board agreed that Mary Pahl will be our Secretary.  Leigh motioned and Mia seconded.  

Lyndsay volunteer for EVFAC membership:

It was discussed that if we change the way we do our membership on the computer, Lyndsay was not up for a new system.  But she would continue to do our membership if the system stays the same.  

EVFAC name or NMFAC name discussion:  Mark

We discussed bring back our original name Espanola Valley Fiber Art Center.  We will send out an eblast to our membership, and people can vote and respond via email.  Website good, no changes there.  

Mia motioned that we end the board meeting, Mary seconded, meeting ended at 6:44pm.         

EVFAC Board and all members meeting 5-9-2024 ZOOM

EVFAC Board and all members meeting 5-9-2024 ZOOM 

Attendees:  

Board members:  Dain Daller (President), Leigh Alexander (Treasurer), Mark Bond (Vice President), Maria Jonsson (Secretary), Mary Pahl

Employees:  Debbie Harris (Retail Manager), Kim Zitzow (Director), Amanda Speer (Educ Coordinator)

Members:  Lianne Brown attempted to join meeting by phone but was unsuccessful, (needs to be addressed by board members at next meeting). 

Meeting began 5:15pm.  Dain moved to approve last meeting minutes (3-7-2024), Mark seconded.  Minutes approved.  

ACTION ITEMS:

-Heating and cooling improvements for the building

-Discussion of increased hours and hourly wage increase for Kim our Director

-Hourly wage increase for Debbie our Retail Manager

-Reviving EVFAC Scholarship fund

-Need more volunteers

-UFO group staring up at center

-Need to get more members to renew their membership

-Electrical improvements at center

Jacquard Loom at EVFAC:  Dain and Amanda

Bhakti Ziek contacted Dain and Amanda about acquring a jacquard loom for center.  Write a grant for funding loom.  Bhakti said she knew people who might be willing to give money.  Very expensive at least 10 k.  Not a good fit for EVFAC.  Board tabled the issue indefinately, probably won’t ever happen.

Improving heating system at EVFAC:  

Member Carol Pearsall called and suggested the center look into solar panels for heating and cooling.  Heaters are noisy and distracting during classes and not effective.  Mark suggested heat pumps?  Debbie, existing heaters work well but are loud.  Dain, swamp coolers at center need an overhaul.  He has been maintaining them as necessary, climbing onto the roof.  Need someone else to do this to maintain the swamp coolers.  Swamp coolers recently serviced by a plumber, but they are badly rusting.  Debbie, maybe invest in portable swamp coolers?  Dain, better to fix existing roof units.  Kim will make an appointment with the plumber.  Costs?  Debbie wondered about the state of the buildings insulation, maybe improvements, insulation on roof? Costs?  Mark suggested not replacing heaters but keep them as a backup to whatever replacement we do.  Debbie will consult a HVAC professional for advice.  Heaters are left on all the time which keeps building sufficiently warm, but when doors open there is a cool down.  Kim will consult gas and electric companies for advice.

Electrical Issues:  

Kim and Debbie addressed electrical issues at center.  Upgrade for all fixtures to LED.  Outside breaker box has room for outlet for heat lamp for screen printing.  Very reasonable estimate to upgrade electric including back room lights, bathroom and office $2800.  Debbie will pursue this.
    

Directors Report: Kim Zitzow

Starting to advertise the kids summer fiber camp.  Partnering with Northern Youth projects, interns assisting teachers.  United Way is doing the lunches for the kids.  15 students max in each category of the classes with 4 teachers.  Kim hired a new youth education coordinator Francis Cantor, as Leticia can not do it.  

Retail Managers Report:  Debbie

The center needs more volunteers.  The knitting/crocheting group has not started.  Need a commitment from someone, once a month like Glenna’s spinning group.  No date set yet.  Sales are ok at the center now.   

Unidentified Fiber Objects group (UFO):  Mary

The first gathering for this group will be the 23rd of June, Sunday.  

Financial Update:  Leigh

EVFAC membership is low.  Not a lot of members renewing their membership.  Lets talk to Lyndsay about this.  

Raises for Kim and Debbie and increased hours for Kim:

Kim sent board a document to increase her hours and hourly wage.  Kim has taken on more duties as director during the last year than when she was initially hired in 2023.  The board will discuss and come to some kind of agreement on this during the executive session after the all members meeting (although there were no members at this meeting).  Kim and Debbie are hourly wage employees and not on a salary.     

Reviving Student Scholarship Fund:

Had someone call asking about if EVFAC has scholarship fund.   A student who is taking Gasali ‘s class coming from Louisiana, friend is in class.  Need an application form for scholarship to help with cost of class.  Who will manage this, Debbie, Amanda?  Bringing back Scholarship program to EVFAC.  What is criteria?  

End of all members board meeting and beginning of Executive session which began at 6:32pm          

EVFAC Board and all members meeting 3-7-2024 ZOOM

EVFAC Board and all members meeting 3-7-2024 ZOOM 

Attendees:  

Board members:  Roy Kady, Dain Daller (President), Leigh Alexander (Treasurer), Mark Bond (Vice President), Maria Jonsson (Secretary)

Employees:  Debbie Harris (Retail Manager), Kim Zitzow (Director), Amanda Speer (Educ Coordinator)

Members:  Mary Pahl (potential new board member), Lianne Brown, Nadina Barnes, and possibly someone else via phone

Maria moved to open the meeting at 5:00pm, Lianne seconded.

Mark moved that we approve the last meetings minutes, Leigh seconded.

ACTION ITEMS:

-Voted in Mary Pahl as unofficial board member-will be voted in at all members meeting.  She will start a UFO (unfinished fiber objects) group once a month at center.

-Kim waiting to here about McCune grant $ for youth education events, should know by mid March.

-Summer Youth Fiber Camp planned in month of June (Mon-Thurs).  Ruby and Amanda helping out with teaching, need to reach our for interested middle school and high school students.

-Will install security cameras on center building for added security.

-Open House event being planned to promote youth education program at Center, need demonstrators for this (weaving, print-making, spinning, etc.)

-Phasing out jotforms, replacing with something that will be more streamlined.  

-Working on bringing back Espanola to our name EVFAC.

-Will have a big loom sale again and bringing back Artist of the Month in the front window.

-A small Churro week event is being planned, Los Luceros day is 7th of April, some classes at center the following week.  A larger Churro week is being planned for the fall with NRGHA.

-Increasing hours for Kim our Director and Amanda our education coordinator.  

New Board Member:  Mary Pahl

Mary is from Chimayo, NM and spins, weaves, knits, and crochets.  She has been a member of EVFAC for quite a while.  She has more time now and wants to get involved at center.  She wants to see more walk-in events like Glenna Deans once a month spinning gatherings.  She wants to start a UFO group “unfinished fiber objects” at the center so people can finish their unfinished fiber projects and get group support.  Amanda mentioned motivating the group via zoom, or maybe we can eventually email out to the membership the idea.  The board members approved to have Mary Pahl as an unofficial board member for now until we can vote her in at the all members live meeting later in the year.  We still need help with youth education, Mary said she could help with curriculum writing, but someone else would do the teaching.  She has experience in working at schools.  We are happy to have a new board member!  Amanda will help Mary promote the UFO event at center.

Directors Report: Kim Zitzow

-Emily Trujillo is doing another Ariat/Rio Grande weaving apprenticeship at the center in August.  We have the grant money.  Emily has been teaching many Rio Grande weaving classes at the center, so many people are interested and there is always a long waiting list.

-The center will sponsor a summer youth fiber camp in the month of June (Monday-Thursday).  A young gal by the name of Ruby will help out with the teaching.  Classes include: screen-printing, weaving, knitting, dyeing and spinning.  Classes are free for youth participants (middle school and high school kids).  Amanda will also help teach.  The McCune grant money may help with this, still waiting to hear back from them, should know if we get that grant money by mid-March.  Northern Youth Projects and Camino De Paz middle school were mentioned.  Kim needs help with youth education work.  Need to reach out to get youth participants for camp. 

-Another gal by the name of Amanda Curreri, was interested in joining the board.  She is a print maker and fiber artist.  She has taught at UNM and has taken weaving classes from Dain and bought a big loom from the center.  Hope to hear more on this later on.

-Leticia is still figuring out her health stuff.

-A pick up truck was stolen in the parking lot close to the road in broad daylight.  Need to improve security.  Security cameras have been ordered.  They will be placed in strategic places around the building.  Hopefully this will help security in the surrounding parking lot.

-Still planning on having some kind of Open House event to promote youth education activities, dying and weaving demonstrations etc.

-Got a random $8000 donation today.

-We are eventually going to phase out the jotforms.  We are going to replace the jot form and consolidate another system into Shopify to stream line and simplify our report system.

-Kim will start to organize speakers at EVFAC.  $150 dollars will be paid to lecturers.  Kim meeting with someone to organize speakers at the center          

Financial Update:  Leigh

Discussion of Linda Pete’s Navajo weaving class, the center made $2000 from her class which is good.  We have over $41,000 currently in our bank account.  We are still generating twice as much income from classes then we are from retail sales.  Lots of classes, doing good financially at the center.  

Clean Up in Back Room:  Maria

Maria has been working with Debbie to help her get rid of large trash items, and bringing plastic bins with no lids to Habitat for Humanity.  Also donating items that are hard to sell at the center.  The back room looks better now, always need more room for incoming donations.  

EVFAC Name:  Mark

Discussion of going back to Espanola Valley Fiber Art Center.  We all know the center as EVFAC.  Is there a way to really put Espanola back into our name, without having to change all the digital stuff (website domain etc.).  Can we change the domain name/website address?  The reason the name was changed to New Mexico Fiber Art Center is because we had a store in Santa Fe, and the board during that time (Santa Fe people) and employees decided that was best.  We want to go back to our roots now as being only in Espanola.  URL change possible?  Can we change nmfiberartscenter.org  ?  We would have to change the name with the Secretary of State of New Mexico.  Can we link everything to a page that says EVFAC?  During the last live all members meeting in September 2023 everyone was unanimous in bringing back our original name.  We all need to look at the bylaws.  The bylaws were changed just before COVID hit in October 2019.  Mark is going to write out an argument for why we should go back to our original name.

Retail Update:  Debbie   

The center has been getting lots of new donations which is great.  Discussion of getting a new rug display rack as customers are interested in buying rugs.  Mark will work on this to explore our options.  Planning a month long sale on looms at the center.  Debbie is bringing back the Artist of the Month display in the front window and wants to make room for this.  Suzi will be the first artist.  The big upright loom is not selling.  Discussion about donating some of the looms that never will sell even at a huge discount.  Discussion about having a silent loom auction at the Open House event, no date yet.  The large Cranbrook loom that was purchased is still here, no word from purchaser, we need to re-sell it.  We need to put in our monthly newsletter pictures of looms and selling them at huge discounts.  Does the local high school want any looms?  Los Luceros wants looms (Barbara Berger) but they want the looms in back room that Irvin Trujillo made, no we are keeping those for Rio Grande weaving classes, they are part of the center.  Does Roy want any of the looms?  

“Mini” Churro Week in April at Los Luceros and EVFAC:  Leigh

Sheep shearing and fleece washing at Los Luceros will be on the 7th of April on Sunday.  Might want to do an email call out for more volunteers maybe?  There will be some classes at EVFAC the week following probably related to processing Churro fleeces, shearing, skirting and washing.  Kim might arrange for a speaker.  Discussed using the indoor space we used last year at Los Luceros, we can use this space again for vendors and demonstrators.  Leigh will talk to Michelle, the manger, about this.  Lianne B.  and Kathy K. will vend/demonstrate again.  There will be a larger Churro Week event in the fall and Northern Rio Grande Heritage Area (NRGHA) will help us out with this.

Additional Hours for Kim Z. and Amanda S.:

Kim would like to have an additional 5 hours per week to be able to complete her tasks.  Amanda is still working 16 hours a week, she could be bumped up to 20 hours per month.  We are getting most of our money from classes.  The center seems to be doing well enough to increase Kim and Amanda’s hours.  

Miscellaneous Discussions: 

We discussed if EVFAC should be open on Sundays.  Not really that important for retail, we tried it during the Christmas holiday, not great.  We are open on Sunday if some classes need to be open but that is it for now.  We are all going to think about it.  Tabled this for now.  The center used to be open Tuesday through Saturday and closed on Sunday and Monday.  

Roy mentioned having a Spin-Off event at EVFAC.  He would come from Teec Nos Pos to help out with this.  A Sunday gathering at center for spinning.  Mary P. could help out Roy with this idea.  Anyone can spin whatever fiber they have.  Discussed that maybe the 4th Sunday of the month is a good time to have the UFO event at center, we could call it Sharing Sunday.

Dain motioned to adjourn the meeting and Maria seconded.  

The meeting ended at 6:34pm

The next EVFAC board meeting will be May 9th, 2024 at 5pm     

EVFAC Board meeting 1-15-2024 Live at center

EVFAC Board meeting 1-15-2024 Live at center

Attentees: Board members: Roy Kady, Dain Daller, Leigh Alexander (Treasurer), Mark Bond

(Vice President), Maria Jonsson (Secretary), Debbie Harris (Retail Manager), Kim Zitzow

(Director)

Maria moved to open the meeting at 1:24pm, Roy seconded.

Dain moved to approve last meeting minutes (9/23/2023, 1-2pm all members meeting live at

center), Roy seconded.

EVFAC currently has 192 members

Directors Report: Kim Zitzow

Director has been sending out newsletters, a good way to get responses from people. Plan to have a 2 week summer program for youth, have 4 possible teachers to teach fiber arts. Leticia Gonzales who used to work as a clerk with Debbie has changed roles and was hired as Youth Education Coordinator (10 hours a month). She is having medical issues but will resume her role when she can. In conjunction with the Horizons exhibit at MIAC, weavers Linda Pete (Navajo weaver), Kevin Aspaas (wedge weaving), Roy Kady (hortse cinch weaving), and Tyrell Taphaka (natural dyer) will be offering classes starting at the end of February. Been working with the co-curator at MIAC. Talks about weavings and classes at EVFAC. Roy mentioned a traveling exhibit where weavers talk about their work. Roy Kady coming the last week of April for the Horizon weaving exhibit. Kim talked about fiscal sponsorship about fiber shed.

Churro Week: board members

Sheep shearing at Los Luceros will be first weekend in April in 2024, 7 th of April on Sunday. Los Luceros wants to make this a spring event. Talked about fleece processing workshops, possibly teaching people how to wash fleeces at Los Luceros in conjunction with sheep shearing, and skirting activities. Churro week classes would be following week after the shearing. Inventory of fleeces in storage unit is mainly white fleeces which will be taken to Mora to make churro warp yarns. Classes at EVFAC for Churro week. Emily Trujillo will teach rio grand weaving at center, etc. Miguel is farm manager at Los Luceros.

McCune grant etc.: board members, director

Beginning of March is possibility of McCune Foundation grant of $15,000 for educational programming. Barbara Berger got a NRGHA grant but wants to use equipment from EVFAC, Los Luceros wants to have their own fiber art program (weaving etc.?). LANL grants still funding Vanessa’s classes. Are there more LANL grants we can apply for?

Dye Kitchen: board members

Members have been asking about how to use dye kitchen. Maybe EVFAC should have an open house in early May, have demonstrators working in dye kitchen, weaving, etc. An educational outreach opportunity. Members could purchases a t-shirt to dye/print at open house.

Retail Manager Report: Debbie Harris

Leticia no longer a clerk. Debbie has hired a new clerk Michelle Peixinho who will work part time at center to help out (7 1/2 hours a week) on Fridays. Michelle is a social worker and quilter and lives in Chimayo. She can maybe help out with the people doing community service at the center. Blending board project: Debbie had some free classes on how to use it, has sold one of them ($225). They are locally made with EVFAC logo. A few will kept at center for classes and people can rent them. January sales are slow, slower than last year. On-lines sales are better when brick and mortar sales are slow in the winter. We have 3000 people on EVFACs email list, and 2800 clicks on our website. We have a new volunteer Mitch on Fridays. Our volunteer Karen Rose volunteers on Thursday still. Talked about a book and yarn swap. Trying to get a knitting group going at the center once a month. Maria wants to help out with this, she may teach another beginning knitting class before mid April. The EVFAC windows got hit again with a bee bee gun, not too bad this time. Trash container problem is good, we have a system to make sure it doesn’t become a problem again.

Financial Report: Leigh A. and Kim Z.

At the end of 2023 EVFAC made a profit of $13,000. The balance at the end of 2023 was

$36,000. Melissa Barton is still our book keeper. Most of the expense of EVFAC goes to our

bookkeeper and our employees. EVFAC made $8000 in sales, most of our money comes from

classes.

Fundraising: board members

A friend of Leigh’s donated $10,000 to EVFAC. We talked about Give Butter a free fundraising platform for an educational campaign and equipment. We can use this as a fund raising campaign. Talked about asking people when they make purchases to round up to the next dollar (classes, retail) little amounts add up.

Talked about jot forms for classes, some peopl are having difficulty. Want to make sure it is working ok? Some people are not getting conformation emails. Talked about an online directory, should we do this in the future? Roy mentioned as state program for arts and education grants called Creative Industries NewMexico. Can be used in cities and localities, maybe we can use for Churro Week grants and other stuff. Expanding our education program will help with fund-raising.

Function of our Board-Future Plans: board members

Stressed the need to have more board meetings, maybe every 2 months? Can zoom. We are beyond survival mode now and thriving. EVFAC needs to get involved with school districts, we need people on the board who have a passion for youth education. EVFAC wants to work morewith IAIA. Want to have more presentations/lectures at the center, pay presenters $150. Maybe we could plan to have a presenter every month. Mark Winter, a Navajo who is affiliated with a trading post was mentioned. Roy mentioned the organization Capacity Builders Inc., the offer bus tours and artists studio visits. There are grants available from Native Project as well.

EVFAC still needs new board members, we need to have a new call out (email blast). Maria will type up a document and send Kim her experience as a board member and try to revitalize our outreach. We had a potential new board member but she ended up moving away from NM.

The board members had a vote to make Dain Daller our President. He has been our President for the sole purpose for grants. The board members had a vote at this meeting, Roy motioned that Dain should be appointed President of the EVFAC board, Maria seconded, all were unanimous. Dain is now our President.

Clean up Day needed: board members

There is a need for assembling looms. Maria and Dain will meet on Friday the 19 th of January to help assembling looms to be sold at the center. We need to do a dump run as well, lots of items in the back room that need to be gotten rid of. Need to coordinate with Debbie on this.

Maria mentioned that she could help out with the walk in and weave program if needed, just need to schedule this with her.

Meeting ended at 3:03pm

Maria motioned to end the meeting, Dain seconded