Jun
5
12:00 PM12:00
Mar
6
12:00 PM12:00
Mar 6 Board Meeting
Board of Directors Meeting
Military Writers Society of America
March 6, 2024 @ 12:00 PM EST
Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2245629439?pwd=Sk92UXVZNzBpK1Z3NWd1TWtPcUM3UT09&omn=88278738513
Agenda
1. Roll Call Ruth Crocker
2. Minutes from the last Meeting Ruth Crocker
3. Treasurers Report Hugh Simpson
4. Business before the Board for this meeting:
5. 2024 Budget Discussion and Vote Hugh Simpson
6. Reimbursement Discussion
a) A proposal to suspend the Reimbursement Policy for Board
of Directors’ reimbursement for Board Meeting attendance
for one year to help MWSA with a currently projected
deficit. jim greenwald
7. Removal of a restriction on an award jim greenwald
“MWSA Officers and Members of the Board of Directors
currently serving cannot be considered for Writer of the Year.”
I believe it is time to stop penalizing the folks that step forward
to do all the heavy lifting required to run this organization.
8. Update to our Bylaws [changes require up or down vote] jim greenwald
9. Dispatches [where we stand] Valerie Ormond
Dane Zeller
* A special thanks to Dane for stepping up to handle these
extra duties.
10. Dispatches Discussion Dane Zeller
11. Write Your Story Discussion Dane Zeller
12. Writers Education Series After Action Report and 2024 Plan Jim Tritten
13. Communications Chair has been filled by Dane Zeller Dane Zeller
14. Scholarship Update Valerie Ormond
15. Awards Update John Cathcart
16. Upcoming Elections Bob Doerr
17. Conference Status [see note below] jim g/Bob
Notes:
Item #6 – Changes to the bylaws which you all have received are basically wording
changes, but still require a vote.
Item #15 – The agenda except for a couple of slots to fill on a couple of panels is set.
The hotel room block is for 30 rooms for our conference dates, that block
has an expiration date. The hotel will honor the rate for three days prior to
and after the conference dates if they have a room on those dates only.
A few members have signed up for the conference. Only two for
a tour of the Midway. We need twenty total. So that remains an
unknown until the end of June.
Readahead Reports
Budget
MWSA Treasury Report Feb-24
Acct: 24-Jan 24-Feb 1 Yr Member 2 Yr Member 3 Yr Member
Program 5,757.21 5,757.21 196 55 101
Awards 8,602.79 9,332.21
Operations 39,885.84 41,540.52
Total $54,245.84 $56,629.94
Notes:
148.90 Interest Paid on Money Market Acct.
Attached 2024 Budget
Dispatches Report
All articles are edited.
General layout planned.
D-team formed.
E-team formed. Editing process established.
Final call for MWSA news and ads – due March 15.
Need information for MWSA drop-box – ID and Password
Discuss communications committee.
Awards
Normal vs. Provisional Submissions
Backlog will start clearing soon
Slower pickup than last year
Membership
Jan
9
4:00 PM16:00
Special Board Meeting
Agenda for MWSA Special Meeting of the Board
Date: Jan 9, 2024
Time: 4:00 pm EST
Zoom Link
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2245629439pwd=Sk92UXVZNzBpK1Z3NWd1TWtPcUM3UT09&omn=89260960609
Invitees: President jim greenwald, Vice President Valerie Ormond, Secretary Ruth Crocker, Treasurer Hugh Simpson, Communications Committee Chair Gary Zelinski, At-Large Board Member and Awards Director John Cathcart, At-Large Board Member and Write Your Story Chair Dane Zeller; other board members welcome
4:00 Call to order, attendance, and purpose of meeting - discuss issues raised by Communications Committee Chair, Gary Zelinski via email of Jan. 6, 2024
4:05 Ormond and Zeller: Write Your Story – purpose, budget, proposals for adjustments
4:15 greenwald: Conference - costs, budget, reimbursements, and what do we get out of it
4:30 Ormond: Scholarship – current state and future vote
4:35 Zelinski: Dispatches – current state, options, and way forward
4:45 Cathcart: Membership – current numbers and programs
4:50 greenwald, Ormond, Crocker, Simpson, Cathcart, Zeller: Purpose of MWSA
5:00 Ormond: Adjourn
Membership & Dues Read-aheads
Notes
New dues structure (1,2,3 years and reduction from $75/year) implemented July 2019
The green membership numbers come from WA’s membership list Jan 18. The other numbers were generated by dividing membership rates by the total dues collected (i.e., perhaps not as accurate).
Dues collection is on a SLIGHT downward trajectory—opposite for membership #s
Good/bad news culprit is the growing popularity of discounted 3-year membership
Note tripling numbers for this year (as of 1/8)
Good/good news is that we appear to be slowing the “one year and gone” problem (the primary driver for the tiered dues system)
Awards
21 books
Budget projection solid
Reviewer base good (71 active, 23 have picked up at least one book)
Dec
6
12:00 PM12:00
Dec 6 Board Meeting
Minutes
Board of Directors Meeting
Military Writers Society of America
Minutes of the Meeting
December 6, 2023
1. The meeting was called to order at 12:05 PM EST via Zoom by Secretary, Ruth W. Crocker. Also attending were: Jim Greenwald, President; Valerie Ormond, Vice-President; Hugh Simpson, Treasurer; Directors at Large, John Cathcart, Dane Zeller and Kathleen Rodgers; Bob Doerr, Past President; Founder, Bill McDonald; Gary Zelinsky..
2. Minutes of the Last Meeting were approved by Valerie and motion duly made and seconded by Hugh.
3. Treasurer’s Report was presented by Hugh Simpson. The board discussed losses contributed to by Dispatches and Anthology as well as increases in the cost of doing business, i.e. Wild Apricot contract increase (now $2592 per year). John will have a budget prepared in January for review. Motion to approve the Treasurer’s report made by Valerie and seconded by Jim.
4. No further Old Business
5. Under New Business, Gary reviewed the contributions made by volunteers (principally Becca) using social media (FaceBook, LinkedIn, Instagram) to benefit and promote MWSA. The cost of using a service to coordinate the timing of media output is about $100 per year. All the volunteers need, at this point, is more content for distribution. Gary is presently trying to find a volunteer to be the manager of social media. He described that it has been helpful to take a break from publishing Dispatches and organize the volunteers who have stepped forward to edit and re-synthesize the magazine. John suggested that perhaps the design aspect of Dispatches production could be contracted out in India at a lower cost. Kathy presented an argument for a digital blog version, rather than a pdf, of Dispatches because there would be room for more material and it may appeal to younger audience. Bob Doerr presented a snapshot history of Dispatches and how the publication has changed over time mainly because of the attrition of its original planners and designers and the subsequent necessity that Sandra take over all aspects of production. Dane raised the question: “Why are we doing all these different projects? Dispatches is what we do.” The consensus at the end of this discussion was that we do support the magazine because it gives members the opportunity to be published and we must figure out the best way to produce it and disseminate it going forward.
6. Regarding the Buckaroo auction, Valerie stated that the plan is to do it again at the next conference. Heime will take over because Randy will not be available. Bob volunteered to help with the auction and send ideas to Valerie.
7. (Regarding honorary Member Memberships, Special Award Plaques, and a vote on Reimbursement Wording Changes, I have no notes that these were discussed. See addendum at the end of the minutes.) Valerie discussed the Writer of the Year Award update, describing some wording that has been updated, specifically that we can’t tell honorees what they should do for the organization. Nominations will be received through June 15 and those nominations that are accepted will be submitted to the board by July 15 and winner announced.
8. Board meetings for 2024 will be held at 12pm EST on 3/6/24, 6/5/2024, 12/11/2024. The board meeting during the conference will be held on 9/26/24 at a time to be determined. John showed the board, via screen share, how to access administrative information/Zoom address for meetings on the website. “Go to the bottom of any page and look for ‘Administration’ tab. Password is currently ‘MWSA2024.’ Zoom invite is also within this tab. Within the leadership and portfolios document, look for information that is out of date and let me know about it.”
9. Jim Greenwald provided an update on the conference particulars for San Diego. It will be held at the Windham Bay View hotel which is located about 3/10 of a mile from Midway. The cost for lodging is about $10 less per night than it was for the 2023 conference in New London.
10. Regarding the hiring of a photographer for the San Diego conference, Valerie said that this is on hold right now because of the added expense and requested that any potential volunteer photographers be suggested.
11. The meeting was adjourned at 1:00Pm EST. Next meeting: March 6, 2024 @ 12 PM EST.
(the following notes were included with the agenda and retained here to add clarification to the actual meeting minutes)
Up for a VOTE: [Vote Yes, No, or Leave as is]
1) The MWSA Reimbursement Schedule/Policy – It does not contain additions
just wording changes for clarification.
2) Deals with special awards in that should they all should be engraved crystal
type awards, President’s Award, and Mike Mullins Memorial Writer of the
Year.
3) Honorary Membership is a permanent honor. Lasts until the person is no
longer involved/interested in volunteering with MWSA.
4) An update to our bylaws is in progress and hopefully a review and vote
will take place by January. The committee is composed of Jim Tritten,
Bob Doerr, and jim greenwald. Bob has incorporated ideas/suggestions.
5) Deals with clarification of Special Awards especially the Mike Mullins
Memorial Writer of the Year Award.
MWSA Reimbursement Schedule/Policies - [Changes in RED]
The following sets forth MWSA policy for reimbursement and the account it is charged against:
A. One night’s cost of the hotel room during our annual membership conference for the President, V. President, Treasurer, Secretary, the four At-Large Directors, and the immediate Past President who attend the Board Meeting at the Conference. (Charged against our Operations Account)
B. One night’s cost of the hotel room during our annual membership conference for a member of the Program Committee who is required to be at the conference a night early to manage/prepare the location for the event. In our Thursday to Sunday conference this would be Wednesday night. (Charged against our Operations Account) < was charged to Conference
C. One night’s cost of hotel room for any required instructors/presenters participating in a “Write Your Story” (WYS) Class if one is locally held before or after the conference. Required staff includes the President, WYS Chair, two presenters (if the Outreach Chair is attending and presenting), if not then three presenters. The number of presenters can be up to five if the program being presented requires it, + Tech Support if needed. (Charged against our Operations Account)
D. Up to two nights’ cost of a hotel room for any instructor/presenter who participates with an Outreach approved WYS Class conducted at a different location more than 50 miles from home and time than our conference. Hotel used needs to be coordinated during the planning stage for the WYS Class and be approved by the Outreach Chair. The required personnel would include the WYS Class Leader, and for a half-day class one additional presenter/instructor, for an all-day class two additional presenters/instructors. (Charged against our Operations Account)
E. Mileage will be reimbursed for MWSA business and regional WYS and or Outreach events at current government per diem rate, expense to be approved by the Executive Committee). Ride sharing to an event is encouraged. (Charged against our Operations Account)
F. Up to two Awards Directors receive up to three night’s hotel paid by
transferring funds from the Awards Account to the Operations Account.
G. Up to two Awards Directors receive their Conference Fees Paid by transferring funds from the Awards Account to the Program Account.
[F & G are clarifications of the process]
H. Any costs for printing and or postage of any materials needed for any approved MWSA activity. (Charged against our Operations Account)
I. Conference fee and two night’s hotel cost for the MWSA Founder, when he attends a conference. (Charged against our Operations Account)
J. Conference hotel parking fees for members required to use their vehicle to bring supplies, etc. to the conference. (Charged against our Operations Account)
K. Any of the above can be amended or modified for a single exception or as a permanent change by a majority vote of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors.
L. The President will compile a list of the reimbursable attendees, nights accumulated (for WYS, Conference Program, and Awards) within five days of the end of the conference and forward to the Treasurer to distribute reimbursement checks to the attendees.
5) Clarification/wording of the MMAOY Award
+ Definitions
The Committee shall consider all forms of writing—fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.
The author’s work displays respect for the military and military family understandings, abilities, and appreciations.
“Distinguished” contributions are defined as:
Marked by eminence and distinction; noted for significant achievement.
Marked by excellence in quality.
Individually distinct.
“Writer/Author” may include co-writers and co-authors.
+ Criteria
Candidate should have a “significant body of work.” This requires a minimum of four books, articles, or works in publication, and must include award/recognition at a minimum from MWSA.
Current dues paying member and actively involved with MWSA.
SAVING HISTORY ONE STORY AT A TIME
Board of Directors Meeting Agenda for December 6th @ 12 PM EST
Agenda Item
Speaking
Call to Order – Roll Call Ruth Crocker
Minutes from the Last Meeting Ruth Crocker
Treasurers Report Hugh Simpson
Old Business
New Business – Social Media & Dispatches Gary Zelinski
Buckaroo Auction Valerie Ormond
Honorary Memberships jim greenwald
Special Award Plaques jim greenwald
Vote on Reimbursement Wording Changes jim greenwald
Board Meetings 2024; noon except for Conference: 3/6, 6/5, 9/26, and 12/11 jim greenwald
San Diego Status/Update jim greenwald
Discussion on a Photographer for San Diego Valerie Ormond
Up for a VOTE: [Vote Yes, No, or Leave as is]
1) The MWSA Reimbursement Schedule/Policy – It does not contain additions
just wording changes for clarification.
2) Deals with special awards in that should they all should be engraved crystal
type awards, President’s Award, and Mike Mullins Memorial Writer of the
Year.
3) Honorary Membership is a permanent honor. Lasts until the person is no
longer involved/interested in volunteering with MWSA.
4) An update to our bylaws is in progress and hopefully a review and vote
will take place by January. The committee is composed of Jim Tritten,
Bob Doerr, and jim greenwald. Bob has incorporated ideas/suggestions.
5) Deals with clarification of Special Awards especially the Mike Mullins
Memorial Writer of the Year Award.
MWSA Reimbursement Schedule/Policies - [Changes in RED]
The following sets forth MWSA policy for reimbursement and the account it is charged against:
A. One night’s cost of the hotel room during our annual membership conference for the President, V. President, Treasurer, Secretary, the four At-Large Directors, and the immediate Past President who attend the Board Meeting at the Conference. (Charged against our Operations Account)
B. One night’s cost of the hotel room during our annual membership conference for a member of the Program Committee who is required to be at the conference a night early to manage/prepare the location for the event. In our Thursday to Sunday conference this would be Wednesday night. (Charged against our Operations Account) < was charged to Conference
C. One night’s cost of hotel room for any required instructors/presenters participating in a “Write Your Story” (WYS) Class if one is locally held before or after the conference. Required staff includes the President, WYS Chair, two presenters (if the Outreach Chair is attending and presenting), if not then three presenters. The number of presenters can be up to five if the program being presented requires it, + Tech Support if needed. (Charged against our Operations Account)
D. Up to two nights’ cost of a hotel room for any instructor/presenter who participates with an Outreach approved WYS Class conducted at a different location more than 50 miles from home and time than our conference. Hotel used needs to be coordinated during the planning stage for the WYS Class and be approved by the Outreach Chair. The required personnel would include the WYS Class Leader, and for a half-day class one additional presenter/instructor, for an all-day class two additional presenters/instructors. (Charged against our Operations Account)
E. Mileage will be reimbursed for MWSA business and regional WYS and or Outreach events at current government per diem rate, expense to be approved by the Executive Committee). Ride sharing to an event is encouraged. (Charged against our Operations Account)
F. Up to two Awards Directors receive up to three night’s hotel paid by
transferring funds from the Awards Account to the Operations Account.
G. Up to two Awards Directors receive their Conference Fees Paid by transferring funds from the Awards Account to the Program Account.
[F & G are clarifications of the process]
H. Any costs for printing and or postage of any materials needed for any approved MWSA activity. (Charged against our Operations Account)
I. Conference fee and two night’s hotel cost for the MWSA Founder, when he attends a conference. (Charged against our Operations Account)
J. Conference hotel parking fees for members required to use their vehicle to bring supplies, etc. to the conference. (Charged against our Operations Account)
K. Any of the above can be amended or modified for a single exception or as a permanent change by a majority vote of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors.
L. The President will compile a list of the reimbursable attendees, nights accumulated (for WYS, Conference Program, and Awards) within five days of the end of the conference and forward to the Treasurer to distribute reimbursement checks to the attendees.
5) Clarification/wording of the MMAOY Award
+ Definitions
The Committee shall consider all forms of writing—fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.
The author’s work displays respect for the military and military family understandings, abilities, and appreciations.
“Distinguished” contributions are defined as:
Marked by eminence and distinction; noted for significant achievement.
Marked by excellence in quality.
Individually distinct.
“Writer/Author” may include co-writers and co-authors.
+ Criteria
Candidate should have a “significant body of work.” This requires a minimum of four books, articles, or works in publication, and must include award/recognition at a minimum from MWSA.
Current dues paying member and actively involved with MWSA.
Sep
15
7:30 AM07:30
Board Meeting (at New London)
Agenda/Minutes
Minutes posted after meeting
Minutes
Agenda
Agenda
Friday - September 15, 2023
Agenda
Friday - September 15, 2023
Item: Host:
1. Call to Order greenwald
2. Meeting Minutes Crocker
3. Treasurer’s Report Simpson
4. Old Business greenwald, Ormond
e. Bylaw Updates/Revisions how best to proceed & timeframe
5. New Business greenwald, Ormond.
a. Revise MMWOY Criteria/Requirements
b. Changes to the Reimbursement Policy Location of the 2024 Conference. San Diego, CA greenwald, Ormond
7. Open Discussion (General) All
8. Adjourn
Read-Ahead Documents
Jun
14
12:00 PM12:00
Special Board Meeting
Agenda/Minutes
Minutes posted after meeting
Military Writers Society of America
Special Board Meeting, June 14, 2023
Minutes
A special meeting of the MWSA board of directors via Zoom was called to order at 12:01 pm EST on June 14, 2023. Present were: Jim Greenwald, President; Valerie Ormond, Vice-President; Ruth W. Crocker, Secretary; Hugh Simpson, Treasurer, Bob Doerr, WYS coordinator; John Cathcart, Kathleen Rodgers, Gary Zelinski, Dane Zeller, Directors at Large. Rev. Bill McDonald, Founder, was absent.
Valerie opened the meeting with a review of budget items that had been sent out to the board for decision on a polling sheet.
1. WYS Advertising – Nay. Paid advertising for advertising the WYS program is not considered necessary at this time because Ruth has been able to secure free advertising in the New London region due to the fact that MWSA is a non-profit organization. She has also been in touch with those students who signed up for the previously cancelled workshop in 2021. As of mid-June, there are 8 students signed up for the upcoming workshop.
2. Paid assistant for public relations and website – Tasked. This received a Yay vote but decisions have been deferred to the Communications Committee Chair and a Media/PR Subcommittee when that Subcommittee is established. A meeting will be held via Zoom during the week of June 26 – 30, 2023.
3. Paid Website Assistance – Tasked. 2-3 people have stepped up to help out. Valerie requested a time-line to figure out the best approach to help John with the website. John clarified that this would be a one-time expense and then reevaluate at the end of the year. John suggested that this be tabled until October 2023 after the annual meeting because of time needed now for Awards Committee. John and Gary will meet and plan after the meeting.
4. Advertising in magazines – Deferred. There is support for this, but the Communications Chair is currently still researching this idea.
5. Editor reimbursement for conference fee – Nay. This was taken off the table because the Editor of Dispatches was not interested in being compensated for the MWSA conference fee.
6. Photographer for Annual Meeting – Deferred. This item has been tabled until December board meeting. Valerie will put out a request to the membership for a volunteer to photograph major events at the annual meeting in New London, CT in September, 2023. Valerie will also reach out to Joe Epley to see if he is coming to the conference in September and if he would be willing to volunteer as roving photographer. Ruth will inform the professional photographer she had located for this year’s meeting that we will not be hiring her. (Her cost for the conference, plus WYS, would have been $1000.)
7. Honorarium for Zoom workshop leaders – Yay. Gary would like to fund the screenwriter who recently taught a workshop because he is not a member of MWSA. Suggested payment would be $100 per session for all non-members who teach. It was suggested that, if a notable author speaks, they could also be offered a Challenge Coin as a token of appreciation. Funding for this will come from the Outreach budget which has been underspending since it was established. The Outreach Committee Chair will coordinate with Gary (Online Education Chair) regarding funding. In the future, if there are not enough funds in the Outreach budget to support this, we will revisit potential additional funding from the board as a separate budget item. Reassess in 2024.
8. Face Book Boosts – Yay. Gary has a volunteer who can facilitate creating the posts that would be boosted. $400 is earmarked for Face Book boosting cost.
9. Buying MWSA books – Nay. Not a good idea at this time because there is no one to manage it and it could be a time-consuming activity. Perhaps later when there is a larger volunteer support team.
10. MWSA Challenge Coin – Yay. Coins should especially be used for special recognition rather than offered for sale on the website. They would be for people outside of MWSA who have gone above and beyond to help the organization. Communications Chair, Gary Zelinski, and his wife, Lillian, have agreed to manage the design and production of the coins. The budget approved, for the first 100 coins, is $1000. Treasurer Hugh Simpson discussed the potential use of proceeds from the Money Market account as the subsidy for the coins. The coin was approved for ordering by the Vice President on 6/15/23.
11. MWSA Swag – Yay (as long as MWSA establishes a drop-ship online store so that MWSA is not carrying inventory). Lillian Zelinski is looking into options and Gary will coordinate with John regarding establishing an online store. Valerie agreed to send links to known vendors.
Additional Meeting items
A. Scholarship Program – Jim sent out notes re: program. Kathy posed the potential problem of competition between a 40-year-old veteran and a high school student. Valerie clarified that it is in our bylaws that we have this kind of program. The program also increases the visibility and mission of MWSA. Perhaps there should be two applications; one for high school students and one for older veterans. A dedicated volunteer ( Rob Lofthouse) is now overseeing the program. We will revisit the Scholarship Program on July 15, 2023 and try to decide what to do going forward.
B. John Cathcart has agreed to join the Finance committee as the Awards Committee representative as of 6/14/23. John expressed a need for more specific information about current financial status. Hugh will send out a P&L report to the board. (Note: 2022 documents sent to the board on 6/1523.)
C. President’s Award policy approved. John will add policy to website. The board approved the continued purchase of Award regalia for honoring recipients of Awards (ribbons, etc).
D. Gary requested board members ask MWSA members for articles for Dispatches. Presently, most articles are written by board members. More outreach to members is in the works to ensure that members are aware of the benefits of submitting articles. (Send articles (1500 words or less) to Gary.) Dane has volunteered to help Gary solicit articles from writers in other literary circles to expand our outreach to more writing groups.
E. The board agreed to form a Bylaws Review Committee to be established at the next board meeting in order to ensure compliance with Pennsylvania bylaws rules. The overall review will assess whether our bylaws are coordinated with current MWSA priorities and our established mission in our IRS non-profit filing status. Ruth is keeping track of communications and historical documents within the organization.
Meeting adjourned at 1:00pm EST. Next meeting of the board will take place during the annual meeting in September, 2023.
Agenda
Board of Directors Special Meeting
Military Writers Society of America
Agenda
Wednesday – June 14, 2023 @ 12:00 PM
1. Roll Call Crocker (Can we do this via the Zoom chat function?)
2. A. Budget Items and Potential Spending Ormond/Simpson
B. Items to take action on now Simpson
(Voted down, Pass, Table)
3. Scholarship Program Greenwald
Updated program sent to board for review; Rob Lofthouse has agreed to Chair the Scholarship Committee; looking for board comments and a Yay or Nay vote
4. President’s Award Policy Greenwald/Cathcart
Policy discussed during last board meeting (existing criteria for award nebulous) and sent draft policy to board members for review; requesting comments and a Yay or Nay vote
5. Adjourn Crocker
Read-Ahead Documents
May
10
12:00 PM12:00
Board Meeting (May 10, 2023)
Board of Directors Meeting
Military Writers Society of America
Minutes of the Meeting
May 10, 2023
1. The meeting was called to order at 12:04pm EST via Zoom by President Jim Greenwald.
Also attending were: Valerie Ormond, Vice President; Ruth W. Crocker, Secretary; Hugh Simpson, Treasurer; Kathleen Rodgers, Gary Zelinski, Dane Zeller and John Cathcart, Directors at Large; Bob Doerr, Past President; Rev. Bill McDonald, Founder.
2. Minutes of the Last Meeting were approved on motion duly made by Bill McDonald and seconded by Bob Doerr.
3. Treasurer’s Report was provided by Hugh Simpson, Treasurer:
(see separate financial report distributed by Hugh)
There is an advertising budget of $1000 with potential uses discussed. Suggestions were: A tribute to award winners, boosting a post on Facebook, offering a cash prize along with each book award. Kathleen Rodgers said that she had boosted a post from her public author page and shared it. Questions were raised about how to do a paid press release. Valerie Ormond said that she would send out an email to the board with a summary of possibilities for use of the advertising budget.
4. Old Business:
a. Scholarship Program Winner 2023 - Jim Greenwald reported that Faith Nunez was the winner of the scholarship and an article will be published in Dispatches.
b. Scholarship Program – John Cathcart suggested that we need to disseminate information more broadly about the program – website, Facebook, Dispatches, email blast. Jim Greenwald said that three people have stepped up to help with social media.
c. Zoom Classes – Gary Zelinski described upcoming workshop on May 20 and said that he has received good advice from Jack London regarding the organization of classes. Gary is currently looking for internal and external speakers.
d. Write Your Story (Update) – Bob Doerr is presently organizing this program.
5. New Business
a. 2024 Conference – Jim Greenwald suggested Denver, CO. Others suggested Austin, TX, because it is a central location, and Orlando, Florida, because it is the cheapest place to fly to. Another poll of the membership as to place preference was suggested along with a survey at the next conference in September, 2023 to find out if people want to help out with the 2024 conference.
b. Registration for upcoming conference – Jim Greenwald said that there are presently 32 registrants.
c. MWSA email addresses – (See read ahead addendum: “Emails, Email Forwarding and Wjho’s Doing What – Organizational Correspondence”)
John Cathcart reported that the website works better with the forwarding system in place. This enables emails to go directly to the person who is in charge of each subject. Presently, John is the only person who knows how to configure the forwarding process and there is a need for board members to learn how to enter and utilize the admin section of the website .
d. MWSA Dispatches discussion – Bob Doerr and Valerie Ormond said that Dispatches needs to be referenced on our email blast. Kathleen Rodgers recalled that, in the past, writers were paid $25 per article in Dispatches. John Cathcart confirmed that Kathleen’s recollection is indicated on the website. The board was supportive of payment for feature articles. Gary Zelinski and John Cathcart will work on procedures re:payment for articles. John added that author payment should be an automatic agenda item to discuss which author will be paid. Gary Zelinski is concerned about the need for organizational structure around Dispatches and the need for more oversight by the board. Bob Doerr mentioned that there are occasional requests for hard copies of Dispatches mainly from authors whose work is being published.
e. MWSA Facebook Page – John Cathcart said that Joe Badal is no longer a poster and should be removed. Presently, Bob Doerr, Valerie Ormond and John Cathcart are posters to the page.
6. Buckaroo Auction – (See read ahead addendum – “MWSA’s ‘Buckaroo’ Auction Program Policy.” ) A committee will organize the event for the auction at the annual conference. Valerie Ormond will head the committee. Items for the auction are still needed. Jim Greenwald presently has 27 prizes secured. Discussion began about whether board members should forfeit their buckaroos but no resolutions at this point.
7. Open Discussion –
a. June 30th is the deadline for nominations for Writer of the Year.
b. Regarding the President’s Award, we do not currently have criterion in writing. Valerie Ormond will send out to the board a set of criteria for review before the conference in September.
c. A discussion was held about a member’s (Giocomo) accusation that book awards committee behaved in an unethical way towards her. The Book Awards committee will no longer accept books for consideration from Giocomo because of her unacceptable behavior towards the committee and false accusations made. Gary Zelinski will draft a letter re: her expulsion from membership, for review by the board, and Bill McDonald will send her the final version.
d. Regarding public participation in the Zoom classes, this is a member benefit but presenters can invite nonmembers as their guests.
e. John Cathcart reviewed how to go to the Adminstration page on the MWSA website which involves going to the bottom of the home page on the site and clicking on “Adminstration.” The password this year is: MWSA2023. The Adminstration section is where documents relevant to the board are kept, e.g. board meeting agenda, minutes, etc. John encourages all board members to visit the section and become familiar with it.
8. The meeting was adjourned at 2:40pm EST. The next board meeting will be held on Friday morning, September 15, at the annual conference in New London, CT.
Documents for meeting
Treasurer’s Report
MWSA Treasury Report Apr-23
Acct: 23-Mar 23-Apr
Program 7,026.46 9,856.46
Awards 8,092.98 8,684.11
Operations 44,659.76 44,439.54
Total $59,779.20 $62,980.11
Notes: $1500 Tendered for Dispatches Production
Buckeroos
Emails — Process and Forwarding emails
Plz excuse the formatting and ignore the last two columns and extraneous details. John
Giacomo (confidential)
Minutes (updated after meeting complete)
Feb
8
12:00 PM12:00
Jun
10
4:00 PM16:00
Mar
19
4:00 PM16:00
Dec
17
4:00 PM16:00
Sep
12
4:00 PM16:00
Board Meeting--9/12/19 ABQ, NM
MINUTES
Board of Directors Meeting
Military Writers Society of America
12 September 2019
1. With proper notice given, the quarterly meeting of the Board of Directors was held at the annual conference on 12 September 2019 in Albuquerque, New Mexico at the Hotel Albuquerque.
Attending were Bob Doerr, President; George Jackson, Vice President; Hugh Simpson, Treasurer; Joe Epley, Secretary, and board members John Cathcart, Phil Keith, Jim Tritten, Larry Greenly and Bill MacDonald.
Doerr called the meeting to order at 4:OO pm MDT.
2. MINUTES of the August meeting, on motion duly made and seconded, were approved as presented. APPENDIX A
3. TREASURERS REPORT. Simson presented the treasurer’s report which was, on motion duly made and seconded, approved. APPENDIX B
4..2019 ANNUAL MEETING REPORT. Conference Committee chair Jim Tritten presented a report on the annual meeting stating attendance was above projection. APPENDIX C
5. 2020 ANNUAL MEETING. President Doerr said the meet in 2020 would be held in New London, Conn. And that Jim Greenwald had agreed to be coordinate the meeting. Phil Keith will assist.
6. AWARDS COMMITTEE REPORT John Cathcart said the following medals were awarded: 15 Gold, 14 Silver, 13 Bronze (42 total).
7. MEMBERSHIP REPORT. Cathcart reported for the membership chair that the current membership was 296 paid members.
8. OLD BUSINESS
9. NEW BUSINESS
i. Elections. 2020 will require an election of officers and directors. The President designated Joe Epley as chair and members to include Dwight Zimmerman. Epley is to have procedures for the election process at the next meeting of the Board.
10. NEXT MEETING will be a conference call at 4 PM EST on 4 December 2019.,
11. There being no further business, the meeting on motion duly made and seconded, adjourned.
Feb
6
4:00 PM16:00
Board Meeting--2/6/19
AGENDA
( Revised_ 2/3/2019)
MILITARY SOCIETY OF AMERICA
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
teleconference Wednesday, 6 February 2019, 4:30 pm EST.
NOTE:
New changes in phone service, New Numbers via Free Conference Call
Call (712) 775-7270 When directed, enter access code: 948914 #
1. Call to Order President Bob Doerr
2...Approve minutes of last meeing Secretary Joe Epley
SEE APPENDIX A, Minutes 11 Sept meeting
3. Treasurer's Report Treasurer Hugh Simpson
SEE APPENDIX B, Treasurer's Report
4. 2019 Annual Meeting Jim Tritten
A. Approve motion to set the fees for 2019 Annual Meeting
5. 2018 Annual Meeting Joe Epley
SEE APPENDIX C. After Action Report
6. Old business
A. Policy for reimbursement of conference fee. Joe Epley
SEE APPENDIX D Policy for reimbursement of fees
B. Awards Committee Report John Cathcart
7. New Business
A. Approve contract with Red Engine Press APPENDIX F
B. Goals for 2019 Bob Doerr
a. Identify all services that we have an annual bill and decide whether to keep that service or not. (Simpson)
b. Identify all websites, social media accounts, etc. that MWSA has, ensure that we want to keep them, and ensure each is registered correctly and that the bill to maintain them is being sent to the right person. SEE APPENDIX E Tritten< Cathcart
c. Scrub how MWSA is registered, listed in Wikipedia, etc, ensure data is up to date, and conduct nonprofit organizational review. (Jackson)
d. Develop a process to solicit donations and follow-up as required. (Doerr)
e ..Come up with volunteers to help with our website
f. Find location for our 2020 conference.
g. Consider concept of reviewing first thirty pages of each book sent in for review by one reviewer to decide whether full manuscript should be reviewed under our normal process or sent back for more editing. (Cathcart)
h. Refine our financial policies to enhance financial security, transparency, and accountability. (Simpson)
i Develop MWSA Ambassador Program. (Ormond)
j. Evaluate our process on membership, dues, communication with potential members (Doerr
C. Committee assignments for 2019-2020 Bob Doerr
D. Other items to come before the board
E. Next scheduled quarterly Board meeting will be a conference call @ 4:30 pm EST Wednesday 8 May 2019.
10. Adjourn
Dec
31
1:00 PM13:00
Nov
11
9:30 AM09:30
11 Nov. Board Meeting Minutes (new board)
MINUTES
Broad of Directors Meeting
Military Writers Society of America
11 November 2018 Hilton Garden Inn, Mt Pleasant, South Carolina
1. After due notice was given, the 2019-2020 WMSA Board of Directors held their first meeting at 9:30 AM, 11 November in the board room of the Hilton Garden Inn, Mt Pleasant, South Carolina. Attending were President Bob Doerr, Secretary Joe Epley and Director John Cathcart. Participating by phone were Vice President George Jackson, and Directors Jim Tritton, Phil Keith and Larry Greenly. Absent was Treasurer Hugh Simpson.
2. MEETING
President Doerr opened the meeting by noting the date was the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One. He welcomed the new members and explained how the board operated.
3. MINUTES
Minutes of the last meeting were not presented because of the timing on the meeting. The Secretary said minutes would be distributed as soon as possible.
4. TREASURER'S REPORT
No treasurer's report was presented.
5. 2018 CONFERENCE
a. Joe Epley stated the conference was a financial success with cost for the conference at $4,731.43. There were fewer attendees than past conferences, much less than anticipated. The programs were well received and no complaints received from the members attending.
b. Doerr asked Epley to have a policy on refunding fees to those who fail pay, but fail to come to the annual meetings. Epley is also to produce a check list for the next conference.
c. John Cathcart reported that 38 book awards were presented from among the 71 books submitted. Twelve of the winners were at the awards banquet to receive their award in person. The inaugural Michael Mullins Writer of the Year Award was presented to Phyllis Mullins, his widow. The Founders Award was given to Rick St. John.
6. 2019 CONFERENCE
a. Jim Tritton said plans were running smoothly with the South West Writers group for next year's conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The conference will be held 12-15 September 2018 at the Hotel Albuquerque in the city's Old Town section.
b. On motion made and seconded, the board voted to authorize the president and secretary to sign an agreement with the Southwest Writers to share in the expenses of the conference. It was noted that several members of the Southwest Writers Group were also members of MWSA. ANNEX B
c. Epley said he would send Tritton information on the Charleston conference to help with his planning.
d. Tritton reported that in keeping with a long tradition of MWSA, a Writers Workshop would be held at the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center in Albuquerque on the first day of the conference.
7. 2019 GOALS
Doerr outline the goals of WMSA for the following year. They are:
a. Seek corporate contributions and reduce MWSA dues for members.
b. Increase the value of membership in the MWSA.
c. Increase the resources available through MWSA members.
d. Better network with other veterans writers group.
e. Make the website more usable by WMSA members.
f. Improve the distribution of MSA Dispatches to members.
g. Increase member participation in the 2019 conference
e. Improve and increase the monthly email to members
8. COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS
Doerr explained that the MWSA works on a committee system and that each board member is expected to serve on a committee. Board Members were asked to report which committee they wanted to serve by the next meeting.
9. OLD BUSINESS
a. AWARDS. Cathcart stated he would serve as chair of the awards committee for another year. He is thinking of limited the books to be reviewed to 50 and will make a recommendation next meeting. The recommendation will depend on the the number of volunteers he can get for reviewers. He outlined the procedures for grading and keeping records of reviews to make it simpler for the awards committee.,
b. WEB SITE Cathcart said he was perfecting a way for group editing as a way of reducing emails going back and fourth and having a depository for MWSA records. Hopeful all board members will make use of this tool. This will be on an admin section of www.MWSAdispatches.com.
c. CONFLICT OF INTEREST. Epley informed members that MWSA had a Conflict of Interest policy and each member had to signed a form stating they were award of the policy and will comply with it. This is a requirement for 501c3 organizations. He will send it to board members within the week for them to sign and return to him.
10. NEW BUSINESS
a. 2020 ANNUAL MEETING - Members will be surveyed to determine choices for the 2020 meeting. Doerr emphasized that a member needs to live in or near the city chosen and agrees to coordinate with the hotel,
b. The next quarterly meeting of the board of directors will be a conference call at 4.30 P.M.EST Wednesday 6 February.
There being no further business, on motion duly made and seconded, the meeting was adjourned.
Nov
8
4:00 PM16:00
November Conference & Board Meeting
MINUTES
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
MILITARY WRITER SOCIETY OF AMERICA
Hilton Garden Inn, Mt Pleasant, SC
4 PM 8 NOVEMBER 2018
1. MEETING
With proper notice given, the annual meeting of the Board of Directors was held at 4 PM EST in the Hilton Garden Inn at Mt Pleasant, South Carolina. Attending in person were Bob Doerr, Vice President; Joe Epley, Secretary; and Valerie Ormond. Participating via phone were Kathleen Rodgers, Farrell Childs and Jim Tritten. Absent was Dwight Zimmerman, President.
Guest attending were Awards Chair John Cathcart and via phone, Larry Greenley and Hugh Simpson.
Bob Doerr presided and called the meeting to order.
2. MINUTES OF LAST MEETING
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the minutes of the meeting held on 6 June 2018 were approved as presented.
3. TREASURER'S REPORT
In the absence of a Treasurer, Doerr presented the financial report as of 31 October. APPENDIX A
4. 2018 ANNUAL MEETING
Epley reported that all arrangements had been made for the annual meeting at the Hilton Garden Inn Mt Pleasant and that attendance was less than expected, but that the conference would be at or below budget. Although 41 had signed for the conference, three canceled.
John Cathcart reported on the awards ceremony. APPENDIX B Lists includes all 39 award winners, with 12 scheduled to attend the awards presentation.
Valerie Ormond reported that the VA Writers Workshop was successful with 12 attendees. She, Doerr, and Karl Warner from the U.S, Army Heritage and Education Center were the presenters. Larry Danbridge, a local member, was thanked for making the arrangements.
5. 2019 ANNUAL MEETING
Jim Tritten and Larry Greenly reported on the progress of planning for the 2019 annual meeting which will be held in at the Old Town Sheraton in Albuquerque, New Mexico 12-19 September 2019 in association with the Southwest Writers. On motion duly made and seconded, a memorandum of agreement between MWSA and Southwest Writers was approved. APPENDIX C.
6. ELECTION OF NEW OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
The Secretary reported on the results of Officers and Directors election. APPENDIX D Epley certified that the election was held in accordance with the bylaws and was conducted by email during October by secure.selectionbuddy.com. Although ballots were sent to all active members in good standing, 64 members participated.
Ormond asked why the numbers did not all add up to 64 and was informed that several members had abstained from voting for certain positions. Ormond provided feedback that she had heard from at least one member who would have preferred to only vote for the At-Large Directors they knew they wanted to vote for rather than having to vote for a total of four. She asked for that feedback to be provided to whoever will set up the next election. The president and secretary said they would look into it.
Officers elcected for 2019 and 2020 are Bob Doerr, President; George Jackson, Vice President; Hugh Simpson, Treasurer; Joe Epley, Secretary. The four Directors At Large are Jim Tritten, John Cathcart, Phil Keith, and Larry Greenly. The positions of Vice President and Directors were contested.
7. MEMBERSHIP
Doerr reported that we currently have 289 active members. APPENDIX E
8. NEW BUSINESS
Discussions were held on the pros and cons of MWSA purchasing a laptop computer and a digital projection system. After due deliberations, the matter was tabled.
Doerr read a letter from President Zimmerman commending the officers and board members for their diligence over the past years. APPENDIX F
Doerr stated this was the last meeting of the old board of directors. He thanked everyone for their service and declared that the next board meeting would be at the Hilton Garden Inn Mt Pleasant at 9:30 AM Sunday, 10 November 2018.
There being no further business, on motion duly made and seconded, the meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Joe S Epley
Secretary, MWSA
APPENDIX A
MWSA FY 2018 Budget – Oct 31
Income `` 2018 Estimate Actual
Membership Dues 15,000 15,960.00
Book Review/Awards 3,200 2,840.00
Conference 5,000 5,560.00
Donations/Stickers/Other 0 340.00
Total Income 23,200 $24,700.00
Expenses
Total Expenses 23,200 $10,849.10
REP Contract 11,000 8464.36
Book/Review Awards 3,200 1317.18
Conference 5,000
Board Meetings 1,000
Outreach (VA Class, etc) 1,000 250.00*
CPA 500
Dues, Renewals, Misc. 1,500 817.56
· 2017 VA Class expense
Note: Estimates for income are based on prior year’s experience. Estimated expense is based on the corresponding income item. As the year goes on, specific income and expense numbers will be documented. Dues go into Operations account and cover all expenses of running MWSA. Conference(s) and book awards program need to pay for themselves and fees in each not geared for making anything but a very small profit. That very small excess is necessary to cover any unexpected expense, and if not needed, should be used to decrease cost of future program activities.
APPENDIX B
2018 Award winners
Michael Mullins Writer of the Year
· Michael Mullins (posthumous)
Founders award
· Rick St. John
Children & Young Adult—Picture Book
Silver
· Eddie and Bingo : Destination Christmas by Kathleen and Katherine Taylor
· My Dad Got Hurt. What Can I Do? Helping Military Children Cope with a Brain-Injured Parent Brunella Costagliola
· my daddy is a sailor by Tahna Desmond Fox
· My Daddy Sleeps Everywhere by Jesse Franklin
Children's Chapter Book
Gold
· Jacqueline by Jackie Minniti
Collections—Anthology
Silver
· Love, Sweet to Spicy: A Corrales Writing Group Anthology by Chris Allen, John Atkins, Maureen Cooke, Sandi Hoover, Tom Neiman, Jim Tritten, and Pat Walkow
Collections—Religious/Spiritual
Silver
· Holy in the Moment: Simple Ways to Love God and Enjoy Your Life by Ginger Harrington
Historical Fiction
Bronze
· Uncommon Bond by John House
History
Gold
· The Shadow Tiger: Billy McDonald, Wingman to Chennault by William C McDonald III & Barbara L. Evenson
· Tiger Bravo's War by Rick St John
Silver
· Air Force One by Nicholas Veronico
· Blades of Thunder by W. Larry Dandridge
· Chopper Heroes by William Peterson
· The Solomons Campaigns, 1942-1943: From Guadalcanal to Bougainville, Pacific War Turning Point (Amphibious Operations in the South Pacific in World War II Series, Vol. 2) by William L. McGee
Bronze
· Wonderful Flying Machines by Barrett Beard
Horror/Fantasy/Sci Fi
Silver
· Tested by Connie Cockrell
How to/Business
Silver
· Hal Moore on Leadership: Winning When Outgunned and Outmanned by Harold G. Moore
Literary Fiction
Gold
· Syllables of Rain by D.S. Lliteras
Silver
· The Perfection of Valor by Bob Mustin
Bronze
· Flowers from Afghanistan by Suzy Parish
Memoir/Biography
Gold
· Marcel's Letters: A Font and the Search for One Man's Fate by Carolyn Porter
· Racing Back to Vietnam, A Journey in War and Peace by John Pendergrass
Silver
· Heroes to the End by Jim Smith
Bronze
· Kanaga Diary: Lost in the Aleutians, 1938 by Estelle Lauer
· Through Smoke-Teared Eyes: The Vietnam War I Fought by Johnny F. Pugh
Mystery/Thriller
Gold
· Land of Wolves: The Return of Lincoln's Bodyguard by Tj Turner
· Soft Target by John D Trudel
· The Consultant by Tj O'Connor
Silver
· Homeland Burning by Brinn Colenda
· Into a Dark Frontier by John Mangan
· Sins of the Fathers by Joseph Badal
Pictorial/Coffee Table
Gold
· Lighthouses of America by Tom Beard
Poetry—Poetry Book
Gold
· War in the Company of Medics: Poems of the 45th Surgical Hospital in Vietnam by John J. Candelaria
Bronze
· Vietnam Voices by Michael Lepore
Reference
Silver
· The Wicked Problem of Cultural Heritage and Conflict by Christopher Herndon and Joris Kila
Bronze
· African American Warrant Officers - Their Remarkable History by Farrell Chiles
· Bradley vs. BMP: Desert Storm 1991 by Mike Guardia
Young Adult (fiction or non-fiction)
Silver
· Sebastian Tale by Dylan Weiss
APPENDIX C
Memorandum of Agreement
Between
SouthWest Writers and Military Writers Society of America
1. SouthWest Writers (SWW) and the Military Writers Society of America (MWSA) have entered into an informal partnership to produce a joint writing conference to be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico from September 12 – 15, 2019.
a. The SWW board approved this action via email vote on August 13, 2018 and acknowledged at the normal meeting held on September 4, 2018.
b. The MWSA board approved this action via telephone conference call on September 7, 2018.
2. In order to maximize savings, boards of directors for both groups agreed SWW would be the lead organization for billing all conference expenses.
3. With SWW as the lead, the conference location, Hotel Albuquerque, will honor a New Mexico Nontaxable Transaction Certificate (NTTC) exempting SWW from paying New Mexico gross receipts taxes on food contracted to be provided during the conference. Both organizations benefit from this arrangement.
4. The SWW president and secretary signed a contract and filed an application for direct billing with Hotel Albuquerque on September 24, 2018. Copies of these documents are attached.
5. Both boards of directors also agreed, when they approved the joint conference, to craft a memorandum of agreement (MOA) that would address the shared risk and how to distribute any profits from the conference. This document is that MOA.
6. Calculating registration income:
a. Revenue from conference fees will be allocated to the organization (SWW or MWSA) to which the registrant belongs.
b. Partial registration fees, such as ‘meal-only- registrations, are allocated to the organization to which the registrant belongs. If the registrant belongs to both organizations or to neither organization, the registrant’s conference fees are allocated to both organizations.
c. Registrants should state whether they are members of one organization, the other, both, or neither. Members of organizations' guests will be allocated to the organization(s) to which the member belongs.
d. Registration revenue will not include expenses paid by registrants for the benefit of a registrant, such as individual hotel, room service, transportation, and the like. Registration revenue will include all amounts collected through the registration process for conference fees, conference-funded meals, food, beverages, and related items which the organizations pay to conduct the conference.
7. If there is a net profit after payment of expenses, using Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), the profits will be allocated proportionally to each organization based upon that organization’s registration income.
8. If there is a net loss after calculation of all revenues and expenses, using GAAP, the losses will be allocated proportionally to each organization based upon that organization’s registration income.
9. Both organizations will do their best to encourage early registration in order to have funds to pay any required expenses prior to the conference.
10. This MOA will take effect once approved by both the SWW and MWSA boards of directors and signed by the appropriate individuals empowered to sign for both organizations. It will remain in effect until the distribution of any profits or payment of any penalties. A full allocation of income and expenses will be reported to both organizations by the SWW Treasurer within sixty days of the conference ending or cancellation.
11. Signatures may be executed in different locations and transmitted via .pdf documents. The Secretary for SWW will maintain the official file with a copy delivered to the Secretary for MWSA.
12. Applicable law governing this MOA will be that of the State of New Mexico.
______________________________ __________________________________
______________________________ __________________________________
Appendix D
Certified election for MWSA Officers and Board...2019
compiled by secure.electionbuddy.com
1-30 October 2018
answer vote percentage
President; Bob Doerr
YES, 64 100%
Vice President
George Jackson 31 52.3%
Secretary: Joe Epley
YES 61 100%
Treasurer: Hugh Simpson
YES 62 100%
Directors at large (four)
Jim Tritten 46 21.7%
John Cathcart 44 20.8%
Phil Keith 44 20.8%
Larry Greenly 40 18.9%
APPENDIX E
Red Engine Press
1906 South 70'" Street
Fort Smith, AR 72903
412.496.3026
31 October 2018
Report to Military Writers Society of America (MWSA) Board of Directors
ROSTER
The following table provides information on the MWSA membership roster as implemented in
the Wild Apricot (WA) web-based database, as of 31 OCT 2018.
ITEM
CONDITION
WA STATUS
COUNT
1
Total MWSA membership database record
NA
1117
2
MWSA told to remove name from Roster, or
Email delivery problem, or
Email delivered but not opened
Archived
619
3
Payment received for membership dues
active
256
4
Lifetime membership (no dues involved
Active
33
5
No renewal payment
Lapsed
152
6
Invoice delivered but no dues payment yet
Lapsed (pending)
76
7
Known passing of member
Deleted
10
8
Size of roster (1)
498
9
New Member Application (Year to date)
N/A
70
Note 1: To keep the size of the roster below 500 records and as members are added, lapsed members are re-evaluated for archived status.
Appendix F
Remarks by Dwight Zimmerman, read by Bob Doerr
WELCOME
Welcome to Charleston, South Carolina, and to the 2018 Military Writers Society of America conference. I regret that once again I’m unable to attend. I will miss the opportunity to renew friendships formed at previous conferences and make new ones at this one. Serving as your president has been both an honor and a humbling experience, one I will treasure. A new era for MWSA begins under the leadership of incoming president Bob Doerr. I have known Bob for many years and found his friendship and support at MWSA to be invaluable. I am proud to pass the baton of leadership to him as I know he will be an excellent president for MWSA.
There are many people who deserve my thanks. Some of them are in Charleston, some, like me were unable to attend, and others have joined ranks under that great Commander in Chief in the sky. But there are two I would like to single out: founder Bill McDonald and my predecessor as president, Joyce Faulkner. Both played important roles in first welcoming me into the organization and later when I was your president. Without their support and guidance, I would have been lost. Thank you, Bill and Joyce, for everything.
In closing, I hope all of you have a great time in Charleston!
-- Dwight Jon Zimmerman, former President, Military Writers Society of America
Sep
7
4:45 PM16:45
September 2018 Board Meeting
AGENDA
Military Society of America
Board of Directors meeting
4:45 p.m. 7 September 2018
Call to: (712) 832-8330 Access code: 618 1029 #
1. Call to order David Zimmerman
2. Minutes of last meeting (Appendix A) Joe Epley
3. Treasure's report (Agenda Appendix B) Bob Doerr
4. Nominating Committee report Rob Ballister
a. Nominees Ballister
b. Discussion on bylaws, motion by Ormond
"Amend Article IV, Section 6 (a) of the bylaws to read
'The President Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary shall be elected by the members shall hold office for a term to two years, or until their successors are elected."
This motion changes the length of tenure from three to two years and makes the terms compatible with that of the Directors.
5. Annual Meeting 2018 Joe Epley
a. Program Doerr
b. Attendance
c. Writer of the Year Ormond
d. VA workshop Ormond
e. Motions by Doerr:
MWSA will reimburse one-night hotel stay for directors who attend the conference, and one-night hotel stays for Don Helin and Valerie Ormond for coming in a day early to handle the VA Writer's course and will pay for two nights at the hotel for the President (Dwight Zimmerman). These expenses will come out of the Operations account as they deal with MWSA management and our outreach efforts.
WMSA will pay from the awards budget for two nights stay at the conference hotel for the Awards director.
6. Annual Meeting 2019 Jim Tritten
a. Motion to authorize Tritten to sign a contract ...
“MWSA appoints board member Jim Tritten to be its agent and conference coordinator at the September 11-19, 2019 joint conference with SouthWest Writers (SWW) to be held at the Hotel Albuquerque in Albuquerque, New Mexico.”
b. Motion to allow South West Writers to act as agent for WMSA by Tritten:
“MWSA agrees that SouthWest Writers (SWW) will be the sole agent and producer to sign contracts and pay all bills with the Hotel Albuquerque for the joint writing conference to be held in September 2019.”
c. Motion by Tritten to approve a memorandum of understanding between WMSA and SWW to share in profits and losses.
“The MWSA President or Vice-President and conference coordinator will draft for approval by both the SWW and MWSA boards a memorandum of agreement (MOA) that will provide for MWSA to share the risk and how both organizations will share profits.”
d. Motion by Tritten to approve meeting date deviation from bylaws:
"The MWSA board approves changing the annual meeting for 2019 date from the last quarter of the year to September 11-19."
7. Awards committee report John Cathcart
8. Other organizations Valarie Ormond
9 Membership report Joe Epley
As of 28 Aug, total Active members:279 (32 lifetime non-paying dues).
Of the 279, 59 are new members.
10 Other old business Dwight Zimmerman
11. New Business Dwight Zimmerman
On Motion by Epley:
The next board meeting will be in the boardroom at 4 pm Thursday, 7 November 2018 at the Hilton Garden Inn, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.
12 Adjourn
Appendix A
MINUTES
Military Writers Society of America
Board of Directors Meeting
6 June 2018
1. MEETING
With proper notice given, the Board of Directors of the Military Writers Society of America held their quarterly meeting via teleconference on Wednesday, 6 June 2018 at 5 pm EDT. Participating in the call were Dwight Zimmerman, President; Bob Doerr, Vice President; Joe Epley, Secretary; Farrell Childs, Valerie Ormond, Kathleen Rodgers, and Jim Tritten.
2. MINUTES OF LAST MEETING (Appendix A)
On motion duly made and seconded, minutes of the meeting held on 7 March 2018 were approved.
3. TREASURER'S REPORT (Appendix B)
In the absence of a treasurer, Doerr presented a financial report that showed $15, 808.22 income and $6,841.86 expense.
The question of who was paying for the World War I anthology being published by Red Engine Press. Zimmerman said he would find out.
4. MEMBERSHIP REPORT (Appendix C)
In the absence of John Faulkner, Doerr reported 233 active members and 66 members with pending renewal. The President urged everyone to actively recruit more members.
5. ANNUAL MEETING
Epley reported that a handful of members have registered for the annual meeting. Not all officers and directors are registered. A push needs to be made for more members to take advantage of early registration discount that ends July 1st. Doerr reported that programming was going as planned.
5. NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT
Bob Ballister, chairman of the Nominating Committee, was not in attendance. Doerr reported that six members have put their names in. The committee will continue to get other nominees for officer and director.
6. AWARDS REPORT
John Cathcart, chairman of the Awards Committee, was not in the meeting. Doerr reported on his behalf that the Committee had about 67 to 70 books competing this year and was nearing the deadline for 2018. There is a backlog of books that need reviewing.
7. WRITER OF THE YEAR (Appendix D)
Ormond presented a recommendation for the criteria for awarded the Mike Mullens Memorial Writer of the Year. After length discussion, upon motion duly made and seconded, the board voted to adopt the recommendations as a policy for WMSA.
Military Writers Society of America (MWSA) Mike Mullins Memorial Writer of the Year (WOY) Award
Terms
1. The Award and Medal shall be awarded annually to the Writer of the Year (WOY) for distinguished contributions to the Society in consideration for that year.
2. The Awards Committee and the Board of Directors in their deliberations will consider the following.
Definitions
1. The Committee shall consider all forms of writing—fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.
2. The author’s work displays respect for the military and military family understandings, abilities, and appreciations.
3. “Distinguished” contributions are defined as:
• Marked by eminence and distinction; noted for significant achievement.
• Marked by excellence in quality.
• Individually distinct.
4. “Writer/Author” may include co-writers and co-authors. The writer(s) may be awarded the medal posthumously.
Criteria
1. Candidate should have a “significant body of work.” This requires a minimum of four books, articles, or works in publications, and must include award/recognition at a minimum from MWSA.
2. Candidate must be a recognized active member of MWSA.
3. Candidate should attend the MWSA Conference to receive the award (if not posthumously awarded).
4. MWSA Officers and Members of the Board of Directors currently serving cannot be considered for Writer of the Year.
Responsibilities of the Award
Candidates must be aware of and agree to active participation in MWSA by giving back, and recognition of MWSA members. The award recipient will fulfill stated/assigned responsibilities to assist and promote the MWSA organization in some manner, including but not limited to:
1. Providing articles for the MWSA newsletter.
2. Presenting or sharing the responsibility of presenting a minimum of one seminar at the following year’s conference.
3. Being amenable to represent MWSA on radio/TV when asked, and to take on other opportunities that may arise.
Process
1. Any member of MWSA in good standing may nominate candidates, in accordance with the established criteria, for the WOY Award by June 30th annually.
a. Members may nominate via the online form in the Awards Page of the MWSA website.
b. The MWSA Awards Committee will also solicit inputs via Dispatches and email blasts.
2. The Awards Committee will receive nominations and recommend them to the Board of Directors by July 15th annually.
3. The Board will qualify a maximum of three candidates. The President will select a Board member to contact each candidate, and the Board member will then contact each potential candidate to make them aware of the requirements to accept to become an official WOY candidate.
4. Following the results of the three candidates, the Board will vote on the candidates who have agreed to the requirements on a specified day by email at least 60 days before the annual conference.
5. The WOY will be notified at least 10 days following the vote to assist in his/her preparations for the annual conference.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Board approved the first Writer of the Year award be made this fall to Mike Mullens posthumously.
Zimmerman noted that Mrs. Mullens will attend the annual conference as the MWSA's guest. At the last meeting, $1,000 was approved to cover her expenses.
8. 2019 CONFERENCE
Jim Tritten reported on five hotels in Albuquerque, New Mexico who submitted proposals to host the 2019 annual meeting. After lengthy discussion and on motion duly made and seconded, the board named Jim Tritten to coordinate the 2019 conference in Albuquerque with the Southwest Writers Group. The Board expressed a preference with Hotel Albuquerque and asked Tritten to negotiate an affordable rate.
9. OUTREACH TO MILITARY WRITERS ORGANIZATIONS (Appendix E)
Ormond presented a detail report on other organizations which WMSA should contact for joint ventures and recruit members. President Zimmerman praised Ormond for the effort and ask that the list be expanded and that board members contact the groups to see if they are interested.
10. NEXT MEETING
The president declared the next meeting to be a teleconference call on Wednesday, 5 September 2018 at 5 pm EDT.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6:15 EDT.
Respectfully submitted,
Joe S. Epley
Secretary, MWSA
APPENDIX B
MWSA FY 2018 Budget – May 31
Income 2018 Estimate Actual
Membership Dues 15,000 11,622.22
Book Review/Awards 3,200 2,320.00
Conference 5,000 1,625.00
Donations/Stickers/Other 0 241.00
Total Income 23,200 15,808.22
Expenses
REP Contract 11,000 4,715.00
Book/Review Awards 3,200 1,096.95
Conference 5,000
Board Meetings 1,000
Outreach (VA Class, etc) 1,000 250.00*
CPA 500
Dues, Renewals, Misc. 1,500 780.86
Total Expenses 23,200 6,841.86
· 2017 conference expense
Note: Estimates for income are based on prior year’s experience. Estimated expense is based on the corresponding income item. As the year goes on, specific income and expense numbers will be documented. Dues go into Operations account and cover all expenses of running MWSA. Conference(s) and book awards program need to pay for themselves and fees in each not geared for making anything but a very small profit. That very small excess is necessary to cover any unexpected expense, and if not needed, should be used to decrease cost of future program activities.
APPENDIX C
Red Engine Press
1906 South 70th Street
Fort Smith, AR 72903
412.496.3026
02 June 2018
Military Writers Society of America (MWSA)
Dwight Zimmerman – President
Bob Doerr – Vice President
Joe Epley - Secretary
INVOICE
For the fulfillment of the monthly activities outlined in the MWSA – Red Engine Press (REP)
contract:
1. Maintenance of roster database within Wild Apricot (WA) interactive software for
members and contacts. Current number of member records (active and lapsed) in the
WA database is 499. As new members join, lapsed members get archived to keep the
roster below the 500-record count avoiding the higher WA license fee. There are 234
active members, 188 lapsed members, and 66 members with pending renewal (invoiced).
2. Collection of dues and events payments.
3. Mass electronic mailing to members providing monthly MWSA news.
4. Track dues and events payments within WA. Current number of payments posted is
171 (with one refund). Thirty-eight checks have been processed.
5. Aid with WA functionality for members.
Contract price: $35.00 per hour, not exceeding $350.00 per month.
Monthly Membership Management software license fee: $95.00
Total REP invoice amount for May 2018: $350.00 + $95.00 = $445.00
Thank you for your business,
John Faulkner
APPENDIX D
Military Writers Society of America (MWSA)
Mike Mullins Memorial Writer of the Year (WOY) Award
Terms
1. The Award and Medal shall be awarded annually to the Writer of the Year (WOY) for distinguished contributions to the Society in consideration for that year.
2. The Awards Committee and the Board of Directors in their deliberations will consider the following.
Definitions
1. The Committee shall consider all forms of writing—fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.
2. The author’s work displays respect for the military and military family understandings, abilities, and appreciations.
3. “Distinguished” contributions are defined as:
• Marked by eminence and distinction; noted for significant achievement.
• Marked by excellence in quality.
• Individually distinct.
4. “Writer/Author” may include co-writers and co-authors. The writer(s) may be awarded the medal posthumously.
Criteria
1. Candidate should have a “significant body of work.” This requires a minimum of four books, articles, or works in publications, and must include award/recognition at a minimum from MWSA.
2. Candidate must be a recognized active member of MWSA.
3. Candidate should attend the MWSA Conference to receive the award (if not posthumously awarded).
4. MWSA Officers and Members of the Board of Directors currently serving cannot be considered for Writer of the Year.
Responsibilities of the Award
Candidates must be aware of and agree to active participation in MWSA by giving back, and recognition of MWSA members. The award recipient will fulfill stated/assigned responsibilities to assist and promote the MWSA organization in some manner, including but not limited to:
1. Providing articles for the MWSA newsletter.
2. Presenting or sharing the responsibility of presenting a minimum of one seminar at the following year’s conference.
3. Being amenable to represent MWSA on radio/TV when asked, and to take on other opportunities that may arise.
Process
1. Any member of MWSA in good standing may nominate candidates, in accordance with the established criteria, for the WOY Award by June 30th annually.
a. Members may nominate via the online form in the Awards Page of the MWSA website.
b. The MWSA Awards Committee will also solicit inputs via Dispatches and email blasts.
2. The Awards Committee will receive nominations and recommend them to the Board of Directors by July 15th annually.
3. The Board will qualify a maximum of three candidates. The President will select a Board member to contact each candidate, and the Board member will then contact each potential candidate to make them aware of the requirements to accept to become an official WOY candidate.
4. Following the results of the three candidates, the Board will vote on the candidates who have agreed to the requirements on a specified day by email at least 60 days prior to the annual conference.
5. The WOY will be notified at least 10 days following the vote to assist in his/her preparations for the annual conference.
APPENDIX E
Information on Veteran Writing Groups for
Military Writers Society of America (MWSA)
-With contributions from Jim Tritten, Kathy Rodgers, and Valerie Ormond
· Veterans Administration (VA) Hospitals
The VA offers writing groups as a part of recreational therapy. Generally, these are at every VA hospital. The link would have to be to each hospital. The writing groups are generally not highly visible, and a limiting factor is that the writer must have a VA patient ID card. Most hospitals publish the writings of members of the group in a locally produced product distributed locally on campus. For example, Jim Tritten has been routinely published in New Mexico in The Heartbeat.
Link for Albuquerque VA Hospital:
https://www.albuquerque.va.gov/services/Recreation_Therapy.asp
Veterans Voices
The local hospitals have a volunteer that selects the best of local stories produced by members of their groups and sends them to a national volunteer organization that publishes the periodic journal called Veterans Voices. Writers do not need to go through the local hospital to be published in Veterans Voices and can submit to them directly. Jim Tritten has been published in Veterans Voices frequently.
Links to Veterans Voices:
http://www.veteransvoices.com/write/writing-submission/
VA Writing Contests
The VA runs an annual writing contest that is administered by each hospital. To participate, writers must be either an inpatient or outpatient at that hospital. Local winners are eligible to participate in the national contest. National winners are invited and paid to attend the annual National Veterans Creative Arts Festival co-sponsored with the American Legion Auxiliary. Jim Tritten was a national winner in 2016 and participated and said it was simply great.
Links to the Creative Arts Festival:
https://www.va.gov/opa/speceven/caf/index.asp
https://www.va.gov/opa/speceven/caf/docs/NVCAF_Fact_Sheet.pdf
https://www.facebook.com/NVCAF/
· Non-Government Veteran Organizations
There are non-government veteran organizations that encourage writing by veterans. Some of these are structured and have publications associated with the organization. Jim Tritten has been published by a some of these.
Military Experience & the Arts
Links to Military Experience & the Arts:
http://militaryexperience.org/
http://militaryexperience.org/how-to-write-a-story-that-mea-will-publish/
http://militaryexperience.org/submissions/
https://www.facebook.com/militaryexperienceandthearts/
Veterans Writing Project
Valerie Ormond attended a Veterans Writing Project (VWP) 2-day workshop. Fred Foote, who attended the 2015 MWSA Conference in Phoenix is an active member of VWP.
Links to Veterans Writing Project and its publication:
O-Dark-Thirty
United States Veterans’ Artists Alliance (USVAA)
Information from the internet:
“The United States Veterans’ Artists Alliance (USVAA) is a 501 © 3, non-profit, multi-disciplinary arts organization. Founded in 2004 by military veterans and artists, USVAA provides opportunities for veterans in the arts by networking with veterans, artists, supportive individuals and organizations within the arts and veterans’ communities to find funding and support for individual artistic projects in theater, film, television, the visual/fine arts and a wide variety of crafts….”
USVAA appears to be a rather large program in the Los Angeles, CA area with corporate support. They have several writing programs including the USVAA Veterans Writing Workshop, and they work with the Writers Guild Foundation. USVAA programs include screenwriting and television writing, literature, and poetry.
Links to USVAA:
http://usvaa.org/program-the-usvaa-veterans-writing-program/
Veteran Artist Program
Links to Veteran Artist Program:
http://veteranartistprogram.org/
https://www.facebook.com/veteranartistprogram/
War Writers
Link to War Writers:
Warrior Writers
Links to Warrior Writers:
http://www.warriorwriters.org/
https://www.facebook.com/Warrior-Writers-100408730072553/
Mil Speak
Today, MilSpeak Foundation is led by former Marine Corps officer, Tracy Crow, whose diverse background is rooted in the military, corporate, and academic worlds. Her professional experience includes thirty-eight years of Kathy Rodgers is personal friends with the director of Mil Speak. (It looks like three organizations but MilSpeak and On Point have merged under Mil Speak). Based in North Carolina, under new leadership, Tracy Crow (MWSA member) recently took over as President.
MilSpeak Foundation, Inc., is a 501(c)3 public charitable organization that supports, promotes, and celebrates the creative arts endeavors of our military servicemembers, veterans, families, and caregivers through MilSpeak instructional on-site and online seminars and workshops, online publishing platforms, and resource advocacy for the purposes of documenting and preserving military history, increasing public awareness about the cross-generational impact of military experience, recognizing and promoting the wellness connection between arts-related activity and stress management, and fostering a warm community of artists.
But at the core of MilSpeak Foundation is the desire to help unleash YOUR inner artist.executive leadership expertise, crisis management training and leadership, sales training and management, advertising and marketing, public and media relations, corporate and entrepreneurial business development, publication design and editing, and academic teaching.
Tracy is a former assistant professor of journalism and creative writing and the author of five military-themed books. After leaving academia in 2013, she founded On Point Seminars & Workshops, named after her breakthrough writing text, On Point: A Guide to Writing the Military Story, and leads writing workshops, mostly for veterans and their families, around the country and online. On Point Seminars & Workshops is now a division of MilSpeak Foundation, and replaces MCWS.
While MilSpeak Foundation, Inc., reorganizes under new leadership, what remains the same is its longstanding commitment toward building bridges between the creative arts and our military communities.
http://milspeakfoundation.org/about-milspeak/
http://milspeakfoundation.org/on-point-creative-writing-seminars/
Syracuse Veterans’ Writing Group
Valerie Ormond has a connection with this group via Goodreads. One of its leaders, Eileen Schell, reached out to her a few years ago, and Valerie donated books to the organization. From their website:
“There's a reason soldiers make good writers. Under all the stress, they've got to remain composed, have discipline, pay attention to detail, make situational observations as if your life depended on it - and then communicate effectively with your fellow troops." —Andrew Carroll, founder of the Legacy Project
The Syracuse Veterans' Writing group is open to all veterans and their supporters. The focus of our group is on writing nonfiction accounts or "true stories" of life in and out of the military.
Veterans of all ages, branches of the military, and conflicts are welcome. You need not have any prior experience with writing, just a desire to write your stories and share them with others.
Our group meets once a month on Saturdays 10 a.m.-12 noon on the Syracuse University campus in the Writing Center, 1st floor, H.B. Crouse. Refreshments are provided, and the atmosphere is casual and relaxed. The bulk of our meeting time is focused on sharing and commenting on group members' writing. There is no cost or fee associated with the writing group. Just bring a notebook and pen or and be prepared to do some writing.
Writing group sessions focus on:
Learning key techniques for nonfiction writing
Drafting your stories
Sharing your stories and offering feedback to other group members
Encouraging each other as writers.
Polishing and preparing your work for publication.
The group is co-led by Eileen E. Schell, a writing teacher and writing group leader for over 20 years and Ivy Kleinbart, a poet and writing teacher at Syracuse University.
Writers Guild Foundation Veterans Writing Project
WGF is screenplay focused in Los Angeles. From the WGF website:
“The mission of the Writers Guild Foundation’s Veterans Writing Project is to identify emerging writers from United States military backgrounds and provide them with the tools and insights to nurture their passion for writing and successfully navigate the entertainment industry.
We do this in two phases over a yearlong program: A weekend-long retreat, and monthly follow-up workshops and special events. Each military veteran is paired with WGA members. Our writer-mentors represent some of the most beloved movies and television series of the past and present, and are committed to guiding the voices of the future.”
Link to WGF:
https://www.wgfoundation.org/programs/military-veterans-writing-workshop/
Other Non-Veteran Writing Organizations
There are probably hundreds of non-veteran writing organizations with missions similar or identical to that of MWSA. Here is just one, the Southwest Writers in New Mexico, as a sample.
Links to Southwest Writers:
http://www.southwestwriters.com/
https://www.facebook.com/southwestwriters/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/southwestwritersonline/
Also, the Corrales Writing Group link:
https://www.facebook.com/WritersInCorrales/
Finally, there are academic organizations that offer free writing classes not limited to veterans but certainly of interest to veterans. Jim Tritten has participated in this one.
Link to Writing University [University of Iowa]:
http://www.writinguniversity.org/
The Writer’s Garrett, Dallas, TX
Kathy Rodgers is connected and suggested if MWSA hosts a conference in Dallas/Fort Worth, MWSA may be able to partner with them. In her words:
“The director has worked hard to incorporate veterans into their curriculum. Jack London and Don Helin taught a class in Waco, TX summer of 2016 and I believe that was sponsored by the Garrett or a combo with the VA.
“In fall of 2016, former MWSA member Leila Levinson and I sat on a panel and talked about writing about the military. Leila also conducted a two-hour training session for workshop instructors interested in working with veterans.”
From their website:
The Writer’s Garret has developed Writing Over War to support military veterans, their families, and others affected by conflict. Your story can change lives. Learn to tell it with skill and power. Share your experiences through writing in a way that will help others to better understand your service.
Writing Over War faculty and presenters are practicing writers: poets, novelists, memoirists, and playwrights; they are spoken-word artists and writers of creative non-fiction, flash fiction, and short stories. Many are themselves veterans, the spouses and sons and daughters of veterans, or refugees from war-torn countries. All are trained workshop facilitators with a heart for serving their communities through sharing their love of the written word.
Our workshops focus on the craft of writing, as well as strategies to help participants process and write about intense experiences in a way that promotes good health. Research exploring the connection between the arts and well-being has found that writing from deep feeling boosts immune function, brings about drops in blood pressure, reduces feelings of depression, and elevates daily moods. Writing makes a difference.
Writing Over War introductory workshops are always free to veterans and their family members. To learn more about bringing a workshop to your organization or community, contact us at WoverW@writersgarret.org
Link to Writing Over War:
http://www.writersgarret.org/project/writingoverwar/
Western Writers of America
From their website:
WWA was incorporated in 1953 to promote the literature of the American West. Like the Western landscape itself, WWA and the books, songs, and stories produced by its members have evolved immensely.
WWA boasts historians, nonfiction authors, young adult, romance writers, songwriters, poets, and screenwriters for film and television. We all have one thing in common—our work in every medium is set in the ever-changing American West.
Today we have more than 650 members who have garnered awards and made The New York Times best-sellers list. Members include C.J. Box, Anne Hillerman, Craig Johnson, Tom Clavin, Nancy Plain, Mark Hall-Patton, Thomas Cobb, Chris Enss, Kat Martin, Kirk Ellis, Lucia St. Clair Robson, Johnny D. Boggs, Paul Andrew Hutton and David Morrell.
Link to Western Writers of America:
Additional Resources
Link to The Iowa Review’s collection of Writing Resources for Veterans (some of the above are included.) MWSA is listed:
https://iowareview.org/content/writing-resources-veterans
Link to Article on Writing Groups:
https://conniejjasperson.com/2017/06/28/amwriting-choosing-a-writing-group/
Link to site where authors can list books for free and connect with other military writers:
http://www.military-writers.com/index.html
Agenda Appendix B
MWSA FY 2018 Budget – Aug 31
Income 2018 Estimate Actual
Membership Dues 15,000 15,530.00
Book Review/Awards 3,200 2,840.00
Conference 5,000 2,110.00
Donations/Stickers/Other 0 247.70
Total Income 23,200 $20,968.70
Expenses
REP Contract 11,000 7,160.00
Book/Review Awards 3,200 1,187.70
Conference 5,000
Board Meetings 1,000
Outreach (VA Class, etc) 1,000 250.00*
CPA 500
Dues, Renewals, Misc. 1,500 1074.53
Total Expenses 23,200 $9,672.23
2017 VA Class expense
Note: Estimates for income are based on prior year’s experience. Estimated expense is based on the corresponding income item. As the year goes on, specific income and expense numbers will be documented. Dues go into Operations account and cover all expenses of running MWSA. Conference(s) and book awards program need to pay for themselves and fees in each not geared for making anything but a very small profit. That very small excess is necessary to cover any unexpected expense, and if not needed, should be used to decrease cost of future program activities.
Jun
6
5:00 PM17:00
Mar
7
5:00 PM17:00
March 2018 Board Meeting (Telephonic)
AGENDA
5 pm EST 7 March 2018
Call to: (712) 832-8330 Access code: 618 1029 #
1. Call to Order Dwight Zimmerman
2. Approve minutes of last meeting Joe Epley
3. Treasurers report Buddy Cox
4. Membership report John Faulkner
5. Annual meeting report Joe Epley, Bob Doerr
6. Awards report John Cathcart
7. Author of year report Valerie Ormond
8. Conflict of interest report Joe Epley
9. Veterans Radio Proposal Bob Doerr
10. Associate Member Bob Doerr
11. New business Dwight Zimmerman
12 Old Business Dwight Zimmerman
13. Next Meeting 6 June 2018
14. Adjourn
Nov
30
5:00 PM17:00