John Cathcart

November 11, 2025

2026 Conference

John Cathcart

November 11, 2025

Update Nov 11

Good morning John, hope you’re having a good week. I have two proposals from the Rosen hotels, one from Plaza and one from Centre. Attached is Rosen Centre and below is Rosen Plaza. The Rosen group has always been military friendly and we’ve used them before. I’m still trying to get a proposal from Hilton Lake Buena Vista also. Unfortunately Rosen Centre does not have your preferred dates and can only offer dates in the range you said you wanted to avoid. So that may be off the table right away.

Concessions:

- (1) one-bedroom suite at group rate (4 nights max)

- (1) complimentary welcome amenity (hotel selection)

- 20% Attrition

- 1 per 40 complimentary room nights

- Group rate available 3 days pre/post, based on hotel availability

- Complimentary fitness center access

- Complimentary guestroom internet

- 25% Discounted self-parking for overnight guests

- No Resort Fee

- 20% off AV

- 20% off IT

- Meeting space internet for up to 5 WIFI connections

- Complimentary storage/handling for ten (10) boxes (up to 150lbs total)

- 25% discount on receiving/handling

- Twenty-one (21) day cut-off

- 20% Discounted breakfast buffet for Café Matisse

Here are links of our hotel:

Video of our hotel: Rosen Plaza

Menus: Rosen Plaza Catering Menus

Facilities Guide: Rosen Plaza Facilities Guide

Timing

November primary focus
Bob Doerr suggests: Oct 22-25 or Nov 19-22.

Details/Other

Galen Peterson is now part of the events team
Armed Forces Reunions, Inc https://www.armedforcesreunions.com/
- Charley Dey

John Cathcart

November 11, 2025

MWSA Marketing Plan

John Cathcart

November 11, 2025

To edit, click here

John Cathcart

October 5, 2025

Sept 2025 WYS After Action Report

John Cathcart

October 5, 2025

On Sep 24, 2025, MWSA hosted a Write Your Story Class at the Westin Crown Center Hotel, Kansas City, MO. The class ran from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM with an hour set aside for lunch. The instructors were Ruth Crocker, Jack London, Jim Tritten, and Bob Doerr. Only 5 students were present, four being MWSA members who had never attended a WYS class before.

An attendance list was taken, and an information sheet about MWSA was provided to all the students. Ruth Crocker presented a class on writing memoirs. Jim Tritten's lesson covered story arc. Jack London covered great openings, and Bob Doerr presented a lesson on point of view and dialogue.

The students appeared to have enjoyed the overall class. All but one completed a class critique form, and all the forms gave all categories the highest rating. I am unaware of any negative feedback. MWSA hosted a pizza lunch in the adjacent food court.

My only negative comment is the lack of attendance by local veterans and family members. We’ll need to get a better jump on this next year.

John Cathcart and Valerie Ormond's presence during the class was appreciated by all.

Overall, other than the lack of attendance, I'd grade this WYS class as a success. The members who attended are now familiar with the class, and if they’re interested, they are better qualified to teach in a future class.

- Bob Doerr

John Cathcart

July 24, 2025

Legal and Bylaws Review to be Scheduled in 2025

John Cathcart

July 24, 2025

Background

The MWSA board decided at the Sep. 26, 2024 Board Meeting that we needed to have a legal review of our bylaws. We sent out an eBlast earlier this year asking for a volunteer legal reviewer and had no takers. We previously voted that if we did not get a volunteer, we needed to pay for this kind of review. For historical reference, the last legal review we had of our bylaws was by a volunteer member lawyer in 2017.

During this review, we need to get a legal call as to whether our donations ARE, in fact, tax-deductible since we are ramping up our call for donations. Actually, what I said was that the tax-deductibility of any donation is determined by the specific tax situation of the person seeking the deduction, and that determination should be made by each person’s tax attorney. See Tax Deduction Section below.

We need an action officer to take on this task of pricing what this kind of review should cost and locating a firm or qualified individual to conduct this review.

Tax Deduction

You’re absolutely right to be cautious here. The IRS and state regulators are very particular about how nonprofits describe the tax-deductibility of contributions. The safest approach is to inform, not promise.

Best Practice Language

Here are some IRS-aligned ways nonprofits typically phrase it:

“The Military Writers Society of America is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.”
“Your gift may be tax-deductible as allowed by law. Please consult your tax advisor regarding the deductibility of your contribution.”
“MWSA is recognized as a nonprofit organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations are generally tax-deductible; however, you should consult your tax professional to determine the extent of deductibility in your situation.”

Why This Matters

Donor circumstances vary: If a donor doesn’t itemize deductions, or if part of a gift is exchanged for benefits (e.g., meals, books, tickets), not all of it may be deductible.
IRS disclosure requirement: For donations of more than $75 where the donor receives goods/services in return (“quid pro quo”), nonprofits must tell the donor how much is deductible.
Risk reduction: Saying “may be deductible” or “to the extent allowed by law” avoids overpromising and shifts the responsibility to the donor and their tax preparer.

Suggested Standard Disclaimer for MWSA

“The Military Writers Society of America (MWSA) is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations to MWSA are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Please retain this receipt and consult your tax advisor regarding your specific tax situation.”

AI’s Evaluation of our Bylaws

Here’s a structured evaluation of the bylaws you provided for Pennsylvania non-profit compliance and a comparison with standard nonprofit bylaws practices. I’ll break this into three parts:

1. Pennsylvania Nonprofit Corporation Act (NPCL) Requirements

Pennsylvania regulates nonprofits under the Nonprofit Corporation Law of 1988 (15 Pa. C.S. § 5101 et seq.). Your bylaws largely conform, but a few key areas may need adjustment or clarification:

✅ Strengths / Compliant Elements

Name and Purpose (Article I & II): Clearly states nonprofit status, Pennsylvania incorporation, and 501(c)(3) compliance. ✔ Required.
Membership Structure (Article III): Voting and non-voting classes are permitted under PA law (15 Pa.C.S. § 5752). ✔
Board Composition (Article IV): Fixed number of directors (nine voting) is acceptable; law allows flexibility but requires minimum of 3 directors. ✔
Officers (Article IV): President, VP, Treasurer, Secretary – all required roles are present. ✔
Committees (Article V): Allowed under § 5728. ✔
Amendments (Article VII, Sec 2): Allows amendment by Board, which is valid unless Articles of Incorporation specify otherwise. ✔
Dissolution Clause (Article VII, Sec 5): Correct 501(c)(3) language, required by IRS and Pennsylvania AG. ✔

⚠ Potential Issues / Missing Provisions

Member Voting Rights (Article III & VII):
- You provide for members to elect directors and officers, but Article VII, Section 2 (Amendments) says only the Board can amend bylaws.
- Under PA law (§ 5913, § 5504), unless Articles reserve power exclusively to the Board, members also have statutory rights to amend. You should clarify whether members are expressly excluded from amending bylaws.
Notice of Member Meetings (Article III, Sec 7):
- You require 30–90 days’ notice. PA law (§ 5702) requires no less than 5 days unless bylaws say more. Your 30–90 is acceptable but restrictive; you may wish to allow more flexibility.
Quorum (Article III, Sec 7 & IV, Sec 4):
- For members: 25 members = quorum. PA law defaults to 10% of members entitled to vote (§ 5703) unless bylaws specify otherwise. If you have large membership, 25 might be legally too low. Consider defining quorum as “10% or 25 members, whichever is greater.”
Board Removal of Directors (Article IV, Sec 9):
- PA law (§ 5726) allows removal of directors with or without cause by members, and removal by Board only if provided in bylaws. You do allow Board removal “for cause” by 2/3 vote, but should also clarify member power to remove directors, since that is a statutory right unless waived.
Conflict of Interest Policy (Article VI & VII):
- You include a Conflict of Interest policy requirement, but PA law (and IRS best practices) generally requires annual disclosure forms. Consider specifying that disclosures must be filed annually and kept in records.
Electronic Meetings / Voting:
- You allow telephonic/online meetings but do not specify electronic voting for members or directors. PA law permits it (§ 5708, § 5726), but bylaws should clarify validity of email/online votes.
Indemnification Clause:
- Missing. PA law (§ 5741–5749) allows corporations to indemnify directors/officers against liability. Most nonprofits include indemnification language to protect board members.

2. Comparison with Typical Nonprofit Bylaws

When compared with standard nonprofit practice (IRS guidance, BoardSource templates, other 501(c)(3) bylaws):

Missing / Recommended Additions

Whistleblower Policy Reference: Many nonprofits adopt this alongside Conflict of Interest and Ethics.
Board Term Limits: You provide 2-year terms but no maximum terms. Many nonprofits limit service to two or three consecutive terms to prevent stagnation.
Indemnification: As noted, strongly recommended for liability protection.
Membership Rights Clarification: Define if members have rights beyond voting for directors/officers (e.g., amendment rights, approval of dissolution). Current draft implies limited role but not fully explicit.
Annual Report Requirement: Standard to require the Treasurer/Board to present an annual financial report to membership.
Non-Discrimination Clause: Many bylaws now include language affirming nondiscrimination in membership and programming (race, religion, gender, etc.).
Electronic Communications Clause: Clarify that notice, ballots, and official communications may be sent electronically (consistent with state law).
Filling Vacancies: You allow Board appointment, but best practice is to specify whether appointees serve the remainder of the term or until the next election (yours says remainder – which is fine).

3. Suggested Revisions for Compliance & Best Practice

Here’s a summary of what I recommend adding/clarifying:

Clarify amendment powers:
- Specify whether bylaws can be amended only by the Board or if members also have rights.
- Suggested language:
  “These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors, unless the Articles of Incorporation or applicable law require approval by the members.”
Quorum adjustment:
- Change member quorum to:
  “Ten percent (10%) of voting members or twenty-five (25) members, whichever is greater.”
Removal of Directors:
- Add:
  “Directors may also be removed by the voting members as provided under Pennsylvania Nonprofit Corporation Law.”
Add Indemnification Clause:
- Example:
  “The Corporation shall indemnify any person who is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by Pennsylvania law.”
Add Non-Discrimination Clause:
- Example:
  “The Society shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, or national origin in any of its activities or operations.”
Annual Conflict of Interest Disclosure:
- Add:
  “Each director, officer, and committee member shall annually sign a disclosure statement affirming compliance with the Conflict of Interest policy.”
Whistleblower Protection:
- Add:
  “No officer, director, or member who in good faith reports suspected misconduct shall suffer retaliation.”
Electronic Voting:
- Add:
  “Voting by electronic means (including email or secure online platforms) shall be permitted for both members and directors, provided measures are in place to verify identity and intent.”

✅ Bottom Line:
Your bylaws are already strong and IRS-compliant, but to be fully aligned with Pennsylvania NPCL and best nonprofit governance practice, you should (a) clarify amendment/member rights, (b) adjust quorum language, (c) add indemnification, whistleblower, and nondiscrimination clauses, and (d) strengthen your Conflict of Interest and electronic meeting policies.

AI-Proposed Bylaws Update

Word Document (with old and new versions)

John Cathcart

May 28, 2025

Paid Ads vs. Free Ads for Dispatches; New Volunteer Editor

John Cathcart

May 28, 2025

Discussion of whether MWSA should change our policy of free ads for members to paid ads only at the current discounted rate.
-Ad management is very time consuming for the Editor
-Most members do not take advantage of the free ad option
-Ad quality varies greatly
-Our discounted rates are very reasonable and can help offset layout/design expenses
-Val committed to be Dispatches Editor for one year, and that concludes in September

John Cathcart

May 12, 2025

Possible Verbiage for conference(s)

John Cathcart

May 12, 2025

Val sent this as a possible addition to our conference to indemnify us. Names need changing.

ASSUMPTION OF RISK, WAIVER, AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENT:

By registering for the conference, all conference registrants acknowledge the following: I know, understand, and appreciate the inherent risks associated with my participation in optional and public activities related to the conference presented by American Horse Publications (AHP). I hereby assert that I am voluntarily participating in activities arranged by American Horse Publications and that I assume any and all risks of such participation. I understand that AHP does not provide the equipment, location, or staff for these activities and has no responsibility or oversight for the operation. In consideration of being permitted to participate in these activities, whether or not I have paid a participation fee to AHP or to a third-party service provider, I hereby release (on behalf of myself, my family, my heirs, and my assign) AHP and its employees, agents, and volunteers from any and all claims involving injury, death, or property damage suffered by me, including those which result from the ordinary negligence of AHP and its employees, agents, or volunteers. I further hold harmless, defend, and indemnify AHP from any and all claims arising directly or indirectly from my participation in any activities arranged by AHP.

John Cathcart

May 12, 2025

Financial Management Plan (Treasurer, Bookkeeping, and Bank)

John Cathcart

May 12, 2025

Hugh has announced that he’s not planning to continue as treasurer past his current term. He’s also noted the costs of QuickBooks (they’re now only offering an annual subscription payment plan (even for the desktop version). These two facts lead to required actions on our part.

Treasurer. Make sure we’re recruiting a new treasurer. Rob Lofthouse has expressed an interest.
Bookkeeping Software. Given the costs for QB — roughly $1000/year — and the limited number of transactions we need to track due to check writing, we MAY want to consider another bookkeeping software or system.
Bank. If Hugh’s leaving, we need to consider changing banks. As we’ll no longer be tied to Hugh’s home address.Maybe we need to consider an online-only bank as a replacement that might work no matter where our treasurer lives.

John Cathcart

April 4, 2025

Tracking system for required reports

John Cathcart

April 4, 2025

Hugh discovered we hadn’t filed required annual report with Pennsylvania for many years—potentially threatening our non-profit status. This is a long-standing problem with MWSA management, and we must do better.

Report/Due to/Due by/Position or person in charge

I will create a spreadsheet to track this type of information—likely incorporating this into our portfolio document in this section of the website. Will probably have to wait until I return from vacation (May 2).

On Thursday, April 3, 2025 at 01:10:03 PM EDT, Hugh Simpson <hsimpson@simpsonlaw.org> wrote:

Received a notice from InCorp ( Registered Agent) regarding updating credit card information. Logged in and since 2016 MWSA has been out of compliance with the State of Pennsylvania except in 2022 Joe Epley filed a report.

I jumped in and filed for 2025.

What will become problematic, I believe next year if MWSA does not file a report the organization will be out of compliance which creates a whole new set of circumstances…none good and probably cost $$ to regain “good standing”. I attached a “how to” guide and really easy to do which is essentially updating President, Treasurer, and Secretary.

Probably need to assign this function to a specific “”billet” as people come and go from their leadership roles. I would say assign to “Secretary”.

Did call InCorp to ask why we hadn’t received a notice…their answer “we receive mail as registered agent”. Nothing more nothing less. $129 per year.

See what I saw below.

Entity Name

Due Date

Starts

Ends

Status

Annual Report Due