2013 Robert E. Fitch Grad Night Party Committee

Meeting Minutes

October 16, 2012

Attendees: Allison Chestnut, Theresa Binns, Mike Doyle, Deborah Wyld, Kelly Jengo, Ellen Haluga, Susan Pochal, Lisa Wisniewski, Bethany Traverso, Liz Dessaules, Michael Noel, Kristen Venditti and Mary Pratt

Meeting called to order at 7:00 pm and took place in the Choral Room at the high school.

Attendees’ introductions.

Secretary’s Report: Minutes from the September 25, 2012 meeting were presented. Susan Pochal made the motion to accept the minutes; Kelly Jengo seconded the motion; and there being no one opposed, the motion was passed to accept the minutes from the September 25th meeting.

Treasurer’s Report: Susan Pochal reported money as meeting was beginning of funds earned from two 50-50 raffles from first two home football games. Kristen Venditti turned in $38 from donation jar she had put out at the Groton Fall Festival. As far as the pizza and snack sales went at the Back to School night, we had expenses that offset what we brought in. However, we have snacks that will be sold at upcoming events wherein the profit will be made.

Susan distributed a proposed budget. Kelly Jengo made a motion to accept the proposed budget; Mary Pratt seconded the motion; and there being no one opposed, the motion was passed to accept the proposed budget.

OLD BUSINESS:

Bylaws – At last month’s meeting the bylaws were distributed. The only copies we had were marked up over the years and it was discussed to revise them so we had a clean copy. Susan Pochal reviewed, made the changes along with name change to reflect the organization name as filed with the Secretary of State. We will vote on bylaws at the November 20, 2012 meeting. We must give parents 30-day notice before the vote to approve. Mary Pratt will send out via email to parents and post on the organizations website.

Fundraisers:

  • 50-50 Raffles – we have held raffles at the first 2 home games. We made $150 from the first raffle and just over $200 from the second raffle ($141 from the raffle and the winner Kevin Drab donated half his winning back to the Grad Party). We have two more home games.
  • Election Day Bake Sale – Nov. 6th – Due to changes, the bake sale will take place outside the Municipal Building. Susan Pochal has borrowed 2 Easy-ups for our use. Mary Pratt to check on tables and power from the City. Mary will also check for pots in storage unit.
  • Donation Jars – Mary Pratt has put jars out at several Groton businesses. If anyone knows of a business that will allow us to put out a jar, please make the contact and let Mary know. Ellen Haluga will check on Pizza Palace. Deborah Wyld gave permission for us to put one out at her business BRL Associates.
  • Santa Arrives by Tugboat – Nov. 24th – 2 pm to dark – last year this event made $1400 selling hot chocolate, baked goods, popcorn, etc… Need people to volunteer.
  • Mr. Falcon – we will do refreshment sale – Student Council will plan event and will let us know. The event is usually in March timeframe.
  • Homecoming Dance – Nov. 3rd – Kristen Venditti has arranged for the Rolling Tomato to come and set up their pizza trailer and will sell pizza. We will get a percentage from them on what they sell. We will sell candy, chips, soda, Gatorade and water. We will need volunteers to help that night.
  • Thanksgiving Pie Sale – orders need to be in by Oct. 26th and pies will be ready for pick-up on Nov. 20th, 5-7 pm in the cafeteria. Liz Dessaules is in charge and has reported she only has orders for 12 pies. Order forms were given out at the last home football game and Mary Pratt posted them on the school website and Face Book. Liz placed order forms in all the teachers’ mailboxes and on the bulletin board in front of the office.
  • Winter Cabaret Concerts @ Groton City Municipal Building – Mary Pratt has asked permission for us to sell refreshments and the City has given the okay. When the concert dates are set, we can make further arrangements. This fundraiser is still in need of someone taking charge of it.
  • Restaurant Give Backs – Mary Pratt has arranged for a Dining for the Cause Night at 99 Restaurant on Tuesday, Nov. 13th. Diners who present a flyer/voucher to their wait staff will have 15% of their total restaurant guest check donated back to the Grad Party. Mary has posted the flyer/voucher to the website and Face Book and will post on the bulletin board in front of the main office. Mary also attached order forms to the first bulk email that went out to the parents. Mary also emailed Chili’s and Ruby Tuesdays about their restaurant nights and will call them. The Shack is also interested in doing a night for us and will be sending Mary the information. We would like to try to set up one restaurant night per month.
  • Falcon Bead Sale – Orders are due on Nov. 9th – Lisa Wisniewski reported that she has money for 19 beads so far and orders for 24. All orders with money need to be turned in on or before Nov. 9th. Liz Dessaules placed order forms in all the teachers’ mailboxes and on the bulletin board in front of the main office. Mary Pratt posted the order forms on Face Book and on the school website. Mary also attached order forms to the first bulk email that went out to the parents. Once the order is placed, it will take 4 weeks for the beads to come in.
  • Benefit Bingo at Foxwoods – Mary Pratt has put in the request with Foxwoods for a bingo in late January or in February. As soon as the calendars are up, the Bingo coordinator will call her with date choices. We’ll sell the tickets for $15 and the more tickets we sell, the greater our percentage back from Foxwoods.
  • Groton Lights Parade – Dec. 1st – we hope to set up along the parade route and sell hot chocolate and coffee. Bethany Traverso looking into. The parade runs from the Water Treatment Plant to the Main Post Office in Groton.
  • Ford Motor Company Drive 4 UR School had been changed to Drive 4 UR Community so non-profits can also apply for it. Susan Pochal has spoken with Rob Valenti. We hope to have an event here in the spring. Application period opens Jan. 11th and we should plan to put the application on that date and hope we are accepted to hold an event.
  • Groton Fall Festival – Oct. 6th – Kristen Venditti put a donation jar out at the concession stand and it brought in $38.00.
  • Scrib Program – Mary Pratt contacted Scrib Pro. It is possible to do a one-time order. This is a program where we take orders for gift certificates and we’d get a percentage of all the gift certificates we sell. If someone is interested in coordinating this as a fundraiser, please let us know. Mary cannot take it on.
  • Powder Puff Games – Mary Pratt reported that Jen Higgins, Student Council Advisor, informed her another group had asked to sell hot chocolate and refreshments. She would let us know if they are not doing it anymore.
  • Gift Wrapping at the Mall – Ellen Haluga is checking into this and will have information at our next meeting.

Party Update: Nothing has been decided and visits to various venues are being scheduled. We are penciled in a couple of places.

NEW BUSINESS:

Fundraisers:

  • Dancing with the Stars – refreshments & basket raffle in the Spring – will need a chair
  • Golf Tournament – May 2013 – This is our largest fundraiser. This past year this event brought in $16,000. We will need a lot of help. Bethany Traverso has volunteered her husband Jose but he has never organized one and will need lots of help. Susan Pochal will ask Paul Fillipetti. Al Gaudet has stated he will help. Mike Doyle and Susan Pochal are already on the list for the committee.
  • Bowling Night – Mary Pratt sent an email to Betsy Denno asking her if she would organize since she organized last year. No word yet. This is relatively an easy fundraiser to organize so if anyone can take this on, please let us know.
  • Spring Fashion/Talent Show – CMT’s are in March and Mr. Arcarese will only authorize practices right after school – no night practices. Hard to get students due to participating in other activities right after school. This event will probably have to be scheduled to take place in April. We are in need of someone to take this on.
  • Spring Tag Sale/Flea Market – Dee Dee Muse Bowen has suggested this fundraiser and has volunteered to organize it. The plan is to sell space for people to sell their items. This way we won’t have to worry about getting rid of unsold items as they will be responsible for removal of their unsold merchandise and our profit will be made upfront from sale of space. We could possibly set up our own space and sell hot dogs and refreshments. Mary will let Dee Dee know that we’d like her to move forward and plan this for the end of April.

Solicitation Letters: We should get a bunch of people together to sit and put together solicitation letters to area businesses asking for support in donations of funds or merchandise. Mary Pratt has asked Laurie Lewis for a list of businesses that were approached this past year. She has a bunch of sample letters she has found from other schools.

ACTION ITEMS:

The deadline for the November School Newsletter is October 28th. Mary Pratt will put information regarding bead order deadline, Election Day Bake Sale, Restaurant Night at 99 Restaurant, reminder for Pie Pickup on Nov. 20th, and information on Santa’s Arrival by Tugboat if available.

Mary Pratt will send out a mass email to Senior Parents by Friday, October 19th, with the old bylaws and proposed new bylaws as well as 99 Restaurant fundraiser flyer.

There being no further business to discuss, Liz Dessaules made a motion to adjourn the meeting; Ellen Haluga second the motion; motion passed and the meeting was adjourned at 8:00 pm.

The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 20th, at 7 pm in the cafeteria.

Respectfully submitted,

Mary K. Pratt