TAVA Business Meeting September 9, 2014

TAVA Business Meeting

September 9, 2014

Chair: Aleks Vasic

Recorder: Heather Johnson

Attendees:

Name / Organization / Name / Organization
Shannon Hill / Aphasia Institute / Heather Johnson / Dixon Hall Neighbourhood Services
Carol Newman / Independent / Aleksandra Vasic / Independent
Alida Simoni / Cosit Immigration Services, North York / Brianna Aspinall / Evergreen
Leslie Deane / CNIB / Alisha Coroa / Daily Bread Food Bank
Tsvetelina Trifonova / The Neighbourhood Group / Sangeetha Navartanam / UHN
Marie John / The Arthritis Society / Melissa Turner / Teresa Group, Student
Melissa Korn / MS Society of Canada / Veronica Torres-Deally / UHN, Toronto General
Mela Maharaj / UHN, Princess Margaret / Menaka Kulendran / Habitat for Humanity GTA
Andy Foley / CSTD / Susan Endicott / Dress for Success Toronto
Faiza Venzant, CVRM / YMCA of Greater Toronto / Ruth Pentinga / Yonge Street Mission
Susan Melnick / Independent / Amanda LaRonde / Central Neighbourhood House
Constance Nobes / Teresa Group / Diana Reardon / Community Health & Wellness
Filothea Knights / Crohn’s and Colitis Canada / Gail Chevalier / Bob Rumball Centre for the Deaf
Leslie Deane / CNIB Library / Lisa Rae / JVS Toronto
Rita Samaha / UHN / Val Culham / Guest
Wendy Halse / Cecil Street Community Centre / Khadija (Kathy) Ali / Ernestine’s Women Shelter
  • Welcome: Aleks Vasic, President
  • Welcomed the membership to the new 2014/15 TAVA year
  • Thanked Veronica Torres-Deally for securing new meeting space
  • Meetings now on Tuesdays; all dates posted on the TAVA website
  • Location: UHN Toronto Rehab, 550 University Avenue
  • Went round the table; each member introduced themselves with their name, length of time with TAVA, and agency represented
  • Approval of June 11, 2014 AGM Minutes
  • Deferred until October TAVA meeting
  • Minutes of June 11, 2014 will be posted on the Member’s Forum on the website for review prior to October meeting (
  • As the Google Group has been dismantled, all members are encouraged to create a login in the Members Only section of the TAVA website
  • Executive Reports

President – Aleks Vasic

  • Introducing New Executive
  • The majority of the Executive team is returning:
  • Aleks Vasic, President
  • Shannon Hill: Past President
  • Menaka Kulendran: Treasurer
  • Melissa Korn: Social Media Coordinator
  • Andy Foley: Program Chair
  • TsvetlinaTrifonova: Membership
  • New Executive member: Heather Johnson: Secretary
  • Vacant Executive Position: Webmaster
  • Shannon Hill spoke about the vacant role of Webmaster
  • A lot of great work done by past Webmasters Rochelle ten Haaf and Donnet Bailey
  • The website uses the Wild Apricot platform which is very user-friendly
  • Until such time as a Webmaster volunteer is secured, the Executive team will do their best to keep the website up-to-date and accurate
  • The position posting for Webmaster is available in the Member’s Section of the website
  • TAVA 2014/15 Goals
  • At the start of each new TAVA year, the membership is asked to review and approval the Goals as presented by the Executive Committee
  • TAVA Goals for September 2014 – June 2015 (can be found on the website at
  • Networking Opportunities
  • Maintain membership of 80
  • Provide informal break time at each meeting
  • Organize a “Give and Get Session” once per year
  • Advocating for Volunteerism & Professional Development
  • Provide an education bursary for a member(s)
  • Free membership to unemployed members in the field
  • Provide free membership to students
  • Resources and Tools
  • Host monthly workshops with a minimum of twenty (20) attendees each workshop
  • Host a full-day Professional Development Workshop with a minimum of fifty (50) attendees
  • Have a minimum of twenty-five (25) attendees at the AGM
  • On-Line Presence
  • Maintain a website and other on-line networks
  • It was clarified that under Section #2, the free membership for unemployed members is actually a subsidized membership with the member paying $20 instead of the usual $40.
  • The revised statement will read “Provide a reduced (50% less) membership to unemployed members in the field”.
  • Acceptance of the 2014/15 TAVA Goals moved by Andy Foley and seconded by Susan Endicott with the above noted revision. APPROVED

Past-President – Shannon Hill

  • Nothing to report

Treasurer–Menaka Kulendran

  • Review of the 2013/14 Statements to date
  • $280 in membership fees received in August for the 2014/15 membership year
  • $45 annual conference fees received and reflected in the statement
  • There is a $65 discrepancy from June 2014; this will be addressed with the former TAVA Treasurer and allocated correctly in the final statement
  • Bank Balance as at September 9: $6,708.34
  • Presentation of 2014/15 Budget
  • TAVA Executive has decided to run a deficit budget to use up some of the surplus monies which has accumulated over the past few years
  • In 2013/14, surplus monies were used to revise and up-date the website
  • Membership is asked for ideas on ways to spend surplus monies in the Membership Survey
  • Planning for a deficit of $1,500
  • Increased Volunteer Appreciation amount from $100 to $125
  • Question from Faiza Venzant: could there be an increase to the Education Bursary if the goal is to have a deficit
  • Aleks responded that the allocation of surplus monies is set out by the Executive based on the direction from the Membership
  • Acceptance of the 2014/25 TAVA Budget moved by Susan Endicott and seconded by Melissa Korn. APPROVED

ProgramChair- Andy Foley

  • All monthly meeting dates on the website except the annual one-day professional development conference date
  • Asked membership to suggest places to host February conference within the GTA
  • Reminded members to complete the Membership survey as the Executive is looking to gather information from the membership on areas of interest/need within the sector
  • Link to survey is available on-line at
  • Survey will be sent out to membership along with summary from today’s meeting

Membership Chair - Tsvetelina Trifonova

  • Reminded members that membership dues for the 2014/15 year are due by September 30, 2014
  • As of September 9th, 63 people still pending renewal
  • To date, ten (10) new members have registered
  • Memberships can now be renewed via the website using PayPal
  • Questions can be sent to Tsvetelina using her work email which is listed on the Member’s Forum on the website
  • Emails sent to the general TAVA email address may not be answered as quickly

Webmaster – Position Vacant

  • No report; position vacant

Social Media Coordinator – Melissa Korn

  • Lots of activities planned for/on TAVA’s social media platforms
  • Website:
  • Facebook:
  • Get to Know your Executive profiles will be sent out in the fall
  • Melissa will be profiling members throughout the year
  • Encouraged the membership to use the social media to promote events within their own agencies and organizations

Secretary – Heather Johnson

  • Members asked to sign up for the Member’s Forum on the website as this will be where minutes will be posted and notifications will be sent prior to all monthly TAVA meetings
  • Other business
  • Schmooze 3 has been arranged by Faiza Venzant, CVRM for October 29, 2014 from 5:30pm – 7:30pm
  • Opportunity for members to get together for informal conversation and networking
  • Location: Sammy’s Family Restaurant, 639 McCowan Road (south of Lawrence)
  • Lots of parking or take the #16 bus from Warden Station
  • Rides can be arranged via the Member’s Forum on the website

Meeting adjourned at 10:10am

Next meeting: Tuesday October 14 2014

University Health Network (UHN)

550 University Avenue, 3rd Floor

Twitter Presentation/Workshop by Jaime Good

To see info and results from workshop, search #learnwme on Twitter

Remember to “Lug-A-Mug”!

**Please remember TAVA meetings are held in a scent-free environment**