President’s Message – July/Aug 2007

As we end our fiscal year, I would like to share with you some of the things your Board of Directors has pursued this past year.

We passed a resolution that ends any discount in symposium fees for board members based on attendance only. We initiated an outreach program with the South Seattle Residential Training Center for the Blind; a most rewarding experience for all. I would like to continue this program and pursue other outreach programs with other nonprofit groups. By the time you read this, we will have discussed this issue in the general meeting at Camp B.

Our exhibition chair, Leon White, has worked long and hard this year to bring NWSSA out of the Elysian fields of anon into the mainstream of the greater Seattle art scene. Believe it or not, after 20 years we are still an almost unknown entity. This has been a big focus for the BOD this year.

We followed up from last year with Bob Leverich from Evergreen College with work study students and college credit for Camp B. attendance.

Gus is resigning as treasurer and from the BOD to pursue work on his new abode. We asked Rich Andler and Constance Jones to join the BOD. Their positions have been ratified by the general membership at the Camp B meeting. So we will fill the treasurer’s position and add a member to work as a publicity and marketing head.

Karl and Verena are up for another 2 year term. Karl Hufbauer and Sharon Feeney will be directors for the Hand Carving Retreat next year, taking over for Lane who will have more time to work on the Journal. It’s a bit much to be an editor of the Journal, a BOD member, and a symposium director.

It is my hope that we will continue to focus on the role of NWSSA as a maturing organization and that in that roll we can work together; updating our mission, vision and values, looking toward the future with short and long term goals.

Peace and prosperity, your Pres,

Elaine Mac Kay