LUKE CHAPTER MOAA Minutes of the Board of Directors Meeting 6 March 2014, 1300 IN ATTENDANCE: President Mrs. Pam Wojtas 1 VP/Programs LTC Dennis DeFrain 2 nd VP AUX Priscilla Clay 3 rd VP COL Jerry Wojtas Co-Secretary Mrs. Judi Blankenship Co-Treasurer CDR Bob Archibald Co-Treasurer COL Bill Fedor/Mrs. Eileen Fedor Director/Auxiliary Liaison AUX Priscilla Clay Director/LTC John F. Bean Director/JROTC & Personal Affairs/LT John Kelleher Director/Legislative Chairman LTC Bobbie Watts Director/ESGR Chairman COL Ron Lord Director/Chaplain MAJ Fannalou Guggisberg Fundraising Chair Dick Jackman NOT IN ATTENDANCE Co-Secretary LTC David Brozovsky Director/Club Liaison LTC Dick Weidner Director/NG Editor LTC Scott Phillips Director/Scholarship Chairman CWO3 Don Fordney GUESTS: None SECRETARY'S REPORT: Draft minutes from the 6 February 2014 Board meeting were distributed electronically. The minutes were distributed in Final form pending Board approval. Hard copies were available at the meeting to those needing them. The Board reviewed the minutes. A motion was made by Dennis DeFrain to approve the minutes and seconded by Jerry Wojtas. The motion passed. TREASURER'S REPORT: Bob Archibald reported membership at 242, of which 42 are Auxiliary members. Membership dues for all 242 are paid in full. 1
Account balances: Savings: $ 28.13 Checking: 5985.66 Money Market: 37782.23 TOTAL: $ 43796.02 OLD BUSINESS: 1. Personal Affairs - John Kelleher. John reported that he sent one get well card. The card went to David Brozovsky. John also reported that he has not received one response to the "pitch" in the NewsGram regarding publications. However, Carol Phillips will be providing a hot topic for the guest column. 2. JROTC - John Kelleher. John reported that he received the awards for our 12 schools' Annual Awards Ceremonies. A sign-up sheet, with the names of each school, was passed around to board members to volunteer to go to a schools Awards Ceremony to present MOAA's Achievement & Leadership Award. The ceremonies will take place late April or early May. 3. Auxiliary - Priscilla Clay. Priscilla reported that she is waiting for calls to be returned in reference to members volunteering to be greeters at the dinner meetings. She also stated that she thought our first meeting at PebbleCreek went very well. 4. Legislative - Bobbie Watts. Bobbie reported that there was a slight increase in the January Consumer Price Index (CPI). Other issues highlighted affecting the military included: The Army will see about 20,000 troops cut next year as the total force falls from about 510,400, funded for this year, to about 490,000 for next year. The active-duty Army will be eliminating six of today's 38 brigade combat teams and two teams of today's 13 combat brigades. The Air Force will see significant reductions, down about 11,000 billets from this year's target level of 322,200 airmen to next year's level of about 310,900. The active-component Air Force budget eliminates 10% of today's 40 combat coded squadrons and will reduce this year's aircraft inventory of 3,746 planes by about 5%. The Marines will reduce their force to 184,000 from 188,000. The Navy will reduce the total number of ships to 283 from 288 by 2015. The cost of health care for active-duty military families will rise if Congress approves the Pentagon's plan for ratcheting up co-pays for family members. The Pentagon wants to eliminate commissary subsidies at most domestic bases, which will result in shoppers seeing prices rise by about 20%. 2
Exemptions will be granted to overseas commissaries and also for 25 commissaries in remote and isolated areas in the United States. Five-year plans suggest troops will continue to get 1% pay increases in 2016 and 2017, followed by a 1.5% increase in 2018, and a 1.8% raise in 2019. Officials say that will curb long-term growth in personnel costs. 5. Membership - Vacant. 6. Menus and Programs - Dennis DeFrain. Dennis reported that the menu for the 13 March 2014 dinner meeting will be Garden Salad, Pecan Chicken, Roasted Red Potatoes, Green Beans, and Carrot Cake for dessert. The March dinner will be held at PebbleCreek in the Tuscany Ballroom. The guest speaker will be former White House physician to three Presidents, Dr. Connie Mariano. Her book The White House Doctor: My Patients were Presidents, A Memoir, will be available for members to purchase for $10. Currently, there are 101 reservations for the dinner meeting. Dennis also reminded board members that on 11 March Manuel's Mexican Food & Cantina will donate 15% of their entire (pre-tax) bill to the MOAA's Luke Chapter when presented with the flyer from Manuels. He distributed more flyers and asked board members to pass these to their friends and turn out to support this event on 11 March. 7. Scholarship - Pam Wojtas. Pam reported in Don Fordney's absence. Don phoned Pam to report that he received one or two scholarship applications. He also sent an article to be published in the Luke Thunderbolt. 8. Leadership - Jerry Wojtas. Jerry reported that Pat Schnauffer is considering the position of 3rd Vice President, and is currently reviewing the duties. Jerry also stated that we need to talk to members about filling the position of Co-Treasurer. Not filling this position will specifically impact our dinner meetings where members would no longer be able to reserve tables, or have tent cards at the settings. 9. Chaplain - Fannalou Guggisberg. The Chaplain reported that she has made several calls and sent cards to members. She also mentioned that member Marvin Schultz is currently in Hospice care at home. NEW BUSINESS: 1. Fundraiser Update - Dick Jackman. Dick reported that progress on the fundraiser is moving very quickly. He wanted to give a shout-out thank you to the Team Leaders for their efforts. To date, the Team Scorpions have 144 items and $7000+ in donations. Team Roadrunners have 100 items and $6,000 in donations. Dick stated that they currently have 260 items for the auction and received $3650 in donations. Ron and Carol Vandervort will sell tickets and do the raffle. Currently, Dick has a team of eight people. He is setting up a meeting with his team for next week to do a dry run of the entire process. He would also like to meet with board members who were part of previous fundraisers to look at this year's plan and provide feedback. Dick reported that the dinner 3
and entertainment is set. There will be approximately 20-25 tables. Attendees need to know that only cash or checks will be accepted; no credit cards. 2. Request to Speak From John Strickland - Pam Wojtas. Pam reported that she received an email from John Strickland who started Give Back to Veterans. He wanted to come and address the membership at a dinner. He is seeking volunteers who are willing to be the support system for patients in the VA Transplant Program. The volunteer would transport patients to all scheduled hospital appointments, travel with the patient for evaluation by the transplant team, and travel with them if they are selected for a transplant. The transplant operation could take place in Houston, Texas or Portland, Oregon and require a stay of three to five days. The ideal volunteer would be a retiree in reasonably good health and would be trained on the program. The VA Transplant Coordinator would match the volunteer with a veteran based on geography and other considerations. Cost of the transplant trip for the volunteer would be covered by the VA; however, meals would not be covered. Leading up to the transplant, the volunteer would have vehicle expenses to and from appointments. After discussion by Board members, it was determined that this would not be a topic for a dinner meeting. They also agreed that due to liability issues, this would not be a good fit for our organization. 3. MOAA Diamondbacks Game - Pam Wojtas. Pam reported that there has been no response from members on attending the Diamondbacks game. 4. Listing Scholarship Donations in NewsGram - Dennis DeFrain. Dennis reported that he has been listing the names of cash donors on our Website, and wanted to know if he should continue, and how often should he post the list. Currently, donors are mentioned in the NewsGram by level of donation starting at $50. The question arose as to whether all donors should be listed on the Website and NewsGram no matter what the donation, or stay with the current levels of starting at $50. Also discussed was how often the Website should list donors. A motion was made by Priscilla Clay to keep the level of donations starting at $50, and that the NewsGram will list donors in Fall and Spring. The motion was seconded by Jerry Wojtas. The motion passed. 5. Honorary Membership-Free Dinner - Pam Wojtas. Pam requested the Board consider an Honorary Membership be given to Bonita Popejoy. Bonita is a non-member who has gone above and beyond in support of the Luke Chapter, and is a leader in high donations. A motion was made by Pam Wojtas to approve Honorary Membership and seconded by Jerry Wojtas. The motion passed. A motion was made by Pam Wojtas that Bonita and her husband receive their meal free the night of the auction, and seconded by Jerry Wojtas. The motion passed. 6. Ad in Arizona Veterans Magazine - Jerry Wojtas. Jerry reported that when he attended the Patriotic Gala, he spoke with Mark Field of The Arizona Veterans Magazine. Mark mentioned that they would like to increase community exposure and to attract new donors and provide exposure for corporate sponsors. Jerry stated that they offer non-profit organizations and government agencies a substantially discounted advertising rate of $450 for 2/3 page ($1600 retail cost). The spring issue comes out mid 4
March. Ad deadline is end of 1st week in March. The Board s decision was to consider this for next year s budget. However, they thought that this should be brought up at the Council of Chapters meeting. 7. NewsGram-Survey of Readership (tabled until further notice from John Kelleher). REPORTS FROM BOARD: 1. Badges - Priscilla Clay. Priscilla reported that this week she'll pick up the badges for the next dinner meeting. 2. Prescriptions - Ron Lord. Ron reported that with the change in Tricare For Life beneficiaries' prescription refills to mail-order pharmacy, he talked to the manager at the Luke AFB Satellite Pharmacy. The manager assured him that the Satellite Pharmacy will continue to fill retiree's pharmacy prescriptions, and that they want the business. 3. Adjournment: A motion was made by Priscilla Clay, seconded by Dennis DeFrain and passed adjourning the meeting. Meeting adjourned at 14:15 hours. NEXT MEETING: The next Board meeting is scheduled for 3 April 2014, in the Barcelona Room, at Club Five Six, at Luke AFB. Respectfully submitted, Judi Blankenship Co-Secretary 623-535-9414 5