IRC Group Chat, Feb 15, 8pm

Hello Members,

Just a few announcements. As our new site begins to unfold and develop new features will also be available for your use. Our latest tool is the IRC chat function. This is something that will be completely built into our site momentarily, but for now it is available by clicking here. You must enter a username, but no password is required.

An IRC chat meeting will be held next Tuesday, Feb 15, at 8pm. To join the chat, simply click the link above (or here) and enter a username. We look forward to seeing as many people as we can join. Our topic will be the future direction of the organization and what each of us can do right now to help out, including updates on the website.

There is also an "alternative" site we are working on. There is a forum discussion which anyone can sign up to use. The alternative website is available here.

Lastly, if anyone would like a username and password to help build the site let me know! This is something that, surprisingly, doesn't require much expertise and is a great way to learn how to build websites.

Stay warm!


Nicholas Kobel
on behalf of the Tawas Area LGBTQ & Ally Community

Minutes 28 August 2010

New Business

Softball tournament

• Volunteers are needed for the softball games September 11 and 12 at Dewey Durant Park. We will be working concession and picking up trash.

Volunteering

• What are more ways we can volunteer? How can we integrate our interests with volunteering?
• Walking dogs at animal shelter
• Ousting Invasive plant species
• Adopt a highway program

Newspaper

• We have the opportunity to be interviewed by the newspaper. Look for details later.

Funding

• What are sources of sustainable funding?

Old Business

Newsletter

• Please provide feedback on the newsletter. What changes would you like to see? Also, one person cannot do the newsletter alone, so we need people to help out by writing articles

T-Shirts

• T-Shirt sizes are still needed. They will be available before we volunteer at the softball league tournaments.

Officer positions

• We still have three positions open: President, PR Officer, and Parents’ Ally. Let us know ASAP which position you would be interested in.

School

• Alongside email bombardment, we will also have members of the organization talk to school officials and personally hand them information such as the SafeSpace poster.

Homework

• Start talking to people about the organization
• Continue saving and asking people for pop cans
• Write an LGBTQ-related article for the next newsletter (due October 1st)
• If you haven’t already, tell us your T-shirt size and color

Minutes 12 August 2010

Discussions

How to get name out and to allow the group to grow

• Volunteer --> contact former owners of Tawas Bar, St. Joseph Hosiptal for hospice programs, get in contact with homeless and women's shelter in Oscoda
• Skype meetings
• Blogging
• Blog Talk Radio
• Website

How to get funding

• Pop can drive
• Individual donations

How to get more people to attend

• Skype for anonymity
• IRC chatting
• Talking to friends about the group
• Having less formal meetings for fun

Homework

• $5 donation in pop cans
• Write LGBTQ-related article (due 16 Aug) for newsletter

IRC Chat Instructions

We will be having bi-weekly IRC chats for everyone to join. IRC stands for Internet Relay Chat and is a great way for getting a virtual group of people together to discuss a topic. Joining an IRC chat is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

1. Go to https://chat.mibbit.com/
2. Enter any username/nickname and type "#tawaslgbtq" (without quotes) for the channel
3. Press return and enter the chat room to start chatting with other members on the given day and time

If you have any questions, please direct them to Nick.

Minutes 29 July 2010

Agenda

• Introductions
• Goals & Missions
• Discussion
• Homework

Goals & Missions

Long-term goals

• Continue to promote awareness, tolerance, and acceptance of LGBTQ people
• Develop organized system for finding and employing volunteer opportunities
• Find ways for dealing with cyber bullying
• Devise way for implementing LGBTQ-inclusive sexual education in school

Short-term goals

• Develop logo
• Employ newsletter
• Initiate formal committee
• Getting the school to listen, adopt policy, and develop plans of action
• Getting people to attend meetings
• Ally training for adult members through Spectrum Center
• Find sources of funding
• Start website

School Authorities

• Contact assistant principle Kosto, principle, superintendent Vernon, the school Board of Education members, and teachers
• Contact following teachers personally
• Send representative to next board meeting
• Contact Pride to organize skit
• Train adult members to be ally trainers
• Develop idea for Safe Space and how it may be implemented in the school

Funding

• Donations
• Grants
• Pop can drive
• Need for keeping money safe as well as person or process to distribute the funds

Committee

• Need for organizing formal committee for organization
• President - self-reliant, self-motivated, committed
• Secretary - organized, efficient, computer office skills, access to computer and internet
• Public Relations - outgoing, professional,
• Parents’ Ally - adult, reliable, strong-willed
• Place ad in first newsletter

Logo

Proposed logo for website, letterhead, newsletter, etc.

Homework

• Find two friends to come next time
• Start saving and asking people for pop cans

Summer Registrar

Please click the following link and fill out the registrar for the summer part of 2009. It will help us get a good idea of when is best to meet as well as who will be attending and where to hold each meeting. The link can be found here. I hope you are enjoying your summer!