A general meeting of the San Francisco Folk Music Club convened at Camp Harmony on January 1. The following is a summary of the discussions. For more details, contact Marian Gade, Club Secretary.
The Harmony Committee has done a wonderful job! Suggestions and comments were made on workshops, meals, ecological concerns, and how to bring new people to camp. These comments will be sent to the Committee.
There was a discussion of camp "traditions," of ways to ensure that everyone feels part of one camp, including singing in the kitchen, passing out words to Auld Lang Syne so everyone can sing it together New Year's Eve, and other similar activities.
Phyllis Jardine, editor, gave credit to those individuals who do so much to make the newsletter happen. The newsletter is generally viewed, here and around the country, as of very high quality.
Suggestions were made to put in more resource information, such as people who are available to teach various instruments. The editors are willing to put it in...if someone sends them the information!
It was pointed out that a group separate from the folknik staff does the actual folding, sorting, and mailing process; Bob Semple has been supervising this group. (Thanks!) More people are invited to participate and join in the potluck and folk sing afterwards at the fold-ins.
Needed: a volunteer to sort mail one hour a week at 885 Clayton Street, a "wish list" in every issue of the folknik listing people and things we need, volunteers for appointment to the Board to replace those whose terms end this year. The Board meets once a month, 11 times per year, with a potluck dinner before the meeting.
A new Club directory will be put out this year to keep up our "every-4-years" plan. Kathryn LaMar will coordinate volunteers. Valentine Doyle has volunteered for illustrations.
How can we generate more interest in attending this once-a-year General Meeting? Suggestions included: post an agenda ahead of time so people know what happens at the meeting, think carefully about a good agenda that will interest and involve people, publicize the meeting ahead of time in the folknik, mention the meeting in the Camp Harmony acceptance letter, have a subcommittee plan next year's annual meeting.
There are some hard issues, including: aging of the Club's membership,who comes to Camp and to meetings, and to other campouts we hold during the year.
These issues deserve widespread consideration and debate and should be placed on a future (preannounced) agenda.
Genevieve Gerst is concerned about the future of Club membership among young people; she was encouraged to attend Board meetings and help get others her age involved.
Gary Wiegand has acquired a parcel of land north of Sea Ranch, near Gualala, that he hopes to develop as a music camp. He could use some help: lawyers, accountant, architect, other advisors.