HRN Volunteer Meeting Minutes

February 13 (12pm) at the Arlington Center of the Arts

26 attendees:

- Katie Kelly

- Patti Cail

- Shannon Cail

- Laura Anamateros

- Carol Youngclaus

- Linda Massey

- Marian

- Maysoon Hamdiyyah

- Jean Player

- Cheryl Reinhardt

- Cheryl Arena

- Heather Toland

- Justin Lyons

- Melissa Barlow-Lyons

- Beth Santo

- Jillian Harlow & Tom

- Bob Stark

- Megan Kierstead

- Corinna Preuschoff

- Kathleen Bourdelais

- Jill & Josh

- Suzanne Trayhan

- Astrid Kruse

- unknown person sitting next to Katie

Update on adoptions (Suzanne)

- In 2010, there were 148 adoptions (151 intakes with 13 bunnies who died in foster care)

- This was less than in 2009 (191 adoptions), but close to the yearly average

Update on foster homes (Melissa)

- There currently are 32 foster homes (including 1 new foster home) and 5 sanctuary homes.

- The Petfinder update allowing to customize Zip codes for foster homes (in the past all bunnies were listed under Woburn, MA) has already helped small more remote foster homes

- New foster home packet is being prepared to ensure that everything is done consistently in terms of food, medical care, screening of adopters etc.

- Setting up new foster homes should be easier, for example, by distributing supplies from the new storage facility

- Vet contracts should be expanded, especially into the more remote areas like northern New Hampshire and Cape Cod, to provide affordable vet care to foster homes in those areas

Update on Hotline (Katie)

- The hotline documents are currently being updated, so that foster homes are better informed what the hotline is doing and the other way around

- 1 document will be available with all hotline guidelines instead of several documents

- Request for a volunteer to take care of emails, which come in on top of phone calls

Website Update (Suzanne)

There currently is the public Website and the private Website. The private Website is meant for volunteers / foster homes and has a lot more information. It is designed as a centralized place to look for information.

Stray Update (Jillian)

- Jillian introduced herself as the person to coordinate stray rescues

- Recently there was only 1 call and the person pulled out

- If there is a stray call / email Jillian will get more information about the location of the stray, the time of day he/she is out, the property (public vs. private) etc. and set up the rescue

Storage Unit Specifics (Suzanne)

- The new storage unit will be set up close to Rita Donvan in Burlington who handles donations since it should be in a centralized place

- It will also have exercise pens and other equipment for rescuing strays

Fundraising (Suzanne)

- There is need for people to organize fundraisers

o Volunteer needed to organize Flatbread as the biggest fundraiser every year

o Volunteer needed to organize Giggles (although it may be too late)

- Generally there is need for people to initiate fundraisers. Typically fundraisers should bring at least $1000, but smaller fundraisers are also considered

- Kathleen will organize a fundraising committee and also is interested in writing grants

Question: What does it entail to organize a fundraiser like for example Flatbread:

1) Scheduling (set up a date 6 months in advance)

2) Solicit donations (30-90 days in advance)

3) Categorize prices

4) Prepare tickets

5) Make sure everything is actually there that day

6) Advertise

Alternative suggestion by Heather are online fundraisers. Heather will set up one similar to the one she did for a school.

Database update (Bob and Megan)

- The animal shelter manager is up and running with almost all current rabbits entered

- This program is used by many shelters in the United States

- The advantage is that once you update a rabbit it automatically updates the Website, Petfinder, etc.

- A prototype for the actual Webpage is also up and running

- Another idea is to put upcoming events / tasks up online including requests for volunteers

- Facebook page has been very successful with many followers and has even raised funds

- Foster homes who want their zipcodes listed on Petfinder, etc. can ask for it. However, if people don’t want their zipcodes listed they don’t have to

- Suzanne explains why there may be a time lag in updating bunnies as adopted

o A bunny is typically adoption pending in case of a bond and it’s difficult to determine when the bond has been successful and the bun is not coming back

- In the future it will be possible for individual foster homes to update a bun in the database, hopefully reducing time lags in updates

- Also, the streamlined information in the database (one summary of information about every bun) will make it easier for hotline volunteers

- Prior years will also be migrated into the database, including who adopted the bunny and possibly the signed adoption contracts

Treasury update (Suzanne)

- Bookkeeper was hired (Liz in Wilmington)

- The bookkeeper is currently being set up and should be up to speed in a few months

- It should be possible to wrap up this years finances by April / May

Newsletter update (Shannon)

- The current newsletter is in the editing phase

- In future it may be easier to send out the newsletters by using mailing labels automatically generated from the database

- Articles are needed for future editions

Busitting update (Suzanne)

- Very successful fundraiser

- Brings in $3000 a year

- Should be promoted better

Education events update (Diane)

- There is need for a person who is willing to work with groups of kids (e.g., girl scouts) who whish to volunteer)

o Help foster homes with cleaning

o Collect food

o Do fundraising

- Kathleen offered her help on occasion

Email lists (Suzanne)

- HRNVol@yahoogroups.com (low volume list for volunteer events)

- HRNChat@yahoogroups.com (for anybody who wants to chat)

- HouseRabbitNetwork@yahoogroups.com (for monthly bulletin and general information)

o Need for a volunteer to work on these bulletins

- HRNHotline@yahoogroups.com (only for hotline volunteers)

- HRNFoster@yahoogroups.com (only for foster homes)

If someone is not on a list, but wants to post to the list, email Melissa.

New board

People who applied for the board and also will be on the board are:

- Heather Toland

- Shannon Cail

- Jillian Harlow

- Kathleen Bourdelais

- Linda Massey

- Astrid M. Kruse

- Cherryl Reinhardt

- Cheryl Arena

- Justin Lyons

- Suzanne Trayhan

- Megan Kierstead

- Melissa Lyons

- Diane Mayer

- Bob Stark

Issues and considerations

- Are 15 board members too many?

- How could all board members get involved? Will the size of the board make decisions difficult?

- Carol demands the opportunity to vote for the new board

- The large board feels exclusive to other volunteers

Compromise

- Board meetings should be public and there should be meeting minutes (unless there is a delicate and private situation that needs to be discussed)

- If there is no vote this year, then there should at least be a vote next year

Positions on the board

- Which positions should there be on the board (currently there is president, secretary, and treasurer)

- There should be a clerk who resides in Massachusetts for tax purposes

- There is a question if the hotline always has to email the board if there is a question

o The answer is no

o The hotline should email the person in charge of something (e.g., Jillian in case of a stray)

o Only things that are off-base should be discussed with the board

- Kathleen would like to see flowcharts / checklists on general procedures