Posted by creativemindsunion (Msg) on 2009-02-24 11:50:29:

The Big Love Dinner Was A Bright Light on a Dark Night

Appreciation Awards Event hosted by Board of Directors honors Community Leaders

Hey folks...Kudos to everyone... Especially Sandee, Christina, Kathy, Dennis, Meg and Nana Yaa for nailing down the details as well as Thank Yous to Bill E. and John for showing up and supporting the behind the scenes task forces

Awards:

• Jackie Green for founding the Greening of Louisville
• Carla Wallace for Diligent Commitment to Social Change Globally and Locally
• Fausta Martin for Mediation and Long Term Dedication
• Mary and Martha Schroeder for Volunteer Leadership in the Garden Collective

Given the details of our 'nearly successful' first Big Love Dinner this month... I think we have learned alot and thus I just wanted to share how we can immediately have a look at organizing future events on a day with better weather and just a smidge more publicity as promotion and outreach...

Board of Directors Planning and Proposal Process

First off, it has become clear that long range planning and larger community-wide service events as funds raising is something that the Board of Directors needs to manage and keep track of as a monthly planning process. Proposals for larger events, financial management and Community Partnerships will definitely need to come through our board with at least 2-3 months advance notice regarding decisions and consideration of negotiations associated with working win community partnerships such as the Big Love Meet and Greet which was designed to be an outreach session for local interest groups and a spill over for the Green Convene Netorking Communities. Learning to work with other organizations to bottom line details and create mutual timelines is something that will expand our successes.

We are still considering Forecastle '09 as a partnership project with Green Convene and will be reporting back as the event falls into place more concretely given the fact that we did get the Puffin Film Grant documenting the record of decision on Waterfront Development and community interest in Alternative/Sustainable Transport. Your input with regard to this idea is appreciated and encouraged as a part of the Green Convene meetings on Tuesdays at 7pm located at the Earthenirvana Center.

Assembly as a Management Resource

Secondly, many of you may or may not be aware that we are looking at setting regular meeting times just to deal with Outreach and Finance issues as a more focused effort to become consistently accessible for local organizers and groups. We recognize that our Weekly Assembly is purely an operational meeting designed to manage the site and the week to week finances which directly relate to Collective reporting and process which is not necessarily of import or interest to the larger community which we serve in our mission. Your interest and input with regards to meeting times and accessibility is always welcome at these meetings. These meetings have also been scheduled for Tuesday nights at the Old Louisville CoffeeHouse at 6pm. There is no meeting scheduled for Feb. 24th but the meetings will likely resume on March 3rd.

As a final note, its clear that our community is in a position to grow and multiply if we can learn to work together successfully and efficiently as organizers and communicators in all forms of media. I encourage each of you to consider what we can do together and how each small community interest group will benefit if we recognize the value in their commitments to their cause as individuals and working units who already meet one day a week somewhere whether it is online or in person. With such a glut of action and focused belief its most important that we are consistent and supportive by sticking to our word and our meeting times overall. No one is perfect but we all can find a way to reach out and through the difficulties before us.

Please see the {'How to Manage Large Scale Events'} if you would like to learn more about how the Big Love Event was designed to be Managed.