• Attendees: Nathan, David, Gail, Lynn, Camy
  • Banking
    • Got a call from the bank on Friday that we have an inactive savings account – David and Nathan will go to the bank together on Tuesday and make sure we’re not getting charged any fees and Nathan is on the account.
      • Need a resolution from the board – minutes are enough and they are on the website
    • Also going to set up another checking account to put the grant funds in so we can be really clear in our reporting (strict reporting requirements in the grant)
    • Board Voted to update account to reflect Nathan David Allan as signer and give him card holder privileges. David and Nathan are also authorized to set up another checking account to put Inspire Olympia funds in to. Vote was unanimous.
  • Grant
    • We got some feedback from the grant that we need to show that we are diverse as a club
      • Need some sort of statement on the website about being diverse and welcoming and do not discriminate
      • We are on the grounds of these tribes and honor that heritage in this way
      • Tell more stories about bees in different cultures
      • Lean into the science side of bees as well
    • Nathan is going to do a post using the Inspire Olympia logo – they want us to include that, there are some hash tags to use – they are big on social media
      • Nathan can add the club to a plug-in tool that consolidates social media to make it easier to manage
      • Thinking we should start an instagram for the club
      • Cross promote with master gardeners – Sarah’s sister is a master gardener
    • Gail gets a lot of calls about having bees in the birdbath, wasps, bumble bees – would it be to our advantage for me to keep a diary of those calls
      • They are calling the swarm hotline and Gail personally
      • Need to improve the swarm page on the website to help answer those questions without having to call!
    • Also want Gail to track when people go out and collect swarms
    • Website login/membership tool has updated plug-ins if we pay for the membership – $300 from club fund
  • TC Fair prep
    • Paul wants to integrate a slide show that the Ag Board puts in, they get funding for the fair if they put it in, would like to have a TV
      • Nathan got a TV on buy nothing yesterday!
      • Part of our Inspire Oly grant is money for the Fair Booth
      • Paul also asked if the club could donate to renovations to the pollinator garden, master gardeners are chipping in $500, so we will too! Start of having a better partnership with the master gardeners
      • We need to put together the slide show!
      • Nathan will source a dual monitor computer:
        • Run the slide show
        • Monitor with keyboard so people can sign up for newsletter or join the club
      • WiFi does not work at the bee booth – Nathan will see if he can tether to his phone – if not maybe purchase a hot spot with the TV money
    • Booth updates
      • Take all posters off the walls, order a new set of posters and frame them (they can stay in the bee booth year-round)
      • Hang chalkboards with bee facts
      • Hang TV and connect to computer
      • Move the bench outside and put the canopy above it – have kids decorate small bee tiles and we can hang them up on the wall outside the bee booth
      • Also outside to fill up some of the space with interesting stuff, we will put some differently types of empty example hives for demo purposes
      • Create a window and counter for the honey tasting to happen from the outside
      • Create another counter on the other side where we put the honey for sale
      • Nathan shared an Amazon shopping list
        • Going to buy a honey for sale sign
      • OK to sell t-shirts if we don’t hang them up all over
    • We are going to do the black jar honey judging contest at the fair
      • Must make sure it’s sanitary – Nathan will check with the county to make sure it’s OK
      • Each member that wants to participate will fill up a jar
    • Decided not to paint the inside of the booth this year
    • The observation hives – Brian will stock them both with bees
    • Nathan wants to have the club rack card and swarm card printed for the fair
  • Classes
    • We received 150 Apprentice patches – we plan to include it as a benefit of completing the class
    • Master Beekeepers are not very active anymore – time to teach the WASBA class instead?
      • They insist on teaching the beginner course first – Nathan will look into it more and maybe talk to Alan about it
    • Need to schedule the times for doing the classes
      • Apprentice class in Fall – starting in early October to make sure it’s over by Thanksgiving
      • August and late Sept beginner 1-day classes
  • Mentorship
    • Frustration that mentees don’t stick around – idea to start charging them for being mentored so that they are more invested ($20?), the fees could go to the mentors to compensate them
  • Picnic logistics
    • Nathan already have buns, tomorrow will buy burgers and dogs and fixings (tomatoes, onions, condiments, cheese), solo cups, plates/forks/napkins
    • Nathan is bringing a BBQ and a couple tables, two signs, trash bags, water dispenser
    • There is shade at the farm and a few chairs and toilets
    • David will bring drinks
  • New business
    • Club meeting location – plan for when we outgrow Swantown
      • Any updates from the armory? No updates.
      • Nathan could talk to the community church
      • Lynn suggests Elks, Moose, Eagles, Temples
      • Considerations for space for up to 200, acoustics, parking, and tech set-up
    • Idea from Nathan – if people volunteer, they earn their membership for the next year as a thank you, board members don’t have to pay membership
    • Another idea from Nathan – use grant money to buy bees from members
    • Need to figure out how/who is responsible for taking care of the bees at the new apiary
      • We will train the freedom farmers to apprentice level so they can help care for them
      • Need a person to be in charge of the bee yard – a paid position