DATE: Thursday, April 17, 2014 at Graceway Fellowship Hall in Kansas City, Mo.
OPEN: At 7:00, President Cathy Misko, called the meeting to order. Welcomed all to the 2014 Beekeeping Revolution and gave a big thanks to Andrea Grimwood and Terry O’Bryan for our new meeting venue, Graceway Fellowship Hall. She hopes it will provide enough seating for our ever increasing membership which has grown to 425 members. Cathy M. invited all to try the slides located in the facility.
Cathy M. requested everyone to introduce themselves to their neighbor and share if they have installed their package of bees and/or released queens or seen eggs. She then introduced The Caleb Project and the Harvest Home staff.
ATTENDANCE: 112
INTRODUCTION OF OFFICERS/CHAIRS AND REPORTS: Cathy M. asked if any corrections needed to be made to the March minutes posted online. No Corrections, March minutes filed as posted. Be sure and check out the monthly club minutes posted on our website @midwesternbeekeepers.org
Secretary: Cindy Connell back at the registration table and passing out door prize tickets. Be sure and check out the monthly club minutes posted on our website @midwesternbeekeepers.org.
Membership: Tanya Fisher also at the back table taking new and renewal Membership dues. She also has a sign up list for Members to receive our Newsletter “The Bee Line” via their Email.
Publicity Committee Chair and Editor: Joli Winer,(not present).
Auditor: Robert Burns,(not present).
Librarian: Tom O’Neill, reported a new addition to the library this month. “Beekeeping With Twenty-Five Hives”, by Grant Gillard. Tom O. went on to describe a few of the articles in the book and said it had some good suggestions, some of which he might try.
Webmaster: Cheryl Westra. No report.
Programs: Laura Fish.
Board Members: 1st Phill Levi; 2nd Terry O’Bryan, 3rd Ed Fisher.
Honey Plants Chair: Tom Britz, who reported lots of honey plants blooming right now. Refer to his article in the Newsletter .
State Liaison Chair: Dean Sanders. Check our Mo State Beekeepers Facebook page.
Urban Liaison Chair: Ezekiel Amador, stood and his new position was introduced.
Treasurer: Wes Johnston, read the Treasurer’s report. Filed as read. Refer to attachment.
Cathy M. stated that all of these officers and directors are here to answer any questions you may have, just ask. Membership renewals, as well as ordering name tags for $8.00 are at the back table. Packages of bee flowers are for sale at the back table also with the monies going to the Youth Scholarship Program. No other unfinished business.
NEW BUSINESS: Cathy M. announced that the back table had a variety of fliers to sort through with information of upcoming events and information. Sign up lists at back table include Email, Volunteer Mentor, and Swarm list sign up. Don’t forget that all Beginning Beekeeping class participants received a New Membership to the Mo State Beekeepers Association.
Dates to Remember:
May 24-25, 2014, Queen Rearing by 3 Rivers Beekeeper’s Assn. Fliers at back table.
May 22, 2014, regular Midwestern Beekeepers meeting, will be a Silent Auction. Be sure and dig out your new and/or gently used donations. There will be special door prize tickets on sale for a Queen (Italians, Carnolians, Hawaiians, and Russians) raffle. We will open the Youth Scholarship Raffle : Framed Bee On Flower donated by Bobbi Walker, Complete Woodenware Hive donated by Heartland. We still need 1 more donated item to complete the Youth Scholarship Raffle
Cathy M. said that Amanda Tooney had contacted her asking if any of our members would be interested in giving a short “Bee” program at 11:30 Saturday the 19th after the Lee’s Summit Parade. See Cathy M. for further information.
With no announcements from the floor, Cathy M. turned the floor over to Laura F. She had a few important bits of information to share. The directions for the “Bee Vac” is now on the web site, the directions for the Solar Wax Melter, is on the back table, and the simple sugar syrup recipe is on the back table.
Laura F. then introduced Janice Britz as our first speaker tonight to give her program on “I’ve Got Bees-Now What?” Her portion of the program consisted of walking members through the steps of installing a package of bees and feeding the bees with the different styles of feeders as well as how to make the syrup to stimulate the queen. Youth Scholarship students Ian Parrish and Michael Easton as well as Tom B. , their mentor, assisted Janice B. by demonstrating the techniques she was describing in her power point.
The second part of the program was given by Peter Fish. His program consisted of how to introduce a new queen into your existing hive as well as how to make a split from an existing hive to start a new hive. His tips to succeed with this difficult task will be useful. There was open discussion for questions and answers during both programs.
Laura F. thanked both speakers for a job well done and turned the floor back over to Cathy M. Cathy M. thanked the presenters and stressed the importance of Monthly Educational Programs. She added some FYI about installation of bee packages on screened bottom boards as so many of our new beekeepers have those. With no more questions, Cathy M. asked for a show of hands for venue approval. Attendees overwhelming approved of the new venue, Graceway Fellowship Hall. Andrea G. added to please park on the West side and use Main entrance and gave some further directions on which doors to use for handicap access.
Meeting concluded with door prizes and Phill Levi sharing a recent “Bee Respectful” story. If you missed it, be sure and ask him at the next meeting.
Meeting adjourned at 9:00.
OUR NEXT MEETING IS THURSDAY, MAY 22, 2014 AT 7:00pm AT GRACEWAY FELLOWSHIP HALL, 5460 BLUE RIDGE CUTOFF, KANSAS CITY, MO.
Secretary______________________________________________Date__________________
