We've made a comittment to the Salvation Army to staff their Meals for One every month on the fourth Thursday dinner, 4:50 - 6:10 pm. We need 1 more person to go next thursday - 2/24/00 - please let me know if it'll be you!

Next Saturday, February 26, we'll be painting the Family Crisis Center in Parkersburg. It's a big job, so PLEASE come on out! we'll be starting at 10 am, and going until we get finished or tired, whichever comes first. I'll send directions to those who sign up closer to the painting date. On my list are: Steve Learn, Scott Carmicle, Maria Sautter, Andrew Treat, Donette Van Allen, Amy Kizer, Chris Wysocki, Christy Warner, Bob Choinierre, maybe Brian McHenry and Kate Murray for part of the time.

May 19th and 20th is the Relay for Life. We've been asked to participate with the Youth Volunteer Corps, and are taking them up on their offer. Stay tuned for more information, and be thinking of potential $ donors!

Shawn Laskoski talked to the Humane Society people, and will have applications for volunteers at our next meeting (they need background information before setting you loose). They have need for general work, staffing for their larger events, and fill in people for help when other volunteers have to cancel. One event they have is a type of walk-a-thon to raise money, only people walk with their dogs, instead! let me know if you'd be interested in doing any non-event volunteering with them, and keep your eyes open for the walk-a-thon!

We are going to participate in the Adopt a Flower Garden at City Park. Bryen McHenry will bring the map of plots to choose from to our next meeting. This project will involve whatever we want to put into it, but probably planting new flowers ~4 times over the year, and weeding a few times a month. The park will take care of watering, and provide us with mulch to use. They also offered to help us with getting a plaque with our name on it to post in the garden so the people walking past see our name, and getting the newspaper to come take our picture and post a notice about our group - great ways to get some more publicity! be ready to give your apartment closeted green thumbs a chance to work magic! 

Finally, we discussed the possibility of a fundraiser to give some cash to one of the organizations we support. Ideas were: Bake Sale, Car Wash, Bowling for Dollars, and a Dance Marathon. If you have any other ideas, or would like to lead a fundraising effort, tell us all about it!!!

Next meeting we'll look forward to shawn's Humane Society applications, looking at the maps Bryen brings us from the park, and updates about potential work with the wildlife refuge (kate murray), and fix-it work at the youth shelter (scott carmicle).