by Annie Nguyen
Holiday Party and Winter Sock Drive
- Holiday Party at Edie’s on December 14, from 4–8 PM. Members are encouraged to bring new pairs of socks for the Winter Sock Drive.
- Potluck and RSVP reminder should be included in the newsletter, website and Meetup listing.
Board Meetings and Upcoming Schedule << Jan Board Mtg: Jan 11, 11:30-2pm>>
- The board is considering holding a longer, 3-hour strategic meeting in January to review goals, projects, and committee initiatives for the new year.
- The agenda for the January meeting will be built collaboratively, including updates on membership, the anthology, finances, and event planning.
General Club Status:
- “Everything is going really well,” though attendance and membership numbers have slightly decreased compared to earlier months.
- Members are encouraged to pre-pay for events and membership renewals through Outlook/Square.
- Amanda offered to help assist our Treasure, Alice, with payment coordination at meetings and to track upcoming workshop income.
California Writers Week <<Kalpana Ramakrishnan read her short story on Nov 8>>
- Submissions were actively being collected for inclusion in the newsletter.
- Members may have the opportunity to share a short story or excerpt at the next meeting in celebration of creative achievements and local literary work.
- The club aims to use this feature to boost member engagement and highlight diverse voices within the branch.
Raffle Planning
- New raffle ideas are being considered to encourage participation at meetings.
- Proposed concept: “Raffle Minutes” — attendees could win up to 10 minutes of speaking time during the February meeting to read or discuss their work.
- Winners can choose whether to use the time for a reading, writing tip, or project update.
- Traditional book raffles will continue, possibly featuring donated books by members or local authors.
November Luncheon << Thank you Tonya for organizing, it was fun and hope to repeat>>
- Reservation: Jack’s Restaurant at 12:45 PM on November 8.
- Attendance: 12 members confirmed.
- Purpose: informal networking and community building outside of regular meeting space.
Membership & Payments
- Membership payments will be available on Square, offering a convenient way for members to join or renew at meetings in 2026.
- The club will continue allowing cash or card payments at meetings, with the goal of implementing full credit card support by January.
- Early renewal incentives or reminders may be included in future newsletters.
Anthology Project
- The anthology will be limited to submissions from branch members only to maintain a cohesive local focus.
- Early submissions are encouraged to give editors ample time to review and prepare the final publication.
- More details on formatting, deadlines, and editing guidelines will be shared in the next newsletter and discussed at the January meeting.
Committee Reports & Leadership Development
- Leadership Conference: Scheduled for April, with a focus on leadership growth, club engagement, and membership expansion.
- The board discussed developing training packets for new officers, which would include:
- Club mission and structure (“Who we are and what we do”)
- Detailed role descriptions and expectations
- Tips on managing meetings, communications, and finances
- Reference materials on California Writers Club procedures
- Goal: to create a clear onboarding system for future officers and volunteers.
Financial Report
- The club is focusing on balancing event costs with fundraising through raffles, workshops, and pre-paid signups.
Programs and Workshops
- January 24 Workshop: Currently 14 participants registered;
- The event will be promoted on Meetup to attract more participants.
- The goal is to reach 39 ticket buyers for the workshop to cover costs.
- Include the payment link in promotional emails and on the website.
- Offer both advance payment options and on-site card payment during the meeting.
- February 14 Kathleen Founds – graphic novelist, Cabrillo College instructor
- March 14 open
- April 11 Peggy Townsend – reporter, novelist, and member of the Rough Drafts writing group
- May 9 Lita Kurth – flash fiction and story prompt author, DeAnza College writing instructor
- June 13 open
Newsletter & Website
- Ryan will continue including speaker recaps and event summaries in newsletters, Hal will add speaker recaps to website under the “News & Events” section.
- Include a holiday party reminder and details about the White Elephant gift exchange in the to upcoming newsletter and website.
- Hal will assist with copy editing to maintain clarity and consistency.
- Amanda will oversee payment coordination for January workshop and ensure paypal links are accessible and up-to-date in newsletters and on website.