MB Full Body Agenda – 01/30/2014
The president opened the meeting at 9:31 pm
Those here: Sheri McCormack, Craig Toren, Bennett Riddering, Mallory Smith, Emily
Smith, Catherine Gammon, Sung Il Hwang, Alexis Sears, Kevin Olson, Alexandra
Benson, Caitlin Ploch, Stephanie Rogers, Hannah McCoy, Emily Dalgleish, Rachel
Butts, Gerardo Ochoa, Rachel Slotman, Kayleigh Forlow, Elizabeth Unterbrink, Danielle
Mila, Sara Sanchez, Lauren Aprill, Kate Bauer, Mary Kelso, Kimberly Collins, Kelsey
Herbert, Emma Zagar. Megan Kelley, Kelsey Masserant Rebecca Budde, Prof. Robert
Pocock, Dr. Portfleet
Those excused: Allison Greene, Ashley Blauwkamp,
1) Nibakure Village Rwanda Project Presentation by Daniel and Arnaud
a. Discussed size of homes that the children live in
i. There are 3 on the land owned by the organization
b. Taking care 20 kids currently
c. Discussed other staff that reside in Nibakure Village
i. Mama and Autie in each home (caretakers)
ii. Social worker and director also on site
d. Organization focuses on taking care and enhancing the lives of
orphans/vulnerable children and widows
i. Two of the ways that they do so is by providing access to
1. Education
2. Healthcare
e. The organizations is a non-profit based in U.S. (Daniel is head of office in
Holland)
f. Founded in 2005
g. Support education of 11 children in surrounding community
h. Looked at pictures of kids
i. Discussed the role of orchards on site
i. Trying to be self-sustainable
ii. Has led them to grow an array of crops
j. Explained partnership between Be Hope and Nibakure
i. Trip this spring as part of dream and accomplishment in building a
connection between Hope and Nibakure
k. Solar power as source of electricity in Rwanda
i. Explained that they want to fill gap between the current technology
they have for creating electricity
1. Way that Mortar Board can help in doing this is to join in
investing in solar panels used for electricity
ii. Explain that want to use Nibakure as ITC/Tech school for
surrounding community
1. Plant to get computers this is a way to expand impact of
Nibakure
2. Cannot do this without the energy to do so
l. Budget around $10,000 for current project
m. Vision for Nibakure is more than just putting money towards a project
i. Want to invite more community members from Hope to interact
with Nibakure because of switch to English
ii. One of the opportunities for Mortar Board to make a connection
with the children at Nibakure is through Skype
1. This is a way for Mortar Board to foster a lasting
relationship with the members of the Nibakure community
2. Will get date from Arnaud of when we could possibly do so
(would most likely need to be on a Saturday or Sunday
because of the time difference)
iii. Daniel and Arnaud discussed possibility of some sort of
community care project (letters, etc.)
1. Noted that not need care packages, what they are looking
for more so is ways for Hope community members to
connect with Nibakure community members
n. Contact info for Arnaud
i. Arnaud arnaud.muhimpundu@hope.edu
ii. Daniel  daniel@nibakure.org
2) Snack and Decorating Lunch Bags for Kids’ Food Basket of Grand Rapids
3) Spring Events Updates
a. New Member Selection – Lizzie
i. Applications for next year are due the 31st
ii. Binders of Applications
1. Chairs will be printing this week
a. Sign up for group with friends to review
applications and get a baseline understanding of
what we are assessing the applications for
b. Each group will be asked to review 2 binders
iii. The selection process for members for next year will take place on
Feb 11th at 6pm
1. There will be pizza provided
2. The process usually takes about 5-6 hours (so please plan
accordingly!)
b. Heart Health Awareness – Rachel/Hannah
i. Feb 15th – DeVos Fieldhouse
ii. The event is meant to raise awareness for how to develop and
maintain heart health
iii. All money raised from this event is going to the National Heart
Association
iv. Purchase a t-shirt that Rachel Slotman designed for the event
1. $10/ t-shirt
v. Idea is that we will have a booth and other activities at basketball
game on Feb. 15th
1. Basketball games is a home men’s and women’s game
2. One of the certified athletic trainers wants to rent out the HClub to have athletic trainers take peoples’ blood pressures
for free
vi. Asked members to please buy shirts, as well as to advertise the
event to others and to ask them to buy the shirts as well
c. Last Lecture Series – Allie and Danielle
i. Feb 24th, 7pm Maas Auditorium for Luidens’ lecture
1. Decided that Emma will prospectively introduce him
2. Bennett will be out alternate person for the introduction if
Emma is unavailable
ii. At next meeting will ask for volunteers for the event
iii. Refreshments and reception will be provided by his department
iv. Dr. Abrahantes has had to take on more courses, turned down spot
for last
v. Chairs are in the process of contacting Dr. Barney and hopefully
he’ll say yes!
1. Dr. Portfleet noted that it is okay to only have 2 Last
Lectures for the year
vi. Asked the members to think about other ways advertise the Last
Lecture Events
1. Asked to encourage friends to attend
2. Asked about possibility of sending out mass email to
student body to invite them to the events
a. The chairs will look into the process of how to do
so
d. Dance Marathon – Bennett and Kayleigh
i. The event is on March 7-8
ii. Fundraising Ideas Proposed that chairs will check in to
1. Sponsorships from local business
a. Check if sanctioned by Hope/ Dance Marathon
2. Penny Wars (maybe EvenYear vs. Odd Year?)
a. If we can set up this fundraising event in a central
location
b. If sanctioned by hope
3. Can/money collection
4. Check into Hope Idol
a. Where and when
b. If will interfere with SAC Talent show
iii. Explained different areas in which could participate in event and
urged as close to 100% participation as possible; below are
different areas and who signed up for what
1. Dancers
a. Catie Gammon, Kimberly Collins, Lauren Aprill,
Allie Benson, Kayleigh Forlow, Lizzie Unterbrink
2. Moralers
a. Rachel Butts, Rebecca Budde, Mary Kelso,
Danielle Mila, Sara Sanchez, Sheri McCormick,
Craig Toren, Kelsey Herbert
3. Letter Stuffing (will probably occur on Feb. 15th or 16th ,
location TBA)
a. Mallory Smith, Kevin Olson, Stephanie Rogers,
Kelsey Masserant, Megan Kelley, Emily Dalgleish,
Gerry Ochoa, Hannah McCoy, Kelsey Herbert,
Nick Hwang
4. Banner Painters (Date and time TBA)
a. Alexis Sears, Megan Kelley, Emily Dalgleish,
Caitlin Ploch, Lauren Aprill
5. Lip Sync Performance (Choreographed by Hannah and
Emma)
a. Emily Smith, Rachel Butts, Rachel Slotman,
Kimberly Collins, Bennett Riddering, Kelsey
Herbert, Craig Toren
6. Committee members (to help monitor progress of other
elements of the event)
a. Mallory Smith, Lizzie Unterbrink
e. Professor Appreciation Night – Kevin, Emma, Catie
i. March 25th – Western Sem Commons Area – 3:00-7:00pm
ii. Room reserved at Western Seminary already
iii. Told need to get estimate (so say who can come and who plan to
bring)
iv. Volunteer form is under construction but will include the
following:
1. Names of professors that members will prospectively be
brining with (be thinking about who this might be!)
2. Appetizers that members will be bringing
f. Wearing of Blue Breakfast – Alexis, Kelsey, Emily
i. Maas set from 9-12 pm
ii. Need 15-18 members, just need to show up and eat breakfast (one
at each table to talk to invitees about Mortar Board)
iii. Food will be served buffet style
iv. April 5th – Maas
v. Speaker nominations for the event could be any faculty members
from Hope, but would like to talk about Mortar Board
1. Bouma-Prediger (2nd choice)
2. President Knapp (1st choice)
3. Chairs will work on contacting both potential speakers
g. St. Vincent de Paul – Catie
i. Google doc for volunteering at the food pantry is up and running
sign up, please!
ii. Winter clothing drive—we will plan to collect new or gently used
coats, hats, gloves, scarves, socks, and blankets
1. Bring old things from home after winter break (the
collection will take place on new member selection night)
2. Will maybe open it up the drive to the larger Hope
community
a. Chair will check if we need to get this drive
approved by volunteer services and let the group
know
b. Need volunteers to help transport the goods
collected
i. Will put sign-up on Google Docs
h. Reminder to fill out Project Lead Analysis
i. Reminder to fill out exit slips
4) Open Floor
a. Decide based on presentation on Nibakure with Arnaud and Daniel to
pursue fundraising for solar project
i. Voted on and passed
b. Decided to purrsue Skype interaction with Nibakure children in the near
future
i. Great way for kids to meet us and form personal connection
ii. Maybe also send letters
c. Sign up for New Member binder viewing groups