Mortar Board Executive Meeting
September 19, 2013
Those present: Craig Toren, Sheri McCormack, Emily Smith, Megan Kelley, Allison Greene,
Michael Atwell, Emily Raetz, Catherine Gammon, Sung Il Hwang, Alexis Sears, Rebecca
Budde, Kevin Olson, Alexandra Benson, Kelsey Masserant, Caitlin Ploch, Stephanie Rogers,
Hannah McCoy, Emily Dalgleish, Rachel Butts, Gerardo Ochoa, Rachel Slotman, Kayleigh
Forlow, Elizabeth Unterbrink, Danielle Mila, Sara Sanchez, Ashley Blauwkamp, Lauren Aprill,
Bennett Riddering, Colleen Quick, Miranda Orlando, Kate Bauer, Kelsey Herbert, Mary Kelso,
Kimberly Collins, Prof. Portfleet, Prof. Robert Pocock
Those excused: Mallory Smith
Those absent: Emma Zagar (studying abroad)
The Vice President called the meeting to order at 9:38 pm.
1) Retreat overview – thank you all for coming!
a. Thank you to Dr. Portfleet
2) Fall Event Planning
a. CASA pumpkin carving – Rachel & Lizzie
i. Donors for pumpkins contacted
1. Contacted a number they are getting back to Rachel about
donating
ii. Dates for event  Wed Oct 30th and 31st
1. Need to clarify time (?)
b. Would like to have 2-3 people there to oversee things (e.g. decorate, clean up)
let Rachel know if you are interested and willing to volunteer
c. Will be reserving Phelps for this event
d. Book Drive (Emily Raetz)
i. All letters mailed last week
ii. Game is Oct. 5th at 2pm; need to be there a few hours before for setup
iii. Organize sheet for volunteers to sign up to be there from half time until
end of game
1. Will be sent out as a Google Doc
iv. So far have collected number monetary donations about $200 from
alumni
v. Emily reminded us to send out the donation request letter that she sent
over email to potential donors
e. Relay for Life (Mary, Ashley, and Stephanie)
i. Will be on November 15 & 16 (Friday and Saturday), 7:00 pm – 7:00
am not need to be there for full 12 hours to count as participating
ii. REMEMBER can fulfill attendance for one of your events
iii. Showed website
1. Problems with signing up for the team asked to talk to chairs after
meeting will troubleshoot with
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2. When you are on your page (my fundraising page), can edit URL
to make it simpler good for emails/Facebook
3. From dashboard can send email/Ecards makes asking for
donations easy!
4. Checks given by donors should be written out to American Cancer
Society can bring change, checks, etc. to Bank Night (Thursday
before Relay event)
iv. Donation letter handed out/emailed to be sent to persons who do not use
email
v. Google doc for business donations (downtown Holland listed, but you
could ask others too!)
1. When asking for donations from restaurants/retail, tell them
10% proceeds, pick certain day and 10% certain interval to Relay
2. Other businesses just plain donation
3. Each member should select 2 or 3 businesses,
a. tell about Mortar Board, see if interested in donating
b. mark on Google doc whether or not donated & amount
c. to donate to team, not person calling, can send URL from
Mortar Board page to business
vi. Will check on corporate sponsors
1. 2 already interested (Portfleet said)
vii. Already have $2,525 raised in funds (go team!)
viii. All get luminaria (write on it in memory of person who fought cancer and
beat it)
1. Give to anyone who donates
2. Get more next week
3. Cool way to get donors involved and make personal
ix. Handed out decorated cups to encourage roommates/housemates/etc. to
donate change to Relay
x. Will send around Google doc for walkers to sign up closer to the event
xi. Goal: 100% participation: SIGN UP IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY!
xii. Chairs added online
f. Rachel added reminder to take ownership/initiative with being innovative in
fundraising like the chairs for this project have 
g. KIVA loans (Lauren)
i. Update: We have had 18 loans paid back 1 of loans from 2011, 50%
2013, 8 from last few months
ii. Loaned out 91 loans, $1400 outstanding in funds
iii. In process loaning money out, number of new ones are to women in
education, also people trying to buy livestock/sowing machine (skill
development)
iv. Possibility of partnering with Hope United for Justice will talk soon
h. Last Lecture Series (Danielle and Allie
i. Dr. Hemenway declined
1. Portfleet talked to he is just too busy this year
ii. Luidens said yes (spring) – Danielle met with
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1. Super excited
2. Already started jotting down notes
3. Wants to do on birthday (February 24th) looking into
iii. Beard said yes (fall)—Allie met with
1. Date of her lecture set for Monday Nov. 4th
2. In process of getting her past lectures for reference
3. Getting books from her
a. Wants to know possibility copies 2 books Portfleet said
yes
iv. Danielle and Allie will contact Dr. Abrahantes then Dr. Barney to see if
we can get another lecture scheduled for the spring
1. Danielle meeting with Abrahantes tomorrow
v. November 4th & 18th this fall – rooms reserved already
vi. Look into selling Last Lectures series DVD copies
i. Friendship Prom (Kate, Miranda, Allison)
i. Need to communicate with the houses meeting to solidify details
tomorrow
ii. Need a date: perhaps early December or Late November
1. Reserved for Nov 18th and 25th  Will ask houses what is better
j. Thanksgiving Dinner (Kelsey Herbert and Sara Sanchez)
i. Schedule Sunday before Thanksgiving
1. Nov. 24th
2. Start time approximately 5:30-6 pm
ii. Mark your calendars!
iii. Maas is scheduled
iv. Sara will be planning crafts and inviting Bultmans – butter churning?
1. Will get together to solidify plans
2. Will do turkey hands
k. MB Awareness Week (Rachel and Emily Smith)
i. Starts the week of November 4th – to coincide with the Last Lecture series
event, will end on Nov 8th
ii. Want booth awards/acorn trophy in library
1. Will discuss with library to see if all right to display these
2. need to also have at Last Lecture, so need to figure out way to
transport if necessary
iii. Monday cookie bake, go around hand out
1. Need to find potential bakers closer to that week
iv. TuesdayBingo night in Kletz
v. Wednesday sell marshmallow throwers
vi. Thursday
1. Mortar Board members, GPA eligible members, info/panel
discussion to help with application during community hour
2. At LJs money percentage of sales during specific time period to
Mortar Board (need to look in to)
vii. Get about 800 brochures from National Mortar Board office (Portfleet will
handle)
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l. Disability Awareness
i. Allie, have you heard from Dean Frost yet about whether or not we need
to pay him for the cottage alterations last year
1. Not heard from him yet
m. Presidential Swap (Megan Kelley)
i. In process of setting meeting up to discuss
n. Selection Committee (Lizzie)
i. Need to have plan by Oct 15.  will discuss in more detail at Exec Board
meeting
ii. Send out invitation for selection of new members before Christmas
iii. Committee selection for binders (setup) put together for first part of spring
semester (about 5) Kimberly volunteered others will be chosen later
iv. Night before winter break ends to do selection night; takes about 5-6 hours
and get pizza to select new group
3) New Project Ideas
a. Potential project on heart health awareness, specifically free for students and
student athletes; EKG/others? Need info about tests/other heart health options
i. A free clinic for students and student athletes other tests suggested,
Blood Pressure readings
ii. Potential new project idea, anyone interested Sheri and Rachel showed
interest; Hannah and Rachel Slotman will chair
iii. Contact alexandra.kouzoukas@hope.edu - she would be interested in
helping coordinate the event
iv. Would pursue in Spring probably just one event, maybe at big sporting
event (MB awareness and heart health awareness)
b. Arnaud Muhimpundu – orphanage in Rwanda
i. Lizzie – Arnaud not emailed back yet, will give pretend date need to hear
from by to propel along
ii. Think already have specific orphanage
c. Food Pantry
i. Group 2-5 people to bring donations Catherine Gammon suggested
ii. Catherine Gammon will look into place to go and dates for
4) Website updates
a. Hannah – homepage updates
i. Update for photos; email photos want on website or Facebook showed
us; ask Rachel for photos
b. Anyone have anything they need to add to the page chairs please contact for
spread word through social media/website
5) Fundraising Focus right now
a. RELAY FOR LIFE – EMAIL FAMILY MEMBERS, FRIENDS, etc. and ask for
donations!
b. Book Drive
i. Monetary donations
ii. Used books
iii. Collecting until Nov. 1st
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iv. Last weekend in September, September 28th, civic center book sale go
and purchase books to donate!
6) Open Floor for any other comments
a. Portfleet brings up Christmas gift to Compassion Child $20
i. We say yes!
b. T-shirts here (remember mark that you picked yours up); sign up for sweatshirt if
you have not already
7) Meeting Adjourned
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