Like the October 12 meeting, this post is a melange of topics. Our October meeting will feature education on foundation stiches by Carla, making your own cords with Joy and making and using plarn (plastic bag yarn) in projects. In addition to the mix of topics related to education, we'll be handling a few business items. We'll hold a board meeting, (since no one has time for that at the November destash) and elect our 2025 board. We'll be meeting at the Merriam Park Library, in St. Paul, which opens at 10am on Saturdays. I do hope to see many of you there!
There are many great reasons to join the board - it gives you a chance to really get to know the group, to learn leadership skills (and for job hunters, it looks good on a resume). But my number one reason for joining the board is that I love our group. I attended my first CTC meeting on July 9, 2011 at Borealis Yarns in St. Paul, I think there were 8 of us. You can still find the blog post: Crochet Twin Cities: Thread Crochet: July 9 Meeting Preview. Over the years I have watched the group grow, attended fiber arts retreats, gone to a CGOA conference, participated in the coral reef project and so much more! While there have been a few years where I didn't attend meetings often, I don't think I've missed a single destash since they began. This year, we have 2 openings on the board: secretary & president.
The secretary is the go-to person for taking notes during the board meetings which occur in odd number months and maintaining the membership list. If you are afraid to commit because you are not able to attend every meeting, please know that we have never had an issue finding a substitute to fill the duties of the role. I have been the secretary in the distant past, and it was a great way to be introduced to the board & how it works.
What to say about the president’s role? For anyone who has joined in the past few years, I may be the only CTC president you’ve known. However, CTC has been around for over a dozen years, and we’ve had a number of presidents. The president role is continually evolving. As the group grows and membership needs and wants change, the role of the president adapts to the times. In the past we've had very structured board meetings, following Robert's Rules of order, and adhering to a formal format. These days, things have become more casual. Each president has their own philosophy; their leadership style and personality impacts how they fill the role. I consider myself to be a "servant-leader", I want to help the group be what it wants to be. We have a diverse membership and strive to encourage the group to pursue the interests that it is able to support. While some of our members sell their finished projects, most of our members crochet as a hobby. This in NO way is to imply that our members are lacking in skills, just check out the Ravelry and Facebook posts, you'll see what I mean. But it also gives us room to work with people who are new to crochet and help them build skills. We're wrapping up another fun year of crochet, and I am looking forward to the new year! Best wishes. Theresa
