The meeting last night (1-10-18) was hosted by Brodo’s Italian Scratch Kitchen located in BelMar, Lakewood, Colorado.  Brodo’s catered our meeting with, as usual, EXCELLENT food.  We had great Mozzarella Cheese Rounds, Muscles in Wine Sauce, Stuffed Italian Sausage Rolls and Toast Points with Tamponade, and wonderful wine.

President Debi Portararo held the meeting going over important membership business.

Debi thanked everyone for coming, and introduced the new Board Members joining in 2018:  Terry Cervi, John Gravina and Andrew Murano.  The full board for 2018 will include the following:  Debi Portararo, Anne Cucchi, Belva Wildman, Janet Lombardi, Terry Cervi, John Gravina, and Andrew Murano.

Debi reported Janet Lombardi is mending after surgery.  Send her a card or a text to get well soon…….

The January Meeting historically is the organizations Business Meeting.  Debi covered the following items:

1. Yearly Dues are increased from $60.00 per year to $90.00 per year for individuals
2. Yearly Dues are offered for a business at $150.00 per year, which allows four individuals to attend the monthly meetings as members
3. Individual members will pay $10.00 to attend the monthly meeting to cover the cost of food provided
4. Guests will pay $15.00 per person to attend the monthly meeting to cover the cost of food provided
5. Any member or guest that attends the monthly business meeting without having sent in a RSVP will be charged an additional $5.00 (Member cost goes to $15.00 and Guest cost goes to $20.00)
6. If you RSVP and do not attend the membership meeting you will be expected to pay for the meeting as though you attended.  (As a side note, when we give the number of people attending to the caterer or owner of the establishment that is providing the food we have to pay for the amount we say are attending.  Last night we had RSVP’s for 27 and 25 showed up.  We still had to pay for 27 even if there were only 25 there. )
7. The Website is being reconstructed to be “user friendly”; if you go on the website now it will not be user friendly.   When the new site is completed the old site will be directed to send everything to the new site, which should happen within the next 30 days.
8. Anne Cucchi gave a report on new members joining the organization.
9. The Outgoing Treasurer, Ben Parham, had a conflict and was unable to attend the meeting to give a financial report; the organization is in a good position and Ben will be turning the books over to the new Treasurer within a couple of weeks.
10. Tish was not in attendance so we were not able to talk with her to find out when she will be taking over the email blasts.
11. The Membership is interested in participating in Festival Italiano in 2018.
12. The Membership is interested in participating in Italian Heritage Month and have instructed the Board to present ideas for projects for that month.
13. The Membership is interested in putting together a Bocci Ball Tournament with the IOA.
14. The Board is working on the 2018 Budget.

Debi thanked everyone for attending and “with the help and enthusiasm of our 2018 Board and Membership this will be a Spectacular Year”.

There being no further business the meeting adjourned and members spent the next hour visiting and getting to know one another and sipping some VERY GOOD VINO……….now, aren’t you sorry you didn’t attend?  See you next time.

February’s meeting promises to be a very good and interesting meeting.