Delaware Equine Council

                                          Meeting Minutes

                                          Jan 16, 2012

  Delaware Equine CouncilMeeting

Jan 16, 2012

   Meeting called to order: 7:05 pm

   Secretary's report- Read minutes on the website or paper copy located on the back table.

   Treasure's Report

     Starting balance: $27,608.36

     Expenses: $1406.40

     Deposits: $4,330.50

     Ending Balance: $30,532.46

   Motion to Pay the bills: first Kay, Second Pam

   Next meeting: Feb 20th 7pm, Harrington Library, Harrington, DE

   Old Business: Newsletter deadline for April/May issue is March 10. Please forward all events and items of interest to April Murray at aprlmurray@gmail.com

    Magazines Recycling Program: Needs magazines less than a year old, in good shape.

    Trails Committee : Greenways and Trails meeting: The group discussed the unfortunate incident up north that happened with a rider and her horse crossing a bridge that was clearly marked not to be used on horseback. Peggy strongly urges that people remember that while riding on public lands we are all ambassadors for the horse. This is especially important while riding in state parks. Megan suggested that the Greenways and Trails committee be represented at the DE Horse Expo, since PA horse expo has representation of a trails committee. Perhaps a 30 min talk on trail etiquette, and future of the DE trails program. Peggy will speak as the Chairman of the DEC trails committee. Peggy added that volunteers are always needed to keep the trails in good shape. We will look forward to helping on June 1st on National Trails Day. So talk it up and lets have a great turnout for DEC.

    Road to the Horse : Goes to Megan and Blake.

    SS Proof of Purchase seals: Ken came in with a generous amount. Thank you Ken!

    Directory 2012: The Directory is at the printer. Look for it in March! Although sales were down on larger ads, the directory continues to grow. Thank you to Paula and the committee for their tireless efforts and making the 2012 Directory a reality!

    Scholarship fundraiser: The menu has been selected: Roast beef, Chicken cutlet parmesian, spaghetti with a meatless sauce, broccoli casserole, coleslaw, tossed salad, variety of desserts, coffee, tea and sweet tea. Tickets are available for sale, see April to help sell. There is a sign up sheet for members that may be available to help sell tickets at two designated locations, still to be determined.

   Deadline for ticket sales is March 1st! Donations are coming in, look for Alex Brown's new book autographed, jewelry by julie Lynch , and Rebel's Riches, a set of polo wraps made in the like of the DEC colors, a canvas put together by Megan Warnick, 2012 Jockey's Calandar autographed by top Jockey's in USA. A golf outing for 4 donated by Brenda Bove, and also, two hunt cap fees donated by the Wicomico Hunt Club! We are still looking for help, please see April for the donation letters. All the letters have been mailed to current organizational and commercial members. If you would like to help, or donate. Please email April : aprlmurray@ gmail.com, or call 302-735-8540.

    Camera for the organization: April purchased a Kodac Easy share Z5010 camera with 18 mg pixels, and 21x zoom. A 8 g memory card, and carrying case. Total cost to DEC: $213.00. April has camera, if attending an event please let her know to get the camera to you. It comes with a user friendly manual. We suggest all new users please read before using the camera.

    Memberships: Membership dues are due at the end of the month. Please remind all members to get them in. You can mail them to: DEC, PO Box 158, Harrington, DE 19952

    Scholarship application committee: 11 applications were received this year.....doubling our applicants from last year.

     Expo clinicians: Are already to go! Returning this year is Tara Jones of Pieceful Solutions Training. Also attending is Scott Purdum, from Advantage Horsemanship. There is a schedule available to DEC members to sign up and have our booth represented for both days, March 17,and 18. Please contact Peggy.

   Other old business: Barn Tour will be scheduled for the end of April. Location not yet confirmed. New Business: DDA and U of DE Ag week Jan 17, Equine Seminars: to be held in the Dover Building on the Harrington Fair Grounds. AHC and Unwanted Horse Brochures, and info on the back table. Calendars from Adandy farms on the back table. Adandy is looking to have an Open House the weekend AFTER the DE Horse Expo. It is not confirmed. Look for Confirmation on our website, and plan to attend and help with the booth!         

  Delaware Standardbred Pleasure horse organization: Rep. Megan Warnick reported that she has had two meetings., She discussed future goals. One of which, with the help of Heather Moffet, is to have classes at the DE State Fair. They will be participating in the DE Horse Expo: Parade of Breeds, and hope to put together a demo of taking horses from racing to pleasure riding. She is soliciting the help of the NJ members who have finished standardbreds. They are looking into having several fundraisers like a proposed standardbred night at the races, with a possible under saddle race, similar to the race held at Yonkers Raceway. They are going to attend the Horse Force horse show on Jan 28 and hope to have a wonderful showing. Look for pictures of our new 2012 board members in the February/March issue of the DEC newsletter.

  Other New Business:

  Rodeo: will be held in Salisbury, Md this weekend. Also, the MD Horse Expo is Jan 20.

  Giveaways: Peggy asked that we look into having new giveaways this year. Here are the suggestions from the members: Key chains, Koozies, and recycling bags with DEC logo and horse combs. We welcome other ideas, and considerations. Will decide next meeting. If you have a suggestion you would like to share, please be mindful of the cost..like to keep it to .50 cents a piece per couple hundred.

  Redesigning of window cling: April would like to look into redesigning the window cling. She will get samples next time for the board to review.

  Youth page on the DEC website: April asked boards permission to have a "Youth Page" for youths to visit, that would have references about horses, and puzzles' and games.

  Suggestion for a New meeting place: Camden Library? April looked into the cost of having a more centralized meeting place in hopes of appeasing members from the north. The cost to rent the meeting room is no cost to non profit. Just have to contact them weeks ahead of time to reserve the room. Also, of interest to go to this location, is the advantage of new technology, perhaps have conference calls or web casts. This was only a suggestion. We are still meeting at the Harrington Library.

  Sending Representatives to the Ag Dinner: A motion was made to send 2 reps of the DEC to the AG dinner, paid for by the DEC. First, Pam, Second Ceil.

  Motion to adjourn : 8:20 pm