The Board of Trustees met on Wednesday evening, May 28, 2008, at the Waltz Building following a round-table reception with members of the city's Design Review Board, and before that, a short ribbon cutting ceremony opening the newly designated Membership Office and Gallery in the Blackman House Museum. You may download the agenda as a word document HERE, and the agenda of future meetings will be posted, usually the weekend before meeting on the fourth Wednesday of most months.

Trustee Sayra Hill reported on the Tea and Fashion Show held April 26 in the Waltz Building. Even though attendance was down from previous years, and earnings, Sayra was proud of the impression made by the Society on those who did attend, since all enjoyed the event very much. Sayra then went on to thank the following volunteers for making the event happen: Marilyn Willard, Windsor Vest, Stephanie Bates, Linda Kelbert, Victoria and Steve Harrington, Rachel Hansen (along with Zeke), Ardie and Gary McLean, Trustee Marta Gronlund, Eileen and Rich Softye, and Trustees Gary Ferguson, Chris Gee on clean-up. A Big thanks to all.

And the Society's Scholarship Goes To ... Sahar Bala
Snohomish Education Foundation handled all the details of awarding our third annual scholarship at a very popular ceremony in the High School gym on Tuesday, May 27th. Miss Bala plans on studies in International Relations. Congratulations!

Event Ideas Celebrating Our 40th and the City's 150th Anniversary were listed by Trustee Eric Vannice as he led the Board, former board member Middy Ruthruff and Member Denise Page in a brainstorming session for ways to celebrate the two anniversaries coming up next year. Middy's idea to produce an exhibit of our collection in the Waltz Building during Kla Ha Ya Days 2009 received a positive response judging by the number of orange dots, as did Edie's idea for a costume ball. Eric will list the ideas in the order of responses received for the June meeting and then the hard work begins of selecting and producing the event(s) in 2009.

A very positive response to our Membership Renewal reminders was reported by yours truly since I open the mail, and I encourage those of you with the letter sitting in the your "to-do pile" to send it in; or, use our new Donate button to contribute online using your credit card, as pioneers Ann Stanton, Gillian Baldwin and Ron McNurlen have. Thanks to you all: Joan Hemm, Bill Wojciechowski, Keith Gilbertson, Megan McKenzie, George and Chris Price, Allen Stewart, Bill and Marian Berge, Morrie and Tina Sachsenmaler, Sandra Barnes, Steven and Anne Knight, Peter and Kathy Wilkie, Mark and Heidi Ford, Bob and Pat Knight, Rich and Eileen Softye.
Membership makes you a co-owner of at least a half a million dollars in downtown Snohomish real estate and a priceless collection of historic photographs, memorabilia and objects -- all for the cultural and educational benefit of the community. We receive no public money -- all financial support comes from you and your neighbors -- please consider giving more than the modest membership dues. (I will be so grateful that I will come over to your house and eat dinner with you some evening!)

Next Meeting is Wednesday June 25 at 7PM in the Waltz Building, with guest speaker Laura Huntington talking about fundraising; and the Bylaws Committee will be taking comments on its draft -- let me know if you would like a copy -- or if you have any other questions.

Cheers!

Warner Blake, President