Important MMQG Updates

Hello MMQG!

I am so looking forward to our MMQG meeting!  We haven't had a regular meeting since November so we have a lot to catch up on! 

 Dues collection is postponed until further notice!

• At the 1st quarter officer meeting, we unanimously agreed we are not yet equipped to begin dues collection after carefully researching the risks and the responsibility involved.  We are going to readdress this issue once the (National) Modern Quilt Guild announces the fees involved in continuing our affiliation with them. We appreciate your understanding and patience in this matter.  

MMQG Meeting February 27th - Sequoya Library 6:30pm

• Patti from Village Creek Quilts will be presenting “Have Your Cake and Make It Too” 
  Program Length: 40 min. -1 hour
  The pros and cons of pre-cuts fabrics (ie. Jelly rolls/Charm squares and Layer
  Cakes) Demo on 3 or 4 quick and easy patterns using Layer Cakes (10” squares)
  Trunk show of Quilts using Layer Cakes and or Charm Squares
  
  Patti will be selling Moda pre-cuts so don't forget to bring your checkbooks to this meeting! http://www.villagecreeklodi.com/

• Election for Secretary - Jeni Baker has resigned as secretary but will remain on our events committee.  Jeni was elected knowing she could not fulfill her duties for the first two months of her term.  Amy Maybury has been acting secretary ever since.  Since she is doing such a wonderful job, I (Wendy Franczak) nominate Amy Maybury for secretary.   If Amy is elected at the February meeting, PR/Membership duties will be transferred to the Treasurer Cindy Anderson if she accepts otherwise we will be having an election for PR/Memship also.  Any regular MMQG meeting attendee is encouraged to nominate themselves or someone else for either position.

•  Remember those By Laws I asked you to read so we could vote on them?  Scratch that.  Because we are not yet collecting dues, they need to be revised again.

• Sew Days - we will vote at the meeting on how often you'd like them.  Once a month?  Once every other month?  Summer?

• Show and Tell

MMQG Meeting March 27th - Sequoya Library 6:30pm

• Paper Piecing Demo by Kristin Gumbinger
• White Elephant Gift Exchange - Bring a minimum of one quarter yard of fabric wrapped for the party!  (Treats are welcome too!) - Moved to March Meeting
• Show and Tell
• Quilt Show Committee volunteers needed  - we need MMQG members to volunteer to collect quilts in the April Meeting to hang at our quilt show starting in May.  Installation date tentatively set for Wednesday May 1st.

MMQG Modern Quilt Show May/June 2013 Alicia Ashman Library, Madison

• Have you decided what quilt you'd like to put in our show?   Any quilt, any size can be displayed.  More information on this coming soon!

March Sew Day - March 30th, 9:30am - 4:45pm

Join us for a day of productivity in the upstairs of Mill House Quilts.
Irons + boards + power strips are provided.
Bring your own machine and cutting materials.

 

Please R.S.V.P. by Monday the week of any event

on our Facebook Events Page (Preferred)

or email your R.S.V.P. to madmodquiltguild@gmail.com

New Winter Weather Policy - If Madison Area schools are closed, the meeting will be canceled. Surrounding area includes Sun Prarie, McFarland, Middleton, Waunakee or Verona.

January Meeting is CANCELED

Due to an overwhelming amount of cancellations and terrible weather conditions, tonight's meeting is canceled. Stay safe tonight MMQG and quilt your heart out safe at home.

White Elephant Party Wednesday! Plus upcoming meeting info...

January Meeting: 

• Dues will be collected - $25 annually
• Vote on becoming a 5013c or Not
• Paper Piecing Demo by Kristin Gumbinger
• Show and Tell
• White Elephant Gift Exchange - Bring a minimum of one quarter yard of fabric wrapped for the party!  (Treats are welcome too!)

February Sew Day:

• Mill House Quilts Saturday the 16th.  9-5pm 
• Power strips, Irons and Ironing Boards Provided
• Snacks to share, food and drinks welcome
• Midday Group Lunch Date optional - Main Street Diner

February Meeting: 

• Vote to approve updates to By Laws: http://tinyurl.com/abfdrp6
• Show and Tell
• Patti of Village Creek will be presenting:

“Have Your Cake and Make It Too”
Program Length: 40 min. -1 hour
The pros and cons of pre-cuts fabrics (ie. Jelly rolls/Charm squares and Layer
Cakes)
Demo on 3 or 4 quick and easy patterns using Layer Cakes (10” squares)
Trunk show of Quilts using Layer Cakes and or Charm Squares

Patti will also be bringing precuts to sell! http://www.villagecreeklodi.com/

Please RSVP to all meetings and events: Facebook Events Page (Preferred) or email your R.S.V.P. to madmodquiltguild@gmail.com  

Potential Sew Day in March!  Would you like the 23rd or the 30th? Vote by midnight Jan 30th on our Facebook page or email madmodquiltguild@gmail.com   

*Guests may attend up to two meetings before signing up for membership, Sew Days/Events are reserved for members only.

Vote on Bylaws at February Meeting

Hello MMQG! Our bylaws need updating to reflect our newly elected treasurer. Please review the changes made. We will be discussing and voting to approve these changes at the February 27th meeting. 

We cannot vote on them in January because the bylaws state...."Proposed amendments or changes to the by-laws must be posted on the Guild’s website a minimum of 2 weeks before the meeting when voting will occur."

BYLAWS edited 01/20/2013

Berkshire Quilters Replicate Susan B. Anthony’s Quilt

It's Time to Pay Your Dues

Greetings!

As your very first treasurer I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity.  I am very excited to hold this position and look forward to serving you in the best way I know possible.  I spent twenty-eight years of my life in the field of bookkeeping.  Throughout those years I gained a wealth of knowledge.  Although I would never profess to be an expert I feel confident I can handle the responsibility set before me.

As was mentioned by our president Wendy Franczak, beginning this month we will start collecting annual dues.  Dues for this year are $25.00.  Acceptable methods of payment are cash or check.  If paying by cash please bring exact change.  If paying by check please make the check out to either Madison Modern Quilt Guild or MadModQG.  If you have further questions about dues collection, the intended use of the dues and/or special fees please refer to the MadModQG's bylaws.

I have successfully applied for and received our FEIN #.  Since we are not a registered nonprofit, corporation, LLC, etc., the number was issued for banking purposes only.  Should we decide to formally register as one of these types of entity's, changes will have to be made in our records with the IRS.

Speaking of possible changes in our IRS status, we as a group must make some decisions.  The Modern Quilt Guild organization has a link to a list of pros and cons to organizing as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.  A link to that document can be found here.  Rather than list the information here I highly recommend we all visit their website to educate ourselves on the advantages and disadvantages.  Once we have weighed the pluses and minuses we must ultimately decide which option best fits our intentions.

Filing for 501(c)(3) status is not cheap.  As outlined in the above document the fees can range in the neighborhood of $200-$400.  If we choose to pursue this avenue it would be advantageous to utilize any connections one or more of us might have with a lawyer or a CPA.  Whether or not obtaining  501(c)(3) status is the best option for our organization would be something we could ask that individual.

As a group we must set aside time to discuss this matter.  Although an immediate answer is not necessary we need to have an ongoing conversation.  The larger our organization grows and the larger our treasury becomes the more urgent this issue will be.  Please thoughtfully consider these questions.  Your input is essential to the successful outcome of our guild.

Cindy