Meeting minutes from meeting of 3/28/06

 

• Long meeting this month, had a speaker
• Father Tony could not attend this month. John Quattrone was introduced as a parishioner who will be named Deacon next April, and read an opening prayer.
• John also introduced and read "The Grace to Shout", a poem encouraging active participation in and dissemination of faith.
• The Gospels were read by those present.
• Special intentions were brought up. Your prayers are asked for:
  • The Roesners. Ray's Father Harry passed Saturday April 1. They need your prayers.
  • The Brandt Family. Jim's brother is critically ill.
• Our Brother Ray Roesner lost his Dad. Details on the service are:
• Ray Roesner's father Harry Roesner passed away Saturday 4/1/06. Funeral is at Sacred Heart in Camp Washington, 10 AM Friday. We are trying to get a group together after burial at St Ann's
  
  12:30Pm-2PM that day. Visitation is Thursday 5-8PM at the Neurre/Michor/Rosenacher funeral home at Northbend and Cheviot. Any SAMA members who would like to come are encouraged.
• A guest speaker was introduced, Margery Spinney with Cornerstone Community learning fund. Margery spoke for about an hour, some of the details are:
• Cornerstone is a local, pacesetting investment group with $600 k in assets.
• Cornerstone has a unique and unprecedented approach to housing for low-income families.
  • They provide housing to individuals with a strict incentive program for upkeep and life skills. People who pay rent on time, attend meetings, and personally manage and maintain their own property, especially in city areas where the reverse is the rule, are rewarded.
  • The investment fund produces a cash reward/incentive for those tenants who can maintain their housing standards for five years.
  • The fund repays investors (non-tenant, socially conscious funds such as Catholic retirement funds) with interest at the end of their note.
  • This provides "equity" for both the tenants and the investors!
  • They currently have 34 units in the Cincinnati area and are looking to expand.
• Cornerstone was looking for Volunteers to look at their project and perhaps provide some input/help. The Secretary (J. Birkenhauer) will be following up with Margery and will present some of his if to the group when he has it (Jim O'Shaughnessy also volunteered to review the project). The organization is initially looking for some fairly simple help such as planting a greenspace, installing a picnic table(s), and doing some "light" lighting work.
• Bill Schneider brought up the project he had previously mentioned for painting playforms on the lower parking lot. Because of time issues, it was decided to do this on Sunday April 2nd (this past Sunday). We had about 21 volunteers and got several items painted. Way to go, SAMA, and thanks to Bill's leadership with this issue.
• Bruce Reardon brought up softball (and I sent out a memo post-meeting). Because of lack of response, Bruce is currently dropping his interest in this project. That's a shame, several of us were looking forward to this, but no one expressed any significant interest.
• This Saturday, April 8th is the Trip to the Speedway.
  The agenda is: 7:30 prayer and discussion group meet.
  
  8:15-8:20 in the Church annex if you are attending Mass.
  
  Leave the parking lot around 9:15 for Sparta.
  
  Return from Sparta: Around 12:00-1:00 unless you are riding or driving.
  
  Remember: If you have paid to drive or ride, you should consider showing up no matter what the weather. You are not guaranteed a refund unless you show!
• Baseball game update: If you are planning on attending the ball game for which Richard Sweet has gotten tickets, the next meeting is the deadline for a decision. We will initially offer these to SAMA ONLY, and if the seats don't fill, extend to whoever wants them.
• I have the next meeting listed as April 25th at 7:00 p.m. I may have gotten that wrong and will send an update if so, look forward to seeing you all there.

If you get a copy of these minutes and would like to correct any egregious miss-spellings or other butchery: Contact John Birkenhauer at 521-7176 or e-mail me at: ged@fuse.net.