On September 7, 2011 there was a meeting of the 3016 Cadet Corps Parent Committee Exec to get started and prepare for the upcoming year.

For this initial meeting, only the exec and a few select others were invited in order to get some of the initial work handled as quickly as possible.

Meeting time: September 7, 2011            18:20 – 20:55

Attendees:  Mark Bentley, Bev MacLeod, Heather Undershute, Stacey Fennell, Renae Holmes, Kathleen Closs-Walroth, Wendy Pashulka, Lorna Charlton, Ed Liukaitis, Stew Wenman, Captain Mark

Mark –

• New “Welcome Parents” handbook is almost done.  Once it is finalized, it will be available on the website.
• Now a Parents Committee section on the website
• Ads/pamphlets – hotels, Welcome Wagon, Legion
• Car pooling – parents responsible for own cadet’s transportation

Ed –

• League advertising for rural corps – Calgary Sun & 24H
• Budget – Captain Mark to discuss
• National handouts – easy to modify
• Create posters – Mark to send 10 good pictures
• 1^st League meeting will be September 17^th at 10:00.  Meetings are held every 6 weeks.

Heather -

• Parents $xxxxx
• Will receive a donation from the CIR Realtors BBQ
• Casino $xxxx
• Heather has “frozen” the Casino account until further Casino funds are received – possibly June, 2012 in order to cover Casino expenses.

Bev –

• Volunteers will be need for the Casino February 6 & 7, 2012.  Lorna will be heading up this function.
•  Christmas party – possible locations could be Legion, Ralph McCall School or Town & Country.  Bev will be meeting with Captain Mark on Friday, September 9, 2011 to discuss dates.  This event will include the cadet and families, potluck and a Silent Auction.
• Open House – Wednesday, September 14, 2011 – there will be Parent Committee table serving water and cookies.  Parent Committee member volunteers will be needed.

Renae –

Captain Mark will advise on possible available weekends.

• Fundraising events should be spread throughout the year and should be a win/win for both the community and the corps.
• Parent volunteers will be needed to help out
• Car Wash – possibly September 16 and 17, 2011 outside a new convenience store in Crossfield.  The cadets will be working with the Crossfield Legion members.  This will be an authorized event and will need Captain Mark’s approval.
• Nathan’s – cadets will be serving meals for a week.  Nathan’s will donate 5% and match proceeds up to $xxxxxx.  Captain Mark has the details and will discuss them later.
• Coco Brooks – selling pizzas.  Decision was made that selling products is not a favourable way to earn funds.
• Bottle Drives – one day collecting in the community or during a four week period before Christmas where the cadets bring their bottles to each training night.  There will need to be a parent volunteer to take the bottles those evenings and then to the bottle depot.  This money could be used for the Veteran’s Food Bank.
• Food Bank – cadets bring food bank items for Remembrance Day and/or Christmas
• Penny Drive – cadets bring pennies to each training night for a specific time period.  Again, a parent volunteers will be needed to roll the coins.  This money could be used for the Veteran’s Food Bank.
• Silent Auction – this is a cadet parents & friends event with a Halloween theme.  Possible location would be Dick’s Pub or at the Legion.
• Grants – there are grants available through larger corporations. Applications are on their websites and Heather has financials as they will be needed.
• Baby Tooth Bambino’s – parents & friends night out with possible Yuk Yuk’s or Karaoke.  Possibly for near Valentine’s Day

Kathleen –

Thanked Stu for all his help

• There were 10 cadets that the Airdrie Show & Shine in August.  They had a lot of fun and it was an awesome venue.
• Articles/notices will appear in the Advisor, Airdrie Echo and Airdrie City View.  Sign boards have been used to recruit.  There will be invoices submitted for some of these.
• A-Frame signs are being looked into.
• There will be a monthly feature story to be submitted to local papers.
• A scrapbook will be made with each newspaper story printed.

Mark –

• Each position on the Parent Committee will keep detailed notes of what tasks they perform and important dates.  This will be a great resource for future Parent Committee’s.

Ed –

• This Parent Committee has great ideas, is a strong team, is talented and we should use our strength for our kids.
• If we do not understand something, we need to ask.
• The Parent Committee needs to remember “I am a volunteer & I am doing the best I can”.
• Wrote an article in ‘On Target’, page 12, which cannot be found on the website.
• The League Governor will probably pay for the local recruiting costs.  Receipts and proposals will need to be submitted.

Captain Mark –

• The annual budget was done today.  The budgeted amounts are $xxxxxx.   It will be sent to Mark, Heather & Ed.
• Band – new instructor, Veronique Vandendorek, has been hired
• Nathan’s – next week is their Grand Opening celebrations. They will need cadets to take food from the counter to customer’s table.  Shifts are September 12 to September 16, from 17:00 – 21:00.  They need to wear cadet T-Shirts.  On Saturday, September 17, 2011, from 10:30 to 13:00, hot dogs will be sold for 5 cents.  CJAY92 will be there talking about the cadet corp.  Everyone needs to spread the word and bring family/friends that day.  Captain Mark will send out the email she received from Nathan’s.
• Crossfield Car Wash – September 17is too soon.  March or April 2012 would probably be a better time.  [Update: Capt Mark and Mark Bentley thanked Mr Runciman of the Crossfield Legion and talked about possibly doing this in the spring].
• Leadership training this weekend will be for 15 senior cadets.
• Ralph McCall School has been booked every Wednesday and the last Friday of each month – 2 classrooms, library, front foyer & gym.
• Book marks & presentations are being prepared to be sent to Principal in each school
• There are 43 returning cadets and 8 excused absentees here tonight.
• September 8, 2011, 19:00 – 21:00 will be uniform filling at the AG Building.
• The Christmas Party may be at the Ralph McCall School gym.
• Combats – possibility of either purchase in bulk or parents pay with order.
• Will be notified in the near future who achieved ‘Top Cadet Corp in Alberta’