Community Relations Committee
Cayuga Lake Watershed Network
September 18, 2008
CLWN Office Site, Wells College, Aurora NY

Present: John Mawdsley, Ronda Fessenden, Melissa Miller, Dan Carrion, Rachael Singley and Carmel Schmidt

Open House
· Wells College – appreciation for Wells and what they have done to assist CLWN.
· When: Wednesday, October 22, 2008, 4:30 to 6:00 pm
· Entertainment: Bottom Feeders will play from 4:00 to 6:00 pm; donation or payment for music duration?
· Bottom Feeders will play outside under a tent provided by Wells College or Melissa Miller.
· Decorations: we will need decorations or some type of visual draw to move the guests from outside into the CLWN office suite. We will mount posters and questions concerning the watershed along the stairs.
· Greeters - 6-8 volunteers to escort guests from the entertainment area upstairs to the appetizers, beverages and speakers with the purpose of monitoring and keeping the event flowing
· Guest book – to capture names and email addresses of attendees.

· Advertising the Event:

o Genoa Tribune – free
o Post Standard
o Ithaca Journal
o Citizen
o Need to address advertisement in free publications on the west side of the lake
o Consider Face Book Organization site
o Consider CLWN blog

· Invitation List Recommendations:

o Evite.com – Melissa to setup invitation with password CLOWNS for Dan to display the invitation. Dan will enter the email addresses. Team members are encouraged to respond to the e-invitation with written responses.

o Do we know whom Dr. Ryerson would like to invite?
o Lake Friendly Farms Award winners and runner ups
o Sue Cushman – Finger Lakes Institute
o Director, Finger Lakes Institute
o Darby Kiley – IO., Town of Ithaca Planning
o John Dentes
o Bill Shaw
o Peg Bradley
o Janet Hawkes
o President, Hobart William Smith College
o President, Finger Lakes Chiropractic College
o Aurora Businesses – Carmel to obtain names and addresses at Auroramerchants.org, place in an Excel spreadsheet and email to Ronda by Wednesday morning, 9/24.
o Others to be invited include but will not be limited to: Mr. Nozzolio, Emerson, Triad, and Park
o People who have funded CLWN before

· Autumn Open House invitation revised

o Watershed Network thanks Wells College
o Light appetizers and beverages
o Date BOLD with day of the week, date and time
o RSVP to Dan – manager @cayugalake.org
o Invite Wells students, staff and faculty.

· Invitation Mailing

o Goal is to have all invitations sent out by Friday, September 26
o Ronda will purchase stock invitation paper and envelops
o Carmel to purchase blue fine point felt pens to hand address envelops
o Melissa, Ronda and Carmel will hand address envelops on Wednesday, 9/24
o Dan to identify and supply names and addresses that require hand addressed invitations to Ronda by Wednesday early afternoon. Specifically this should include organizations and people that have made major donations.

· Food

o Gary Aubin, Manager of catering events at Wells College
o Need to identify the ‘go to’ caterer person with name, responsibilities, supplies, clean up, what time they will arrive and leave
o Food and beverage volumes – 10% less than RSVP
o Ronda and Melissa to meet with caterer to manage food costs.

· Power Point Presentation

o Rachael will be responsible for this and work with Sharon for the pictures
o Power Point with CLWN facts (Marsh Land, black and white lettering, pictures, Salmon Creek, features of the lake and watershed, Lansing rain garden).

· Event cleanup committee – to be determined.

· CLWN office space clean up

o Saturday, October 11 mid afternoon, Carmel and Melissa

· Dan Carrion, CLWN Office Manager:
o Look up addresses for invitation list as needed.
o Merge invitation list with Ronda and committees invitee additions.
o Arrange for distribution of invitations to campus facility mailboxes and determine number of invitations needed.
o Send postcard invitation to members based on invitation Steve designs.
o Be available to meet with media who request advance interview with the Wells College President.
o Arrange to have the chairs removed from the conference room.
o Work with caterer to order food and establish RSVP date.
o Clean office in preparation for the event.
o Decorate office with displays and posters of CLWN projects.
o Create and post schedule of events on the wall.
o Setup PowerPoint made by Sharon on a loop.

· John:
o Contact Todd Walters to attend event and utilize his color coded map of phosphorus and sediment loads in the lake.
o Ask Milene Morfei, new Board member and Wells College faculty, to assist with this event and perhaps to serve on the committee.

Next meeting agenda:
· Finalize open house event
· Review mailing list(s)
· Review and approve appeal letter
· Determine appeal time line

Next meeting: Ronda will send out meeting wizard request.

Community Relation Committee Members: Ronda Fessenden, Melissa Miller, Steve Mount and Carmel Schmidt
Ex Officio Members: John Mawdsley
CLWN Office Manager: Dan Carrion
CLWN Intern: Rachael