Pierre Ferrari, Heifer International's chief executive officer, was born in Africa in what was then the Belgian Congo (Zaire from 1971-1997 and today the Democratic Republic of Congo) in a French-speaking family that had been in Africa for three generations on his father's side. His mother was also born in the Congo, the daughter of Belgian colonial administrators.
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10 am at Whole Foods Conference room in Napa

Evie Trevethan - facilitator
Caroline Bonnet - Note taker
Ann Schwartz - Treasurer

This will be our last meeting for the year. We'll take a break in December and enjoy the holiday season.

Winding down the year 2010 - What we've accomplished. Report from Treasurer. Report from Napa committee to suggest future Napa events.

How to order your Voluntary Simplicity for our 5 course study beginning at the January 8th meeting.

Report from the First National Area Volunteer Coordinator Conference in Little Rock - Caroline and Linda

Progress report on the hoped for Barn Dance Fund Raiser in late winter/early spring in Sonoma County

Power Point presentation by Caroline

Check out what one young man in Portland is doing for Heifer http://portland.heiferblog.org/2009/12/cards-for-cows.html

And don't forget to check out our own blog: http://sonomanapa.heiferblog.org/



Hope to see you all there!

92 Area Volunteer Coordinators (AVC's) from across the nation had the joyful opportunity to  gather in  Little Rock, Arkansas October 14th thru 17th  to be part of the first-ever national AVC gathering!  Four days of jam-packed activity and  inspiration focused on the incredible work done by the Heifer community; the staff, volunteers and amazing people who gather around Heifer International. What an amazing and impressive community!
The overarching message: "Heifer is what it is because of the volunteers". Our work is vital to the mission of Heifer and without grassroots groups like ours the life changing work that Heifer is able to perform would not be possible. It was a time to renew our understanding of Heifer's work, to make connections with others doing this work and to explore ways to reach even more people to expand our ability "To work with communities to end hunger and poverty and to care for the earth".

On Thursday, Jo Luck was the third woman ever to receive the prestigious World Food Prize. Jo Luck, who has helped lead Heifer for more than twenty years, shares the prize with Bread for the World president David Beckmann. The World Food prize, an award likened to the Nobel prize, was awarded at a banquet honoring Jo Luck and David Beckmann at the Iowa State Capitol.
Video of 2010 World Food Prize

Evie Trevethan - facilitator
Linda McBee - note taker

Check in and Introductions

Caroline Bonnet - AVC - 9 years with Heifer She is our resource person. Send questions to her. Today we have a rule that no one leave empty handed. Please, take some literature and place at doctors’and dentists' offices, libraries, friends, senior center, teacher lounges, church halls, etc. They do no good sitting in our closets/garages. Let's get them out there.

Nancy Evans - From Napa...volunteered for about one year. Asked that we really focus on distributing literature thru the Holidays.

Linda McBee - Does the Blog...came on board in 2007 with the& African Children’s Choir.

Janeen Breyman & Emelia Garcia - From Napa...met Evie at the Food Forum in Napa 2010. Brought coupon for Organic Milk (www.organicvalley.coop/future) go to this url to sign up for drawing and  they donate $1 for Heifer.

Jessie McDermott - volunteered at Wombat Farm fundraiser in 2010. First meeting, to find out more with  intention to join.

Mary Blom - two years here in Sebastopol. Took a Heifer trip to Honduras and became connected with Heifer’s work.

Evie Trevethan - Involved with Heifer since 2006. After retiring she got more and more involved with encouragement from Caroline.

Marolyn Roberts - from Yountville joined us late because of a BIG traffic jam.

Evaluation of Harvest Dinner Event (aka Local  to Global at Wombats' Farm)

Evie presented a very detailed list of categories evaluating the event. This will be helpful for future events.

Caroline: asks the question “Would we do an event like this again?”....i.e. was the amount of work worth the result? ($6000 and outreach).

Mary read a wonderful thank you gift from someone who will have Heifer in their life from this point forward.

Master Gardeners that attended were all mostly new to Heifer.

Does this formal event represent Heifer?

Evie would like a committee to meet with the hand out details and come with a recommendation to the larger group before our next large event.

Linda suggests using professional servers if we do another formal event.

Thanks to Evie for the heroic job she did in co-chairing the event. - is still.

Study Group on “Voluntary Simplicity”

Mary presented - The Northwest Institute has several study books for groups. She suggests we study their book “Voluntary Simplicity”.
She read a few excerpts from the book. The “Voluntary Simplicity” course has five chapters. The book costs $20. Each month we would devote one hour to the discussion of the chapter. The chapter would be led by a different person each time. Opportunity in each session to form personal intentions and share them. When we did the “Menu for the Future” we had a potluck at the end of the study made from food that was grown or gathered within 10 miles of where we each live. The meal brought it all together and strengthened us as a group. We will start this study in January with the first chapter. Mary will lead the discussion. To order go to the Northwest Institute website: http://nwei.org/discussion_courses/course-offerings/voluntary-simplicity

Holiday Presentations and Tables

Ideas for the holiday season.  Tabling and  presentations at: schools, churches, clubs, businesses, libraries, senior  centers.  Also these are good places to place Heifer materials - gift  catalogs.

October 28th: Shearer School will be doing a fund  raiser for Heifer in Napa, their second annual benefit for Heifer.

Nancy: Will give a presentation at AAUW (American Assoc.  of University Women) and will show the 12 Stones movie in Napa

Jacquie: Gave a presentation to the Kiwanis club last week in Napa

Mary:  Will be doing three tables at her   church Gift Fair in Sebastopol

Linda: Will have a table at Silk Moon and Summerfield Waldorf School in Sebastopol

Marolyn Roberts mentioned 4-H and asked how to connect with 4-H in terms of her grand children. Previously in 4-H, Evie informed us, there formally was the option to  donate their animal to Heifer. Now, someone could donate the money  from their animal to Heifer.

Nancy took "Our Time is Now" booklet to give to her  granddaughter who is interested in making a difference in the  world.

Ideas for Sonoma Co. Event

When?  In early spring/late winter.
Farm or barn  with animals, a simple meal in the barn?
We might want to do a  dinner this winter that would generate more volunteers and have the  event in the spring.
Brain storming:
music...fun....simple  food...bbq....dance....choir to do a charity event...
State County  Park?
Place where we housed the African Children’s Choir? - Ranch in  Santa Rosa
Tera Firma might work....Linda will check it out. She will see if they have non-profit rate. In Petaluma area.

Next Meeting: November 13th at Whole Foods in Napa at 10am