Subject: IMPORTANT! Semi-Annual Meeting
Dear ISA Members/potential members:
Happy Holidays and Happy Veterans Day! 11 November 2010
It seems like the ISA chartering ceremony was just yesterday. We have made significant progress in moving Steppin forward professionally. The lists of noteworthy achievements have been well documented.
On 21 November we will have a very important semi-annual meeting. The primary agenda topic will be the 2011 Annual Convention. We are now formally under contractual obligation with the Hilton, Oak Lawn. During the 17 October 2011 ISA business meeting ISA members voted to move forward with a contract that required a minimum of 10 ISA members to register by 31 December 2010 to show our financial commitment to the annual event. We stand to lose $500 in transaction fees if we don’t hold our end of the contract.
We have a small challenge in that most of us either know a family member in Chicago, we want to room with another member or have an organizational discount we can use. The ISA Board of Directors is asking that you register as an ISA member at the $129.00 rate we have agreed. If we do not comply we will lose a large portion of our budget due to default. Further, the rate of $129.00 will not be available after 31 January 2011. So we are asking for you to be diligent in moving forward with your reservation. Your participation will ensure that the ISA will not be penalized unnecessarily. Please join me and the other members by registering with the hotel for Friday and Saturday evening as soon as your schedule will allow with the dates above in mind. Please contact Reservations and confirm your reservation with a valid credit card number at 800-315-1058 and ask for International Steppers Association room block.
Note: The rate we received is based on our ISA membership numbers. If everyone registers we will meet our financial obligation with no problem. All expenses are tax deductible for ISA members only. Please make sure you receive and retain your ISA receipts for your records.
ISA participated in the Combined Federal Campaign training on 5 November 2011 in Washington DC. We are in the process of applying to receive federal funding to support our scholarship, community and youth based mission. Over $280M are available to over 35,000 charities like ours. In the Washington DC area alone they have raised over $14M in less than four months. The administrative work we have completed will ensure that ISA qualifies for federal funds and will quickly advance the professional efforts of the Steppin community international. This will take much of the financial burden off individual Steppers. We should have our non profit tax exempt status by February. This effort allows for our activities, donations and programs to receive the most efficient use of benefits to our organization and to us as individuals.
We are breaking new ground as a collaborative way to advance Steppin through collective intellectual, human and social capital. I have attached a side by side comparison chart that we will be discussing during the meeting. What you will see is a simple presentation of the social and professional paradigms. The differences are varied but you will receive a perspective that you may have not seen before the ISA. It is easier to do more when everyone works in concert with each other.
Please pass the word concerning the upcoming meeting. We will be introducing the chairperson of the ISA Convention, Sis Sarah Teagle. She has graciously volunteered to take the reins of marketing and advertising for the event. We will be a planning a full day of training, seminars and education. The social sets in Chicago are many so members will be able to enjoy themselves after the ISA activities keeping cost down and enjoyment up. There will be plenty of opportunity to Step the night away in Chicago; the international capital of Steppin! All information will be posted on our upcoming ISA website: Internationalsteppersassociation.org.
Please mark your calendars and call in early.
The next ISA meeting will be on Sunday, 21 November 2010 at 7pm. Please dial in by 6:30 pm so that we can start on time. The dial in number is 1-218-862-1000 ACCESS CODE: 307375#.
Signed
Timothy D. Wilson
President
International Steppers Association
Skype: Internationalsteppersassociation
