Ottawa: Bytown Benchers - update on the meeting - new night next month! (long)
(News of a new day for meetings appears near the bottom of this overly long post...)
____________________________________
I thought I should bring everyone up to date on the Bytown Benchers meeting from last week. As you may be aware, a good part of this meeting was dedicated to revisiting the various aspects of how the group has been functioning. It is intended that this exercise be done one to two times a year to help ensure that the group remains on track and useful to all those who wish to participate. There were approximately a dozen members in attendance at the meeting and all who could not make it were afforded an opportunity to provide their input beforehand either directly to me or anonymously if so desired. I was delighted to see a number of pre-op members at the meeting, including a few who were new to us.
I wish them well on their journey and look forward to seeing them again soon! I want to thank everyone who did participate in the program review. I think there was some good discussion and suggestions made. It is invaluable feedback that benefits everyone.
Here is the nitty gritty of what transpired:
Forum: People seem to like the Bronson Centre as a location for our meetings. It is central, accessible by bus and affordable. We will continue to use the Bronson Centre as our base.
Fees: Currently, the suggested donation for rental recovery is $3/meeting. This was increased from $2 a few months ago as there were a few months where low attendance put us a little behind.
The rental fee at Bronson Centre is $10/hour plus there is a $10 administration fee that is charged for each contract. I generally sign contracts for three to four months at a time. I pay the rent up front and recover the expenditure from the member contributions at the meetings.
People were content to continue paying $3/meeting, which seems to generally cover our rental expenses, so there does not seem to be any reason to increase it at this time. In the event that our rental expenses are increased, members agreed that we could pay $4 if necessary. (Note: I asked this question merely to cover a possible contingency, but if there was to be a dramatic change in our rent, the membership would be offered the chance to consider whether or not they wish to remain at the Centre.)
Finances: I circulated a copy of the books from January to August. At the beginning of the meeting it showed the group as being up $40. With monies collected at the meeting, ($32.50) we have $72.50, which will be paid out to the next rental contact. This contract will cover October to February and will cost $110.
It should be noted that the books do not reflect any expenditures for door prizes. Members are encouraged to donate door prizes and some have been donated in the last few months - thank you! I have provided all other door prizes since January, at no cost to the group. Members enjoy having door prizes at the meetings and if we continue to have a surplus of funds after covering our rent, I will use those contributions to supplement any donated door prizes.
The books are available to anyone upon request - it is a “google doc" so simply send me a message and I will share the document with you.
Format: The current format of the meetings is to have an introductory round table that permits us to greet each other and share NSVs or visions we have for ourselves. This is followed by a facilitated discussion loosely based on a theme. We take a break to allow people to look at the clothes for exchange or otherwise have a little one-on-one chat with whomever they wish and then we have some time for housekeeping announcements or ad hoc discussion on a variety of issues that may be of particular interest to those in attendance.
Feedback from those in attendance was that they liked the format and appreciated the facilitated portion of the meeting as it helped to keep things on track. There were a number of suggested topics for discussion, which have been noted.
It was noted that some members prefer that catalogue-based sales (Avon, Tupperware type things) not be brought to meetings. This does not prevent anyone however, from sharing their opinion about a product that may be of interest to the group, or if you do sell items such as these, letting people know before the meeting that you have catalogues etc, available and if they are interested in discussing it with you, you can arrange to do so during the break.
Currently, we try to keep attendance at meetings restricted to members (i.e. leave your spouse, etc. at home) in order to encourage as open a discussion as possible. The exceptions to this practice would be for new members *****quire a support person to attend for the first time. There may also be occasions where someone in a members’ support system could benefit from meeting with us, perhaps they are concerned for the safety of their friend or family member, etc. and arrangements can be made to have those persons attend meetings with prior notice to the group, or to meet with some members at another time so their concerns can be addressed in a more targeted manner. People did feel that there should be some occasions where we were more open with our invitation and it was discussed that group social occasions are a good opportunity to meet and include family and friends and members.
The current practice with regard to our clothing exchange is that anything leftover at the end of the meeting is donated to Norwood House, a transitional shelter operated by the Elizabeth Fry society and conveniently located in the Bronson Centre. Members were happy to let this practice continue.
Facilitation: The opportunity was offered for anyone to express an interest in taking on the role of facilitating the group. I assumed the role of facilitator following the meeting in January 2012 and have been happy to do so, but recognize that others may wish the same opportunity to contribute. I also recognize that there are times where acting as facilitator prevents me from fully participating in the group in a way that I get support on my own journey. At times, I have asked someone to step in a facilitator, both to offer others the chance to play the role, but also to help myself. Thanks to those who have helped out on those occasions!
The feedback from the group was that they would like to see me continue in my role as facilitator and I am willing to do so. I have identified that I will require some assistance in the coordination end of things as I am often a “last-minute" kind of person and there were offers to assist me in that regard.
As you may know from reading my posts prior to the September 4th meeting, my continuing to act as facilitator would necessarily be contingent on meeting on a night other than Tuesday as a conflict in my schedule has arisen. In light of this, as well as general discussion and consensus regarding the complicating factors of long weekends, etc., it was decided that the Bytown Benchers will meet on the first Wednesday of the month. Please pass the word of this along to anyone who you think may be interested as some people may not clue in to this change until it is too late.
I have confirmed that there is space available at the Bronson Centre for us on those Wednesdays and have booked the rooms from now until February.
________________________________________ Accordingly, the next meetings of the Bytown Benchers will be from 7:30-9:00 p.m. on: o Wednesday, October 3, 2012 o Wednesday, November 7, 2012 o Wednesday, December 5, 2012 o Wednesday, January 9, 2013* o Wednesday, February 6, 2013
(* Note that in January 2013, I moved the meeting to second Wednesday due to proximity to the holidays.)
___________________________________________
The final topic of discussion of the evening was the suggestion of whether or not we would like to have our own website. Many people commented it was hard to find out about the group from existing resources. Jonathin (whom it was great to see again!) posed this as a possibility and there was discussion of the type of info or features we would like to see on a site, if there was to be one. Jonathin will start figuring out if there would be any added benefit (beyond OH and/or Facebook) to creating such a site given the suggestions offered during the meeting whi*****luded: o Recipes o Links of interest o The topics for next meeting o Announcements o A mailing list of members o Community events of interest o FAQs – the answers to those questions that come up over and over again o A “Pinterest"-type feature o A “sticky topic" type feature o Stats/wait times for Ottawa WMC o Some of the little bios that members share when we do our round-table introductions o Before/after photos o Local angels o Calendar of upcoming surgeries for members
Thanks Jonathin! Again, thanks to all who took the time to participate in this important meeting, and to those who offered me their comments beforehand if they could not attend. Thank you also for the support I have been given during the last eight months as the facilitator of the group and for your continued confidence as I stay in that role between now and the next program review session, (Spring 2013).
Of course, your feedback in the form of suggestions, comments, compliments and criticism are welcome at any time and can be sent via private message, email to [email protected] or anonymously by signing into the google account set up specifically for that purpose (see details on accessing that account in my posts leading up to September meeting).
I look forward to the meeting next month, which will fall the week before Thanksgiving. Accordingly, the round table introduction will ask you to consider sharing that for which you are most thankful on your WLS journey and the theme of the discussion will be: Thanksgiving – “A Time for Turkeys and Stuffing"
This can be a discussion about some of the challenges that arise during feasts such as Thanksgiving and trying to find ways to face those challenges without being derailed from our goals. How to avoid the impulse or tradition of stuffing ourselves? How to deal not only with the turkey on the table, but also the turkeys around the table?
Until then folks....
Sherlock
____________________________________
I thought I should bring everyone up to date on the Bytown Benchers meeting from last week. As you may be aware, a good part of this meeting was dedicated to revisiting the various aspects of how the group has been functioning. It is intended that this exercise be done one to two times a year to help ensure that the group remains on track and useful to all those who wish to participate. There were approximately a dozen members in attendance at the meeting and all who could not make it were afforded an opportunity to provide their input beforehand either directly to me or anonymously if so desired. I was delighted to see a number of pre-op members at the meeting, including a few who were new to us.
I wish them well on their journey and look forward to seeing them again soon! I want to thank everyone who did participate in the program review. I think there was some good discussion and suggestions made. It is invaluable feedback that benefits everyone.
Here is the nitty gritty of what transpired:
Forum: People seem to like the Bronson Centre as a location for our meetings. It is central, accessible by bus and affordable. We will continue to use the Bronson Centre as our base.
Fees: Currently, the suggested donation for rental recovery is $3/meeting. This was increased from $2 a few months ago as there were a few months where low attendance put us a little behind.
The rental fee at Bronson Centre is $10/hour plus there is a $10 administration fee that is charged for each contract. I generally sign contracts for three to four months at a time. I pay the rent up front and recover the expenditure from the member contributions at the meetings.
People were content to continue paying $3/meeting, which seems to generally cover our rental expenses, so there does not seem to be any reason to increase it at this time. In the event that our rental expenses are increased, members agreed that we could pay $4 if necessary. (Note: I asked this question merely to cover a possible contingency, but if there was to be a dramatic change in our rent, the membership would be offered the chance to consider whether or not they wish to remain at the Centre.)
Finances: I circulated a copy of the books from January to August. At the beginning of the meeting it showed the group as being up $40. With monies collected at the meeting, ($32.50) we have $72.50, which will be paid out to the next rental contact. This contract will cover October to February and will cost $110.
It should be noted that the books do not reflect any expenditures for door prizes. Members are encouraged to donate door prizes and some have been donated in the last few months - thank you! I have provided all other door prizes since January, at no cost to the group. Members enjoy having door prizes at the meetings and if we continue to have a surplus of funds after covering our rent, I will use those contributions to supplement any donated door prizes.
The books are available to anyone upon request - it is a “google doc" so simply send me a message and I will share the document with you.
Format: The current format of the meetings is to have an introductory round table that permits us to greet each other and share NSVs or visions we have for ourselves. This is followed by a facilitated discussion loosely based on a theme. We take a break to allow people to look at the clothes for exchange or otherwise have a little one-on-one chat with whomever they wish and then we have some time for housekeeping announcements or ad hoc discussion on a variety of issues that may be of particular interest to those in attendance.
Feedback from those in attendance was that they liked the format and appreciated the facilitated portion of the meeting as it helped to keep things on track. There were a number of suggested topics for discussion, which have been noted.
It was noted that some members prefer that catalogue-based sales (Avon, Tupperware type things) not be brought to meetings. This does not prevent anyone however, from sharing their opinion about a product that may be of interest to the group, or if you do sell items such as these, letting people know before the meeting that you have catalogues etc, available and if they are interested in discussing it with you, you can arrange to do so during the break.
Currently, we try to keep attendance at meetings restricted to members (i.e. leave your spouse, etc. at home) in order to encourage as open a discussion as possible. The exceptions to this practice would be for new members *****quire a support person to attend for the first time. There may also be occasions where someone in a members’ support system could benefit from meeting with us, perhaps they are concerned for the safety of their friend or family member, etc. and arrangements can be made to have those persons attend meetings with prior notice to the group, or to meet with some members at another time so their concerns can be addressed in a more targeted manner. People did feel that there should be some occasions where we were more open with our invitation and it was discussed that group social occasions are a good opportunity to meet and include family and friends and members.
The current practice with regard to our clothing exchange is that anything leftover at the end of the meeting is donated to Norwood House, a transitional shelter operated by the Elizabeth Fry society and conveniently located in the Bronson Centre. Members were happy to let this practice continue.
Facilitation: The opportunity was offered for anyone to express an interest in taking on the role of facilitating the group. I assumed the role of facilitator following the meeting in January 2012 and have been happy to do so, but recognize that others may wish the same opportunity to contribute. I also recognize that there are times where acting as facilitator prevents me from fully participating in the group in a way that I get support on my own journey. At times, I have asked someone to step in a facilitator, both to offer others the chance to play the role, but also to help myself. Thanks to those who have helped out on those occasions!
The feedback from the group was that they would like to see me continue in my role as facilitator and I am willing to do so. I have identified that I will require some assistance in the coordination end of things as I am often a “last-minute" kind of person and there were offers to assist me in that regard.
As you may know from reading my posts prior to the September 4th meeting, my continuing to act as facilitator would necessarily be contingent on meeting on a night other than Tuesday as a conflict in my schedule has arisen. In light of this, as well as general discussion and consensus regarding the complicating factors of long weekends, etc., it was decided that the Bytown Benchers will meet on the first Wednesday of the month. Please pass the word of this along to anyone who you think may be interested as some people may not clue in to this change until it is too late.I have confirmed that there is space available at the Bronson Centre for us on those Wednesdays and have booked the rooms from now until February.
________________________________________ Accordingly, the next meetings of the Bytown Benchers will be from 7:30-9:00 p.m. on: o Wednesday, October 3, 2012 o Wednesday, November 7, 2012 o Wednesday, December 5, 2012 o Wednesday, January 9, 2013* o Wednesday, February 6, 2013
(* Note that in January 2013, I moved the meeting to second Wednesday due to proximity to the holidays.)
___________________________________________
The final topic of discussion of the evening was the suggestion of whether or not we would like to have our own website. Many people commented it was hard to find out about the group from existing resources. Jonathin (whom it was great to see again!) posed this as a possibility and there was discussion of the type of info or features we would like to see on a site, if there was to be one. Jonathin will start figuring out if there would be any added benefit (beyond OH and/or Facebook) to creating such a site given the suggestions offered during the meeting whi*****luded: o Recipes o Links of interest o The topics for next meeting o Announcements o A mailing list of members o Community events of interest o FAQs – the answers to those questions that come up over and over again o A “Pinterest"-type feature o A “sticky topic" type feature o Stats/wait times for Ottawa WMC o Some of the little bios that members share when we do our round-table introductions o Before/after photos o Local angels o Calendar of upcoming surgeries for members
Thanks Jonathin! Again, thanks to all who took the time to participate in this important meeting, and to those who offered me their comments beforehand if they could not attend. Thank you also for the support I have been given during the last eight months as the facilitator of the group and for your continued confidence as I stay in that role between now and the next program review session, (Spring 2013).
Of course, your feedback in the form of suggestions, comments, compliments and criticism are welcome at any time and can be sent via private message, email to [email protected] or anonymously by signing into the google account set up specifically for that purpose (see details on accessing that account in my posts leading up to September meeting).I look forward to the meeting next month, which will fall the week before Thanksgiving. Accordingly, the round table introduction will ask you to consider sharing that for which you are most thankful on your WLS journey and the theme of the discussion will be: Thanksgiving – “A Time for Turkeys and Stuffing"
This can be a discussion about some of the challenges that arise during feasts such as Thanksgiving and trying to find ways to face those challenges without being derailed from our goals. How to avoid the impulse or tradition of stuffing ourselves? How to deal not only with the turkey on the table, but also the turkeys around the table?
Until then folks....
Sherlock
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