Anime Twin Cities, Inc Board Meeting May 15, 2018 6:30pm
Waterbury Building; 1121 Jackson St. NE Minneapolis MN 55413
Agenda
If there is anything that you would like added to the Board Meeting agenda please email me and I will make sure to make the appropriate changes. If there is anything anyone would like to speak on an agenda item please either attend the meeting or send a statement to atcboard@animedetour.com or to atc_secretary@animedetour.com
18:33 - meeting starts
Congratulations to our new incoming board members; Jayson Bottem, and Tristan Anderson, and thank you to our board members leaving us this cycle Troy MacDonald and Renee Vandervelde.
Open Session
Coordinator Updates
Anime Detour
Charities
Clubs
Media Relations
SOS
Email received from Heather (Coordinator of SOS)
Summer activities:
The big focus right now is Akihabara. I have flyers and handouts made and will be wallpapering the town next week after ACEN. If anyone knows of any good locations for flyers or handouts aside from game stores, like coffee shops with public bulletin boards, please let me know.
Akihabara has its own web page now – https://animetwincities.org/akihabara. I plan to write up a similar page for the Cosplay Picnic and Outpost Anime, at a minimum. So far we’ve gotten 5 art table requests (out of 6 available spaces), 3 reserved swap table requests, and 2 requests for community promo tables (Fusion and MarsCon). We’re going to try taking online payments for the tables through Square. Along with my team I’ve mapped out a layout for the event that will be sent to the venue soon. Äge promoted Akihabara on the Detour Facebook page, which has given it a huge boost. Once June rolls around I’ll start paid ads on Facebook. We’ve already exceeded last June’s interest numbers, but I want a much bigger audience than we’ve had at GPS.
I sent out an invite for promo tables to a bunch of local conventions but it occurs to me I missed Mechademia. Does anyone have contact information for them?
In other news, after chatting with a mom at Detour I’m working on an idea for movie events at GPS specifically targeted toward families with children – low-level lighting, OK with kids making noise and running around, etc. If you have any input or suggestions on making this as friendly as possible for families, send it my way. I’m hoping to make it welcoming for kids on the autism spectrum as well.
Thanks,
Heather
Finance
Christina has some items from this past Anime Detour that she would like to ship to Greg and Chris.
Motion to pay $53.59 to ship Greg + Chris’ stuff to them. Troy motions. Renee seconded. All in Favor. Unanimous among all here.
Community
Troy motions to approve the whole budget. Kim seconded. Unanimous among all here.
Agenda: Ratify Vote to Approve funding from Leg Fund (Amberlee and Linda)
Motion to ratify the original vote to approve $2,226.00 for Amberlee’s back taxes. Unanimous.
Motion to reimburse Kale for the taxes from this current year that he had paid; A total of $353.45 Troy motions. Renee seconded. Unanimous among all here.
Agenda: Merchant Service Switch
Agenda: Update from E-Sports Event
Epic @ Mystic - Went fairly well, but I do not think it is a good advertising venue for ATC/AD at this time. The audience was a unique mix, but there not very many anime fans or casual gamers.
If we were able to get more information such as a new ATC banner and flyers I would definitely reconsider, but they have some growing pains to get over.
Agenda: ATC Contest Rules
Agenda: Charities (Anime Detour) Request for additional Funding
Motion to approve an extra $1,150 for Detours charity auction. Troy motions. Michelle Seconded. Unanimous among all here.
Agenda: Storage Space Update
Motion to approve for this to come out of this budgetary cycle. Troy motions. Michelle seconded. All in favor who is present.
Andy to empower Kim to sign the lease.
Agenda: Badge price discussion
Motion to keep the adult badge for AD badge for 2019 the same as 2018. Michelle motions. Renee seconded. Unanimous among all here.
Reminder for new Board members; I need a bio and photo for the website by the next board meeting!
Agenda: Charities Discussion
Anton: has a request for the Leg Fund. 2 Hours ago my cousins House was wiped out from a tornado. Christie and Nathan live paycheck to paycheck, this would help provide a buffer. Took out the roof and their car. Had to borrow money to pick up work clothes for tomorrow. Put on hold until we get more information or if a formal request is placed.
Chris: final thing I have to worry about? Not sure. 1 more procedure for dental work.
Desmond Tutu: “Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”
So the goal and our plan:
Who we’ve given to in the past
What we gave to people last year
What has been requested
Recommendations from us.
Charities Meeting
|
Organization |
FY17 |
Requested |
Recommended |
Notes |
|
Anderson United School |
$2,500 |
$2,000 |
$2,000 |
|
|
Autism Society of MN |
$5,000 |
$8,500 |
$8,500 |
|
|
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund |
$1,500 |
|
$1,500 |
|
|
Como Friends/Japanese Gardens |
$500 |
|
$800 |
|
|
Con or Bust |
$500 |
|
$0.00 |
|
|
Cornerstone |
$500 |
|
$0.00 |
|
|
Friends of the St. Paul Library |
$2,000 |
|
$0.00 |
|
|
Gordon R. Dickson Scholarship Fund |
$500 |
|
$0.00 |
|
|
Hallie Q Brown Community Center |
$3,000 |
|
$0.00 |
|
|
Heading Home Canine |
$500 |
$500 |
$500 |
|
|
International School of MN- Robotics |
$1,000 |
|
$0.00 |
|
|
Japan America Society of MN |
$1,000 |
$5,500 |
$3,500 |
|
|
Japanese American Citizens League |
$500 |
|
$500 |
|
|
Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund |
$1,000 |
|
$1,000 |
|
|
Library Foundation of Hennepin County |
$5,000 |
$5,000 |
$5,000 |
|
|
Mechadamia |
$3,000 |
$2,775 |
$3,000 |
|
|
Normandale Japanese Garden |
$500 |
|
$800 |
|
|
Olson Middle School |
$3,000 |
|
$0.00 |
|
|
Operation Hammond |
$500 |
|
$500 |
|
|
Operation Underground Railroad |
$500 |
|
$500 |
|
|
Organization for Transformative Works |
$1,000 |
|
$1,000 |
|
|
St. Paul Nagasaki Sister City Organization |
$1,000 |
|
$1,000 |
|
|
The Aliveness Project |
$500 |
|
$500 |
|
|
This is Geek |
$3,500 |
$3,500 |
$3,000 |
|
|
Trinity- Robotics |
$1,000 |
$500 |
$500 |
|
|
Women at Risk |
$500 |
|
$500 |
|
|
Hiawatha Leadership Academy |
$0.00 |
$27,000 |
$4,000 |
|
|
Can Do Canine |
|
|
$500 |
|
|
Youthlink MN |
|
|
$1,000 |
|
|
Angel Hair |
|
$3,000 |
$1,000 |
|
|
Last Chance for Korean Dogs |
|
$1,000 |
$500 |
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
$41,600 |
|
Anderson United School: We have donated in the past to Marian’s school. This is a grant request through her.
Autism Society of MN: This year they are adding a program for a self advocacy summit that will be presented by ATC. The plan is for this to occur in September.
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund: This organization supports artists that are struggling through legal issues.
Como friends/Japanese gardens: Additional funding to help with clean up of Graffiti.
Con or bust: getting underserved people into the convention community. Felt funding was better served to set aside AD badges for local organizations like big brother big sisters.
Cornerstone: helps abused victims.
Friends of the St. Paul library: had no idea where our money went, no communication.
GRD Fund: hard time getting updates out of them
Hallie Q brown center: attempt to reach out to them has gone unanswered.
Heading Home Canine: dedicated to adopting the most unwanted dogs. Able to help them treat a senior GSD Odessa, treat HWT and Mange. Would like another donation this year to help out more animals.
International School of MN- Robotics: gave 1000 last year, never cashed our donation
JASM: Last year we had donated $1,000. This year they are requesting additional help in order to cover costs due to in climate weather problems. There was a shortfall of $5,500. So they have asked for additional help.
Japanese Citizens League:
JDRF: Have many staff members and attendees that have Diabetes. Important to assist where we can.
Library foundation of Hennepin County: this is the library that does the manga library at Anime Detour, and uses our funding to support their summer programs for kids.
Mechadamia: This year theme is transnational fandom. Attracts scholars who work in the areas of asian popular culture. Deadline for proposals is June 1st. We do not charge the MCAD students to attend this conference, strong educational component. This opens the eyes of students to the fact that you can merge your fandom and be a scholar. Full fashion panic on Sunday will take place, this is coordinated by Samantha Rei Crossland.
Normandale Japanese Garden: Would like to keep similar donation numbers to the other Garden.
Olson Middle School: last year 3000, no request this year. They did their thing
Operation Hammond: organization that helps trains first responders for events.
Operation Underground Railroad: helps get people out of sex trafficking, or slavery.
Organization for Transformative Works: collects curates houses fanfiction, any sort of work that is taking a copy writed material and changing it to another format.
St. Paul Nagasaki Sister City Organization: all year round, bring in kite fliers.
The Aliveness Project: organization that works with sufferes of AIDs, that life is livable, helps with housing and discrimination problems
This is Geek: request 3500, felt that should weaning them off should 3000 recommendation to help make them happen make the event possible.
Trinity – Robotics: This robotics team came to Anime Detour and gave a demonstration the last year we were at the Double Tree.
Hiawatha Leadership Academy: 27000 request. Trying to raise this number, this is their goal. This is to establish 2 library’s in both of their elementary schools. Last year we gave Olson 3,000 to establish 1 library, so we decided to donate 4,000 (2,000 per library)
Can Do Canines: This organization helps place service dogs with people who need them. This is local to our community.
YouthlinkMN: helps younger displaced members of the MN community with housing and clothing.
Angel Hair: They are working to create an activity/space for people to come in and have a safe space. They work with people in need and kids at risk. They are a registered 501c3. They also create hair pieces and support cancer survivors. They are trying to put together a pottery studio, they are working on the lighting and plumbing finished up in order to have the space ready by the end of the month, or the middle of June.
Last Chance For Korean Dogs: Email from Troy.
Good morning Charities Team,
I would like to respectfully request consideration for charitable giving to Last Chance For Korean Dogs.
LCKD is a nonprofit organization that rescues hundreds of sick, abused and tortured dogs from environments where they are raised for the Korean meat trade.
Horrifically, there is a dominant thought that torturing the animals before slaughter, creates a more healthful meat.
The dogs are rescued and nursed back to health. Some of the cases are terribly severe and unfortunately, the worst cases are often not able to be saved. Some suffer from distemper and parvo virus or permanent effects from their abuse.
However, their last days are (finally) filled with a bit of love and compassion as everything possible is done for them.
LCKD is run by an amazing woman named Seonae Du. She goes out to these sites and engages with the breeders and rescues these dogs, ensures they receive the medical care needed to become healthy and works tirelessly to find these dogs their forever families.
Minnesota has become a supportive destination for these pups. Even within our small community, I know of 2 other staff members who have rescued a dog. The majority of adoptions are done internationally. Finding homes domestically is increasingly difficult due to thoughts of the dogs as meat and a prejudice against mixed breeds.
Here is a link to a local article wherein the issue received more national attention during the most recent Olympics.
https://www.twincities.com/2018/02/20/friends-or-food-rescuers-ship-dogs-6000-miles-from-korea-to-minnesota/
LCKD incurs the costs of the medical care on their end to bring the animals to health. So many families have found joy when connected with these dogs.
LCKD also works with Rough Start Rescue here in MN who find fosters as well as facilitate adoptions. LCKD also works with Pilots for Paws, volunteer pilots who donate their efforts to flying the animals from Chicago to Minnesota.
When adopting a dog from LCKD, there is no fee, only the cost of the flight. Of course, the animals must be in excellent health in order to make the trip.
I would like to please request a donation of $1000 to assist in these efforts.
The number of animals this amount can help and subsequently the number of adoptions made possible would benefit a tremendous number of people and make many 2 and 4 legged folks very happy.
In 2017, this one dedicated savior, Seonae, has rescued 178 dogs.
I sincerely hope, we at Anime Twin Cities can find a bit of room in our hearts to help some here.
I cannot thank you enough for reading this and I appreciate any consideration you might give.
Lastly, this is Bokdol, he is one of LCKD's 2018 rescues. He was rescued with his sister, who went to Chicago. Their mother was a casualty of the meat trade.
Today, Bokdol is very happy and living in Eagan, with me.
Thank you,
Troy MacDonald
Motion to approve 45,000 for the charitable giving, the current total sitting at $41,600 with the remaining budget to be revisited in September or to use as additional donation funds before the end of the fiscal year. Troy Motions. Kevin Seconded. Unanimous among all present.
Could we look at switching the email for the ATC Charities team, there is confusion among emails between ATC Charities and AD Charities.
Charitablegiving@animedetour.com/charitablegiving@animetwincities.org – new email possibilities.
In bringing light to what it is we do. Ask these organizations if we can point to them in spreading word about these organizations. Would like this public. IT would love to get pages for all ATC departments.
Including Anime Detour.
Kale to draft post to send to Age for social media posting.
Have this list in the program guide in the AD 2019 guide…. ATC has reserved an ad in the programmed guide.
Renee motions to adjourn, Michelle seconded. 9:27 end