Attendees: Mukund, Mohit, Nirmal, Nikhil, Anita, Rosa & Ginny (City of Tempe), Srini, Caroline, Dr. Ramakrishna, Sonu, Ganga, Vijay, Anil

Minutes (taken by Nirmal):

1. Intro

2. Walkathon, October 2 (Saturday): Rosa and Ginny from City of Tempe. Diversity Office
Tempe Town lake didn't work out for walkathon event (need a year advance booking esp. for October). Kiwanis Park - Sister cities Garden portion allocated for walk. Waived all fees ($200) for event.Waiting for application from Asha (Dr. R). Banners will be hung along park for event for a month. Will put event on website and listserv when more info arrives.

Other venues under this office: Agnavel? Center for Arts (~350 persons) + Tempe Center for Arts forthcoming.. Keep in touch for future events (Srini)

New event started: "Who's your Neighbor" brownbag lecture series partnering with Tempe Library. Currently on a quarterly basis.

Seven city Unity Walk on Feb. 5, 2005.

3. Treasurer's Report (Mukund)
Balance $32,500 - committed = $12,000. Expecting $8-10k from United Way.
Option of partnering with Seattle (>> funds).

4. Notes of Hope (Srini)
Hall finalized (Chandler Center for Arts). Kickoff meeting on 7/17 at Coffee Plantation at 2pm.
Meeting for NOH at Sweet Tomatoes (need to get flyer made for particular date in advance).

5. Spirituality Event (Srini)
Votes: 5 Y, 1 N, 1 O. Got brochure printed. Murdoch Hall, 8/28 Sat. Expenses: hall free, no pay for speakers, airfare taken care of by speakers. $1000 expenses. Boxed lunch sold at $5. $15 per person fee and max 250 people.. Need ~70 people to break even.

<>Need a decision on whether AfE will lend its name to the event. Various comments/thoughts:
- financials are a concern, need to break even.
- if yes, Asha logo needs to be placed on the brochure, email flyers etc.
- AfE can benefit a little in terms of the funds raised; event may be helped with Asha name in terms of sponsors; can publicize Asha at the event - awareness.
- brochure is free of religious stuff; nothing controversial in there.
- already on azindia.com, Susan has a plan to promote more -- need to ensure this is publicized well (e.g. Independence Day program).</>
- possibility of breaking up the event by individual talks ($5/talk etc.).
- need AfE total backing if approved.
- setup meeting to discuss event details.
- clarification: net proceeds from an event go to projects + donations go to projects. If a loss is incurred, money will come from AfE.
- need to start planning earlier and keep everyone in the loop while organizing such events.

Decision: AfE to "sponsor" Spirituality Event.

6. WAH Update (Nirmal/Anita/Caroline)
8 projects ranked. Sai Kripa, AZ's proposal was ranked 7. Goal is to raise $175k, hence top 5 projects and part of sixth project will be funded if we meet the target. Watch for the email flyer announcing WAH and the workanhour.com website.

7. Projects Meeting (Caroline)
Next meeting (held once every three months) in August, set up poll to decide on date. Project champions to get ready with project reports.

8. Calendars (Caroline)
Need count on # of calendars to be ordered for next year. Last year 100 calendars ordered, gave away a few. Need to get before Nov. 1 for NoH.

Task of making calendars for next year?
Need to communicate asha-wide stuff better.. Missed opportunity to put in an AZ project into the calendar.
100 calendars to be ordered.

9. Penny Drive (Anil)
Need to put up flyers. Stores reluctant to take the boxes (two of them). To pass on boxes to Caroline and Sonu. 

10. Website (Ganga)
Ganga uploaded minutes. Need to put up events on website; remove old events from website.
Need to update everyone's info on the website.

11. New Volunteer Committee (Sonu/Mohit)
Mouse batteries died (Sonu). ;-) (fundraising ideas, not new volunteer committee)
Mohit is the co-ordinator for new volunteer committee. Co-ordinate with ASU on incoming students.

12. Raji's project - Nirmal to take up the review/presentation to the group.

13. Asha Kid's Walkathon: need to have a short proposal/meeting with the Asha AZ group. Planned for projects meeting (this was decided after the meeting).

 

To-Do's/Action Items/Action Required/….

- Appln to City of Tempe office for Walkathon: Dr. Ramakrishna
- Send info, press release to Tempe Office for website/listserv: Dr. Ramakrishna
- Contact Seattle when funds needed for AZ project: Anita/Nirmal
- Need to discuss strategy for approving projects: Projects meeting (Caroline, please put on agenda)
- Send out email abt NOH kickoff and Spirituality event joint meeting on 7/17: Srini
- Contact Sweet Tomatoes to get flyer for Asha made: Future AR for Mukund
- Publicity for Spirituality event (put AfE logo on brochures) : Srini and Susan
- Setup poll for project meetings date: Caroline
- Order 100 calendars: Mukund
- Boxes to Caroline and Sonu: Anil
- Email info on two events to Ganga for Asha AZ website: Srini
- Co-ordinate with ASU on incoming students: Mohit
- Get info on Raji's project for blind children: Nirmal
- Setup presentation for walkathon at AZ projects meeting - Dr. Ramakrishna
- Get batteries for mouse: Sonu :-)