NAFE Westchester

NAFE Westchester Local Chapter   Nov 2009

In This Issue
Board & Committee Leaders
- Successful 1st Meeting
- Brainstorming & Advisory Board
- Committees
- Communications
- Benefits & Membership
- Meetings & Schedules
- Immediate Next Steps

Board & Committees

 
Presidents
Ann Jelito
 
Membership
TBD
 
Benefits/Discounts
TBD
 
Meeting Locations
TBD
 
Fundraising
TBD
 
Classified
TBD
 
Job/Freelance Board
TBD
 
Feedback Collections & Analyses
TBD
 
Communications
 
Program/Speakers
Ann Jelito
 
NafeCafe Support
TBD
 

Quick Links

 
 
 
 
Submit topic for brainstorming
 
 
 
For those who did not receive all our communications, we have archived it for your perusal:
 
 
Kickoff Meeting a Success 
 
Thanks to all who joined our kickoff meeting on November 11th. We had a wonderful turnout and great dialogue and feedback.  
 
One of the most important accomplishments of the meeting was establishing our local chapter's mission. While networking is a major goal of the group in order to expand our respective businesses, the message was clear... the group wants a focus on growing professionally and personally.
 
To achieve this, it was decided that an Advisory Board be established to support the sharing of business experiences and ideas, and to offer guidance where possible. It is critical to our group that we have the opportunity to brainstorm around specific topics of interest to enhance our businesses.  
 
 
Members also agreed that we can email each other our respective business eNewsletters to enhance visibility. 
 
Please see next steps to continue forming the group. Our next meeting will be on January 13th. We can have a brainstorming session on topics that you submit by December 9th.
Brainstorming & Advisory Board 
Once every other month, we will have a brainstorming session around the topics of interest submitted by members. An Advisory Board will be set up to ensure that the appropriate expertise is available to attend the meetings.

Members who are interested in being in the Advisory Board need to submit their areas of expertise.  
 
Part of the commitment to be on the Advisory Board is to attend the brainstorming sessions once every other month when your expertise is needed. Topics will be identified for each meeting in advance.
 
We are also thinking that the Advisory Board may potentially offer consultative services to non-members. If anyone has any feedback on this, please let us know.
 
Committees 
Committees were identified, see left sidebar, and we have several volunteers, but will need more participation and committee leaders in order to make this chapter a success.  Our feeling is that when members actively participate, success can be reached; otherwise we risk having our chapter lose its momentum and fail.
 
The committee leaders will be spearheading the development and pursuit of the committee objectives. Please let Dahlia and Ann know which committee you would like to lead or participate in.
Communications
Although the best way to communicate is face-to-face, we are augmenting this with online communications to broaden the opportunities. 
 
We are using the Constant Contact system under Dahlia Web Designs LLC's account for now. Dahlia will be responsible for eNewsletters. Please forward to Dahlia content that you believe should go into the newsletters. The standard format for ongoing eNewsletters is currently under development. 
 
If the group decides to create its own Constant Contact account, then someone else in the group can take over the eNewsletters leadership.
 
Please forward eNewsletters to friends and colleagues by clicking on the 'foward link' below.
 
The www.NAFEWestchester.com website has been established. Currently, it is being used as an adminstrative utility to help move forward the creation of the group. The design aspect will be addressed later after members join and volunteer to develop the committees' strategies. 
 
The 'NAFE Westchester' LinkedIn group has been set up. Please join and proceed to submit discussions (www.LinkedIn.com.) 
 
We are asking a current NAFE member be to access the NAFE Cafe and assess what would be beneficial there (potentially additional members) and how we should utilize it. Please contact us if you would like to do that. 
Benefits, Membership & Fees
The benefits of joining the local chapter focus on the opportunity to network, brainstorm, receive guidance, and receive business referrals and other important connections.  As the group forms and develops, the committees will establish additional benefits around discounts, community outreach, fundraising, etc..

NAFE National benefits include a subscription to NAFE Magazine, national and local netowrking opportunities, educational and professional development, career assistance, discounted products and services, active legistlative participation and representation. 
 
Those who join by December 10th will be considered charter members and be entitled to the charter membership fee of $65. The fee for all new members joining after December 10th would be the full rate of $95.
 
To join, please submit your information to apply. 
 
And then send a check, payable to 'Nafe Westchester' and mail to:
 
Dahlia Web Designs LLC
P.O.Box 205
Hartsdale, NY 10530
  
Please note that the success of the group is dependent on the members' participation, creativity and leadership.  Membership fees are non-refundable.
Meetings, Schedule, Topics
Our brainstorming sessions will be once every other month. Please submit the topic you are interested in.
 
Our next brainstorming session will be held on January 13th, 6:30pm. Hopefully, a volunteer will identify the location. Please contact us to let us know that you are interested in finding a place for our group. 
 
We will also hold quarterly meeting with speakers. Members who are interested in presenting, please let us know. 
Immediate Next Steps
1. Please let us know by Dec 9th if you would like to go to the group holiday gathering on the 16th. If enough people are interested, we will let everyone know that it will take place. We'll hold it at the same place, Crowne Plaza. 
 
2. Help find a location for our  meetings. Please contact Ann to purse this further.
 
3. Submit suggestions for brainstorming by December 9th. Our first session will be on January 13th. Join the Advisory Group to provide guidance to our members. Sign up for committees to lead the respective efforts.
 
4. Join by Dec 10th so that we all will know we have a real group committed to making it work.  
 
5. Forward this email to friends and colleagues to join us by clicking on the Forward Link below.
 
Upcoming Events
 
December 16
 
There is interest in having a holiday gathering. Please email Ann [email protected] 
if you are interested in attending. We will send out a notice to confirm if enough people plan to attend. It will be held at the Crowne Plaza on December 16th, at 6:30pm.
 
In your email, please let me know if you want to bring family members along. 
 
January 13
 
Our next scheduled meeting. Location and details to be announced later. Submit topics you would like to brainstorm on January 13th by December 9th so that the Advisory Team can prepare.
Thank you !
 
We look forward to solidifying this local chapter with your participation. Please respond to the commitment by December 10th.
 
Thank you,
 
Dahlia  and Ann
 
Dahlia Benaroya
 
Ann Jelito