VAIL HISTORICAL FOUNDATION
Business Meeting Agenda
August 6, 2011, 9:00am
Edenton, NC
- Call to Order/Welcome: President Kent Vail
a. Invocation presented by Nathan Vail
- Introductions
a. All in attendance introduced themselves.
- Approval of Agenda
- Approval of Minutes from Meeting July 25, 2009 Wilmington, NC
a. Presented by Secretary: Nan Vail (copies in your notebook)
b. Vail suggested 3 members at the old meeting review the meetings and give their approval.
c. Approved by Holly Scarborough &Janice Cutchin.
Old Business
- Treasurer Report: Treasurer Jan Rudes
a. $2870 as of today (prior to any additions from this weekend).
b. Designated for scholarship fund - $275
c. Nathan & Mary Vail are going to donate $500 to scholarship fund.
- Tax-exempt Status
a. Update from Jimmy Harrison (thru his lawyer). Didn�t see advantage of setting up as a corporation. Large amount of paperwork to pursue 501(c) 3, which is why we were looking at setting up an LLC. We should be an LLC or corporate to pursue 501(c)3, but we have decided to not pursue the non-profit status.
b. Discussion about pro/con of setting up a LLC.
c. Action: check and see what other geneology groups do to formalize their organization. Approved for next president to pursue.
d. Tax-exempt status would aid in donations for tax deductions for donars.
- Scholarship Status � discuss current approved guidelines; determine potential changes.
a. Kent read thank you letter from Naomi Vail (daughter of the late Roy A. Vail) in appreciation for naming the scholarship after her father. And announcing a donation of $500 to the scholarship fund.
b. Reviewed scholarship requirements and discussed possible changes.
1) GPA requirement � if a 4.0 grade scale, use the conversion for applying to colleges, which require a 4.0 scale.
2) Revise requirement wording to: A 500 word essay �How does knowing your Vail heritage influence your life.�
3) Increasing the dollar amount of the award to $250. One scholarship a year; will revisit at the next meeting to see if this needs to be revised.
4) We also need to increase the amount in the scholarship fund; include some specific asks in Vail Historical Foundation.
5) Discussion of expanding to those in college as well as high school seniors? After discussion, decided to keep it to high school seniors.
6) Carolyn Harris also proposed that the committee increase communication throughout the foundation to ensure applicants as well as increased donations.
7) Change the application due date May 1st; notification by July 1st.
8) Approved of criteria change �must be a descendant of Jeremiah Vail of Edenton, NC.�
- Fundraising Committee Status � no committee at this time, discuss needs.
a. Ask for volunteer for fund raising activities.
b. Approved to self-fund through registration fees for reunions to contribute to the general fund for fund-raising.
- Historian:
a. Present Historian Committee Members:
1) Lead Historian: Vail Hope Ellis
2) Assistant Lead: Laura Pidonka
3) Thomas Otis Vail: Carolyn Harris
4) James Taylor Vail: Vail Hope Ellis
5) NC Vail: Laura Pidonka
6) Benners Whedbee: Jackie Benners Whedbee
b. Discussion:
1) History of Reunions � Vail Hope Ellis
2) In the 1930s, in Pikeville NC there was history of a Vail reunion (Vail Ellis was in attendance), with a large number of Vails in attendance.
3) In 1975 Pedigrew Park, Somerset NC for the James Taylor Vail line.
4) Vail also had some other information and documents to share from previous reunions (beginning in 1995) she put together in a notebook.
5) New historian needed for TO Vail line � Carolyn will continue for now.
6) Report of State Markers. State no longer does this, but DAR does do this. Suggested we work with the Edenton Tea Party DAR or the Foundation can do this alone.
New Business
- Edenton DAR presentation � Dorothy Bangert
Edenton Tea Party Chapter of DAR, Dorothy welcomed the reunion attendees to Edenton. Their chapter name commemorates the protest Tea Party (lead by Penelope Barker). This was the first act of female political defiance in the colonies. One of the signees of that protest was Susannah Vail.
- Nominations for New Officers
a. President: Taren Vail
b. Vice President: Janice Cutchin
c. Secretary: Nan Vail
d. Treasurer: Jan Rudes
e. Committee Members:
1) Scholarship: remaining the same
2) Fundraising: Holly Scarborough
- Site/Date for Next Reunion
a. Edenton, NC
b. 3rd or 4th week of July � confirm with hotel.
c. Also discussed possibility of different venues for the banquet � possibility of Barker House.
- Other new business
a. Nathan Vail spoke about his participation and pride in the Vail Family and our heritage, and described some of that history. Special pride in the Vail family serving in every conflict of the country�s history. Another example is Albert Vail working with Morse in developing the Morse Code; and Theodore Newton Vail, the CEO of AT&T in the late 1800�s.
b. He challenged all of us to bring someone new to the next reunion to continue growing interest in the Foundation.
c. Carolyn Harris asked of our new president to communicate to younger Vail family members to encourage them to join.
d. Taking a look for the original proclamation from Edenton for the Vail Foundation.
- Adjourn
Respectfully submitted,
Nan Vail - Secretary