February 1, 2000, Minutes of the Board
Atilla's Locantasi, Arlington, VA

I. Outgoing President's Report The meeting was called to order by outgoing President Ed Block (T-08). Ed summarized the activities of the past year, the highlight of which was the 1999 reunion of Arkadaslar members in Turkey last May. Organizing the reunion was a monumental effort, but fun, Ed reported. Most importantly, the trip broke even.

II. Treasurer's Report
Linda Scheffer (T-08) reported that as of February 1, 2000, Arkadaslar has $1,9476.45 on hand. Our membership in 1999 was 356 members, 52 more than the previous year. Membership in NPCA in 1999 totaled 65 members.

Linda reported that our 179 of our members contributed $13,336.31 toward the Turkish Earthquake Relief Fund. $9,702 has already been distributed to Kizilay and $2,534.31 to the Red Cross. $1,100 has not be forwarded yet. An additional $1,025 has been contributed to rebuild schools in the earthquake areas.

III. Nominations and Election
Dave Weinman proposed the following slate for the Board's discussion. President: Lin Lougheed (T-17); Board vacancies: Susan Bayley (T-01), Peggy Hanson (T-01), Mike Metrinko (T-18). The slate was adopted unanimously.

Ed Block passed the running of the meeting over to Lin Lougheed.

IV. Status of Directory
Sandy Anderson (T-13) and Linda Scheffer are doing the final edits of the directory. Jerry Leach (T-04) volunteered to reproduce the cover in color. John Wintrol (T-02) volunteered to print, collate, and bind the directory. Marcia Gnuse (T-13) volunteered to coordinate the whole process and oversee the distribution of the directory to 1999 dues-paying members. The Directory should be in the mail by the end of February, 2000.

V. Dues Letter
Sandy Anderson and Linda Scheffer will give Marcia Gnuse the information necessary to prepare the dues letter. Ed Bloch will submit a paragraph on Arkadaslar activities in 1999. John Gallivan (T-02) will oversee its mailing.

VI. Buralarda, the Arkadaslar Newsletter
The Buralarda is to be sent to the membership twice a year. The next issue will contain stories from the 18 Cumhuriyet Bayram dinners that took place around the country and more stories from the reunion trip. Lin Lougheed will follow up with John Gallivan to see what stage the process is at.

Ed Block offered to write a report on the earthquake contributions so that members who contributed to the fund will know what happened to the funds. Ed will check with Sandy Anderson and Guler Koknar of the ATAA.

VII. Increasing ties to other Turkish organizations
Lin Lougheed recommended that we try to cooperate more with other Turkish groups, locally and nationally. Our members are interested in Turks and things Turkish. The board should provide a conduit for this information to our membership. Jerry Leach recommended that we do "something" at the October conference of ATAA. Lin will contact the local heads of these organizations to explore areas of potential cooperation. The local ATA-DC has already asked us for a description of our organization with photos.

The Corcoran Gallery exhibit, Palace of Gold and Light: Treasures from the Topkapi, Istanbul will run March 1-June 15, 2000. The Smithsonian Museum Associates with the American-Turkish Council and the American Friends of Turkey are hosting a weekend seminar, March 3-4, to provide historical and cultural background the Corcoran show. Turkish RPCV, Tom Brosnahan (T-15), author of the Lonely Planet Guide to Turkey, is one of the featured speakers.

On Friday evening, March 3, 2000, the Corcoran Gallery of Art is sponsoring Mystery in the Grand Bazaar, a fund-raising event for children orphaned by the earthquakes in Turkey and the museum's programs.

VIII. NPCA annual meeting
The Board decided not to try to organize any Turkey RPCV event during the NPCA meeting at Shawnee-on-Delaware, owned by Ginny Kirkwood (T-06). The Board felt that the place was not easily accessible and that the organizers would already have a full agenda. The President's Forum (a meeting for the presidents of the 130+ affiliated NPCA groups) takes place during that meeting. The Board was asked to propose one major organizational issue and one advocacy issue to be discussed at that Forum. Anyone with a suggestion should send it to Lin Lougheed.

IX. Peace Corps 40th Anniversary + Next reunion
The 40th Anniversary of Peace Corps will take place in 2001. The Board will begin to plan for activities for Arkadaslar members during the event.

The Board also will consider sponsoring another reunion in Turkey in the year 2002.

X. Web Page
Lin Lougheed volunteered to develop a website for Arkadaslar. The site will contain news and information relevant to Turkey and our members.

XI. Other news
Jerry Leach reported that John Clark (T-04) has left Krygyzstan and is now Provost of the Kazak Institute of Management and Economic Planning in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Dave Weinman presented outgoing President Ed Block with two bottles of Boar's Head Inn Wine and thanked him and outgoing Board members, Mary Helen Madden (T-10), Jerry Leach, John Wintrol, and Ed Block for their contributions to Arkadaslar.

NEXT MEETING
The next meeting will be held at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, May 24 at Levante Restaurant, 1320 19th St. between Jefferson and Dupont Circle. Red Line: Dupont Circle, south exit.

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06/06/15