From: Laurel Phyall, Diocesan President Elect/Organization Chair
Dear League Sisters and Fr. Alfredo,
ANNUAL REPORTING
Otherwise known as the National Snap Survey, is due online by January 15, 2020; paper reporting deadline is December 15, 2019. The questions have been revised, there are new questions, and the boxes in the survey are larger for you to offer a more detailed comment. It is imperative to do a survey/report for each committee even though the chair may be empty. It is the responsibility of the Organization Chairperson or the President to assure the reporting is complete. While you are writing these reports, you may want to think about writing your report for the . . . . . .
DIOCESAN CONVENTION BOOKLET
Learning from experience last spring, I have started work on the Convention Booklet. This is a great keepsake of the Diocesan Convention and useful for those moving up in their Council executive. Please keep your report to one (8” x 11”) page with 1 inch margins. These reports are due, via email, to me by March 15, 2020.
THE LEAGUE OF THE FUTURE – YEAR 1
If you have not seen this presentation regarding Year 1 of the Strategic Plan, get in touch with the speaker in your area. In the south island it is Kathy Weswick (weswick@telus.net); mid-island Christa Grillmair (cgrillmair@shaw.ca) and in the north island Laurel Phyall. Many councils have already booked their presentations for January, don’t be left out!
MEMBERSHIP RECRUITMENT & RENEWAL
The CWL fiscal year begins January 1st. Our Diocesan membership was down in 2019 from the previous year, the majority is due to lack of renewals. Maintaining and growing memberships is one of the most important challenges facing our Councils. If your members are not renewing, take the time to ask them why not. As our membership continues to decline due to our aging demographic, we need to look at innovative ways to attract new members. How flexible are you? Does your Council welcome new ideas or is it content with “the way we’ve always done it?” If your meetings are during the day, is your Council open to women who work? Do you welcome mothers with small children? Have you reached out to the varied cultures or nationalities within your parish? Are your meetings interesting and give members the opportunity to grow spiritually or to learn something new? Is there enough content in your meetings to excite members to take action? Attached is a sample letter to help you with renewals.
Per capita fees of $28.50 are to be forwarded to the National Office as early in the new year as possible to ensure that finances are in place to continue the work of the League. February 28th is the deadline date for all memberships to be received at the National Office.
DATES TO PLAN FOR:
January 15, 2020== National Snap Survey/Annual Reports online are due for National Office
February 28, 2020 ==Deadline for Per Capita Fees
March 3, 2020— Spring Interim Meeting at Christ the King Parish, Courtenay
March 15, 2020—Convention Booklet Reports Due to Laurel Phyall
April 23 & 24— Diocesan Convention
2020 June 11 - 13,—Provincial Convention
2020 August 9 – 12, 2020— 100th National Convention at Le Centre Sheraton Hotel, Montreal
Our CWL is as relevant today as it was when it was founded. Catholic women are still looking for faith-based opportunities so that they can socialize with others, enrich their lives and offer service to their community. Those women are your fellow parishioners, they should be part of your CWL Council.
“Volunteers are just ordinary people who reach out and take a hand and together make a difference that lasts a lifetime.”
May our Lady of Good Counsel hold you in her loving care,
Laurel Phyall, President Elect/Organization