President

I. Grants

Barbara Moo is working on applying for a grant for the Folk Project to be received in 2017. Barbara will be making a Board report either in March or April 2016. Stay tuned.

II. Open Stage Head Sound Training Program

A great success story for the Folk Project. We have set up an Open Stage Sound Reinforcement training program, with Mike Del Vecchio serving as the main trainer. There has been good solid interest from our volunteers, and several of them have already had hands on training at Open Stage using our new sound equipment. If this program continues on it’s present course, it will fulfill it’s objective of creating a qualified group of Sound Reinforcement volunteers for the Folk Project to draw on for years to come. Congratulations and many thanks go out to Mike Del Vecchio for his vision and time commitment to make this all happen.

III.Workman’s Comp. Insurance Comm.

I have put together a small committee to investigate and try to resolve our ongoing dilemma of Workman’s Compensation Insurance - yes or no. We are reaching out to pro bono lawyers, local insurance firms, state agencies in Trenton, and other professionals familiar with the issues surrounding a non profits relationship to this very complex issue. We intend to give a full, balanced report at our July BoD meeting, at which time a full Board discussion will follow, and eventually a consensus will emerge, followed by appropriate action. Developing an eyes wide open, full Board consensus on this long standing conundrum will be a very positive step forward for our organization.

IV. NERFA Reports

Last November 2015, the Board of Directors subsidized three Folk Project members to attend the annual NERFA event in New York State. Attached to this Prez report are reports from those three attendees - Elizabeth Lachowicz, Sandi Reilly, and myself.