CKSCP Board Meeting
April 11, 2022

The meeting was called to order at 7:30 pm by President, Bob Herring. Also present at the ZOOM meeting were Mike Burns, Bob Derge, Bob Derge Jr., Jay DeWitt, Frank Clark, Sasha Etlin, Steve Hirschberg, Ann Lampe, Gail Bason, TJ White, Guennadi Maslov, and Susan Neaman.

Bob Herring previously distributed an agenda via email.

Meeting Minutes: Mike Burns previously distributed draft minutes from the March 6. 2022 emergency Meeting, the March 9, 2022 emergency meeting, the March 14, 2022 regular meeting and the March 21, 2022 emergency meeting. Bob Derge moved, with a second from Jay DeWitt, to accept the four meeting minutes as written. All were in favor.

Treasurer’s Report: Bob Derge Jr. reported that our checking balance as of 3/1/2022 was $32,379.82. There was extensive discussion regarding the status of the donations received to date and how the general ask campaign on our website fit together with the share-a-thon campaign. Bob advised that the total donations up to today are $67,376.92 form both sources. He does expect another $11,000 tomorrow. We have transferred $72,912.78 to the Kharkiv Red Cross and they will have received $72,772.78 once the two most recent transfers have been completed and $20 transfer fees deducted form each of the 7 transfers. He explained that the difference between the lower amount of donated funds and the transfer can be explained by the board’s commitment of $10,000 to get things started in advance of the donations.

UPDATES

Art Museum: Nothing new to report from the Art museum on the display of their copy of the Repin painting.

LeSoupe: Bob provided an update on the planned LeSoupe Perogies for Peace event which is to be held May 9^th at the OTR Stillhouse. There is not a lot of work we need to do for this event other than serving as the pass thru entity to the World Central kitchen. Tickets will cost $100.00.

Opening Day Parade: Bob Herring reported on a meeting with the parade group earlier this evening. Everything is all set with a banner and flags. We can have up to 20 people in the parade.

Ukrainian Quilt: Bob Herring reported that the consensus of the board was that we should accept the quilt and consider what to do with it by way of a fundraiser or safekeeping. Gail Bason volunteered to take on the chore of collecting the quilt.

NEW BUSINESS

Proposal for Kharkiv Region Small Town Mayors: Bob Herring, Susan Neaman, Anne Lampe, and Sasha Etlin participated in a zoom meeting with the small town mayors and Vladimir Bulba took on the task of summarizing their requests for funding assistance. They have asked for help securing funds to purchase a generator for the Merefinskaya central hospital at a cost of $23,000 and a portable generator for Solonysivkva at a cost of $680. There will be an additional ask coming from the mayor of Chuguiv.

Procter & Gamble Alumni: Bob advised that he has had continuing discussions with John Pepper and other P&G alums regarding a possible fundraiser for Ukraine. They are looking at three focus areas: 1. Providing body armor; 2. Facilitating humanitarian aid; and 3. Collaboration between mayors, hospitals, and zoos in Cincinnati and Kharkiv. Secretary’s Note: The P&G discussions are very fluid and could take on a different tact before they are finalized.

Greenacres Foundation: Bob Herring advised that he has been in contact with Peter Wheeler at the Greenacres Art Center and they are considering organizing a benefit dinner for Ukraine aid. They have separately contributed $250,000 to Matthew 25 for humanitarian aid. Bob is scheduled to meet with Peter at noon on Friday. He asked if anyone wanted to join him. Mike Burns volunteered to join.

To Do List: Based on meeting discussions, Bob Herring suggested that there are three basic things on the to do list this week.

· Change the website messaging to reflect the desired shift from Red Cross assistance to assisting the small town mayors around Kharkiv with their funding needs for generators.

· Prepare thank you letters to donors through the Share-a-thon program including a mail merge. Bob Derge Jr. and TJ White collaborating on this effort.

· Continuing discussions with P&G alums, which Bob Herring is spearheading.

Board Action: Bob Herring expressed an opinion that CKSCP might want to advance funds to the small town mayors to facilitate the purchase of the requested equipment and supplies prior to raising the funds through a separate fundraising program. It was also suggested that we could reach out to Madeira and Wilmington to let them know of the efforts to assists the communities with whom they have memorandums of understanding. Jay DeWitt made a motion to advance the funds for the purchase of supplies and equipment. Much discussion followed and the motion died for lack of a second. Mike Burns followed with a motion to support the effort to raise funds for the small town Kharkiv Mayors. The motion was seconded by Steve Hirschberg and passed by a majority vote with one abstention (Jay DeWitt).

AROUND THE ZOOM SCREEN

· Sasha Etlin advised that the Kharkiv Red Cross has established a back-up center 60 miles away from Kharkiv in case Russian attacks limit their abilities to provide aid from within the city.

· Ann Lampe advised spoke with Nazly Mamedova and then Michael Hawkins regarding some immigration assistance for a Ukrainian refugee.

· Susan Neaman advised that while she was in Chicago, she met Nick Crosley who is with Cincinnati Homeland Security, and she heard a about efforts in a town near LA which is dealing with settling Afghan refugees.

· Guennadi Maslov advised that the March 12, 2022 photo show at the Pendleton Arts Center raised $4,785 in funds to be directed to the World Central Kitchen for use in Ukraine.

· Frank Clark reported that he and Bob Derge Jr. met with the area Vietnam Veterans group and they want to stay in touch for fundraising purposes.

· Jay DeWitt reported that a recent article indicated that the Kharkiv Zoo had to put down a lion due to the stresses of the war.

NEXT MEETING

The next regularly scheduled CKSCP board meeting previously set for May 9^th was rescheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Monday, April 25^th. The meeting will be virtual on Zoom.

The meeting adjourned at approximately 9:15 p.m.

Submitted by Michael Burns, Secretary