FRIENDS OF THE FARM (P.E.I.) INC.
ANNUAL MEETING
Farm Centre, University Avenue
Monday, November 5, 2013
7 P.M.
1. Call to Order
Chair, Lane MacLaren called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone. The presence of the Simmonds-MacEachern family and the MacLeod family was noted and they were welcomed to the meeting. The members of the Friends of the Farm Board were introduced.
2. Approval of Agenda
Kim Devine moved, Libby Martin seconded the approval of the agenda. Motion carried.
3. Approval of the minutes of the 2012 annual meeting, November 6, 2012.
Connie MacKay Carr moved, Gertie Purdy seconded the approval of the minutes of the previous annual meeting on November 6, 2012. Motion carried.
4. Review of the years activities
LaneMacLaren, chair, reviewed the activities of the Friends of the Farm of the past year. He reported that the Friends of the Farm Board met monthly, with the exception of July and August, to carry on the business of the Friends of the Farm. He highlighted the Crown Garden which was planted again this year, and he expressed appreciation to Doug MacDonald who volunteered considerable time to making sure the garden was planted and who arranged with thanks to VanKampen Nursery to obtain plants at half price. The new initiative, Clean Up the Farm Day on May 11, 2013, was noted and recognized as a very successful day with good participation and result.
Mr. MacLaren informed that Senator Catherine Callbeck planted a Linden tree in the Premier’s Grove on June 18,2013, before a gathering, to commemorate her time as Premier of Prince Edward Island. A Memorial Bench in memory of Janice Simmonds was placed on the Trail in the middle of the Farm. Board members supplied plants and created a garden at the bench for all to enjoy.
“Soaring to New Heights” , a 2014 project of Friends of the Farm was announced and,thanks to being a recipient of a 2014 small grant, will take place in October 2014. Thanks was expressed to Laura Lee Howard and committee for their work on this project.
Noted as well is the website for the Friends of the Farm which is kept up to date thanks to Connie MacKay Carr.
5. Financial Report
Nora Jenkins, Secretary Treasurer, circulated the financial statement for the year April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013. This is the result of the Financial Review as conducted by Doug Ezaerd CA of the Accounting firm, Arsenault, Best Cameron Ellis and found to be in accordance with the Canadian accounting standards for not for profit organizations.
Nora Jenkins moved, Ken MacDonald seconded, the acceptance of the Financial Statement as presented. Motion carried.
Nora Jenkins moved, Ken MacDonald seconded that Arsensault Best Cameron Ellis be asked to provide the financial review for the year April 1 2013 to March 31, 2014. Motion carried.
Nora Jenkins provided information about the Janice Simmonds Memorial donations. She expressed that the Board of the Friends of the Farm was very thankful that the Friends of the Farm was remembered by Janice’s family in this way and have been very thoughtful in the use of these donations. She informed that there was a total of $3, 790.00 in the fund. Of that $1850.00 has been spent on the memorial bench, and on the Janice Simmonds Award which includes the large award and 10 small presentation awards for the next ten years leaving $1,840.00 in the fund for future special plans.
6. Membership Report
Gertie Purdy, Membership Chair, thanked members for support and reported that there are 359 on the list as members of the Friends of the Farm. She noted that the annual meeting marks the beginning of a new year and that memberships for the upcoming year are now due. Gertie Purdy moved, Steve Knechtel seconded the adoption of the membership report. Motion carried.
7. Nominating Committee Report
Chair, Lane MacLaren presented the nomination report which informed that all present Board members are willing to serve another term. Mr MacLaren called for nominations from the floor. There being none, Lane MacLaren moved, Ewen Stewart seconded the adoption of the nominating report. Motion carried.
8. Presentation of the Janice Simmonds Award
Lane MacLaren introduced the Janice Simmonds Award. He thanked the members of the Simmonds/MacEachern family for their support and presence and also family representative, Charles Coll, for the recipient, the late Lloyd MacLeod. He explained that the Janice Simmonds Award was established by the Friends of the Farm (PEI) Inc. to honour an individual, group, or agency who/which has made a significant contribution to the creation, protection, preservation, or management of public green spaces on Prince Edward Island, including but not limited to the land within the City of Charlottetown commonly referred to as “The Experimental Farm”.
Henry Purdy was thanked for his artistic assistance in creating the award. Mr Purdy explained his concept for the award and the meaning. The award was then crafted by MacAskills. Board member, Roger Younker was thanked for his work on this project.
Lane MacLaren then introduced the first recipient, the late Lloyd MacLeod, the founding chair of Friends of the Farm, advocate for green spaces and community contributor.
Percy Simmonds presented the award to Charles Coll, son in law of Lloyd MacLeod, who received on behalf of the MacLeod family.
9. Introduction of Guest Speaker
Laura Lee Howard introduced guest speaker, Bert Christie, who addressed the topic “The Charlottetown Experimental Farm: 100 years of Community Connection and Innovative Research”. Nora Jenkins thanked Bert Christie for his delightful and informative talk. Appreciation was shown.
10. Adjournment
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned.
Lane MacLaren Nora Jenkins
Chair Secretary