February 5, 2003
6:30 PM

Harbor Mortgage Solutions, Braintree, MA

Attendees: Phyllis Spy Diane Wall Lisa Andrews Bill Williamson Jan Miele-Fleury Mark Rosenstein Diane Whitney Donna Spirito Diddy Wheeler Jill Northrup Jackie Marmen Bill Harkins Tracey Goodwin Eleanor Mead Rose German Leanne O'Neil Trudy JoWallacn

President's Report - Phyllis Spy

Treasurer's Report - Diane Wall

Clerk's Report - Lisa Andrews
Fuzzy Papers will be published April & October (Snail Mail or Email)

Committees: definition: Small Group of people working on a specific task

Membership Committee - Trudy

Hotline - Diddy
Emergency only contact. Diddy is donating the cost of the line ($3/month) to MaFF (formerly $50/month). Diddy to work off of three different databases: Vet Lists - listing of vets in area; Shelter lists (ARLs, MSPCAs, etc in MA, CT, RI, VT, NH, NY); Emergency Foster List (short term). Guardian Angel fund to aid in foster costs.

Hospitality Committee - Roni DiComo
To send card, letter, etc to members who have lost a ferret, adopted a ferret, etc.

Audit Committee - Bill Williamson
To study and review MaFF info, reports on how he feels the group is doing 2x/year.

Webmaster - Mark Rosenstein
Changes announcements on bulletin board, update page for fresher look, add memorial page.

Memberships:
Signed up all attendees as members

Shelter Assistance:
Discussion: The goal is not to do donations as we have in the past. Want to keep politics out of the decisions. Going forward will set a goal as to an amount that we want to donate for the year. At the end of the year the amount will be divided evenly between the shelters.
Conclusion: Determined this year's goal is $2,000 to be raised for distribution on Ferret Freedom Day.
Action Items: On applications add a line for shelter donation amount, these fund to go directly to shelter assistance. Anything above membership fee to go towards shelter funds. Membership fee still goes to MaFF general fund.

Merchandise Marketing Strategy:
Discussion: What to do with merchandise we currently have. Challenge to attendees to find creative ideas for use of merchandise.
Conclusions: Put merchandise on website for sale (need to establish paypal account). Use small t-shirts to make hammocks to sell. Give free small t-shirts to kids who volunteer at shelters or who want to become members.
Action Items: Follow up next meeting with more ideas for merchandise

Rubber hedgehog stamps - can be ordered for fundraisers, etc.

Website:
Discussion: Should we establish a yahoo group/conversation room on the website - would bring more people to site and would give a reason for people to return more often. Should we establish a way to list merchandise for sale and to accept
monetary donations on the site.
Conclusion: Both are good ideas.
Action Items: Mark and Bill to discuss technical needs/limitations. Diane to look into establishing a pay pal account to use for
merchandise and donations.

Events:
Discussion: Need to get exposure at events that are coming up this year.

• RI Pet Expo in March (In follow-up can not get booth at RI Expo)
• Boston Pet Expo - September 25 & 26 at the Bayside Expo Center.
• Tufts Open House - September
• New Bedford Pet Coalition (name?) - May 23

Conclusion: All events have been great for exposure. Should try to get a group together to present us at all events.
Action Items: BOD will follow-up on getting signed up and pulling together people to work events.