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Introducing ATHA's New Board
The ATHA Board members elected to serve 2023 to 2025 terms include:
President – Sondra Ives
Vice President – Linda Iriye
Secretary – Amber Egbert
Treasurer – Lois Deitrich
Regional Coordinator - Valerie Begeman
Communications Director - Kathy Kovaric
Librarian – Dawn Cody
Historian – Jill Hurd
The Regional Representatives elected to serve for 2023 to 2025 are: Region 1 - Barbara Dexter, Region 2 - Diane Elser, Region 3 - Caroline Twigg, Region 5 - Julia Hoyle, Region 6 - Pam Hanshew, Region 7 - Jean Warren, Region 8 - Lisa Hooper, Region 9 - Val Ewan, Region 10 - Catherine Buttrick, Region 11 - Pam Carey, Region 12 - Shari Bedker, Region 14 - Deb Johnson, and Region 17 - Michiko Shin.
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ATHA Launches A MeetUp Project
The ATHA Tin Pedlar Chapter of Maine is the first participant in a pilot program designed to help ATHA chapters use MeetUp, an online calendar and meeting-announcement tool that helps organizations create and build communities centered on shared interests. For this program, ATHA is paying for a one-year subscription to MeetUp for two ATHA chapters selected to participate in the pilot.
ATHA is looking for a second chapter to participate in the program. The application deadline is April 1, 2024.
MeetUp enables organizations, such as ATHA chapters, to promote upcoming meetings and their organization in an online setting in several ways: via email, in an online calendar and in an app accessible by all MeetUp members interested in meetings in particular geographical and subject areas. The meetings would not be held on MeetUp itself. Your chapter meetings would be held in the normal manner--in person, on Zoom, in Microsoft Teams or in any other manner you choose. To encourage new attendees, chapters should provide a program with an interesting topic for meetings listed on MeetUp.
The ATHA chapters selected for this program should (1) be interested in expanding their membership and meeting attendance and (2) should have a chapter member identified who will be able to handle the administrative details, meeting postings and incoming questions on MeetUp. Chapters that do not have a member who currently feels that they could handle MeetUp are welcome to apply to participate. ATHA will be providing some volunteer support to help make the most of the pilot program. This support could include training a chapter member to handle the MeetUp duties.
- The name of your chapter
- The number of chapter members
- The average number of people attending chapter meetings
- Information about recent increases or decreases in chapter membership and meeting attendance
- The name of the chapter member who would handle the MeetUp program for your chapter
- The reason/s your chapter would be a good fit to participate in this first-ever meeting-support program.
ATTENTION: ATHA CHAPTERS
Do you want to increase your membership and promote rug hooking in your community?
ATHA can help!
ATHA is offering grants up to $300 to chapters interested in teaching beginning rug hookers. Whether your chapter is planning a hooking demonstration in the community or teaching a beginner’s class, ATHA can help you purchase the supplies. For more information, contact Gail Dufresne, Education Chair, [email protected] (609) 397-4885.
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ATHA Has a YouTube Channel!
New to traditional hooking? Have experience, but need some inspiration for your next project? The ATHA YouTube channel can help, whatever your skill level. ATHA education chair Gail Dufresne is hosting a series of how-to videos on YouTube, most of them close to an hour in length. Topics include: Proddy, Getting Started With Traditional Rug Hooking, The Value of Values, and Floral Bouquets. Take a look--and be sure to leave your thoughts in the comment section below each video. You'll find ATHA on YouTube as @atharugs.
The Oct/Nov 2023 Magazine Issue is online!
