Gratitude and Growth

As you are well aware, our guild is comprised of all volunteers.  That means that the best way for you to influence the direction of the guild is to get involved.  I want to extend my sincere gratitude to all of those who have stepped up and volunteered for board and committee positions next year.  Our guild is one of the most vibrant here in Colorado (and, I would like to think across the country), so it is great to know that it will be in capable hands moving forward.  

We have so many exciting opportunities in the works for next year, including the Festival of Quilts and a hybrid programs calendar that maximizes our ability to share the talents of instructors near and far (including Australia).  Hopefully this will provide opportunities for all members to be involved at some level: either through online workshops and sewcials or the in-person quilt show and meet-ups.  We still have lots of opportunities if you would like to volunteer and help – both short term and long term commitments.  If you have questions – please reach out to any of the board or committee members for more information. You can find a consolidated list of ACQ Leadership on our website.

Despite the unprecedented challenges brought by COVID, we have continued to grow over this past year and a half.  As a result, we did a deep dive into the guild’s by-laws and standing rules to make sure that they reflect the direction our guild is heading and incorporates the changes brought by technology.  We are providing notice of the changes to the Bylaws in this newsletter. Members present at the September Guild Meeting will be voting on the Bylaws changes.  One of the most important changes to the Bylaws is the update of the purpose statement to:

The purpose of Arapahoe County Quilters, Inc., the Guild, is to expand the art of quilting through providing educational opportunities to grow and learn about quilting, to share the talent of quilting through charitable activities, and to gather to enjoy the fellowship and friendship of other quilters.

This better identifies the three primary tasks of ACQ – education (presentations, workshops, Festival of Quilts), charity (charitable quilts, CPNLS, Quilts of Valor), and fellowship (guild meetings, workshops, drive-thrus, outings).  When we look for future opportunities, we will ensure that they fit within at least one of these three primary tasks.

I know that some members still have reservations about the Zoom meetings.  I urge you to give them a try once again.  This month we have an awesome speaker, Tammy Silvers, who is going to talk about spicing up your quilting style with different fabrics and colorways.