Below is a list of board members for the 2023-2024 year. A complete description of each board position can be viewed at the bottom of this page.
The new Newcomers board of directors officially begins its work July 1. The club is 100% run by volunteers. If you are interested in sharing your time and talents to be part of this critical part of the club, please email newcomerswebmasternb@gmail.com or talk to one of our board members at an upcoming club meeting or event. You can see the complete and updated board member role descriptions on our board of directors web page. Thank you!
2024-25 Â board openings in need of candidates are for members of our communications team.Â
DO YOU ENJOY BEING IN THE KNOW AND SPREADING THE WORD ABOUT FUN THINGS IN YOUR COMMUNITY? IF YOU PLAN ON BEING A NEWCOMERS CLUB OF NEW BERN MEMBER IN OUR COMING 2024-25 SEASON, WE NEED YOU!
We need you to. join our volunteer creative communications team. We are seeking members who have interests in maintaining our Facebook page (with has grown tremendously in the last year) updating our website, and assisting with our club emails and outreach to local news sources.
We plan on taking a team approach so different members can concentrate on what they like doing the most. If you are interested, please email our webmaster at newcomerswebmasternb@gmail.com or you can attend our next club meeting April 11th and ask to talk to Rob.
Thank you!
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Bill Brettschneider | President |
| Cathy Lane | Vice President |
| Vacant-seeking replacement | Secretary |
| Debbie Granelli | Treasurer |
| Ellen Cioccio | Activities Director |
| Anna Falat | Social Director |
| Martha Crawley | Membership Director |
| Rob Paine | Communications/Webmaster and E-news editor |
| Sandie Swigart | Founder/Advisor (252)-633-4094 sandielees@hotmail.com |
Description of Newcomers Board Positions (updated January 2024)
Newcomers Club of New Bern Board Responsibilities
President:
- Presides over monthly Board Meetings and General Membership Meetings
- Arranges facility/location for holding General Membership and Board Meetings
- Writes the President’s Note for the monthly newsletter to membership
- Creates, prints, and distributes agendas for monthly General Membership Meetings (optional)
- Signs all contracts and official documents of the Newcomers Club
- Introduces new members at the monthly General Membership Meetings
- Introduces guest speakers at monthly General Membership Meetings
- Ex-officio member of all Newcomer standing committees, except the Nominating Committee
Approximate total time required: 16-24 hours per month
Vice President:
- Attends monthly Board Meetings and General Membership Meetings
- Fills in for the President in his or her absence
- Recruits and schedules guest speakers for monthly General Membership Meetings
- Manages incoming requests from potential guest speakers
- Maintains historical records of past guest speakers
- Sets up and tests PA system and A/V system (PowerPoint) for monthly General Membership Meetings
- Assists in setting up tables and chairs for General Membership Meetings
Approximate total time required: 6-8 hours per month
Secretary:
- Attends monthly Board Meetings and General Membership Meetings
- Handles all Newcomers Club correspondence
- Records and distributes minutes of monthly Board Meetings.
Approximate total time required: 2-6 hours per month
Communications Director & Webmaster:Â (our vision for 2024-25 is for these duties to be managed by a volunteer creative team consisting of 2-4 people.Â
- Attends monthly Board meetings and General Membership meetings (one team member only)
- Maintains club Website via WordPress
- Updates Website with new scheduling information and descriptions of the current month’s activities (including pictures if provided)
- Distributes club’s monthly E-news via MailChimp and posting same info on Website
- Maintains email distribution lists on MailChimp in coordination with the Membership Director
- Sends general meeting reminder email to membership on the Monday before monthly club meeting
- Updates events calendar on Website (if time)
- Emails membership as needed with ad hoc messages
- Publicizes club meetings and annual Welcome event/open house by sending news releases to local news sources
- Maintains system documentation for passwords for handoff to successor(s)
- Maintains  club's Facebook site
- Monitors Facebook site for appropriateness of posts
- Reports directly to the President of the Club
Approximate total time required: 12-16 hours per month.
- Must have computer and access to Internet as well as some working knowledge of WordPress and MailChimp, or a willingness to learn both applications. Some experience in posting to Facebook; or ability to delegate Facebook duties to someone who understands Facebook and to manage duties so delegated.
Treasurer:
- Attends monthly Board Meetings and General Membership Meetings
- Prepares and presents the annual budget to the Board in August
- Manages club checking account
- Deposits club funds (dues & 50/50 raffle proceeds)
- Pays club bills and reconciles monthly account statement 1
- Prepares monthly treasurer’s report ahead of meeting
- Conducts 50/50 raffle at general membership meeting
- Appoints and participates in annual review of Newcomers financial records
- Prepares annual year-end financial report in June
- Checks P.O. Box bi-weekly
- Emails financials to Board prior to Board meetings
- Balances checkbook each month
- Prepares budget for the following year in April
- Prepares annual financial review when transferring duties to Incoming Treasurer
- Files a 990EZ form with the IRS in September
- Visits bank with Incoming Treasurer to transfer name and contact info on account and ensure that
- correct mailing address is established for ordering new checks and deposit slips
Approximate total time required: 5 hours per month
- Must have a computer/laptop and basic knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Word, or similar word processing and record keeping applications, Â to perform the duties
Membership Director:
- Attends monthly Board and General Membership meetings
- Provides input to the Treasurer for the yearly projected budget
- Prepares & presents to the board a monthly membership report
- Ensures all active members, board members & activity directors have name badges
- Helps set-up room for the monthly general meetings
- Distributes name tags at monthly meetings and collects them at the end for reuse
- Processes Newcomers Memberships
- Answers questions regarding memberships
- Maintains Newcomers Membership records
- Provides the Communications Director with up-to-date email addresses for all active members
- Sends welcome email to new members and emails acknowledging membership renewals
Approximate total time required: 8-16 hours per month
 Must have a computer/laptop to be able to maintain Membership records
Must have basic knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Word, or similar word processing and record keeping applications, to perform the duties
Social Director:
- Attends monthly Board Meetings and General Membership Meetings
- Coordinates and plans two key Social Events – December Holiday Social and Spring Year End Social. Involves selection of site, caterer and menu, DJ, event theme, decorations as well as advertising and collection reservation forms and payment
- The Spring Social is the Newcomers event to do each year while the December Holiday Social with Alumni Group is rotated each year
Approximate total time required: 2.5 to 3 hours per month, plus coordination time of Holiday Social and Spring Social
Activity Director:
- Attends monthly Board Meetings and General Membership Meetings
- Organize and coordinate Newcomer Activity Groups. Each activity is responsible for finding their own activity leader
- Represents the interest of all the activity groups
- Assists members who want to start a new activity group
- Assist with/supervise the set-up of activity group tables for monthly General Membership Meetings
- Coordinates with activity leaders and communications director to ensure calendar and activity web pages are kept up to date. Provides information to Communications Director as requested/needed
- Maintain email list of activity leaders and maintain regular two-way communications, including relaying information from Board Meetings, updates on activity events, web updates, and changes in group leadership
- Prepare monthly activity update and send to Communications Director for distribution to membership and posting on web page
- Collect sign-up lists for activity groups at end of general meeting and distribute to activity leaders
- Work with activity leaders to gain input regarding the capacity of each group and take steps to expand a group when needed
Approximate total time required: 4-6 hours per month
If you have a concern or a suggestion, you can reach any of our board members by emailing newcomerswebmasternb@gmail.com