Diamond in the Basalt

The long overdue 2^nd planning meeting of the Shrinking Violet Society happened last night at the charming home of Mariah Rose McKay and Katelyn McLeod. Greeted by the most congenial hostess, Katelyn, we were assembled in the cozy living room and treated to chocolates, fruits, wine and other beverages.

The purpose of this meeting was to evaluate the growth of the Shrinking Violet Society (SVS) and talk about what seems to be working and what may need improvements. We were all really excited about the extent to which the group has grown since its inception; at the time of our meeting the Facebook group numbered 301, at my last check today the group had grown to 306.

A (not so) brief summary of our meeting:

Ladies Who Lunch continues to have a great turnout with a slight decline during the summer. We are looking for a go-getter to take over the luncheon communications. The main needs are simple- just making sure to get the dates posted and announcements out in a timely manner; the fun part is getting to be the one that orchestrates the creation and distribution of the invites!

We discussed how much fun it’s been participating in any number of the events that have taken place and noticed there seem to be a steady group of about 30 or so very active members yet were perplexed as to what might be keeping the majority of our 300+ members from attending.  Is it that many have had scheduling conflicts, or summer plans, or think it’s too late to show up, or like the idea but don’t have the time or could it be some are shy about coming alone?

We want everyone to know that many of our members have come to the group solo and a common comment is that people are surprised with how welcoming and friendly the group is. So, if you’ve attended and had a great time please extend an invite to someone you know. If you’ve not attended, please do.

The topic of membership came up and brief points on the benefits and pitfalls were mentioned; this is a conversation worth continuing in greater depth.

Many new events and meetings are on the horizon: a painting party, DIY Personal Care Party, an outdoor recreation group, screen printing in September, potential craft night at The Top Stitch and our “must attend” Planning Meeting #3 where we’ll discuss our long-range vision and create a mission statement.

The Shrinking Violet Society is an extremely creative and dynamic group whose growth and direction is directly guided by the interests of its members. We seem to be connected by our desire to fill a void that has seemed to exist in our community. If you’re itching to fill a void of your own then join us and help to shape this budding social group.