What follows in alphabetical order are brief introductions to the guild's activities. Most of the activities have a Chairman. For more information on an activity, please contact that Chairman or one of the guild officers. You can also send an email to the Guild's e-mail box.

Board Meetings

Board meetings are usually held on the 1st Tuesday of each month, unless otherwise notified by the President. At this meeting the officers, committee chairmen, meet to discuss guild business and set the agenda for the General Meeting. Board meetings are open to any member who wishes to attend.

Block of the Month

Each month patterns are available either in the newsletter or at the General meeting. Any members interested in participating make one or more blocks and bring them to the meeting. Each block you bring entitles you to a chance to win the sew of blocks submitted for that month and often a good start on a quilt. Please by sure to follow the directions and use good quality materials.

Challenge Quilts

Each year a theme, rules and fabrics are selected. Each person who wishes to participate purchases the kit and keeps the finished peice secret. A meeting is chosen to display the challenge quilts and members vote for arious categories. Prizes are awarded.

Community Outreach

As a part of the guild's commitment to the community, we donate quilts during the year to various groups throughout the county, such as domestic violence shelters and the Bluebird Adult Cancer Camp. Individual members may participate int he making of these quilts by taking kits with fabric and directions to sew blocks together at home. Once or twice a year, we have workshop meetings after the General meeting to complete the quilts. The quilts bring comfort and happiness to the recipients and satisfaction to those who make them.

Hospitality

Refreshments are served at each monthly meeting, coordinated by the Chairman of the Hospitality Committee. Members are encouraged to demonstrate their culinary skills by volunteering to bring some goodies. All members are asked to contribute a dish for covered dish events (Holiday Party, Pinic, etc.).

Library

The guild library provides access to many outstanding quilting books and videos. You can browse before and after meetings, and check out books throught the Library Chairman. All books are due the following meeting so that others may also enjoy them. At each meeting you have the opportunity to donate to the Library Fund. For each $1.00 donation, you receive a raffle tickey towards a drawing of a quilt-related prize. This enables the library to purchase a wide range of excellent books and videos. Consider donating an attractive quilt-related item (handmade or purchased) for one of the prizes. There is a free raffles each month to enable you to be first to check out the new books for that month.

Marketing

The guild has an assortment of items for sale with the guild logo on them, including guild pins, t-shirts and tote bags. If you have any ideas for items that might be appropriate, please let this chairman know.

Membership

When you arrive at the monthly meeting, sign in at the Membership table. Please notify the membership chairman of any change of address, phone, or email.

Newsletter

In addition to the monthly business meeting, the monthly newsletter is the primary source of quilt information. The President's letter, Secretary's minutes, announcements of upcoming programs and workshops, membership information, planned trips, upcoming quilt shows, book reviews, advertisements, Quilting Bees, classified ads, Secret Pal thank you notes, and a prize winning jumble. Entries for the newsletter are due to the Editor by the first of the month.

Programs and Workshops

Programs follow the business meeting and they are free. Often they coordinate with a workshop scheduled for the afternoon. Programs can be lectures, slide shows, or hands-on activites. During the year, the guild offers workshops featuring local and national teachers. The guild patially subsidizes workshops to make them affordable to as many members as possible. If you have a suggestion for an interesting program or workshop, the Chairman would appreciate hearing from you.

Quilting Bees

Guild members enjoy belonging to a smaller group for quilting and sharing. The bees meet in various neighborhoods on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. The groups often take on projects such as making contribution quilts, or helping to organize a holiday party or picnic. One does not have to be a member of the guild to belong to a bee. Some bees emphasize individual projects; others choose to work on something as a group. Many have block exchanges, holiday parties, or other special activites. Bees meet on various days and evenings of the week at various locations. They are listed in the newsletter.

Scholarships

The guild awards scholarships to local students. The Chairman works with educational institutions and organizations and makes recommendations to the board as to qualified applicants.

Secret Pal

At our Holiday party in December, members who wishe to participate in this program fill our a questionnaire and give it to the Chairman. Secret Pals are expected to do something special at least once a month for the person whose name they've been given. I.E. bring a small, thoughtful quilt related gift to the monthly meeting. The identities fo the secret pals are revealed at the following holiday party.

Show and Tell

One of the most popular sections of the business meeting is the time when members display quilts or quilt related items they have recently completed. When you arrive at the meeting, register with the chairman of this committee, and she will call your name during the meeting. This is a time when we can proudly display our work, and for the general membership to enjoy and be inspired by the work of our group.

South Florida Fair & Raffle Quilts

The fair sponsors a Quilt Block contest. The winning blocks are made into a quilt and quilted at our free booth at the fair by our members. The quilt becomes a part of the Guild collection. Yearly a raffle quilt is made as a fund raiser for the Guild. Members are asked to sell at least 10 raffle tickets for the quilt. We sell tickets at the fair booth for the raffle quilt, which is our major source of income.

Trips and Tours

The guild coordinates trips and/or tours to vairous quilt-related events that are of interest to the membership.