New England Region - The Embroiderers' Guild of America, Inc.

Pioneer Valley Chapter - News

• This past year presented some changes to our chapter. Due to failing attendance and loss of some members it was decided that we would go to an every-other month meeting. We added August to our dates and had an ice cream social that was well attended. The successive meetings would be October, December, 2008, then February, April, June, 2009.
• Approximately 80% of our membership also belonged to our local ANG. They were experiencing the same lag in participation that we did so it was decided that ANG would change their meeting night to the 2nd Monday on opposite months. It was also decided that if a chapter had a class or activity that the others wanted to attend they would be allowed. If there was a class charge there would be an extra fee. So far this has worked and attendance has improved.
• Our chapter also saw two teachers, Debra Forney and Betsy Stinner of Earth Threads. Betsy Stinner designed a special band sampler that was a history of our Pioneer Valley and was presented to our chapter for our 25th anniversary. Our program co-chairs also taught a hardanger bellpull and then taught a finishing class for this piece. At the same time our chapter participated in the Star Motif Sampler from the Needlearts Magazine.
• During the September Big E Fair in West Springfield, our chapter was invited to demonstrate our crafts and at the same time recruit new members. We have gained two new members since then. Outreach also collected toiletries and we presented a women’s shelter in Holyoke with 15 bags of toiletries which this time included towels collected at an earlier date.
• December brings our annual Christmas get together with cookies and ornament exchange. We expect a special guest this year with Emily Dickinson talking about Christmas past. In 2009 we expect to have an EGA tag sale and we will have Lynn Payette to teach her “Autumn Leaves”. At a later date we will have a finishing class on this project. Outreach continues to collect toiletry items from the membership.