1. WW 2 History Club 7 April 2010

2. Meeting Agenda 1.Club organization discussion 2.Germany’s advance through Europe from Poland to the fall of Crete  Covers the period Sep 1939 to June 1941 (eve of Barbarossa)  Recommended reading is Keegan’s book on WW2

3. Club Organization  General Approach and Schedule  2010  Get organized  Overview of entire war  2011  Specific topics, battles, etc  Status:  month or two behind schedule due to “getting started” and a few logistical problems. We hope to get caught up in the next few months, so …

4. Club Organization Meeting Structure  1 st Wednesday at 3 – 5 PM at Truman  Formal 10 minute break at 3:45  Prepare 80 – 90 minute meetings  Use 30 minutes between 4:30 and 5PM for inevitable delays

5. Club Organization  Expected 25 to 40 people initially; 75 to 80 by year end  ~125 right now -- too much for just 3 volunteers  Propose a board or steering committee; Don, Jim, Mark plus 3 people: 1.Oversee meeting logistics 2.Organize “other events” 3.Manage paper handouts and related issues

6. Club Organization  Meeting Logistics  Ensure that room is clear (of earlier group) by 2:15  Ensure that room is set up by 2:30  Coordinate A/V equipment needs with presenters and ensure that required A/V equipment is available and working  VHS machine  DVD player  Video projector  Microphone(s)  Special cables and adapters  Ensure that refreshments are ready  MWE and JxR know just about everything required.

7. Needs / Events / Ideas  Refreshments  No formal approach so far  Coffee at today’s meeting  Beer idea was well received; need to work out details  Responsibility: Refreshments for meetings would be the responsibility of meeting logistics person

8. Needs / Events / Ideas Show and Tell  Many club members have great stories to tell and memorabilia to share.  Show and Tell period at each meeting starting in the fall  Responsibility: Show and Tell would be the responsibility of events manager

9. Needs / Events / Ideas  Film Night  Many excellent WW2 movies to augment regular meetings.  Available time too short to show a film & have good discussion.  Propose a monthly movie session separate from the current monthly meeting. Suggested agenda  position the film within the scope and events of WW2  show the film  follow-up discussion  Most films run ~ two hours, full session = 2.5 to 3 hours  The WW2 film collection of just Don, Jim and me is pretty large, so we have lots of films to pick from  Possible collaboration with War Movie Fan Club  Responsibility: Film Night would be the responsibility of events manager

10. Needs / Events / Ideas  Books  Idea: We have identified a way to purchase recommended books at a nice discount (25%) with free shipping, no sales tax and delivered to your door.  A signup sheet would be provided for people interested in a particular book at each meeting.  Payment details are TBD  Responsibility: Paper Manager

11. Needs / Events / Ideas Communications and “Handouts” Paper copies of schedule and booklist handed out (1 st meeting) 40+ handouts cost ~ $100. More paper copies provided at the 2nd meeting, but not enough If we continued with paper copies, …pass the helmet again For cost, convenience and timeliness, we have used electronic communications and handouts. Considerable cost savings (saved ~ $1200) and you do not walk away from meetings loaded down with 10 pounds of paper. Is this working?

12. Needs / Events / Ideas Communications & “Handouts” 10% of club members do not use email. do not get club communications or other electronic files. they are called re anything really important (like the change in location for the Feb meeting) Until today, no paper handouts of significant electronic stuff. Need a better approach to ensure that people get what they need Not difficult to manage multiple lists:

13. Distribution Options Three Categories 1.Club News: specific information about meetings, agendas, locations, etc 2.Docs: articles from “the archives” related to the most recent or next meeting. Most docs are in pdf format; a few are in Powerpoint format (free Powerpoint viewer is available) 3.Misc News: WW2 related items of interest, e.g., tank recovery Two Methods 1.Electronic 2.Paper Pick what you want

14. Needs / Events / Ideas Meeting Logistics Manager  Ensure that room is set up by 2:30  Coordinate A/V equipment needs with presenters and ensure that required A/V equipment is available and working  Ensure that refreshments are available

15. Needs / Events / Ideas Events Manager  Oversee Film Night  Coordinate Show and Tell  Coordinate Day Trips

16. Needs / Events / Ideas Paper Manager  Ensure that people who are not on email get timely notification of significant stuff  Arrange for adequate paper handouts for each meeting  Oversee book purchases

17. Odds and Ends Central Florida WW2 Event this weekend Summer attendance? Email class?