November 18, 2025

Meeting Agenda

Guild Meeting on Tuesday, November 18, 2025

Celebrating 50 Years of Western Reserve Spinners & Weavers Guild

Lake FarmPark

8800 Euclid Chardon Rd,

Kirtland, OH

6:00 pm Informal socializing

6:30 pm Program Celebrating WRSW Past, Present, and Future

Program: JoEllen Salkin shares “50 Years of Western Reserve Spinners & Weavers Guild”

“Meet” our 14 Founders and learn about some of the history of the Guild’s early years,

Enjoy refreshments, and enter a chance for door prizes, all in the company of fiber friends.

An introduction to some of the features in the “new” Guild website.

Note: This in person only event will be held in the cafeteria.

WSWR OCTOBER 2025 Meeting Minutes Attendees: Ellen Morrison, Debbie Tuma, Laramie McEnaney, Joyce Fath, Sharon Baird, Joan Horwich, Karen Gerken, Suzanne Paquin, Denise Kestner, Sheri Gittinger, Terra Young, Sue Ingrassia, JoEllen Salkin, Yvonne Harrold, Flora Daniels, Quinton Dybo, Bob Breitzmann, Jean Breitzmann, Lisa Davis, Kate Colbow ZOOM ATTENDEES: Sally Vourlojianis, Jennifer Luscher, Rachel Wilson, Ann Friebertshauser, Susan Conover GUESTS: Jessica Davis and Isis Peim-Hartcorde

6:35 Welcome and Show&Tell Bob presented a series of weavings inspired by the Hubble telescope images of nebuli, as in Birth of a Star and Death of a Star. He used gradient hand dyed hemp and bamboo fibers to weave his images. Bob also presented fabric woven in deflected double weave to be used in the construction of a pillow cover. Kate presented her first completed project woven on a Leclerc Nihlus floor loom, a set of plain weave towels. Joan presented a set of placemats woven with 8/4 cotton, using waffle weave, twill, monk belt and Huck structures with the Dobby unit for her floor loom. Joan also presented a sampler woven from an on line class she took on double weave structures.

Announcements JoEllen asks members to please submit a short (3-4 sentence) blurb of why they are members of our guild, what they like the best, what they hope to accomplish in the future. Index cards were passed around for members to write their reflections on. These will be part of the 50th Anniversary of WRSW party presentation on November 18th (here at LFP in the cafeteria). The theme for our celebration is “Past, Present, Future”. Door prizes, cake, beverages will be provided! Karen addressed the members about the email spam issues she has been experiencing, reminds everyone not to click on any unfamiliar links that may be attached to her emails.

7:00 pm Program “Laura Martin holds a PhD in linguistics and retired in 2005 after more than three decades at Cleveland State University with appointments in Modern Languages, Anthropology, and Health Sciences. Her research and teaching have focused primarily on language and culture in Maya communities, based on extensive field work in Guatemala and Mexico. Since 2007, she has been a volunteer docent at the Cleveland Museum of Art, has been making and exhibiting art as a member of Art Books Cleveland, and has continued to deepen her knowledge of the still thriving culture of Maya people”

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: “Laura Martin will draw on her vast knowledge of Mayan language, culture, and art, both past and present, to acquaint us with the richness of Mayan textiles. Laura plans or bring several wearable items and reference materials with her and will make those available for the audience to see up close. She encourages members to attend the program in person to fully benefit from the experience of Mayan weavings.” Laura presented attendees with a working Backstrap loom, which was available for up close inspection. She also presented examples of woven articles of clothing (blouses, skirts, belts, hair ribbons, bags) that featured colorful embroidery, embellishments and represented the individual weaver’s origin of birth, “fashion sense” of the particular time they were woven in and creative style. Laura told us the simple Backstrap loom is what is still used today, and that is used by women. Floor looms were brought to the Mayan people by the Spanish and is what men use to weave on. Attendees were given ample time to inspect, admire and be inspired by the many articles Laura brought with her, she answered questions and brought with her small bits of weaving Mayan examples for anyone to take home, if they wished. 8:08 Break

8:13 Business Meeting Election of Officers Ellen Morrison (from nominating committee) presented nominees for Co-President: Karen Gerken and Quinton Dybo, Vice President: Sharon Baird, Secretary: Donna Meuller, Treasurer: Suzanne Paquin for 2026 Executive Committee. She also asked that members thoughtfully consider volunteering for other positions in the guild such as…A/V (audio/visual aka zoom) RAAM, Publicity, Workshops..many of the members who chair these committees have been doing them for years and would like to step aside and or take other responsibilities. Vote was taken by in person and Zoom attendees..to unanimously accept Karen G, Quinton D. As Co-Presidents, Sharon B as Vice President, Donna M. as Secretary and Suzanne P. as Treasurer for 2026. Review of September meeting minutes tabled until next meeting. The minutes were not available on website for review by members. They will be available on new website after 11/3.

Treasurer Report : Suzanne P. stated there was one new paid member, with a total of 63 members 2026 dues are now being accepted (25.00) Balance as of 9/30/25 is 13,646.00 Website Committee: Suzanne P, Rachel W. stated the new website will go live 11/1 -11/2. The process will take approximately 48 hours to complete. Members will receive an email with all pertinent info, including a universal password for members only to use. A more detailed explanation will be given and reviewed at the November 18th meeting.

Announcements: Reminder that the November meeting will be on the 18th in the cafeteria, we will be celebrating our 50th Anniversary. Christmas/Holiday Party will be Saturday, December 6th. Location still to be determined, will be announce at next meeting. Spinning SIG meeting will be via Zoom on November 1st, see email for more info. Small Loom SIG meeting will be November 8th, see email for more info. THANK YOU to Laramie for all the delicious Halloween snacks and cider she provided for tonight’s meeting! 8:25

Meeting Adjourned Minutes submitted by Sharon Baird, Secretary