Chest directors to organize 2018 drive

With the annual campaign to raise funds for local organizations starting in October, board members of the Albany Chest will meet soon to organize the 2018 fundraising drive and elect new directors.

The meeting is set for Wednesday, Sept. 5 at 5:15 p.m. at The Feed Store.

All current directors are asked to contact board secretary Tisha Wilkins prior to next week’s meeting to let her know if they will be able to attend, as well as acknowledge whether they will be able to serve on the board during the upcoming year.

“We will be accepting nominations for positions on the board,” said president Amy Kelly. “Four of the director positions come up this year, but all four are eligible for another term. After those positions are voted on, we will elect officers and plan this year’s drive.”

Kelly said that she does not expect any significant changes from last year.

“I don’t foresee any major changes in the funding request forms, and they will probably be due back by the end of September again,” the president said. “Organizations that want funding need to make sure and get everything in on time, so they can be considered when we decide how to distribute the funds.”

Expiring Terms

Terms of directors Mindy Skelton, Sara Wilson, Wilkins, and Kelly will expire in 2018; however, all four are eligible for a second term, because Chest by-laws allow directors to serve two terms before they cycle off. Wilson has served for only one year because she was elected in 2017 to replace Grant Zeller when he moved away after serving two of the three years of his term. Skelton, Wilkins, and Kelly have served a full three-year term. 

“Hopefully everyone will be able and willing to serve again,” Wilkins said.

Current officers include Kelly, Wilkins, parliamentarian Susie Beard, and vice chair and public relations Donnie Lucas. Paige Adair serves as treasurer, which is an appointed position.

Lacey Anderson, Clint Chapman, Robert Dacus, Keri Hebel, Susan Montgomery, and Austin Sherwood complete the board.

Funding Requests

All organizations wishing to receive an allocation from the Albany Chest must submit a written request to the Chest, according to vice chairman Donnie Lucas.

A form is available that should make the process easy for both the applicants and the directors.

“We’ll go over the forms at the meeting, and set the deadline for those to be returned,” said Kelly. “We will get the forms out to the banks shortly.”

Lucas explained that the form specifies exactly what information is needed in order for the board to make decisions about how much money to give each organization, and it asks a few simple questions that should only require brief answers.

One of the main pieces of information needed, of course, is the amount of the request.

Forms will be available at First National Bank, First Financial Bank, and The Albany News, or can be requested by email at news@thealbanynews.net.

The letters may be mailed to The Albany Chest, PO Box 2019, Albany TX 76430 or given to Paige Adair at First National Bank, Keri Hebel at First Financial Bank, or Donnie Lucas at The Albany News.

After all the requests have been reviewed, a goal will be set and the fundraising drive will get underway.

The board hopes to mail letters to previous Chest donors and new prospects by the end of September to kick off the 2018 campaign.

“Everybody should be on the lookout for the thermometer at the Depot in the near future,” said Kelly.