2009 Minutes

Minutes of the Board and General Membership Meetings held on Saturday, December 19, 2009 at the Longleys in Granby, CT.

In attendance:
Rich Loomis, Linda Morris, Carol Phelps, John Morris, Ida Kavafian, Steve Tenenbom, David Margolin, John Morris, Debbie Loomis, Susan Potocik, Dee Chuisant, Chrys Longely, Joan Topke

Recording Secretary
The minutes from the last board meeting were reviewed and accepted as corrected, with Carol making the motion and Ida seconding it. The motion was passed unanimously.
Treasurer’s Report
Treasurer Val Mendizabal sent a report that our checking account balance is $14,784.88; the Health Fund account balance is $4,211.56, and the Breed Rescue Fund balance is $5,236.25, for a total of $24,232.69 in our treasury.
Corresponding Secretary
There was no report.

The remainder of the committee reports were forwarded to the General Meeting that followed immediately.

Minutes of the Board Meeting held on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at Bertuccis in Waterbury, CT

In attendance: Rich Loomis, Linda Morris, Carol Phelps, John Morris, Sandy Jacobus, Amanda Tortora, Kim Karkut, Crystal Ashe, Ron Karkut, Susan Nakamura, Ida Kavafian

Recording Secretary
The minutes from the last general meeting were reviewed and accepted as read, with Kim making the motion and John seconding it. The motion was passed unanimously.
Treasurer’s Report
Treasurer Val Mendizabal sent a report that our checking account balance is $10,297.44; the Health Fund account balance is $3,984.56, and the Breed Rescue Fund balance is $4,971.15, for a total of $19253.15 in our treasury. She has received about half of the membership renewals, with donations being made to the Rescue Fund ($400,) the Health Fund ($167,) and the Trophy Fund ($590.) There will be additional monies added to the checking account when the Hunting Test checks are cashed.
Corresponding Secretary
There was no report.
Committee Reports

1. Everything in on track for the GKC show - Linda Pruitt will be our Sweeps judge. David Miller has accepted the Sweeps judging assignment for the Longshore-Southport Show in June
2. Springfield KC Show will take place on November 22. Sweeps judge will be Linda Flynn; the Judge will be Christine Calcinari. All is moving forward in a timely fashion, with the final organization to be completed by Carol Phelps.
3. Everything is on track for the GSA show - Dr Elizabeth Trainer will be our Sweeps Judge and David Kittridge will be the Regular Judge.

1. It is hoped that the 2010 Hunting Test will take place on the corresponding weekend next October (dates have not yet been drawn.) Rick Teodore submitted a proposal to be Hunting Test secretary; there is no Chairman as yet.

1. Joan Heimbach reported that there are 30 entries across all stakes for the Walking Field Trial to be held on December 6th and 7th. CVVC members are being encouraged to participate. Amanda Tortora is Hospitality chair and would appreciate any assistance available.
2. Standing Field Trial committee recommended that a traveling trophy be established in memory of Patrick Cooke. The trophy, for Open Limited Gun Dog, will be identical to the Saul Himmelfarb Amateur Puppy trophy. The cost of the trophy will be approximately $300. A motion was made by Amanda that a trophy fund be established with a donation period extending from December 2009 to March 2010 to allow time to for the trophy to be ordered and engraved. The motion was seconded by Kim and passed unanimously. All donors are asked to add a memo stating the purpose of the check to keep funds straight for the treasurer.
3. Audra Jaconetti will be our representative to the Flaherty Field Trial Association this December. She will request that we have corresponding dates for the April Field Trial, the Fun Day, the Hunting Test, and the December Walking Field Trial in 2010.
4. Joan sorted and rearranged the items in the storage locker. The AKC wicket is missing (although located,) as is one of the walkie-talkies (not located.) If anyone inadvertently stored it in a gear bag after the Hunting Dog Stake, please let Rich know.

1. Information for the next newsletter is being gathered.
2. This will be the last newsletter for Ida and Steve--anyone interested working on it, please contact Rich.

New Business
A. AKC has sent information about club IRS reporting obligations. Rich will investigate to find out what CVVC needs to do.
B. Upcoming meetings:
1. December 19th-Holiday Party (Board meeting prior to party, General Meeting at the party.
2. January 14th Board meeting at Cabela’s (tentatively)
3. February 22nd General meeting (Place TBA)
4. March 24th Board meeting
5. April 14th General meeting with Program (suggestions accepted)
6. May 20th Board meeting
7. June 12th General meeting at Greenwich KC specialty

Ida made a motion that the meeting be adjourned; Crystal seconded it and the meeting was adjourned at 9:00 PM

Minutes of the General Membership Meeting held on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 in Bloomfield, CT.

In attendance:
Rich Loomis, Val Mendizabal, Linda Morris, Carol Phelps, Sandy Jacobus, Joan Toepke, Amanda Tortora, Cory Roy, Susan Nakamura, Ron Karkut, Kim Karkut, Crystal Ashe

I. President Rich Loomis called the board meeting to order at 7:15 p.m. at The Wood’n Tap Restaurant in Southington.

II. Treasurer’s Report
Treasurer Val Mendizabal reported that our checking account balance is $12,067.70, the Health Fund account balance is $3,984.56, and the Breed Rescue Fund balance is $4,571.15, for a total of $20,623.41 in our treasury. The change in our main checking account is due to a correction in the bank statement numbers because checks had been held before being cashed.

III. Recording Secretary
The minutes from the last Board Meeting were reviewed. A motion to accept the minutes was made by Kim and seconded by Carol.

IV. Corresponding Secretary
Val received information that all is set for our Supported Entry at the Springfield Kennel Club show on November 22nd.

D. Reminder: This year’s Holiday Party will be on December 19th at Chris Longley’s house in North Granby, CT.

Sandy made a motion that the meeting be adjourned. Crystal seconded it and the meeting was adjourned at 9:05 PM

Minutes of the General Membership Meeting held on Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at the home of the Mendizabals in Bloomfield, CT.

In attendance:
Rich Loomis, Val Mendizabal, Linda Morris, Jan Norris, Carol Phelps, Kim Himmelfarb, John Morris, Sandy Jacobus, Amanda Tortora, Joan Topke, Kim Karkut

Our meeting was held at the home of Val and Lorenzo Mendizabal. The first part of the meeting was a presentation by Steve Feldman (veterinarian at Animal General in Avon) and his wife Lilly. They talked about autoimmune diseases that are becoming increasingly common in vizslas. These diseases include Lupus and Myasthenia Gravis. They have adopted one of our rescue dogs, Fala, after many months of her staying at Animal General for diagnosis, treatment, and care of M. G. Some of the articles and web sites they recommended for information are listed below:
http://vizslamyositis.blogspot.com and http://vetneuromuscular.ucsd.edu

President Rich Loomis called the board meeting to order at 9:00 p.m.
Recording Secretary
The minutes from the last general meeting, held at our Specialty in June, were read. Jan Norris made the motion that they be accepted as read; it was seconded by Carol Phelps and passed unanimously.

Treasurer’s Report
Treasurer Val Mendizabal reported that our checking account balance is $14,667.75, the Health Fund account balance is $3,999.56, and the Breed Rescue Fund balance is $4,928.14, for a total of $23,595.45 in our treasury. Val--there was some talk about funds being moved from one account to another--I didn’t get the explanation, but it probably should be included here.

There are no dogs in rescue at the moment. The big news is that Steve and Lilly Feldman have adopted Fala.

a. Everything in on track. Linda Pruitt has been approved as our Sweeps Judge.
b. Springfield KC Show will take place on November 22. Sweeps judge
c. Carol Phelps reported that she will contact Jill Brennan about getting the VCA approval that is required by the AKC. Our Sweeps judge and judging panel have been approved.

Her e-mail address is: ejwinslow@comcast.net
B. A discussion was held to decide how to thank the staff at Animal General for the time they devoted to caring for Fala. Since Animal General has presented CVVC with no bills for medicines, board, or care, it was decided that we present gift certificates to both the veterinarian and his staff. CVVC will have a lunch catered by Panera Bread for the staff, said lunch to cost about $400.00. This money will come from the Rescue Fund. In addition, a gift certificate was presented to Steve Feldman in the amount of $250.00 ($100 from the general treasury as an honorarium for his talk, and $150 from the Rescue Fund to thank him for his donations on behalf of Fala.)
C. The following were voted to become new members of the club:
Chris Cheeseman and Lauren Marano
Corinne Fischer and Michael Gentile
Jared and Sara Feldman
          The procedure for new members will be as follows: their names
          and their sponsors’ names will be announced at a meeting and
          published in the newsletter. They will be voted to become
          members at the meeting following the publication.

Our next meeting will be a Board Meeting held at the Wood ‘n’ Tap in Southington, CT, on October 14th.

Kim Karkut made a motion that the meeting be adjourned. Kim Himmelfarb seconded it and the meeting was adjourned at 9:30 PM

In attendance: Rich Loomis, Val Mendizabal, Linda Morris, Jan Norris, Carol Phelps, Ida Kavafian, John Morris, Sandy Jacobus - President Rich Loomis called the board meeting to order at 7:37 p.m. at the home of Val and Lorenzo Mendizabal.

Treasurer Val Mendizabal reported that our checking account balance is $15,632.13, the Health Fund account balance is $4,029.56, and the Breed Rescue Fund balance is $4,676.13, for a total of $24,337.82 in our treasury.

The minutes from the last Board Meeting were reviewed. A motion to accept the minutes was made by Ida and seconded by Carol. From this time forward, the board will be approving the minutes from the previously held board meetings, and the general meetings will approve the minutes from the previously held general meeting.

Corresponding secretary was not present; Val received an affirmation for our Springfield KC Sweeps judge which was given to Carol, and an application for the 2010 Greenwich KC show, which was given to Ida.

a. John Morris reported that Fala is still at Animal General. Some assistance may be needed with taking her for walks and getting her to daycare. Please notify John if you would be able to help.

a. The final reconciliations were given for the Greenwich Kennel Club show, which cost $849.99, and the Longshore/Southport KC show, which cost $549.30. There followed a discussion about 2010 judges and sweeps judges for both shows.

b. Springfield KC Show-Sweeps judge will be Linda Flynn; the Judge will be Christine Calcinari. Dated trophies left over from the GSA winter show will be used along with pewter pieces, allowing us to slightly build up pewter inventory.

c. Garden State Association show (GSA) Sweeps judge will be Elizabeth Trainor, Judge will be David Kittredge. GSA has offered several options which the Board discussed – it was finally decided to take Option A, which requires no”up front” payment and a Rau reimbursement of $10.00 per dog entered if CVVC pays other expenses (judge, trophies, etc.) Carol made a motion to that effect, Jan seconded it, and it was passed unanimously.

b. The premium was distributed for editing. Everything is moving forward in a timely manner.

E. Merchandise-Sandy stated that hats are selling well. She has a catalogue if anyone wants to order other items with the CVVC logo.

b. Discussion was held about finding people who might be interested in assisting with editing and printing. Anyone who has knowledge and/or interest in publishing the newsletter, please contact Ida.

I. Standing Committees-there has been a request for the committees to select new chairpeople/commuicators.

A. The Flaherty Association is requesting, from any of its member clubs, the donation of a free-standing kenned to be used to store firewood.

B. Lynn Worth, VCA Delegate to the American Kennel Club, sent a note to Florence Duggan of VCGNY requesting that anyone interested in working at the AKC Meet the Breeds to be held in NYC at the Javits Center. Since Florence is doing the scheduling, please notify her if you are interested at FloPete4@aol.com

a. One was to have Amy Matthews (a holistic vet) talk on how to use diet to improve our dogs’ immune systems.

b. The second was to have someone come to discuss how to set up an animal trust fund

Carol made a motion that the meeting be adjourned. John seconded it and the meeting was adjourned at 9:20 PM

Minutes of the General Membership Meeting held after the Greenwich Kennel Club show at Taylor Farm Park in East Norwalk, CT on Saturday, June 6, 2009.

Meeting called to order at 3:35PM at the conclusion of our Specialty held at the Greenwich Kennel Club Show, East Norwalk, CT.

Motion made, seconded and passed to have the Acting Secretary cast one vote for the following slate of officers:

Board – Crystal Ashe, Ida Kavafian-Tenenbom, Jan Norris, Sandy Jacobus, Carol Phelps

Rich Loomis reported that the judge Mr. Lester R. Mapes asked him to relay that this group of Vizslas that he judged at this specialty was the best that he had ever judged in his 37 years of judging.

Rich Loomis reminded everyone about the Hunting Dog Stakes and Fun Day with the blood draw will be next weekend at the Flaherty Field Trial Grounds.

Minutes of the Board Meeting held at 7:00 p.m. at Bertucci's in Waterbury, CT on Wednesday, May 13, 2009

In attendance: Crystal Ashe, Sandy Jacobus, Kim Karkut, Rich Loomis, Val Mendizabal, John and Linda Morris, Jan Norris, Susan Nakamura, Joan Toepke, Amanda Tortora. President Rich Loomis called the Board meeting to order at 7:13 p.m. at Bertucci’s Restaurant in the Brass Mill mall in Waterbury, CT.

Minutes from April 7, 2009 General Meeting: The minutes from the general membership meeting held on April 7, 2009 contained an error regarding the Club web site. Carol Phelps clarified that our contract is good through September 2010. However, the software we use will no longer be supported on the host server after July 1, 2009. Carol is learning to use Dreamweaver software, which will be supported. During the transition period, there may be some down time while potential changeover issues are addressed. Kim Karkut made a motion to accept the minutes as corrected; Crystal Ashe seconded. All present voted in favor.

Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer Rick Diotalevi did not attend but he submitted an e-mail report. The checking account balance is $13,679.56, the Health Issues Fund has $4,373.24 and the Breed Rescue Fund has $4,059.56.

Corresponding Secretary: Val Mendizabal did not receive any correspondence since our last meeting. Rich Loomis mentioned the AKC’s launch of a new mixed-breed program to augment its current programs serving purebred dog breeders and owners. Other CVVC members also received e-mail announcements of the new AKC mixed-breed program.

Breed Rescue: John Morris reported that a rescued male Vizsla, Chopper, has been placed in a home in Weston, CT. He circulated a photo of Chopper. The 2 ½ -year-old female, Falla, continues to do well in the care of veterinarian Steve Feldman. She has a condition called myasthenia gravis. There are no prospective owners yet. Falla’s health issues are significant and she is receiving excellent care. The Board discussed how and when the Club can thank Dr. Feldman and his staff. Sandy Jacobus volunteered to initiate a conversation to try to determine what type of gift might be appreciated by the office staff. The Board decided to purchase an interim gift of appreciation for the staff, and another gift for the veterinarians and the staff later, when Falla is [hopefully] placed in a permanent home. Kim Karkut made a motion to approve an interim gift that costs up to $100 for the staff. Linda Morris seconded. All present voted in favor.

The meeting stopped at 7:30 so attendees could eat dinner. The meeting resumed at 7:50 p.m.

Conformation Committee: Carol Phelps submitted by email a final budget reconciliation for the Garden Specialty Association (GSA) show held in February in Secaucus, NJ. The final report gives the net cost to the club of $609.96. The GSA show gives CVVC positive visibility, but costs have been increasing. Fortunately, 2009 costs were lower than projected for various reasons. Joan Toepke, Linda Furey, and others did an outstanding job running the one-day raffle. They gathered attractive donated items and sold many tickets. We saved money on obedience trophies, the sweepstakes judge’s transportation and fee, and hospitality costs, thanks to donations and help from volunteers. Everyone who worked hard deserves congratulations for a job well done and under budget. Joan Toepke observed that we always appreciate people’s help at the shows. Even simple tasks like handing out awards can contribute to running the event smoothly.

Ida Kavafian-Tenenbom submitted budget proposals by email for the CVVC Specialty as part of the Greenwich Kennel Club show on June 6, 2009 and the CVVC supported entry as part of the Longshore – Southport Kennel Club show on June 7, 2009. The anticipated cost of Greenwich is $795; the anticipated cost of Longshore – Southport is $721. We continue to look for ways to cut costs, perhaps on trophies and toys. A hospitality chair and volunteers are needed for the Greenwich Specialty.

Joan Toepke made a motion to accept the budgets; Susan Nakamura seconded. The motion was carried unanimously.

Ida reported by email that Ms. Pluis Davern will be our 2010 Greenwich CVVC Specialty judge.

Crystal Ashe mentioned that she plans to work with Carol Phelps to learn how to manage a specialty show, and stressed the importance of mentoring within the Club to continue to support our signature events. Rich Loomis gave Crystal the “package” from the AKC of materials for next year’s GSA show.

Hunt Test: John Morris reported that information about the October hunt test is posted on the AKC web site. The event format will be similar to the format in 2008 with a few differences. The budget will be mailed once it’s finalized. There is ample time to work on the budget. Linda Morris offered to work with someone on the premium list with the expectation that the person would take over the job in the future.

Field Trial Committee: Joan Heimbach did not attend the meeting but she sent an e-mail and the final budget reconciliation for the April Field Trial. The April field trial concluded well. There were fewer entries than projected, but expenses were reduced and there was a robust raffle and a good return from hospitality. The event made a profit of $388. Many favorable comments were made and CVVC was credited with holding a well run, enjoyable, and classy event. Field Trial results will be published in a future newsletter, recognizing volunteers. Chair Audra Jaconetti and the event committee did a terrific job. Of special note was the first-time award of the Saul Himmelfarb Memorial trophy for the best amateur puppy. The winner was Lyric, owned and handled by Club member Amanda Tortora. Charles Rose sent a nice note to the Club thanking us for having him judge at the trial.

Merchandise: There are no new merchandise items. Sandy Jacobus will not be attending the June Specialty, so she will send some inventory with another Club member so that it can be available for sale at the show. She does plan to attend the Hunting Dog Stake and June Fun Day and will bring the merchandise to those events.

Health Committee: The Committee is planning a blood draw at the June 14^th Fun Day, tentatively from 1 – 3 p.m. Susan Nakamura reported that the cost will be $3 to $5 per dog for the Club, not the donors. Kim Nelson, DVM, of Greenwich Valley Veterinary Clinic in West Warwick, RI has generously volunteered her time. Joan Toepke will chair the draw assisted by Crystal Ashe, Marty and Linda Morris. Blood samples will be sent to Dr. Ned Patterson at the University of Minnesota. The paperwork requirements have changed to make it easier to participate. If the sire and dam are registered with the AKC, full pedigree information can be obtained for each dog. Dogs are not allowed in the clubhouse, so the draw can probably be conducted under the pavilion. The Fun Day will attract a new group of hunting dogs for the U of Minn data base. Blood samples can be stored in the refrigerator at Flaherty Field for the day. Susan will confirm the shipping requirements – specifically, whether ice packs are adequate if the samples are not shipped by overnight mail. Susan and Health Committee members are pleased to see the blood draw coming together so quickly.

June 13,2009 Hunting Dog Championships: Marisa Fowler is chairing the event and Amanda Tortora is the secretary. The Hunting Dog Stake premium and announcement were e-mailed to the membership. The Field Trial Committee and the event committee will make extra marketing efforts to Club members and to Vizsla owners to promote entries for this event, to be held on June 13^th at Flaherty Field Trial Grounds. The event is open to Vizslas only, 6 months or older. Newcomers and guests are welcome.

June 14, 2009 Fun Day: Val Mendizabal is doing an amazing job helping to organize another Fun Day. The June 14^th event will feature VCA Versatility Testing in field, conformation, and obedience as well as an introduction to birds. Val submitted a budget proposal based on 6 entries for the field, 5 entries each for: conformation I and II, 5 entries each in obedience I and II, and 20 entries for the intro to birds. Based on this budget, the Fun Day should break even. Crystal Ashe made a motion to accept the proposed budget and Sandy Jacobus seconded the motion. All present voted in favor.

Newsletter: Steve and Ida Tenenbom is currently assembling the next newsletter. People who wish to submit articles or place ads should contact Ida or Steve.

Old Business: Rich Loomis distributed an e-mail from Ed Foster, 2009 Chair of the VCA National Show, requesting a $500 donation from CVVC to be used for the welcoming party. There was another discussion about whether we want to go beyond our normal annual ad fee. The consensus was that there is a reluctance to contribute $500 to an event that may not benefit many CVVC members. After some discussion no motion was made, so the topic is closed.

Slate of Officers for 2009-2010: At the April meeting, the Nominating Committee presented the new slate of officers:

Board – Crystal Ashe, Sandy Jacobus, Ida Kavafian-Tenenbom, Jan Norris, Carol Phelps

New Business: Rich Loomis opened the floor for additional Board nominations. There were none.

Several people have volunteered to help on standing committees. Rich Loomis, Andrew Campbell, Susan Potocik, and Amanda Tortora offered to serve on the Field Trial Committee. Andrew Campbell and Amanda Tortora also asked to serve on the Hunt Test Committee. Val Mendizabel is willing to continue to help with Fun Day events and will now be an “official” member of the committee. Crystal Ashe will continue to serve on the Health Committee and offered to serve on the Conformation Committee. Thanks to everyone for volunteering the time to serve for the benefit of the Club!

Upcoming meetings Sat., June 6, 2009 – General membership meeting at the summer specialty show held by Greenwich Kennel Club in Norwalk, CT

Adjournment : Crystal Ashe made a motion to adjourn; Linda Morris seconded. The meeting was adjourned at 8:40 p.m.

Minutes of the General Membership Meeting held on Tuesday, April 7, 2009 at Wood N Tap in Southington, CT

In attendance: Crystal Ashe, Marisa Fowler, Rich Loomis, Val Mendizabal, Linda Morris, Jan Norris, Susan Nakamura, Joan Toepke, Cory Roy, Amanda Tortora. President Rich Loomis called the meeting to order at 7:12 p.m. at the Wood ‘n Tap restaurant in Southington, CT.

Minutes from March 10, 2009 General Meeting: The minutes from the general meeting held on March 10, 2009 were distributed to membership for review prior to the meeting. After Rich Loomis noted the error in the names of the new members in the March minutes and stating that we should revote to get the names correct, Marisa Fowler made a motion to accept the minutes as corrected; Crystal Ashe seconded. All present voted in favor. The board will vote on acceptance of the February 2009 board meeting minutes at the next board meeting in May, 2009.

Membership Directory: After some discussion, Joan Toepke made a motion to list the incoming 2009 – 2010 board in the new directory and to issue it at our June meeting/specialty. That way it will be consistent with the Club officers’ terms of office. Marisa Fowler seconded the motion and all present voted in favor. Rich Loomis will send out an e-mail of the directory data to the membership so everyone can verify the accuracy prior to publishing the new directory.

Web site and e-mail communications: Our web site contract expires in June, so we need discuss contract renewal at the May meeting. We can also talk about security options so we can hopefully limit access to the minutes to CVVC members, as other clubs have been doing. There was a brief discussion about e-mail usage. The general consensus is that while e-mail enables broad distribution of information, the board supports the autonomy of each committee and encourages issue resolution within each committee before distributing information to a wider audience. ACCEPTED WITH THE FOLLOWING CORRECTION MADE AT THE MAY MEETING: The minutes from the general membership meeting held on April 7, 2009 contained an error regarding the Club web site. Carol Phelps clarified that our contract is good through September 2010. However, the software we use will no longer be supported on the host server after July 1, 2009. Carol is learning to use Dreamweaver software, which will be supported. During the transition period, there may be some down time while potential changeover issues are addressed.

Treasurer’s Repor: Treasurer Rick Diotalevi was unable to attend but submitted an e-mail report. The checking account balance is $12,228.30, the Health Issues Fund has $4,059.56 and the Breed Rescue Fund has $3,288.24.

Corresponding Secretary: Val Mendizabal received correspondence from the AKC. In recognition of the Responsible Dog Ownership program, the AKC suggests that member clubs sponsor such events during September 2009.

Breed Rescue: The 2 ½ -year-old female, Vala / Fala, is doing well under the care of veterinarian Steve Feldman. She has a condition called myasthenia gravis. At this time, there are no prospective owners. For information, contact John Morris at 860 585-8505 or via e-mail at morris_john_e@sbcglobal.net.

Conformation Committee: Carol Phelps submitted a report for the Garden Specialty Association (GSA) show. The Conformation Committee should consider if they want to change Sweepstakes rules and determine if they want to take any action in response to inconsistent applause from bystanders. The GSA show is very prestigious and gives CVVC positive visibility, but costs are increasing. The Club needs to discuss whether we can afford to be in the GSA show next year. A discussion of conformation losses will be on the agenda for the May board meeting, but we would like the Conformation Committee to discuss the issue first.

Ida Kavafian-Tenenbom sent Rich Loomis a budget proposal for the Greenwich and Longshore – Southport shows on June 6 and 7, 2009. The anticipated cost of Greenwich is $795.20; the anticipated cost of Longshore – Southport is $721. Hospitality needs to be coordinated, and we are looking for ways to trim the budgets. Val Mendizabel mentioned that there are sometimes leftover toys from other Club events. Val suggested that it would be helpful to know where trophy donations are most needed, especially so with new members. The budgets were tabled for the May meeting.

Hunt Test: The application for the early October hunt test was submitted to the AKC. John Morris is working on getting judges.

April Field Trial There are still a few openings available in the April 17 – 19, 2009 field trial. We are competing with other events on those dates.

June Hunting Dog Championship and Fun Day Marisa Fowler submitted a budget proposal for the Hunting Dog Stake on Sat., June 13, 2009 at Flaherty Field. The anticipated income is $1135 with $1255 in expenses, yielding a projected loss of $120. which was the amount of money raised for this event last year. Amanda Tortora will serve as secretary. Audra Jaconetti will look into obtaining necessary permits. Two of four judges are secured. Crystal Ashe made a motion and Susan Nakamura seconded to accept the proposed budget and it was accepted by the members present. A Fun Day is planned for Sunday, June 14, also at Flaherty.

Health Committee The Health Committee is considering holding a blood draw at the June 14^th Fun Day. Joan Toepke volunteered to run it and Audra Jaconetti would arrange for a veterinarian to perform the procedure. Other draws are planned for Somers, NY by Dr. Andrew Frishman at the Progressive Animal Hospital and possibly at the Hunt Test in October.

The Committee also hopes to conduct a blood draw some time in late September, October, or November in the southeastern corner of Connecticut. Ruthie Sinclair is in Plainfield, CT and may be able to help. Audra Jaconetti and Deb Malachowski live in Rhode Island. They are not on the Health Committee but may be able to help with organizing the draw.

Newsletter Ida Kavafian-Tenenbom is close to assembling the next newsletter. People who wish to submit articles or place ads should contact Ida for the deadline.Marisa Fowler suggested that an article about conformation record-keeping might be helpful to members interested in showing. The organizations that distribute premium lists and keep records of show results, MB-F and Rau, have been known to make errors and/or lose information. If the owner can document the date, judge, and number of entries in each show, he or she can prove how many points a dog has won if there is a record-keeping mistake.

New Members The following new members were voted into the Club by acclamation: John and Mary Anderson, Barbara Ehlers, Andrew Campbell and Meg Riordan, and Daniel and Amanda Tortora.

Winter Fun Day Val Mendizabal submitted the final budget for the Winter Fun Day on March 21, 2009. There were about 25 dogs entered. The event paid for itself with a minimal profit of $1.49. The day lived up to its name and generated lots of positive feedback.

June Fun Day We need to designate a coordinator for the Fun Day at Flaherty Field on Sunday, June 14, 2009. The coordinator can establish what events to offer and pull activities together. An introduction to birds has been mentioned as a topic of interest to general membership.

Report of the Nominating Committee Joan Toepke gave the report of the Nominating Committee which was emailed to the President and Secretary. The nominating Committee consisted of Susan Nakamura, Joan Toepke, and Debbie Loomis with alternates Ron Karkut and John Morris. The Nominating Committee presented the following slate of officers for the 2009-2010 year:

Board – Crystal Ashe, Ida Kavafian-Tenenbom, Jan Norris, Sandy Jacobus, Carol Phelps

New Business Chrystine and Rob Longley have offered to host the Club Christmas party at their home in north Granby. The specific date will be set by the next Board sometime this fall.

Sat., June 6, 2009 – General membership meeting at the summer specialty show held by Greenwich Kennel Club in Norwalk, CT

Crystal Ashe made a motion to adjourn. Linda Morris and Susan Nakamura seconded. The meeting was adjourned at about 8:30 p.m.

Minutes of the General Membership Meeting held on Tuesday, March 10, 2009 in Newington, CT

In Attendance: Rich loomis, Joan Toepke, Ken Byrne, Kim Karkut, Val Mendizabal, Linda Morris, John Morris, Marisa Fowler, Richard Bennington, Henry Grant, Rick Diotalevi. Meeting called to order at 9pm at Jefferson House, Newington, CT.

Minutes from the December 13, 2008 Membership Meeting were accepted.

Treasurer’s Report: Rick Diotalevi reports $11,389.66 in checking; $4,084.56 in Health Issues Fund; Breed Rescue with a balance of $4,372.10.

Corresponding Secretary: no report

Breed Rescue: John Morris reports about $1,000 spent so far on Fala. There is no charge for room and board at Animal General Vet Hospital, only charge for meds. Also, Chopper is looking for a home.

Conformation Committee: GSA not closed out.

Hunt Test report: John Morris will send in application this week.

Field Trial Report: Marisa Fowler reports the Premium is out. Budget for hunting Dog Stake proposed. An email will be sent out to the membership to ask for workers for the April Trial.

Merchandise Report: Merchandise will be brought to Fun Day for purchase.

Health Committee: no report

Fun Day Committee: Val Mendizabal reports everything is set for March 21^st. Entries close March 14^th.

Newsletter Report: none

Membership Report: Revised at the April meeting – the new members are John and Mary Anderson, Barbara Ehlers, Andrew Campbell & Meg, and Amanda & Daniel Tortora – officially voted in at the April Meeting.

Bylaws Report: none

Old Business: An email was read by Kim Karkut from Judith Goodin in response to one sent by Kim regarding the request Judith had for additional expenses for judging our recent specialty. She apologized for the confusion, apparently she usually charges one night’s motel and did not take a look at the final agreement before leaving for the show.

New Business: none

Meeting adjourned at 9:30pm

Minutes of the Board Meeting held on Wednesday, February 18, 2009 at Wood N Tap in Southington, CT.

In attendance: Ron and Kim Karkut, Rich Loomis, Val Mendizabal, Linda Morris, Jan Norris, Joan Toepke, Amanda Tortora.

President Rich Loomis called the board meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. at the Wood ‘n Tap restaurant in Southington, CT.

Minutes from January 14, 2009 Board Meeting: The minutes from the board meeting held on January 14, 2009 were circulated to board members for review prior to the meeting. Kim Karkut made a motion to accept the minutes; Linda Morris seconded. All present voted in favor.

Treasurer’s Report; Treasurer Rick Diotalevi was unable to attend but submitted an e-mail report. The checking account balance is $11,736.25, the Health Issues Fund has $4,084.56, and the Breed Rescue Fund has $4,322.32. Proceeds from the raffle at the Garden Specialty Association (GSA) show in Secaucus, New Jersey in February have not yet been deposited.

Corresponding Secretary: Val Mendizabal circulated two pieces of correspondence she received to those in attendance. The Meadowbrook Cocker Spaniel Club sent a flyer about Holistic Health for dogs. The Hodges Badge Company sent a catalog of dog show prizes.

Breed Rescue: John Morris was unable to attend so Linda Morris presented the Breed Rescue report. The Westport Humane Society has a Vizsla that will be kept until placed. Another dog in Ansonia is a neutered 5-year-old male named Chopper. The family has a baby who is allergic. They suggest that Chopper is suitable for a one-dog home. A third Vizsla is a 2 ½ -year-old female named Valla. For more details about any of the dogs, please contact John Morris at 860 585-8505 or via e-mail at morris_john_e@sbcglobal.net.

Conformation Committee; Carol Phelps was unable to attend so Joan Toepke presented the Conformation Committee report. Joan and her sister, Linda Furey, organized the raffle at the GSA show and raised $645. Joan will send a list of donors so they can be recognized. Ida Tenenbom sent Rich Loomis an e-mail indicating that everything is on track for the Greenwich Longshore shows in June.

Hunt Test: Linda Morris presented the Hunt Test update for John. The application for the October hunt test will be submitted to the AKC in March.

Field Trial: The spring field trial planned on Friday – Sunday, April 17 – 19, 2009 is approved and the premium lists are out. Joan Heimbach will submit a report for the upcoming trial at the March 10, 2009 general membership meeting. Rich Loomis will send out an e-mail to the membership about the field trial with the premium and a notice of our March 10^th meeting, where the Field Trial Committee will do a presentation, “Field Trial 101,” on the mechanics of field trials.

Health Committee: Amanda Tortora mentioned that Dr. Andrew Frishman, who made a presentation about PennHIP certification at our September meeting, offered to hold a blood draw in his office in Somers, NY, possibly in early spring. Separately, the Long Island Vizsla Club is also talking about a spring blood draw.

Bylaws: Rich Loomis distributed copies of the current bylaws, the proposed bylaw revisions from 1998, comments from the AKC about those proposed bylaw changes, and a copy of bylaws with revisions for consideration, review, and comments. The goal is to have revised bylaws that we can present for a vote of the membership at the December, 2009 meeting. Rich would like AKC approval before the CVVC membership vote for this revision.

Old Business; Val Mendizabal submitted a budget for the upcoming winter Fun Day, scheduled on March 21 from 9 to 4 at Tails U Win in Manchester. Val estimated 20 entries for agility and 15 for show handling, which would generate income to almost cover costs for the facility and instructors. The budget projects a modest loss of $75; if attendance is higher the profit picture improves. Joan Toepke made a motion to accept the budget and Kim Karkut seconded. All present voted in favor.

New Business: A nominating committee is needed to ensure a complete slate of officers in the 2009 – 2010 year. Debra Loomis already offered to chair and Susan Nakamura volunteered via e-mail. Joan Toepke offered to be the board representative on the committee. Ron Karkut agreed to be an alternate, as did John Morris when called by cell phone. All were accepted as the Nominating Committee.

Tues., March 10, 2009 – General membership meeting at Jefferson House in Newington, CT

Sat., June 6, 2009 – General membership meeting at the summer specialty show held by Greenwich Kennel Club in Norwalk, CT

Meeting Adjourned Jan Norris made a motion to adjourn. Kim Karkut seconded. The meeting was adjourned at about 8:30 p.m. – Respectfully submitted by Jan Norris

Minutes of the Board Meeting held on Wednesday, January 14, 2009 in Newington, CT

In attendance: Crystal Ashe, Rick Diotalevi, Marisa Fowler, Joan Heimbach, Audra Jaconetti, Kim Karkut, Rich Loomis, Deb Malachowski, Val Mendizabal, Linda Morris, Jan Norris, Joan Toepke, Amanda Tortora. President Rich Loomis called the board meeting to order at 7:10 p.m. at the Jefferson House in Newington, CT.

December 13, 2008 Minutes of Board Meeting: Kim Karkut made a motion to accept the December 13, 2008 Board meeting minutes. Rick Diotalevi seconded. All present voted in favor.

Treasurer Rick Diotalevi reported that the checking account balance is $12,713.16, the Health Issues Fund has $4,084.56, and the Breed Rescue Fund has $4,322.32.

Rich Loomis reported that the Ed Foster, the 2009 VCA Show Chair requested a $500 donation from CVVC to sponsor the “Welcome Party” at the national specialty show to be held in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2009. Discussion followed. Rick Diotalevi moved that we take out an ad in the nationals book, he would look up what it cost last year. Motion seconded and passed. President Rich Loomis offered to ask Ed Foster why donations were necessary for the nationals – especially since the entry fees, event fees, etc. are so high.

Carol Beattie, a judge in one of our recent shows, sent CVVC a gracious thank-you note and praised the quality of the dogs entered.

CVVC received a $125 donation from Deb Fuentes, a co-worker of the late Dr. Patrick Cooke. Deb was please to hear that the donation would be applied to a permanent traveling trophy to honor Patrick and his beloved dog, Yogurt. Joan Heimbach will write to Patrick’s widow, Helen Fernan, to thank her for Patrick’s $50 donation to the CVVC breed rescue program.

Joan Toepke is in contact with Carol Phelps, who reports that everything is on track for the GSA combined specialty shows at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey. Joan is our trophy co-chair for the upcoming CVVC-sponsored specialty on Friday, February 6, 2009 at the GSA. Joan said she would appreciate help promoting the event and selling tickets.

The CVVC raffle at GSA is a one-day event with some nice raffle items. A framed, matted photo, a print, a merino wool throw are among the items. Ida reported that she has asked her embroiderer if she can put our logo or a Vizsla on an Anichini roge that is being donated by Marty Spoor. She will keep Joan informed about her response.

Greenwich and Longshore: AKC papers have been filed and the trophy list has been submitted. Closer to the show we will have more items to address. All is on target for the time being.

As amended in the draft of the December, 2008 minutes, John Morris and Marisa Fowler will chair the October hunt test at Flaherty grounds on the Dearborn tract. Rosettes have been received, and surplus rosettes will be carried over to future events.

Birds and wrangler have been reserved / ordered for the upcoming Spring Field Trial at Flaherty Field on Friday – Sunday, April 17 – 19, 2009. Entry fees are set.

Marisa Fowler will chair the Hunting Dog Championship on Saturday, June 13, 2009

The Field Trial Committee would like to hold an “informative talk” at a general membership meeting to discuss field trials, how to enter, etc. Tentatively set for the March meeting, TBD.

Rick Diotalevi reported that 151 members renewed their membership with CVVC.

Additional changes were made to further simplify the committee guidelines and to make the language consisten. The final version is included with these minutes. After some discussion they were adopted by the Board.

Revised bylaws are being typed for review. AKC guidelines must be followed, so changes need to be carefully considered. Rich Loomis hopes to have a report for the next meeting.

Last year CVVC rejoined the Nod Brook Association so we have a back-up location for Hunt Tests if we are unable to obtain Flaherty “on our date” in the future. We will need someone to attend the annual meeting.

Audra Jaconetti reported that Tom Mercier is collecting donations in honor of Patrick Cooke for the Bird Dog Hall of Fame. Patrick was also a member of the Nutmeg German Shorthaired Pointer (GSP) Club so Audra offered to contact them to find out how much they donated.

Val Mendizabal has been working hard looking for prospective locations for our next CVVC Fun Day. General discussion about what we may do, committee needs to find location, and get a program together.

Wed., February 18, 2009 – Board meeting at Wood ‘N Tap in Southington, CT

Sat., June 6, 2009 – General membership meeting at the summer specialty show held by Greenwich Kennel Club in Norwalk, CT

Rick Diotalevi made a motion to adjourn. Kim Karkut seconded. The meeting was adjourned at 8:50 p.m.

Chairs and members who graciously volunteer to serve on any CVVC committee must comply with operational guidelines put in place by the Board of Directors. These guidelines are shown below.