Since we last met in June I have been busy making contacts and acquainting myself more fully with the duties of the Executive Director.  As I describe below I have had fruitful meetings with a variety of people.
 
   Tom Kilian, Rural Initiative Center -- I met with Tom early on to have him help me better understand his work.  He gave me insight into both the promise and the difficulty of his work.  A great deal of its success involves ownership on the local level and the comprehension that there is no magic wand.  Rural initiatives take work, patience and an understanding of the situation and surrounding environment.  I check in with Tom from time to time as he and I are often in the office together.
 
   Don Klassen, M-2 Program -- I have a had several meetings with Don.  Most notably a tour of the penitentiary in August, helping to host the annual M-2 banquet in September and getting a handle on how we secure funding from the state for the program.  The annual banquet was a pleasure.  To be able to honor the men who vist inmates was a privilege.  They provide an invaluable ministry  The banquet was in deep contrast to the tour of the prison itself.  Because of Don's position as M-2 Coordinator and my position as ACCSD Executive Director we were allowed to tour the entire prison.  Including death row.  Death row, my friends, is a stark place.
 
   Deb McIntyre, SD Peace and Justice Center -- I have met with Deb, in person, and we correspond frequently by e-mail.  I have become a bit of a sounding board for her and together we are looking for a project that the Center and the Association can do together.  Although at the moment we have absolutely no idea what that means!  We are getting together later in the week and who knows what may come out of that meeting.  I'll keep you posted!
 
   Rebecca Naser, Assistant Executive Director, Multi-Cultural Center of Sioux Falls -- Ann Smith had suggested to me after our last Board meeting that it might be a good thing to hold a meeting at the Multi-Cultural Center.  So I met with Rebecca, got a brief tour of the facility and scheduled a meeting there with the Executive Director, Qadir Aware, as our guest speaker.  If the Board approves it our April 2009 meeting will be at the Center.
 
 
   Phyllis Arends, Executive Director, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), South Dakota Office -- I had a meeting with Phyllis at her request, not unlike my meeting with Deb McIntyre, to discuss, again, whether there might be any projects that the Assocation and NAMI might work on together.  And again, although we don't have anything yet "in concrete" we continue to explore.  Although I did help them to promote National Mental Illness Awareness Week earlier in the month.

     Even though I have not had a sit down meeting with Tracey Eberhard to directly discuss the P-2 Program we have been at other meetings where I have touched base with her.  This includes the New Life Coalition lunch meetings that are held the last Tuesday of every month, which as of last month, I have started to attend.

     I have participated in South Dakota Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (SDVOAD) conference calls as we have monitered and assisted, as a group, with the clean-up that took place this summer following the 70+ m.p.h. winds that struck northeast South Dakota with almost tornado like results.  I have, obviously, not been on site but from the information received via the conference calls and some photogrpahs received via the internet it appears the clean-up seems to be progressing in an orderly fashion.

     A couple of brief financial notes - in July I was notified that the state of South Dakota had some "unclaimed property" that belonged to the Association.  I inquired and what it was, was a refund from the Qwest Telephone that the state was administering.  So I filled out the paper work and we received a check for $52.84.  (Although I have to tell you it was a fair amount of paper work for $52.84!)

     After consultation with Randy Barnhardt, the Association Treasurer, I did change phone companies, as well, from Qwest to Orbitcom.  This will result in a basic services annual savings of $228.00 a year.  Which, Randy and I agreed, is a fair savings for our little organization.

     Gary Nesdahl, my predessor, is in the process of moving to Chicago.  He is also thinking of starting a consulting business and wanted to know if he could list us as a client.  At no cost to the Association.  I told him "yes" on one condition, that he serve as our webmaster.  (He is far more computer savvy than am I.)  He chuckled and agreed to the condition.  So for the immediate future Gary will serve in that capacity.

     When I started as Executive Director the 1st of June I was immediately put on to the State Ecumenical Executives network.  So that I am privy to the internet conversations that take place amongst all of the executives.  It is interesting to see what is going on in other states.  Lately the main topic has been funding as judicatories nation-wide are cutting funding for ecumenical activities.  It is causing a great deal of angst.  Sometime I would like us to have a discussion about this ourselves.