The Zimfest Association board of directors has posted minutes from the Village Meeting at Zimfest 2019 and the October 13th board meeting.
Zimfest News Blog
Posts Tagged "Board of Directors"
Applications and Updates
Dear Zimfest community,
A few updates from our hard-working Zimfest organizers:
- The Organizing Committee is eagerly awaiting applications from performers and teachers before the Feb 29 deadline! We need workshops in all categories to allow for a complete menu of offerings beyond marimba and mbira at Zimfest 2020: dance, singing, drumming, hosho, guitar and other instruments, as well as cultural presentations on various topics.
- See this page for details on workshops. Marimba teachers, please keep in mind that we can accept a few workshops of 2.5 hours as requested by intermediate and advanced students. Teachers of dance and hosho are advised that workshops of 1.5 hours work well for many students.
- The Zimfest Association Board of Directors welcomes new board member Drew Turner! Drew was introduced to Zimbabwean-style marimba in Homer, AK and now lives near Ashland, OR. He has also joined the OC as an intern with the Volunteer Coordinators – great to have you, Drew!
- The ZA Board wishes to call your attention to changes in membership categories and fees. Recognizing that many older members of our community are on fixed incomes, the Board has added a new category of membership for seniors 65 years and older, at just $10 a year (more if you can afford it). In addition, the Teacher membership fee, covering a teacher or youth leader plus up to 20 members of their student group, has increased to $100 per year. See the membership page for details and to sign up.
Stay well – musare zvakanaka!
Zimfest Organizing Committee
Zimfest Association Board
Festival Coordinator Claire Jones
Zimfest: Music Dancing Across Borders
Posted In: Festival News
No Comments
Holiday Membership Drive
Dear Zimfest Association members, friends, and whomever else might be reading this,
We hope that as the darkest days of the year are upon us you are all doing well, enjoying your families, and hopefully still playing some great music! The holidays are officially here and so is the Zimfest Association’s annual campaign and membership drive. This will be our fifth year running this campaign, and we are hoping that it will be our most successful ever. As you know, while the festival itself provides some income to the association, meeting once a year for just a few days simply doesn’t provide enough to cover all our expenses. We want to continue to grow the festival and provide the best experience we can, and here are some ways that you can help.
Become a Member:
To those of you who signed up around Thanksgiving, we give you our thanks! You are the role models whom we hope will inspire others to finally sign up for that membership they’ve been putting off for years. It’s so simple, you’ll be done in minutes. Just head to https://zimfest.org/about/membership/ to find the right fit for you. Pinching pennies and eating lots of Ramen? Perhaps our student membership is right for you. Maybe you recently came into some money; a lottery ticket, a rich family member, a fabulous invention? Consider our lifetime membership. With all the different types of membership, there’s sure to be something to fit your budget! You can even choose to have your names published on the website and in the Festival Guide to show the world that you support Zimfest.
Provide Charitable Donations:
Membership not your thing? Or Maybe you’re already a member, but you want to know how you can help out even more? Consider a tax-deductible donation to the Zimfest Association! While membership dues are a significant boon to our community, your donations have been essential for the festival in the past, and if you donate now, you will be contributing to our shared future. Your money goes straight to things like paying travel expenses for Zimbabwean teachers, paying teachers for performances and workshops, and our new fellowship program which this year allowed us to pay the way for community veteran, Michael Sibanda, as well as our new friend Tafadzwa Gapara!
Other Ways to Contribute:
As you’re finishing up your holiday shopping, remember that when you shop on Amazon, you can support Zimfest by choosing the Zimfest Association as the organization you would like to receive 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases. Also, if you’re selling stuff on eBay, you can choose to donate a percentage of the final sales price to the Zimfest Association. Finally, if your company supports matching donations, find out from your supervisor or Human Resources department how your company can match your contributions, often dollar for dollar! For info on all of these, see https://zimfest.org/about/support-zimfest/
Whether you’re celebrating Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, the Winter Solstice, or Festivus we hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and we can’t wait to see you next year at The Evergreen State College!
Warmly,
The Zimfest Board
Posted In: Zimfest Association News
No Comments
Call for Zimfest Art and More
Hello Zimfesters,
We have some requests for help from the Zimfest Association Board of Directors and the 2020 Organizing Committee (OC):
- The OC is calling for submissions of designs to be used for Zimfest 2020 publicity, tee shirts and more. As mentioned on the new 2020 overview page, the festival theme remains Music Dancing Across Borders. Your artwork could reference this theme, or anything else creatively suggestive of the Zimbabwean Music Festival. Send your submissions to oc{at}zimfest{dot} org. Creator of the best usable idea sent to us by January 15, 2020 receives $100 and our appreciation!
- The ZA is searching for new members for the Board of Directors! The best way to help us get the news out to you, the Zimfest community, is to help us increase our numbers to do the work of the Board! See the Board Recruitment page for info and write us a letter today!
- Don’t forget now is a great time to renew your membership, become a ZA member for 2020 or just donate to the cause! The Holiday Fundraiser page tells you how and why.
- A reminder from the OC that performer and teacher applications will open January 2, 2020. If there are any offerings you’d like to see in the way of workshops, drop us a line at teachers{at}zimfest{dot}org.
Enjoy the solstice!
Alex Weeks, ZA Board President
Claire Jones, Zimfest Coordinator
Posted In: Festival News
2 Comments
July and Sept. Board Meeting Minutes
Minutes from the July 14th and September 8th meetings of the Zimfest Association board of directors have been posted.
Posted In: Zimfest Association News
No Comments
Holiday Membership Fundraiser
Dear Zimfest community,
We hope this message finds you well! As the days grow shorter and the holidays loom on the horizon, we wanted to take a minute to say thank you for your membership and/or donation. “But Daniel, I’m not a member,” some of you say, wringing your hands feverishly. That’s ok! It’s easier than ever to sign up. From as little as $10.00 per year for our Youth/Student membership, there are membership categories to fit any budget and situation!
Consider Regular, Family, Couple, Teacher, Lifetime, and even Lifetime Family memberships. Members may choose to have their names published on the website and in the Festival Guide as a public display of support for Zimfest. Membership fees are also 100% tax deductible. Please refer to the membership page to renew or initiate a membership — https://zimfest.org/about/membership/. Not sure if you’re still a member, or have questions about your status? Drop us a line at za-members (at) zimfest(dot)org. Already a member? Or maybe you just don’t want your name on any lists but still feel like helping? Consider a tax-deductible donation of whatever amount works for you! Our long term goal is to have the majority of Zimfest participants be members of the organization. We have seen an increase in previous years. It is our hope that a healthy dialogue about the festival and Association can emerge from a membership that feels a sense of ownership in the Zimfest Association. Membership covers the calendar year January 1st through December 31st, and any memberships purchased during this campaign will be applied to 2020!
Not only do your memberships and donations help keep the festival going, but you are also helping to bring the very best teachers we can find! Starting last year, your contributions also started going towards our new fellowship program, which helps to bring one veteran and one brand new Zimbabwean teacher to our festival each year! This year we were able to sponsor community favorite, Mr. Michael Sibanda, as well as our new friend whom we all hope to see again, Tafadzwa Gapara! Supporting Zimbabwean participation at the festival is always one of our top priorities and we are thrilled at this new chance to put your contributions to good use. Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving, celebrated the Tuesday after Thanksgiving if you’re looking for more excuses to lend us a hand. Help us become the best festival we can be!
Many thanks,
The Board
Posted In: Zimfest Association News
No Comments
Zimfest 2020
Dear Zimfest community,
Thank you to all who filled out the post-Zimfest survey or have otherwise communicated to the ZA Board and organizers about their feelings and desires for Zimfest in 2020.
Based on support from the community, the Board has decided to go ahead with plans to produce Zimfest 2020 at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA! I have been in touch with Conference Services at Evergreen and they are enthusiastic about hosting Zimfest from July 30-August 2, 2020. We are in the process of ironing out some details and look forward to signing a Booking Agreement. So, not 100% confirmed yet, but I would advise you to save these dates!
We are happy to say that a number of people stepped up at this year’s festival to volunteer to help organize the next Zimfest. As always, however (you know the drill), we welcome your volunteering help! Let us know if you are interested in helping to organize, or would be available for special assignments – e.g., proof-reading, publicity or technical tasks – for brief periods of time during the course of the year. You can write to me at claire{at}zimfest{dot}org or the Board at board{at}zimfest{dot}org.
– Claire Jones, Festival Coordinator
Music Dancing Across Borders
Posted In: Festival News
1 Comment
May and June Board Meeting Minutes
Minutes from the May 12th and June 9th meetings of the Zimfest Association board of directors have been posted.
Posted In: Zimfest Association News
No Comments
Zimfest Board and Committee Updates
Howdy Zimfest Community,
The 2019 Organizing Committee would like you to know:
- We are actively working on this year’s Festival Guide. If you or your organization would like ad space in the printed guide (discounts for non-profits!), please contact chatbetty{at}gmail{dot}com. You may also contact Betty if you or your community has lost a loved one who you would like mentioned in the In Memoriam page.
- We are seeking Vendor Applications for the Marketplace—a fun place to hang out during the festival! Be sure to get your applications in by July 20 to avoid being charged a late fee.
From the ZA Tech Committee:
- You can now look up current workshop enrollments on both the Workshop List and Workshop Table pages on the website, where “Remaining” indicates the number of spots open in each workshop. Both displays also feature an additional filter called “Open/Full” with which you can view either Full or Open classes (those with slots remaining).
- Make your Zimfest travel plans now! The Getting to Zimfest page has been updated and the Ride Board is ready for posts from those seeking and those offering rides.
And at long last, an announcement from the Zimfest Association Board:
- The ZA Board has tentatively reserved the dates of July 30 to August 2, 2020 for Zimfest at The Evergreen State College in Olympia WA. We will make an official decision on whether to hold a 2020 festival after this year’s festival, based on commitment from the community and the success of Zimfest 2019.
Posted by Claire with help from many hard working volunteers!
Claire Jones, Festival Coordinator
Posted In: Festival News
1 Comment
April Board Meeting Minutes
Minutes from the April 14th meeting of the Zimfest Association board of directors have been posted.
Posted In: Zimfest Association News
No Comments
Zimfest 2019 Fundraising Challenge
Zimfest 2019 fundraising has been off to a slow start, but we have a fantastic group of Zimbabweans coming to teach and perform that we need your help to support while at Zimfest. Here’s the challenge, if we hit 20 new donations by the end of May we would unlock a $500 gift. You can enter a one-time gift or choose the monthly recurring option at https://zimfest.org/about/support-zimfest/. Don’t forget about renewing your Zimfest membership if you haven’t done that yet for the year. The Zimfest Board thanks you for all your support.
Posted In: Zimfest Association News
2 Comments
March Board Meeting Minutes
Minutes from the March 10th meeting of the Zimfest Association board of directors have been posted.
Posted In: Zimfest Association News
No Comments
Applications and Updates
Dear Zimfest community,
A few updates from our hard-working Zimfest organizers:
- The Organizing Committee is eagerly awaiting applications from performers and teachers before the Feb 29 deadline! We need workshops in all categories to allow for a complete menu of offerings beyond marimba and mbira at Zimfest 2020: dance, singing, drumming, hosho, guitar and other instruments, as well as cultural presentations on various topics.
- See this page for details on workshops. Marimba teachers, please keep in mind that we can accept a few workshops of 2.5 hours as requested by intermediate and advanced students. Teachers of dance and hosho are advised that workshops of 1.5 hours work well for many students.
- The Zimfest Association Board of Directors welcomes new board member Drew Turner! Drew was introduced to Zimbabwean-style marimba in Homer, AK and now lives near Ashland, OR. He has also joined the OC as an intern with the Volunteer Coordinators – great to have you, Drew!
- The ZA Board wishes to call your attention to changes in membership categories and fees. Recognizing that many older members of our community are on fixed incomes, the Board has added a new category of membership for seniors 65 years and older, at just $10 a year (more if you can afford it). In addition, the Teacher membership fee, covering a teacher or youth leader plus up to 20 members of their student group, has increased to $100 per year. See the membership page for details and to sign up.
Stay well – musare zvakanaka!
Zimfest Organizing Committee
Zimfest Association Board
Festival Coordinator Claire Jones
Zimfest: Music Dancing Across Borders
Posted In: Festival News
No Comments
Holiday Membership Drive
Dear Zimfest Association members, friends, and whomever else might be reading this,
We hope that as the darkest days of the year are upon us you are all doing well, enjoying your families, and hopefully still playing some great music! The holidays are officially here and so is the Zimfest Association’s annual campaign and membership drive. This will be our fifth year running this campaign, and we are hoping that it will be our most successful ever. As you know, while the festival itself provides some income to the association, meeting once a year for just a few days simply doesn’t provide enough to cover all our expenses. We want to continue to grow the festival and provide the best experience we can, and here are some ways that you can help.
Become a Member:
To those of you who signed up around Thanksgiving, we give you our thanks! You are the role models whom we hope will inspire others to finally sign up for that membership they’ve been putting off for years. It’s so simple, you’ll be done in minutes. Just head to https://zimfest.org/about/membership/ to find the right fit for you. Pinching pennies and eating lots of Ramen? Perhaps our student membership is right for you. Maybe you recently came into some money; a lottery ticket, a rich family member, a fabulous invention? Consider our lifetime membership. With all the different types of membership, there’s sure to be something to fit your budget! You can even choose to have your names published on the website and in the Festival Guide to show the world that you support Zimfest.
Provide Charitable Donations:
Membership not your thing? Or Maybe you’re already a member, but you want to know how you can help out even more? Consider a tax-deductible donation to the Zimfest Association! While membership dues are a significant boon to our community, your donations have been essential for the festival in the past, and if you donate now, you will be contributing to our shared future. Your money goes straight to things like paying travel expenses for Zimbabwean teachers, paying teachers for performances and workshops, and our new fellowship program which this year allowed us to pay the way for community veteran, Michael Sibanda, as well as our new friend Tafadzwa Gapara!
Other Ways to Contribute:
As you’re finishing up your holiday shopping, remember that when you shop on Amazon, you can support Zimfest by choosing the Zimfest Association as the organization you would like to receive 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases. Also, if you’re selling stuff on eBay, you can choose to donate a percentage of the final sales price to the Zimfest Association. Finally, if your company supports matching donations, find out from your supervisor or Human Resources department how your company can match your contributions, often dollar for dollar! For info on all of these, see https://zimfest.org/about/support-zimfest/
Whether you’re celebrating Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, the Winter Solstice, or Festivus we hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and we can’t wait to see you next year at The Evergreen State College!
Warmly,
The Zimfest Board
Posted In: Zimfest Association News
No Comments
Call for Zimfest Art and More
Hello Zimfesters,
We have some requests for help from the Zimfest Association Board of Directors and the 2020 Organizing Committee (OC):
- The OC is calling for submissions of designs to be used for Zimfest 2020 publicity, tee shirts and more. As mentioned on the new 2020 overview page, the festival theme remains Music Dancing Across Borders. Your artwork could reference this theme, or anything else creatively suggestive of the Zimbabwean Music Festival. Send your submissions to oc{at}zimfest{dot} org. Creator of the best usable idea sent to us by January 15, 2020 receives $100 and our appreciation!
- The ZA is searching for new members for the Board of Directors! The best way to help us get the news out to you, the Zimfest community, is to help us increase our numbers to do the work of the Board! See the Board Recruitment page for info and write us a letter today!
- Don’t forget now is a great time to renew your membership, become a ZA member for 2020 or just donate to the cause! The Holiday Fundraiser page tells you how and why.
- A reminder from the OC that performer and teacher applications will open January 2, 2020. If there are any offerings you’d like to see in the way of workshops, drop us a line at teachers{at}zimfest{dot}org.
Enjoy the solstice!
Alex Weeks, ZA Board President
Claire Jones, Zimfest Coordinator
Posted In: Festival News
2 Comments
July and Sept. Board Meeting Minutes
Minutes from the July 14th and September 8th meetings of the Zimfest Association board of directors have been posted.
Posted In: Zimfest Association News
No Comments
Holiday Membership Fundraiser
Dear Zimfest community,
We hope this message finds you well! As the days grow shorter and the holidays loom on the horizon, we wanted to take a minute to say thank you for your membership and/or donation. “But Daniel, I’m not a member,” some of you say, wringing your hands feverishly. That’s ok! It’s easier than ever to sign up. From as little as $10.00 per year for our Youth/Student membership, there are membership categories to fit any budget and situation!
Consider Regular, Family, Couple, Teacher, Lifetime, and even Lifetime Family memberships. Members may choose to have their names published on the website and in the Festival Guide as a public display of support for Zimfest. Membership fees are also 100% tax deductible. Please refer to the membership page to renew or initiate a membership — https://zimfest.org/about/membership/. Not sure if you’re still a member, or have questions about your status? Drop us a line at za-members (at) zimfest(dot)org. Already a member? Or maybe you just don’t want your name on any lists but still feel like helping? Consider a tax-deductible donation of whatever amount works for you! Our long term goal is to have the majority of Zimfest participants be members of the organization. We have seen an increase in previous years. It is our hope that a healthy dialogue about the festival and Association can emerge from a membership that feels a sense of ownership in the Zimfest Association. Membership covers the calendar year January 1st through December 31st, and any memberships purchased during this campaign will be applied to 2020!
Not only do your memberships and donations help keep the festival going, but you are also helping to bring the very best teachers we can find! Starting last year, your contributions also started going towards our new fellowship program, which helps to bring one veteran and one brand new Zimbabwean teacher to our festival each year! This year we were able to sponsor community favorite, Mr. Michael Sibanda, as well as our new friend whom we all hope to see again, Tafadzwa Gapara! Supporting Zimbabwean participation at the festival is always one of our top priorities and we are thrilled at this new chance to put your contributions to good use. Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving, celebrated the Tuesday after Thanksgiving if you’re looking for more excuses to lend us a hand. Help us become the best festival we can be!
Many thanks,
The Board
Posted In: Zimfest Association News
No Comments
Zimfest 2020
Dear Zimfest community,
Thank you to all who filled out the post-Zimfest survey or have otherwise communicated to the ZA Board and organizers about their feelings and desires for Zimfest in 2020.
Based on support from the community, the Board has decided to go ahead with plans to produce Zimfest 2020 at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA! I have been in touch with Conference Services at Evergreen and they are enthusiastic about hosting Zimfest from July 30-August 2, 2020. We are in the process of ironing out some details and look forward to signing a Booking Agreement. So, not 100% confirmed yet, but I would advise you to save these dates!
We are happy to say that a number of people stepped up at this year’s festival to volunteer to help organize the next Zimfest. As always, however (you know the drill), we welcome your volunteering help! Let us know if you are interested in helping to organize, or would be available for special assignments – e.g., proof-reading, publicity or technical tasks – for brief periods of time during the course of the year. You can write to me at claire{at}zimfest{dot}org or the Board at board{at}zimfest{dot}org.
– Claire Jones, Festival Coordinator
Music Dancing Across Borders
Posted In: Festival News
1 Comment
May and June Board Meeting Minutes
Minutes from the May 12th and June 9th meetings of the Zimfest Association board of directors have been posted.
Posted In: Zimfest Association News
No Comments
Zimfest Board and Committee Updates
Howdy Zimfest Community,
The 2019 Organizing Committee would like you to know:
- We are actively working on this year’s Festival Guide. If you or your organization would like ad space in the printed guide (discounts for non-profits!), please contact chatbetty{at}gmail{dot}com. You may also contact Betty if you or your community has lost a loved one who you would like mentioned in the In Memoriam page.
- We are seeking Vendor Applications for the Marketplace—a fun place to hang out during the festival! Be sure to get your applications in by July 20 to avoid being charged a late fee.
From the ZA Tech Committee:
- You can now look up current workshop enrollments on both the Workshop List and Workshop Table pages on the website, where “Remaining” indicates the number of spots open in each workshop. Both displays also feature an additional filter called “Open/Full” with which you can view either Full or Open classes (those with slots remaining).
- Make your Zimfest travel plans now! The Getting to Zimfest page has been updated and the Ride Board is ready for posts from those seeking and those offering rides.
And at long last, an announcement from the Zimfest Association Board:
- The ZA Board has tentatively reserved the dates of July 30 to August 2, 2020 for Zimfest at The Evergreen State College in Olympia WA. We will make an official decision on whether to hold a 2020 festival after this year’s festival, based on commitment from the community and the success of Zimfest 2019.
Posted by Claire with help from many hard working volunteers!
Claire Jones, Festival Coordinator
Posted In: Festival News
1 Comment
April Board Meeting Minutes
Minutes from the April 14th meeting of the Zimfest Association board of directors have been posted.
Posted In: Zimfest Association News
No Comments
Zimfest 2019 Fundraising Challenge
Zimfest 2019 fundraising has been off to a slow start, but we have a fantastic group of Zimbabweans coming to teach and perform that we need your help to support while at Zimfest. Here’s the challenge, if we hit 20 new donations by the end of May we would unlock a $500 gift. You can enter a one-time gift or choose the monthly recurring option at https://zimfest.org/about/support-zimfest/. Don’t forget about renewing your Zimfest membership if you haven’t done that yet for the year. The Zimfest Board thanks you for all your support.
Posted In: Zimfest Association News
2 Comments
March Board Meeting Minutes
Minutes from the March 10th meeting of the Zimfest Association board of directors have been posted.
Posted In: Zimfest Association News
No Comments
