Zimfest News Blog

Posts Tagged "Board of Directors"

May Board Meeting Minutes

Minutes from the May 13th meeting of the Zimfest Association board of directors have been posted.

Posted In: Zimfest Association News
Tagged With: ,
No Comments

April Board Meeting Minutes

Minutes from the April 8th meeting of the Zimfest Association board of directors have been posted.

Posted In: Zimfest Association News
Tagged With: ,
No Comments

March Board Meeting Minutes

Minutes from the March 11th meeting of the Zimfest Association board of directors have been posted.

Posted In: Zimfest Association News
Tagged With: ,
No Comments

Letter from the Zimfest Board

Dear Zimfest Community,

We hope you have had an excellent start to the year and that you are looking forward to joining us in Monmouth, OR for Zimfest 2018! The Festival Organizing Committee has been hard at work to create a fun and memorable festival experience for attendees, teachers and performers. We can support them and encourage their work by increasing volunteer participation and raising much-needed funds.

Here are a few ways you can help:

  • Volunteer on the Organizing Committee: The Organizing Committee is still in need of volunteers to fill key roles such as Afternoon Stage Manager and Teacher/Workshop Coordinator Assistant. If you are interested, please contact Zimfest Festival Coordinator Claire Jones at claire (at) zimfest (dot)org / 206 328-4011, and/or Volunteer Coordinator Carla Starck at volunteers (at )zimfest (dot) org.
  • Contribute to Fundraising Efforts. As a non-profit organization, donations, membership fees, and the funds reserved after each festival are crucial for financing festival expenses.
    • Donate in the Zimfest 2018 Fundraising Drive. This year, we are aiming to raise $8,000 towards the cost of:
      • Transportation, room and board for the group of talented Zimbabwean teachers
      • Implementing the new festival registration system
      • Purchasing marimbas to augment the supply of instruments at the festival
    • Leverage Employer Matching programs. Employer matching donation programs are an easy way to maximize the value of your donations.
    • Host fundraising events in your local community. Some fun ideas of raising funds in support of Zimfest include benefit concerts, dance parties, dinners and silent auctions. Share your events on the Zimfest Facebook Page so that we can see all the exciting events that are being planned to support Zimfest 2018.
    • Sign up for or renew your Zimfest membership. By becoming a member of Zimfest Association, individuals and families can support the long-term viability of Zimfest. https://zimfest.org/about/membership/
    • Support Zimfest through other channels. See https://zimfest.org/about/support-zimfest/ for other ways to contribute to the Zimfest Association

As members of our vibrant Zimbabwean music community, we all must contribute the money and volunteer hours that are needed to keep the Zimfest spirit alive and thriving this year and beyond. Your response to this call will help us gauge our ability to host Zimfest 2019, so please show your support. If you have any suggestions or questions, please feel free to contact us at board (at) zimfest (dot) org.

Tatenda/Siyabonga!

Zimfest Association Board

Posted In: Zimfest Association News
Tagged With: , ,
No Comments

February Board Meeting Minutes

Minutes from the February 11th meeting of the Zimfest Association board of directors have been posted.

Posted In: Zimfest Association News
Tagged With: ,
No Comments

January Board Meeting Minutes

Minutes from the January 14th meeting of the Zimfest Association board of directors have been posted.

Posted In: Zimfest Association News
Tagged With: ,
No Comments

December Board Meeting Minutes

Minutes from the December 10th meeting of the Zimfest Association board of directors have been posted.

Posted In: Zimfest Association News
Tagged With: ,
No Comments

November Board Meeting Minutes

Minutes from the November 12th meeting of the Zimfest Association board of directors have been posted.

Posted In: Zimfest Association News
Tagged With: ,
No Comments

Zimfest 2018 – Music Dancing Across Borders

Announcement of Theme

Greetings Zimfest Community,
The Zimfest Association Board has chosen “Music Dancing Across Borders” as the theme for Zimfest 2018. Given the vulnerable circumstances for immigrants and citizens both here in the United States and in Zimbabwe, we are steadfast in the knowledge that music and dance are unifying forces around the world. We look forward to dissolving borders and creating togetherness at the next Zimfest (Aug 9-12, 2018) in Monmouth, OR!

What You Can Do to Help

Our Tech Committee has been working all year to assess software programs and set up a new registration system. Online applications are scheduled to open January 2 on the festival website at https://zimfest.org. There is much to do before that date, and I am actively recruiting volunteers and team members to work on the Zimfest Organizing Committee (OC). We are already implementing the idea discussed at the 2016 Village meeting: to have veteran organizers mentor inexperienced or young volunteers who want to learn on the job as interns. No matter your level of experience, helping with the annual Zimfest gathering is a great way to give back for all the joy and enrichment experienced through this wonderful music.

If you have the time and energy to commit, volunteer for the Organizing Committee. OC members meet regularly via skype and take responsibility for major areas of the festival. We need people to work on the following:

  • Teacher and Workshop Scheduling (intern position)
  • Concert planning and Performer Liaison (could be an intern!)
  • Zimbabwean Guest Coordinator
  • Registration and Website lead
  • Marketplace Coordination

Some other jobs take a fair amount of time leading up to and at the festival, but do not require you to meet regularly with the OC:

  • T-shirt and Merchandise Production
  • Publicity and Marketing
  • Instrument Procuring

If you have smaller chunks of time, there are many other tasks that you can do before the festival:

  • Registration system documentation writer
  • Proofreading: website and festival guide
  • Coordinating shuttles and airport pickups/drop-offs.

If you can do major work at the festival but don’t have much time in the months leading up to it, volunteer now for on-site jobs such as:

  • Marimba Wranglers
  • Green Room Coordinator
  • Zimfest booth sales
  • Festival decorations and signage
  • Festival site cleanup crew.

Please let us know if and how you can help: e-mail me directly at , and/or Volunteer Coordinator Carla Starck at . You can also phone me at 206 328-4011.

Thanks in advance for your help and support. Have a great Thanksgiving weekend!

Claire Jones
Zimfest Coordinator

Posted In: Festival News
Tagged With: , , , , , ,
No Comments

October Board Meeting Minutes

Minutes from the October 22nd meeting of the Zimfest Association board of directors have been posted.

Posted In: Zimfest Association News
Tagged With: ,
No Comments

August and September Board Meeting Minutes

Minutes from the August 13th and September 10th meetings of the Zimfest Association board of directors have been posted.

Posted In: Zimfest Association News
Tagged With: ,
No Comments

July Board Meeting Minutes

Minutes from the July 23rd meeting of the Zimfest Association board of directors have been posted.

Posted In: Zimfest Association News
Tagged With: ,
No Comments