Hello Elkridge Friends!

The time has come when we really need some people who care about Elkridge’s heritage to step up and take over the leadership of the Elkridge Heritage Society.

In order to learn more (and even if you don’t want to serve, but participate as a friend or member), come to our potluck to be held in the carriage house at the back of the Brumbaugh House:

5825 Main St, Elkridge, Saturday, October 28, 2023, noon to 3pm. 

I added a sign-up form here: https://elkridgeheritage.org/pot-luck-sign-up/

Our election will be held at the same place:

5825 Main St, Elkridge, Tuesday, November 7, 2023, 7pm

This is the national election day, at 7pm. Seems appropriate, right? 

Here are the things we need you to consider:

Our current board members have been in place for way too long and they need a change. In fact, the society itself needs a change. It needs a new set of eyes and hands to see and do things in a new way in order to accomplish the fundraising needed to keep the Brumbaugh House maintained and improved.

Mary Bahr is willing to stay on as curator, and I am willing to stay on as webmaster, but we need new officers: president, vice president, secretary and treasurer.

The president calls and leads the meetings, which are typically monthly. According to our charter, every other month, there should be a business meeting of board members, and in the alternate months, there should be a general meeting which is typically something fun and/or informative. The vice president supports the president and presides when the president is unavailable.

The president and vice president reach out to potential speakers, or delegate someone to do so. These jobs should not take more than one or two hours a week, but surges for fundraising and grant-writing, which can take more time. More on that later.

The secretary takes notes at the meetings and produces minutes to be reviewed at the next meeting. The secretary sends emails to the membership about meetings, or asks the webmaster to do so through the website and Facebook page. The secretary also either writes thank you notes to donors, or delegates the task to helpers. This should not be more than one hour a week, but thank you notes when dues come in could require more time. A committee can be formed to divide and conquer.

The treasurer handles all bank transactions and produces a monthly statement for expenses and income; makes sure all bills are paid; checks the Brumbaugh House mailbox for donations; and files the annual tax report. Depending on travel time to the Brumbaugh House, this job could take more than one hour a week, but should not exceed 5 hours in a normal month, plus travel. 

Other volunteer work which is usually shared by the board members and committees includes cleaning the house and carriage house, tidying up the yard, and providing refreshments at the general meetings depending on the venue.

Fundraising is a huge issue and we need new ideas to help figure this out. In the past we have depended on corporate gifts but those sources are drying up. A vibrant membership paying $25 a person or $35 a family annually would go a long way toward meeting the day to day costs, but to do this, we need a strong board with interesting activities. The day to day costs include lawn services, utilities, taxes, and insurance. 

The house also needs some big repairs such as lead mitigation in some crumbling plaster etc. Grants can be obtained for some things so we need leadership to be on the lookout for opportunities, and write proposals or enlist volunteers to do so. 

It can be daunting to have a house to maintain, but the rewards are great in preserving our heritage. Remember, our heritage is not just deep history, but recent events, as Elkridge is constantly changing.

In order to learn more, remember to come to our potluck on Saturday, October 28, 2023, from noon to 3pm.

Tina Barton, EHS webmaster