CALENDAR OF EVENTS

REMEBER TO MARK YOUR CALENDAR WITH THESE IMPORTANT DATES

Also watch the Notice Board for any other important dates or changes to theses dates:

Elite Canada (Alexandra Regier , Junior ) December 4-7, Mississauga, Ont…Congratulations !

Christmas holiday...................................... December 22 – January 4........ NO GYM

Competitive Christmas training schedule........ as distributed to appropriate groups.

Manitoba Open.......................................... March 27 – 28........................ PANTHERS

Toyota Invitational.................................... March 27 – 28........................ PANTHERS

Spring Break.............................................. March 27 – April 4.................. NO GYM

Competitive Spring training schedule............. to be distributed to appropriate groups at a later date.

Spring Break Camp................................... March 29 – April 2.................. Signup at gym

Good Friday............................................... April 9..................................... NO GYM

Easter......................................................... April 11................................... NO GYM

Wendy’s Invitational................................. May 1 – 2............................... PANTHERS

Victoria Day............................................... May 24................................... NO GYM

Year end Windup & picnic......................... June 13................................... RAINBOW STAGE

Last day of Pre-Competitive classes........ June 12

Last day of Competitive classes............... June 26

Summer Camp............................................ Weekly July 5 - 30.................. Signup at gym

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Nicole Friesen

Hello everyone, and welcome to the new members to our Club. We are well into our fall programs, and with Christmas just around the corner tis the season to be very busy.

This is our first Newsletter of the season, and I would just like to take this opportunity to congratulate the 5 Panthers who made the Provincial Team representing Manitoba at the Western Canada Summer Games in Beausejour this past August. Michelle Dewyn led the team earning the W.C.S.G. Championship coming first around, with Toni Montanti earning 3rd, and the Team wining Gold overall on day one of competition. Many more individual medals were won on day two of competition, including a clean sweep on uneven bars. Not only did Manitoba take 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd, on bars, but they were also all Panthers. Congratulations to our Medallists Michelle Dewyn, Toni Montanti and Stephanie Friesen. Congratulations also to Panthers gymnasts Brooke Thomas and Robyn Smith who contributed to the success of the team !

With the new season starting, you may have noticed a couple of changes. One of those changes is we have introduced the Club Handbook this year. This project had been under construction for a long time, and was finally realized this year. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our Board of Directors and especially Sherry MacLeod and Donna Dobson. I hope you find the Handbook useful and informative.

Speaking of the Handbook….I am sure you noticed the Frontier Toyota logo on the front cover, and Wendy's Restaurants ad on the inside. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Frontier Toyota and Wendy's Restaurants for their continued support.

We have excellent sponsorship programs in place, which starts at our Club Builders level (Panther Paw on Lobby wall), 8' X 4' sign in the gym, right up to our Gold sponsorship package, as well as advertisement opportunities in our Handbook and Club newsletters. To find out more about these awesome opportunities, please contact the office 233-0187 and leave a message for Nicole.

Good luck to everyone in the 2003/2004 season…may your personal goals be achieved with ease and satisfaction.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2003 - 2004 Season

President....................................................... Nicole Friesen

Vice-President............................................... Jennifer Bewski (NEW)

Treasurer...................................................... Dan Edwards

Secretary....................................................... Sandra Duma

Bingo............................................................. Teresa Montanti (NEW)

Marketing..................................................... VACANT

Volunteer....................................................... Ruth Schappert (NEW)

Fundraising.................................................... Joanne Holt (NEW)

Facility........................................................... Roy Boila (NEW)

We currently have one vacancy on the board for Marketing. If you are interest in this position or would like to learn more about what is required of the person please contact one of the above Board Members.

If you have any questions or concerns please direct them to the appropriate Board Member. The board currently meets every second Tuesday at 7:00 pm at the club.

BINGO REPORT

Teresa Montanti

Panthers Gymnastics Club earns approximately $7,000 in revenue per year from Bingos. Since we are a non-profit organization, we depend on this as a major source of our fundraising.

Panthers’ assigns bingos to families depending on the training hours of the gymnast (see Handbook for your required Bingo assessment). About every three months there will be notices displayed on the Notice Boards of upcoming bingo for the next quarter.

Also, the Manitoba Lotteries Corporation and the Manitoba Gymnastics Association has several rules which we must abide by. If we do not abide by these rules we could be fined or, worse, we could lose our Bingo allotment. So we ask that you abide by these rules when you sign up for a Bingo. These rules can also be found in the Handbook.

Bingo Rules

v Bingo volunteers may be a family member or a friend. Volunteer must be 18 years of age or older.

v You will be contacted by telephone the week before the bingo date as a reminder that you have volunteered. If you cannot be contacted personally, it will be your responsibility to show up for your bingo, you must find your own replacement. The convener will try to assist you but it is ultimately your responsibility to send someone in your place. The replacement volunteer need not be a Panther member.

v If you cannot work the assigned bingo, it is up to you to find a replacement (eg. relative, friend, or another gym parent).

v Please check location of bingo site as they do rotate from the McPhillips Street Station to Club Regent.

v You must arrive 15 minutes prior to the scheduled bingo time. We will be assessed a late fee by the Manitoba Lotteries if we arrive after the scheduled time. This fee will be your responsibility if late.

v When you arrive at the bingo hall, please sign the Manitoba Gymnastics Association’s sign-up sheet. One of the volunteers will have the sheet. If it is not brought forward, ask to see it. The Manitoba Gymnastics Association requires each club member to sign-in so they are aware of what gym clubs are working the bingos. If you do not sign-in, they will assume we did not participate and we will be fined.

v If you have volunteered for a bingo and do not show up and have not sent a substitute, you will be responsible the $100 fine that Manitoba Gymnastics Association will charge us. If the Club has three no shows during a six-month period, the club will lose it bingo allotments for an entire year. This would incur a $7,000 loss for the Club.

v Please do not phone the gym regarding your bingo commitment. Please contact the Bingo Chairperson (or any other Board member) whose name and phone number is posted year round on the bulletin board.

VOLUNTEER REPORT

Ruth Schappert

We have several ways in which parents can fulfill their volunteer commitment. Always check the notice board for volunteer sign up sheets for various tasks (eg change reader board, competitions, club cleaning, etc).

We currently have three competitions coming up in the New Year to be held at Panthers (Manitoba Open, Toyota Invitational, and Wendy’s Invitational). We will require lots of volunteers for these events to be successful. Please watch the notice board for the sign up sheets to go up or contact myself (Ruth Schappert)

FUNDRAISING REPORT

Joanne Holt

Hello my name if Joanne Holt. I am new to the Board of Directors and look forward to a great year. To date we have had several Fundraisers. Here is an itemized list of past fundraisers to date:

Chocolates

Tag Day

Grey Cup

Mom’s Pantry

Christmas Poinsettias & Wreaths

Thanks to all those who have participated in these fundraisers. These are all great opportunities for you and the Club to earn some extra funds.

I also wish to remind you of some ongoing fundraisers.

Regal..................................... Catalogs and order forms available at the front desk.

Tupperware........................... Catalogs and order forms available at the front desk.

Husky/Mohawk.................... Do not forget to use these cards for all your purchases at ANY Husky/Mohawk station. The club earns 2% of all purchases (except tobacco & lottery tickets). If you require additional cards please let me know.

If you have any interesting Fundraising ideas please let me know.

As you are all aware of by now the procedure for Fundraising has changed. Here is a copy of the “New” Fundraising procedure.

“NEW” FUNDRAISING POLICY

Panthers Fundraising Policy has changed dramatically!

As you know Panthers is a non profit, parent owned and run organization, so fundraising is still a very important part of our success. What we have changed… is how we do it.

In the past mandatory fundraising policies were put in place to ensure participation from our membership. With this obligation people felt burdened with the task of fundraising. The last thing we want is to have negative feelings associated with Fundraising.

With our “New” fundraising policy, members now have the opportunity to not only raise money for our Club, but also earn money back through out the year.

With each fundraiser members will earn a percentage back for their fundraising efforts.

The percentage earned back will vary with each fundraiser, which will be calculated and returned to members by way of a cheque once the final tallies for each fundraiser are in.

Example: If a fundraiser item cost us $20.00 and we sell it for $30.00, the profit on the item is $10.00.

The profit would then be split equally between the member and the Club.

If you did enough fundraising, you could possibly earn back your fees for the entire year!

Fundraising events typically include the sale of chocolates, gym apparel, Mom’s pantry, Regal, Gym-a-thon, raffle tickets, and many others. You will be notified of upcoming activities as they arise by notices sent home with your child and by signs posted on the Parent information board.

Thank you in advance for your support throughout the year.

RECIPES FOR SUCCESS

Shared Secrets of Panthers Gymnastics, a book full of delicious recipes donated by Panthers alumni, are still available for purchase at $8 each. They make a great gift or stocking stuffer and what a way to support the club.

250 Transport Road

Tel: 632-7000