Chapter News – 2019 Annual Report

Puget Sound Sisters in Crime
Annual Report 2019
Presented January 2020

 

Finances

  • The balance forward from December 31, 2018 was $458.01
  • Our bank balance on January 8, 2020 was $1,392. There is one outstanding expense from 2019 (not yet billed): approx. $400 for the redesign of the website.
  • Approx. year-end balance forward (includes some 2020 dues): $1,000.

 

Membership

  • Membership increased from 40 full members in mid-January 2019 to 55 members at the end of August. No new members were enrolled in September. The 2020 new member and renewal campaign began in October and continues in early 2020.

 

Goals/achievements

Building on the organizational structure put into place in 2018, we worked on upgrading our image and communications in 2019.

  • The mailing list is now handled in MailChimp and increased from 135 to 191 in 2019.
  • We redesigned our newsletter using a MailChimp template, which enables us to gather data on the reach and effectiveness of our communications.
  • MailChimp is now also used for our member solicitation and renewal letters, invitations, reminders, election information.
  • The logo was redesigned to reflect both our region and our Seattle base. This logo now appears on all our communications and display materials, including new postcards and a chapter banner.
  • A redesign of the website to improve navigation, flexibility, and clarity of content is underway and should be in place in early 2020.
  • Participation in our Facebook group grew from 64 to 100 members, and our Twitter following grew from 134 to 195.

Outreach activities continued to be important in 2019

  • At the request of SinC national, we presented a We Love Bookstores check to BookTree in Kirkland. 9 author members participated in this event.
  • We had an exhibitor table at the Pacific Northwest Writers Conference again this year. We also proposed a session (not accepted).
  • We had a small display ad in the Left Coast Crime Conference, which was held in Vancouver, B.C. Several chapter members were on panels; and our materials were displayed in the “swag area.”
  • We collaborated with Third Place Books/Lake Forest Park on an event honoring Seattle cozy mystery writer Mary Daheim on the publication of her 68th book.
  • We regularly contributed articles and photos to InSinC, the quarterly SinC national newsletter.
  • We continued efforts to work with MWA: cross-promoted events, met with their board informally, and discussedplans for a jointly sponsored event.
  • WOTS: We proposed a panel on mystery writing (not accepted) although Waverly was asked to recast it as a panel on publication (2 of the 3 panelists were members)

 

2019 Programs

8 Thursday night programs were offered (January–June; September–November). Average attendance grew from 18 in 2018 to 28 in 2019.

  • January: Robert Dugoni (27 attended, 10 at dinner)
  • February: Postponed due to snow
  • March: Marketing panel (Alice K. Boatwright, Tracy Weber, Jennifer McCord, Martha Crites (moderator) + Nan Robkin Honorary Member celebration (22 attended)
  • April: Mary Daheim celebration, in conversation with Candace Robb (Third Place Books, The Den, 40 attended)
  • May: Sam Kaas of Third Place Books on working with bookstores (20)
  • June: Danielle Marshall from Lake Union Publishing (39 attended)
  • September: Get-to-Know-You event (21 attended; 18 people discussed their work)
  • October: Ingrid Thoft (19 attended, 12 at dinner)
  • November: Flash Fiction (17 attended, 14 read stories)

Saturday programs: only 1 followed the planned format of “SinC on Saturday” discussions. We found the idea of doing this quarterly too ambitious, but we did offer three events on Saturdays.

  • February: SinC on Saturday discussion, Bellevue Public Library (7 attended)
  • March: We Love Bookstores event, Kirkland (9 attended)
  • April: “Heroes, Villains, and Victims” All Day Workshop with Nancy Martin, held in Seattle (35 attended.
    • 18 evaluations were submitted. They rated theprogram 4.6 (content), 4.5 (logistics), 4.8 (price).
    • Funding from SinC offset not only the main speaker’s costs, but also facility and marketing expenses.
    • We made a profit of around $600.

Social events

  • August: Summer picnic held at Rachel Bukey’s home in Mt Baker (25 attended)
  • December: Holiday party held at Markland Woods community room in Mountlake Terrace (23 attended)

 

Donations/Grants

We gratefully acknowledge the following for their gifts):

  • SinC national chapter grant
  • SinC national Speakers’ Bureau grant
  • Christine Hoffman (mugs)