Also Published in the Texas Beekeepers Association Journal:
We had a great turnout at this year’s Delegates Meeting hosted in Conroe, Texas. There were so many things discussed and in an effort to convey what was accomplished by TBA and Local Club Leaders, here’s a quick summary of the day.
Update since the meeting- The committee has been formed and is in discussions.
If you’d like some information about the current bee laws, TAIS has a great resource at https://txbeeinspection.tamu.edu/regulations/
If you are interested in volunteering to help with events – contact Summer Clinic Volunteer Coordinator – Julie Norman at julie@juliescoops.com or Ashley Ralph at ashley@primebees.com.
6A – To continue the conversation that was started at last year’s convention – TBA is seeking to go from a 501(c)7 to a 501(c)5 to better reflect what the club actually does today. THBEA is set up as a 501(c)3 Educational foundation and can offer grants and scholarships that are in line with their mission (to educate about honey bees to keep it simple).
A committee was formed to put together a proposal for bylaw changes that will be published for feedback upon completion of a full draft.
Update since the meeting – TBA had some volunteers (thank you Dodie Stillman, Michelle Boerst) to help get the valuable content within the journal and beyond out to members through a wider variety of mediums. So, look for some good things to come in the near future!
As a side note, you can access all the TBA journal archives here – http://texasbeekeepers.org/journal/
We broke for Lunch where each Director for TBA talked with their clubs. This was an opportunity for small group sharing about the different programs that are working (or not working) within clubs. We were given some great feedback for how to improve TBA through communication, education, and sharing of resources.
Update since the meeting – TBA is working on a “Club Starter Resource” to share with clubs. Local club leaders from around the state have come together to help consolidate some of the key aspects for starting a club from technology to bylaws. Once completed, this resource will be made available for TBA members.
So many clubs around the state are doing interesting and fun events to promote their clubs, their youth, their schools, and bees in general. A few highlights were the beginning of the Ambassador program by a couple of young men who were interested in educating people like the Honey Queens do – very cool. There’s also clubs doing Honey Tastings for the public to help raise interest and awareness as well as raise money for clubs, research, or programs.
Update since the meeting – Because the sharing from club to club was such a big hit, TBA is looking for ways to continue fostering this sharing throughout the year. Based on feedback, we are exploring email newsletters, Facebook interactions, updates on our website, and of course the TBA Journal. We’ve recently revamped a group on Facebook called “Texas Local Beekeepers Associations Leadership” to help bring more club leaders together and share information in real time. If you’re interested in joining this group, you can email ashley@primebees.com for an invitation
It was a very productive day and it ended with a very long board meeting to continue to discuss the direction TBA is heading this year. We’re excited to have the feedback as well as the devoted membership to help make a positive impact on TBA and our membership this year!