Jane Austen Society of North America
Metropolitan Kansas City Region
Annual Planning Meeting
Saturday, August 17, 2024, 2-4 p.m.
Huntington Farms Clubhouse, 11000 El Monte, Leawood, Kansas
Twenty-two members in good standing attended, providing a quorum to elect a Regional Secretary and Regional Treasurer and to conduct other business. Executive Committee members attending were Leah Wilson and Christie Kennard, Co-Regional Coordinators, and Kristen Woodbury, Regional Treasurer.
Additional Attending Members: Becki Bardin, Sabrina Bartholomew, Cathy Blake, Joy Brooks, Alisha Moore Cole, Maizie Ferguson, Gaye Stevick Foutch, Jenni Frangos, Julienne Gehrer, Victoria Hackworth, Melanie Hayden, Diana Kornfeld, Michelle Knoll, Jan Lewis, Becky Malomo, Laurie Pitts, Jenny Rytting, Alana Ann Smith and Valerie Hodges Sporn.
Call to Order: Leah Wilson called the meeting to order at 2:30 p.m.
Election: It was moved by Jenny Rytting and seconded by Julienne Gehrer to vote by acclamation to elect Jan Lewis Regional Secretary and Victoria Hackworth Regional Treasurer. The motion passed, and the slate was approved unanimously. Their terms will begin on December 16, 2024.
Minutes: Jan Lewis, Interim Regional Secretary, presented the minutes from the previous annual planning meeting held August 19, 2023.
Financial Update: Kristen Woodbury, Regional Treasurer, presented the financial report from September 2023-August 2024. The checking account balance was $3,385.43, and the CD account balance was $28,555.76, for a total of $31,941.19. Revenues for the past year totaled $4,372.16, while expenditures totaled $5,216.76.
2024 Remaining Events
- September 28: Boxhill Picnic, Erfurt Park Pavilion, 24135 W. 71st Street, Shawnee, KS 66227 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Members and their families are welcome. Please bring food to share and dress casually to enjoy games, outdoor activities, dancing, etc.
- October 18-20: JASNA Annual General Meeting in Cleveland, Ohio
- November 2 or 9: Tentative presentation by Sheryl Craig on Women’s Property Rights during Jane Austen’s life, via Zoom or at a Lee’s Summit public library location
- December: Jane Austen Birthday Tea, Kansas City Country Club (thanks once again to JASNA-KC member Mary Jo Powell), Saturday or Sunday date to be determined, cost $50 or more
The 2025 JASNA theme is Austen at 250: “No Check to My Genius from Beginning to End”. JASNA-KC will focus on this theme for its 2025 programs.
Tentative 2025 Programs and Events (Primary Contact Appears in Parentheses)
- Date to be Determined: Presentation, Jane Austen’s Naval Brothers, via Zoom with St. Louis Region
- January 25: Book discussion, Jane Austen’s Letters, via Zoom (Leah Wilson)
- February: Book discussion, Jane Austen’s Bookshelf, Rainy Day Books event at Unity Temple on the Plaza, date to be determined (Christie Kennard)
- February 15: Tentative event, Galentine’s Day celebration of Jane Austen with book exchange, date and location to be determined (Melanie Hayden)
- March 29: Book discussion, Jane Austen’s Letters, via Zoom
- April 10-13: Pride and Prejudice musical, performances at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville (Jenny Rytting)
- April 26: Jane Austen Regency Ball, open to public, tentative location Immanuel Lutheran Church in Westport, cream tea service with scones, volunteers needed (Leah Wilson)
- May 6-25: Emma, play by Kate Hamill at Kansas City Repertory Theatre, JASNA-KC attendance date to be determined (Jan Lewis)
- May 31: Book discussion, Jane Austen’s Letters, via Zoom
- June: Tentative event at Under the Cover, romance-themed book store at 605 E, 31st Street, Kansas City (Melanie Hayden)
- July 12: Book discussion, Jane Austen’s Letters, via Zoom
- August 2: Georgette Heyer novel discussion, led by Gaye Stevick Foutch and Valerie Hodges Sporn
- August 16: JASNA-KC annual planning meeting, location to be determined
- September 20: Boxhill Picnic, location to be determined
- October 10-12: JASNA Annual General Meeting in Baltimore
- November 15: Discussion on how Jane Austen has affected your life, led by Sabrina Bartholomew, location to be determined
- December: Jane Austen Birthday Tea, date and location to be determined
Kudos: JASNA-KC member Jenny Rytting, professor at Northwest Missouri State University, will present at the 2024 AGM in Cleveland. She also has been named a JASNA Traveling Lecturer for the upcoming year. Her term runs from September 1, 2024-August 31, 2025.
Adjournment: Leah Wilson adjourned the meeting at 4 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Jan Lewis, JASNA-KC Interim Regional Secretary