VegMin Learning Society Sets another Year in Motion

VegMin Learning Society Sets another Year in Motion

Emily Mailhot Reporter – Vegreville News Advertiser

To lead in a good start to the 2019-2020 school year, Vegreville’s Community Adult Learning Council, the VegMin Learning Society, held their annual general meeting on Thursday, August 15, in the VLS boardroom.

In attendance were board members Alicja Gruntowicz, Sonia Urquhart, Al Rusnak, Lilly Van Yken, Jamie Hirsch, board Chair Dwayne Hlady, outgoing Executive Director Holly Cepeda, and new Executive Director Stacey Eckenswiller, Administrative Assistant Heather MacDonald, and guest, CIBC Vegreville branch manager Ashley Browning.

Because of the absence of one member and another one had resigned, the board did not have a quorum. So the meeting started with a motion to allow all in attendance to vote. After the 2018 AGM minutes were revised and approved as necessary, the 2018-19 financial review was shown. In 2018, the grant funding that had been pending from the year previously was received, resulting in an increase in net funding by over $100,000. Other records showed a small but steady increase in students, fees, and fundraising dollars from activities throughout the year compared to last year.

Due to a performance issue, the VegMin board decided to hold off on the decision to hire their current auditor, Ncube & Landry LLP, until the issue is resolved.

Outgoing Executive Director Holly Cepeda then presented her Executive Director’s report from the programs, classes, and activities throughout the year. The 2018-19 learners were spread out between Foundational & Literacy, English Language, Basic Computers, Community Capacity, and General Interest topics for a total of 675 learners throughout the year. The most popular category for classes was Community Capacity with 475 learners, followed by General Interest, (Art, etc.) with 149. Learners came from Vegreville, Mundare, Lamont, Andrew, Willingdon, Hairy Hill, Two Hills, Edmonton, Camrose, St. Paul, Wainwright, Killam, Smoky Lake, Daysland, Lavoy, Ranfurly, Innisfree, Minburn, Mannville, Viking, Holden, Tofield, Lloydminster, Bruce, and Ryley.

In 2018-19 the English as a Second Language (ESL) classes were down in numbers due to a high percentage of learners who had passed their levels and been successful enough at learning English to secure jobs.

A total of 563 hours of volunteer hours were split between 32 volunteers for the year. This included events such as the popcorn fundraiser “Fair Days”, Family Literacy celebrations in Vegreville and Innisfree, Fall Registration Night, Senior’s Health and Wellness Conference, the 2018 IDPD Event, Holiday Celebration, Wendy Brook Festival and other performances of the Readers Theatre, the 2019 Volunteer Appreciation Event, Bucks for Books hot dog sale, Senior’s week celebrations in Vegreville and Innisfree, the Picnic in the Park, and of course the Vegreville’s Got Talent competition; all adding up to an average of 17.5 hours per volunteer.

Cepeda credited the success of the year to volunteers, partners, donors, instructors, and the learners. “We’re really fortunate where we are, to have the reach and support that we do,” she said.

Of course, as is a consistent AGM topic for community organizations, the issue of requiring more board members came up several times.

“It’s important that we’re able to function as a board,” said Chair Dwayne Hlady, “And that we are able to reach quorum at the meetings so that financial decisions can be made otherwise we may have to shut down.”

The VLS board will meet every other month on the second Thursday until the next AGM.