Long Island Beekeepers Club Monthly Meeting Minutes, April 19, 2009
Holbrook Ecology Center

President Joanne Thomas Fischer opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance at 2:45 PM.
32 attendees signed in.

Today’s guest speaker was Eleanor Bizzoso, who demonstrated her creative and award winning gift basketry skills building around assorted bee products.

• Eleanor described informal, “non-competition” gift baskets for friends and others which can be more whimsical, including bee-related products such as tea or tea pots, teddy bears, flowers, candy, or cool tools in addition to actual bee products.
  ◦ In shows such as EAS in the summer and LI Beekeeper’s Honey Show in October, there is a specific category for novelty packaging in which the judges only want to see bee products (like honey: creamed, comb, or otherwise, honey soap or lotions, balm, beeswax candles..) and how you present these gems from the hive. Eleanor warns they will unwrap your beautiful basket and examine everything in detail!
  ◦ Eleanor distributed a handout with more details and tips for successful gifting, which are available in case you missed the presentation.
  

After the demonstration, we held the annual election of officers for the Club.
President: Joanne Thomas
Vice President: Moira Alexander
Corresponding Secretary: Jim Fischer
Recording Secretary: Marianne Sangesland
Membership and Newsletter Editor: Conni Still
Hospitality: Joan Mahoney
Treasurer: Harry Gaulke

There was more open discussion about how to avoid swarming at this time of year, such as adding supers or switching tops & bottoms to slow swarming tendency, and watching for American foulbrood now, making sure you end treatment for it before the honey production starts.

We had the raffle of several items and a donated gift bag was auctioned for $25.

Respectfully submitted, Marianne Sangesland