Sometimes, good things happen in the most unexpected ways. Just ask Sun City’s Sew ‘n Sews Charter Club.
Last year, the club discovered that its mid-arm sewing machine, used exclusively to make quilts and blankets for charity programs its members participate in for veterans and needy children, needed to be replaced.
The club submitted a grant request (under the provisions of the Charter Club Manual) requesting that the association pay 50% of the cost of the machine, which amounted to $3,600.
At the same time last year, the association decided to renovate several spaces in Prairie Lodge this year. This effort included the Sewing Room, used exclusively by the Sew ‘n Sews. The club began working with association management to identify specific projects to be included in the renovations.
Earlier this year, some inadvertent confusion arose between the club and association regarding the mid-arm grant request and the renovations. On April 12 of this year, the board approved a $14,800 allocation to the club for the renovations. This amount included funds for replacement of the mid arm machine.
The problem was that the association’s operating rules specify that the association provides replacement of sewing machines and related equipment that helped charter clubs get up and going upon development. They also say that the cost of replacing equipment that is acquired by the club since development is shared between the club and association on a 50-50 basis.
“On April 12, the board was unaware that the mid arm machine had not been purchased by the developer,” Executive Director Deanna Loughran said. “Once the board was advised that the club had purchased the mid-arm, the board decided that the club should share in the cost of the replacement. Therefore, the April 12 motion was rescinded at the May 24 meeting, and the club was advised that they needed to pay for half of the machine, or $3,600.
“The status-approval of the grant was not communicated properly internally by management, or to the club,” Loughran added.
Then, on June 5, several good things happened at a Sew ‘n Sews Club meeting, according to Sandy Mis, renovations chairman and one of the club’s expert quilters.
“We were surprised by the rescind action on May 24, so at our meeting we had to figure out how to pay for the mid arm machine. We found out that our grant was approved, and we had to pay half of it. We made sure the grant for the mid arm was separated from the renovations for other equipment in our room. To fund the $3,600, we agreed to pay $800 of our own money, we received $800 from Project Linus (the blankets for children program), and we also received a $2,000 anonymous donation for the mid arm. The whole thing has been resolved.”
The message in this report is clear. In renovations of charter club spaces, the association provides 100% replacement of original equipment provided by the developer. The club and management share the cost of equipment acquired by the club after original development.
