President’s Report, September Thru December 3^rd, 2005

Activities during the fourth quarter:

Ø      The Davenport Branch continues to look for and verse all appointments to chairs of the various committees. In addition to find, discuss the duties, roles and vision .The plan is to give this leadership body an overview of the mission and plan for measurable progress.

Ø    During the month of September, we finalized all Freedom Fund Planning and had a successful Banquet. Our keynote speaker was the Rev. James Bevel to an audience of 390 to 400. Leading up to this years banquet was a press conference that introduced Rev. Bevel to the press and the Quad Cities.

Ø      The number of complaints has decreased during this quarter but are there are still many that are pending final decision. We’ve had at least tow chairpersons in the capacity of Legal Redress Committee chair with many challenges. The most recent chairperson seemingly has the necessary drive to fulfill the needs of this branch as of now.

Ø     In October the Davenport branch held a very successful health fair with medical professionals at one of the local hospitals facilities. the Health Committee’s “Health Fair”. The health fair was a two day event featuring the various areas of health concern in our community. Offered were models, fliers, brochures and discussions. Also featured were doctors addressing many health issues to a seated body in a provided auditorium. The next day featured the former Surgeon General Dr. Satchel under the Clinton administration. Dr. Satchel spoke on disparity in medicine. This event was closed with a panel of medical professions and questions and answers. Do note, the two days were a great success

Ø      Throughout this quarter this branch has addressed, sponsored, co-sponsored and invited many political candidates. Our Political Action Chair in one of the forums made a very compelling address to the panel of candidates for mayor that drew hugh media attention and applause from the rank and file of the community. Many of the same candidates also attended our Freedom Fund Banquet at which they were introduced to our guest and allowed to work the crowd. Voter registration remains a high priority and is offered at major functions and times designated by the national, regional, state and local offices.

Ø      Our branch also endorsed and co-sponsored a Katrina United Negro College Fund, fundraiser at Rexie’s Gourmet Restaurant. The monies were earmarked for the United Negro College Fund. During that same month the branch also supported local churches in loading a tracker trailer with non-perishable food, dried goods and toiletries for Hurricane relief. The president also submitted an article to the Quad Cities Times noting the poor response of the elected officials from local to national.

Ø      We’ve also worked on conducting better meetings with a more aggressive format. We shall not meet longer than an hour, conduct reports or addressing the body with a two minute limit per person.

Ø      I’ve thought through a plan for us to be more creative, active and able to measure our progress. This will start with training, training and more training. Then we will have to examine results from each committee chair and look for all committees to sponsor at least one major function a year. The plan for a stronger presence in the community and show/express the needed love with devotion for our people and community. Those that want to work must do so, those that don’t might want to look at a non-action organization as this organization needs workers.

Ø      Discussion is underway to have two major fundraisers per year. The second is a discussed Achievement/Awards ceremony. It is to be festive and in CONJUNCTION with our neighbor branch in Rock Island Illinois. We are planning for a committee from both sides of the river to construct the criteria, nominate the candidates and move forward with the program.

Ø      We are very aggressively through our Communication Committee, seeking AN office space that can accommodate our membership and move forward with a branch office. This same committee has established our local website and MAINTAINS it with a calendar of events of the branch and other supporting organizations. This website also post job announcements that are mailed to our branch PO Box…This branch is also about to conduct it’s first committee fundraiser in the form of a fashion show to support our branch supporting our community.

Ø      Davenport Branch #4019 is also moving forward with our Youth Works Committee. We’ve initiated action for reinstatement of our charter for our youth council and have other major plans and efforts underway to enhance our participation to SECME and other youth developing efforts. Approval was given from the executive body to allow for monies earmarked for this committee to move forward with the process to re-establish/re-instate.

Ø      Our Education Committee is headed by the only representative from our community on the Davenport School board. With this COME many different objectives, meetings, forums, workshops and discussions. One of the many that is underway as we meet is the Bridging the Gap initiative. It involves parent-teacher-student support. It addresses the absence of the many needs that lead to failing academics. The plan CALLS for churches, tutors, mentors, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, 100 Black Men and educators to work on the same page for the same objective of academic excellence.

Ø      Our membership committee is like most of our committees going through REORGANIZATION. While recruitment has not been what we all would like to see, it is one that is in focus and discussion. All planning is done with action in mind and the means to implement are always challenging. To date, this committee has made our entire roster electronic and easy to manage. The committee has great promise as we become more familiar with the duties, roles and means to implement.

Ø      The Community Co-COORDINATING Committee is one that has played a major role in contacting other support groups in the Quad Cities community and is well received. One of the latest plans is to organize a Leadership Summit during the first quarter of the new year. There are too many SCHEDULE conflict in the relatively small community. We shall seek to bring more structure to the problem and work to make the NAACP the hub for all community groups to maximize our resources and to better see and measure our progress together.

Ø      Our local funds are not where we would like for them to be but, again, we have an aggressive plan for all committees to assist the branch by conducting fundraisers for their respective committees. Our Treasurer is doing a great job of keeping us all honest where money is concerned and keeping us in the know of how we stand with our financial account. We are planning on more and better.

Ø      The President and Vice-president are always meeting to discuss cases that come to us, issues that AFFECT our local branch, growths and setbacks. We often meet with COMPLAINANTS to hear their issues and to direct them to the next course of action when the Legal Redress chair is not available. We are planning on dividing up the committees up between us to better manage our branch and to minimize being overwhelmed.

Future Planned activities;

Ø   All committees must submit a written report each month and live up to it or those duties are not being fulfilled.

Ø   Closing all gaps in our committee functionality

Ø   Membership drive

Ø   Other forums and support of other forums in the Quad by our branch

Ø   Building and strengthening a Davenport youth council

Ø   Acquiring a building to office our activities and branch (the finance committee must not be the hold up for us moving forward with the)

Ø                

We must have a budget before years end. All committees must submit a rough draft before December 13^th, 2005

        Sincerely submitted,

T. K. Anderson, President

Davenport Branch #4019

Davenport Iowa

Actions that need to be voted on:

All of the above, I shall not ask anyone to do anything I wouldn’t do myself.

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