Mathias Nomads Projects

We left PA on Thursday Sept. 15 to go to Lewisburg, West Virginia for the NOMADS annual meeting. Larry had to be there for Friday's board meeting. He was just elected as the South East jurisdiction representative for the board.

Signs to help get parked at the fairgrounds.

We were parked close to the main building. Our RV is down by the second light post.

The main building where most of the meeting was held.

Janice Roesler watching Gloria Moyer get some of the decorations ready. So glad to see them both.

Ready to welcome everyone.

Wooster paint brushes donated A LOT of brushes and paint pans. Working to get them sorted out and distributed.

Everyone got a least this many, so we all should be ready to paint.

There were two other events going on at the fairgrounds this weekend. A big yard sale, it is held twice a year.

And a horse clinic. I thought it was for the horse but apparently he is a famous horse trainer.

Riders taking his clinic.

Sunday morning the choir was ready for church service.

Rev. Byrant Wilbourne had the sermon.

Sunday evening Rev. Louie Lyons had the Memorial service. 35 Nomads have died since our last annual meeting. We had worked with three of them.

Each morning we arose to fog and made our way to the Bible Study of "Big Hits from overlooked Bible Bits" led by Mike Druck.

Rodney Ripley welcomed everyone. There were 130 in attendance.

18 of them were staying off site.

MORNING DEVOTIONS PRESENTERS

Morning devotions had great speakers.

This center works with 4 counties in this area helping clients from domestic abuse and sexual assault. 46% are men and there is an increase in elder abuse from children and grandchildren. She has started programs to teach and counsel children from K to college to stop the cycle. Even if the children are not abused they often witness abuse in the home. During COVID abuse increased and funding decreased 65 %

This table and floor was full of items brought to donate to the center along with over $900 was collected.

Another great presenter. Showing the importance of face to face connection.

We had opening ceremony on Tuesday morning. The Greenbrier East high school also lent us the risers for the chorus to use. To thank them we donated over $500 for their music and ROTC program.

A lovely quilt was made to be given to Dave Sullivan. We wrote prayers and good wishes on it for his healing and recovery.

Kathy Phelps present Max and Ann Armstrong an award for working 50 projects.

Barb and Jack Schmoll have worked 52 projects.

Jodi and Stella Cummings have worked 53 projects.

Sara Donaldson said she has worked lots of projects

Which probably means she may have worked 70+s projects.

AUCTION TIME

Lots of lovely items for the silent auction.

We didn't have to sign up for our bid number this year. One was given to you in your registration packet, and in case you forgot it it was printed on your name badge.

There was even a table of baked goods. We were the proud bidder that got some of the goodies.

Time for the live auction. Mark Mulder and Lisa McCurdy did a great job organizing the auction.

Lisa had made nice large reusable numbers for you to hold up when bidding at the live auction.

Wayne Mahan was once again our great auctioneer.

We were able to be the high bidder on two of the beautiful items. Thanks to whom ever made this, it is a beautiful addition to our home.

I now am a proud owner of a gorgeous cutting board made by our friend Ken Conner. Even though Gary and Joan Melvin were not at the annual meeting they still kept me bidding on this item. Ken graciously then made them another for the what they said they would bid up to.

Thanks to everyone's generous giving by the end of the meeting almost $45,000 was raised.

WORKSHOPS

Wednesday morning there were workshops on Cabinet installation and one on plumbing basics. They did them again in the afternoon so you could attend them both.

Thursday morning Larry and Don and Bev Morgan did a workshop about doing a site visit.

It was well attended and even suggested that it be presented again next year. The only problem with presenting a workshop is you can't attend the other ones.

In the afternoon Larry took the RV to get gas and to the Tire Store to get our tires checked out and air put in them.

I attended the 2023 Annual Meeting planning workshop. Jim and Betty Posz are the chairs. A lot of people attended the meeting and offered to help.

It will be held in DuQuoin Illinois September 17-21.

BOARD MEETING

Ann Armstrong, board chairman gave a very good presentation about the board's recommendation for our NOMADS organization's direction for the future. It was recorded and if you didn't attend the meeting you can listen to it and then vote.

Rodney introduced Larry as the new board member and that he would be taking his position as the Project Coordinator Chair.

Kevin Culver and his wife Susan are the new chairs for Disaster Recovery.

Kathy Phelps had a nice meal for first comers to annual meeting and the alumni. She is chair of membership. Our numbers are down to about 800 active members from 1000 a few years ago.

Charlotte Tincher is chair of promotions and encouraged everyone to share their stories about NOMADS, put them any camping organization publications, give our brochures to campgrounds and churches.

It is always good to see Carla. She suggested if you can help fill a project that is a little short, even if it is for only a week or two, to let her know. There are many openings. If there is a project you want to go to but is full call her and be put on a wait list, often there are cancellations and you can go.

Rodney Ripley is now the secretary for the board.

Mark Mulder, chair of the project funding committee. 58 projects were funded out of 160 projects. $140,000 is budgeted so far this year $121,000 has been granted.

Mariel Lynch was the secretary on the board and now the vice chair. She is the chair of general concerns. She said the evaluations are important. We can't fix what we don't know. Also don't wait till three weeks after a project if there is a problem let them know right away so it can be fixed.

Ann ready to past on her gavel.

Jack Schmoll is now the board chair.

Jack presented a plaque to Ann for all the work she has done for NOMADS

Jack also presented Carolyn Freeman a plaque for the years she has served on the board.

MEALS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Monday night was a jam session, games and I taught line dancing.

Wednesday evening we had a Simple soup and salad meal. Lots of delicious soup was brought.

There was a variety of salads.

And plenty of delicious desserts.

Harry Overholtzer was to be the chair of the 2020 annual meeting to be held here in West Virginia. In 2019 he had arranged for the Glory Way Quartet to be the entertainment. Unfortunately there was no 2020 annual meeting and Harry died in 2021.