keepers association monthly planning

[Zweefer]

It's that time of year again when our local beekeepers association meets to plan the next year.  one of the things we would like to do is have a bit more focus in our monthly meetings. We are hoping to have a topic or theme if you will, that can either be concurrent with the season (e.g. installing packages in April) or just general info that would be helpful anytime (wiring a frame)

Does anyone have anything that i can look at or steal borrow suggestions from?
Or any other ideas?  the more the merrier, as we will be discussing this in committee before deciding what to go with...

As always, thanks in advance.

[Bakersdozen]

Zweefer, good to hear from you!  Yes, it's that time again.  Our club meeting consist of announcements from the club president, 15 minutes on a short subject and then a demonstration or talk presented by a guest or club member.  The first 15 minutes sometimes is a scholarship student talking about their first year in beekeeping.
All subjects are timed with what is going on in the hive.  Spring feeding, IPM, fall feeding, rendering wax, replacing a queen, making splits, harvesting honey, preparing for the fair,  understanding swarming, installing a package, value added products usually presented by a sideliner, etc.  We have had Q&A with a seasoned panel of beekeepers. (Ask an Old Bee Guy/Gal) Prior to fair time we encourage members to bring in their honey for judging so they know how to prepare for the fair.  Honey judging is usually taking place while the program is being given.   Honey tasting at the end of a meeing is fun.  Everyone is asked to bring in a sample for all to taste. There is an amazing difference in taste within the region.
March is a beginning beekeepers class.  June is devoted to an educational fun day with notable guest speakers for all beekeepers.  December is an auction fundraiser/ cookie exchange to raise money for scholarship students.  August or September is a BeeBeeQ.

I hope this helps.

[lazy shooter]

Our Beeclub, The Dino Bee Club in Glen Rose, Texas, is presided over by Lborou, who was a field grade officer in the US Army.  That translates to us having organized and time oriented meetings.  We have a business meeting and discuss what is and has happened over the past month and then we have a program with a speaker.  About midway of the program we take a 15 minute break for socializing and snaking.  After that the program is concluded and we do house keeping.  (we meet in a retirement  home lobby)  Most of the members come early for some BS and beekeeping toys.  It's a great club and has really grown under Lborou''s leadership.

[Lburou]

Lazy, the strength and personality of any Club is aggregated from its membership...People like you are the ones who make any organization a success! 

zweefer, inevitably, we all have made mistakes with our bees, and sharing that experience in time to be useful to our club's membership is our guiding beacon.  As Bakersdozen mentioned, talking about and demonstrating 'how to' plan for and meet the next seasonal phase of the bees is a good template for an annual program.   

There will always be someone at the meeting who doesn't know about the basic things like equipment, bee strains, feeding, mite counts, IPM, treatments,  city/state ordinances and laws, etc., etc., try to give them enough to return next month. 

A good guest speaker is the most popular program for us.  A Honey Queen talk will be a boon to your Club.

Equally important are field days, where you go look at beehives and talk about what is going on inside at that time -demonstrating proper ways to enter and inspect a beehive, then describing what you see and what you look for.  An extracting party is fun too, when four or five people bring their supers and everyone helps the other get it done.  HTH   

[Bakersdozen]

I hope more club members out there contribute to this subject.  We are getting ready to have our annual planning meeting soon.  Some fresh ideas are always welcome.
I will add that since taking on the role of club secretary I initiated greeting everyone at the door and ask them to sign in and list their city.  This information helps the club plan accordingly for the future.  This serves as a welcome wagon and reassures new prospective members that they are in the right place.  We meet at the fair grounds and sometimes there are multiple functions going on at the same time.  It's just a nice touch.

[Zweefer]

Thanks for the replies so far.

Our field days are not on our official meeting days (second Sunday of the month VS last Sunday of the month). 

Extracting party is a good idea!

I guess what I am looking for is specific topics or ideas to suggest.  As Bakersdozen stated fresh ideas are needed.

[riverbee]

"It's that time of year again when our local beekeepers association meets to plan the next year.  one of the things we would like to do is have a bit more focus in our monthly meetings. We are hoping to have a topic or theme if you will, that can either be concurrent with the season (e.g. installing packages in April) or just general info that would be helpful anytime (wiring a frame)
Does anyone have anything that i can look at or steal borrow suggestions from? "

zweefer, excellent idea to focus and educate on the monthly season.  not sure this will help, but there is a beek in stillwater, minnesota that has a running blog that has helped many beeks: 

What Should I Be Doing With My Bees This Month

i think new beeks can benefit from a monthly club meeting with some time devoted to the subject of 'what should i be doing with my bees this month'.
discuss in club meetings, have a pdf flyer available on your club website for the month, or an email/newletter sent out by email to all club members for each month of the season.

general info?  i would ask club members what they would like to learn about or see topics on?.........then you can focus a little more.