Annual Meeting Recap

June 21, 2025

We recently held our Annual Meeting, and we’re excited to share a quick recap!

During the meeting, we reviewed our financial statements (with complete transparency), walked through our budget plans, and reflected on everything we’ve accomplished over the past 12 months (spoiler: it’s a lot!). We also talked about the fun and exciting activities coming up this year — you won’t want to miss what’s ahead!

Election and Member Appreciation 👏

A big part of our Annual Meeting is electing new board members. This year, 51 of our 94 paid members cast their votes — thank you to everyone who participated!

And a heartfelt thank you to all who have chosen to become paid members of the Salt Lake Strummers. Your support helps keep our music going strong and makes everything we do possible.

Your New Strummers Board

After the election results were announced, the board gathered to determine roles. Your Salt Lake Strummers Board for the coming term is:

Dick Donohue, President (re-elected to another term)
Fargo Olsen, Vice-President (serving through next year)
Stephanie Duer, Secretary (newly elected)
Lisa Bednarz, Treasurer (newly elected)
Carla Hansen, Member-at-Large (serving through next year)

Each board member serves a two-year term, helping guide our group and keep the good vibes going. 🎶

We also want to recognize Marci Villa, the Founder of The Salt Lake Strummers. Marci will be stepping down from the board so she can focus fully on her role as Music Director—ensuring the music remains at the heart of everything we do. We’re deeply grateful for her leadership and continued dedication! We love you, Marci!

Congratulations!

Congratulations to our newly elected board members, and thanks to all of you for your ongoing support of the Salt Lake Strummers!

What’s Next?

The next really big thing on the calendar is the Workshop by Jim D’Ville on Wednesday, July 9th at 6:30pm. This will be in the same location as our Monthly jams (SVUUS). This workshop might just change how you listen to and appreciate music. Jim is a world-renowned ukulele educator. We are so lucky to have him present this workshop. We hope to see you all there!

The makers of Kala Brand ukuleles have recently fallen victim to fraudulent websites impersonating Kala.

Here are some important tips they shared to help us identify and avoid fraudulent websites

Always check the website address: Before you click on any links or enter information, look closely at the web address. Scammers often use addresses that are slightly different (e.g., kalabrand-shop.com or kalabrandmusic.net). Kala’s official site is simply www.kalabrand.com.
Look for the padlock icon: A secure website will have a padlock icon in the browser’s address bar, indicating an HTTPS connection. While this doesn’t guarantee legitimacy, its absence is a red flag.
Check for suspicious discounts: We love offering special deals, but if a price seems too good to be true—like an extremely deep discount on a new, popular item—it could be a red flag. Always verify the site to be sure you’re on our official page.
Check for poor grammar or spelling: Scam sites often contain numerous typos or grammatical errors.
Verify contact information: Legitimate businesses will have clear contact information. If you can’t find a phone number, email, or physical address, be cautious.