Dear Members,
Look Forward
Before, I jump into business, I would like to take a moment of silence and recognize Bill Luque who recently passed away. He dedicated many years of service on the United Irish Cultural Center Board and he was an example of a dedicated member who never gave up on the Center. May he rest in peace.
I also want to share my gratitude and appreciation to the 800+ members who have renewed their memberships and/or who have sent a donation. The continued enthusiasm and zeal of our members will be what gets OUR CENTER through this transitional period.
On January 10th, 2019, the United Irish Cultural Center, had its first Members meeting of the new year. The board shared whats been done the last two months, the beginning plan of our strategic planning, our goals, the 2019 budget, and what we can all do to support OUR IRISH CENTER. If you were unable to join us, the powerpoint can be found on our webpage.
At the last meeting, we covered a lot because, there was a lot to cover. There are many, many moving parts, as we transition our business structure. During the meeting we were still asked how did we get here? How could we have allowed the business to get here? As I have said in the last couple of articles that I have written, the UICC was a members only social club business in San Francisco that has lost over 2100 charter members, has an aging building sitting by the fog, and has faced increasing operational costs and increases in cost of sales. It’s not one reason. It’s layers of business challenges, and before we really had to close the doors and shut the building down, we made a drastic and fiscal decision to save OUR CENTER because its “THE CENTER.”
So we here are – it’s February 2019 and I would like to ask a favor, as the new President of the United Irish Cultural Center, if we could look forward. Forward with excitement and anticipation, like it was the night before Christmas and you were waiting to open your present. Look forward to a new and improved CENTER that promotes Irish Culture and event space that will support the overhead of the Irish CENTER.
Let us close our eyes for just a few moments – imagine what could be; imagine what you have seen in other Heritage or Cultural Centers; imagine Irish dance classes, knitting classes, Irish plays or an opportunity to bring your grandchild to reading circle time of the tale of Finn McCool. A center that is bustling with classes, meetings, events seven days a week with patrons that went to reel in Irish heritage and culture. Imagine a center that we are all proud of. We now have the opportunity to evaluate and determine what is truly important to us. We can now strategize, plan and take OUR CENTER into its next chapter. We have only just begun this adventure and we cannot do it without you: the patron, the member, the Irish American, the proud Irishman and/or the San Franciscan.
All successful people have one thing in common and that is a “to do list.” Since we want our CENTER to be successful, here is how you can add to the success of “THE CENTER.”
- Check our website or Facebook for an upcoming meeting where our members will be invited to discuss a strategic plan and work on a S.W.O.T. Analysis: Start thinking about -What are our STRENGTHS? What are our WEAKNESSES? What are our OPPORTUNITIES? What are our THREATS?
- Mark your calendar for our upcoming events. Have you bought your Phil Coulter tickets yet? He is a brilliant musician, song writer and record producer from Ireland.
- Renew your membership. $150 per person that’s equal to $12.50 a month.
- Make a donation supporting our transitional phase.
- Create a scholarship in honor of your parents or grandparents.
- Stop by UICC Irish library. You never know what book you might stumble upon. My favorite has been, “The Irish Rebellion of 1916 and Its Martyrs: Erins Tragic Easter.” Copyright 1916
- Book your next meeting at the Irish Center. Imagine sitting with coworkers working on a project in a space that is familiar and walking distance to the beach.
- Book your next event at the Center with Knights Catering- Local 2 as your Caterer. The food is amazing!
- Learn Irish Set dancing on Thursday nights with Comhaltas. Get your dance shoes dusted off.
- Learn the incredible Irish Language.
- Become a member of the Center- be a part of the exciting future that lays ahead.
- Volunteer an hour or two. We will be posting on the website what we will be needing.
- Be a part of writing a Grant.
- Help create the Strategic plan.
- Have an idea for an event- contact us.
An Irish saying – You’ll never plough a field by turning it over in your mind.
Anne Cassidy Carew, President