Women's Council talks change
The Women’s Councils wrapped up a productive Fall Board meeting on September 20. Read on to learn what you missed in Boston (aside from the amazing shopping along Boston's famous Newbury Street).

With a strong member turnout for Fall Board, the Women’s Council held seven meetings over three days in Boston. Here are a few of the highlights from the meetings:

• The success of Building Women magazine and the new and improved professional image of the Women's Council.
• In a very successful working group, Region B Trustee Nicole Goolsby and Region D Trustee Pam Weaver, with help from other Women's Council members, tackled updating the National Women's Council Member Benefits program and brochure to better meet the needs of our members. Revisions are being made as we speak and new membership materials should be available by Convention.
• To help promote the Congressional Contact recruitment program, the Women's Council Board of Trustees approved a new scholarship opportunity for councils and members with the highest requirement numbers. As an incentive, $150.00 will be given to the small local council, large local or state council, council member and individual member (formerly member-at-large) that recruit the most contacts. For more information on the recruitment program, click here.
• The Homes of Our Own Online program is underway. More information on this program is featured in a story below. The budget for Homes of Our Own Online was presented to the Board of Trustees and approved. The National Women's Council will proceed with the program. Homes of Our Own Online will be presented at Convention in January.

If you missed Fall Board — or any previous Women’s Council meeting — you can always read the meeting minutes to catch up on the latest news. Fall Board meeting minutes will be posted by next week, be sure to visit the site often. [return to top]

Put away the crayons and color on the web

...Coming in January!  Homes of Our Own, an environmental education program for children, is moving online as a fun, interactive way to teach even more children about home building and tree preservation.

The NAHB Women's Council is developing this online program to reach more kids, teachers, and parents, while taking full advantage of the popularity of the Internet.

I do not like green mold & spam: NAHB news

• Manic Mold! Just when doctors and personal injury lawyers across the country began salivating over the "new asbestos," a panel of experts convened by NAHB has reported that mold can cause allergic reactions in sensitized individuals but there is scant evidence that it is linked to many other health problems. Read the full story and discover that "toxic mold" might just be media hype.
• Are you tired of spam flooding your inbox and overshadowing important E-mails, like the We-Connect e/Source? Check out this recent NBN article on ways to reduce the amount of spam cluttering your inbox, clogging your server, and costing you time and money.
• Take full advantage of your NAHB membership! For quick, general answers to legal questions, why not Ask The Lawyer? This new regular feature in Nation's Building News Online will address popular and wide-ranging legal issues in the housing industry. If you need more specific information, NAHB's Legal Research Service team is always available at 800-368-5242 x8491.

A sneak peak — Building Women magazine

The fall issue of Building Women magazine is at the mailhouse and should arrive in your mailbox by the end of this month. I believe you will agree that we have some very worthwhile reading in this coming issue:

Issue Highlights
Profile — "Cynthia Douglas: Building a career form the ground up"...A father in the business and a love of sales and marketing are just two of the ingredients that have formed the basis of Cynthia Douglas' successful career.

Feature — "The marriage of classic and trendy"...Can't decide between traditional and hip design for your model homes? Try combining both styles for a look that will turn your prospects into buyers!

Feature — "Web site wisdom for builders"...The first step in creating an effective, functional Web site is to establish an objective.

Columns — Family succession: what should I do?; Marketing yourself for success: the interview; Meg Conine: Champion of low-income housing; The ABCs of CRM; and Morning exercises: A healthy start to a good and productive day. Not to mention the Power of NAHB Women featuring Women's Council's news and activities.

Hope you find this content intriguing. It’s going to be a great issue!!! [return to top]

In the spotlight: Northern Kentucky HBA Women's Council

The Northern Kentucky HBA Women's Council raised nearly $600 to add to its apprenticeship scholarship fund at the Northern Kentucky HBA Tabletop Night. Council member Rosanne Simons was the lucky winner of the pot.

The theme of the event was “Round Them Up and Rope Them In.”  Getting in the spirit of the event, several of the Women's Council members came in costume.

The fund helps educate and train future members of the building industry and ensures the placement of qualified contractors in the field.

The Women's Council president of the Northern Kentucky HBA is JoEllen Thompson. Congratulations on your successful event.

Do you have Council news or activities that you would like to see featured "In the spotlight"? If so, please send to Amy Larrabee or mail to NAHB Women's Council, 1201 15th Street, NW, Washington, DC  20005. [return to top]

Bob the Builder activity books are GONE!

NAHB's 100,000 supply of free Bob the Builder "Blueprints for Home Safety" activity books has been exhausted. We have been working with our partner, HIT Entertainment, on ways to obtain additional books owing to the enormous response and demand we’ve received from members and HBAs.

NAHB’s publishing arm, BuilderBooks.com, may be able to print and sell the Bob the Builder "Blueprints for Home Safety" activity books to members and HBAs. BuilderBooks.com estimates that they could reproduce and sell the books for about $1.00 a piece, including fulfillment and shipping. This figure may be reduced based on demand.

If you would be interested in purchasing the books for your company or association, please contact Kim Kilbourne by email at kkilbourne@nahb.com. We will only pursue printing and selling the books if there is a demonstrated willingness among our members and associations to purchase them.

Thank you for understanding that this promotion was originally a one-time, first-come offer, and we are now attempting to extend the original promotion to meet member interest and demand. [return to top]

Congressional Contacts make a difference

Be an advocate of the building industry and become a Congressional Contact. The NAHB Women's Council has taken a special interest in the Congressional Contact program, making the growth of the program one of its top priorities. Women's Council members, along with NAHB state representatives, are working across the country to enlist as many advocates as possible.

When you become part of the Congressional Contact program, you'll receive legislative alerts requesting you contact your Representatives or Senators on certain issues.  Watch for these alerts, and respond to them. It's very easy, just give them a quick call or send them an email. It just takes a few minutes. You can make a difference by helping to promote legislation that will have a positive affect on your business — and squelch legislation that will negatively impact the building industry.

Knowing what is going on legislatively in Washington makes good business sense and numbers do count when it comes to voicing your opinion to members of Congress. Click on the information below to learn how to get involved and how to get others involved. For additional information, contact Carmel Nayman at 800-368-5242 x8410 or Heidi Wagner at 800-368-4242 x8481. Please mail your Congressional Contact Sign-Up Sheets directly to Carmel Nayman, Women's Council, 1201 15th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005.

How To Get Involved:
Click here to view state goals, number of contacts received for your state, current legislative alerts, and helpful recruitment tools. [return to top]

Woman of the Year!!!

Do you know a Women's Council member who consistently dedicates her time, talent, and expertise to advancing the work of the Council and the home building industry?  If so, show your appreciation by nominating her for the NAHB Women's Council 2003 Woman of the Year Award. Any member is eligible to enter and win this most prestigious of the National Women's Council awards.

A $500 Scholarship will be awarded to the winning individual along with a Woman of the Year diamond pin. The winner's name will also be permanently inscribed on the Women's Council's Woman of the Year plaque, on display in the Women's Council Headquarters at Convention and in the NAHB office in Washington, DC.

The competition period began January 1 and ends October 31. The deadline for nomination entries is November 1, 2003. Complete the nomination form and fax to 202-266-8120 or mail to NAHB Women's Council, 1201 15th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005. For additional information, call Amy Larrabee at 800-368-5242 x8455. [return to top]

New NAHB policies adopted during the Fall Board meeting
The new policies adopted during the Fall Board meeting are now available for review online.

All together, the Board approved five resolutions pertaining to financial disclosure by the Federal Home Loan Banks, VA loan guarantee limit indexing, federal administration of rental housing assistance, GSE oversight, and the FCC's new fax regulations. In addition, the Board approved two internal recommendations regarding revenue sharing for affinity programs and interfaith invocations before meetings.

Click here for a summary of the new policy, from which you can link directly to the full-text version of all newly approved resolutions. This members-only content is under Resources>NAHB Policy on the NAHB.org Web site. Contact Jay Shackford at x8406 for more information. [return to top]

Save up to 20% on postage costs

Members can eliminate time-consuming trips to the post office for stamps and to weigh packages while saving up to 20% on postage costs with Pitney-Bowes Personal Post™ postage meter. 

Go to www.nahb.org to explore the numerous advantages associated with membership in your local, state and national home builders association. [return to top]