A Note from Our Incoming Co-presidents

Thanks for the opportunity to serve as co-presidents of the Bondurant Family Association for the next two years. We are eager to get to know our cousins again, and plan to attend and participate in the annual meetings, and on-line via our website and Facebook page.

We encourage you to become more active and to encourage your family members to join our organization. Thanks for the excellent service of our outgoing officers.

David and Judy Bondurant

Minutes of the October 7-8, 2011 Annual Meeting

Mary Bondurant Lanier, Secretary
Greensboro, NC, was the site of the 25th BFA meeting held at the Best Western Plus Hotel. A count of 26 members arrived for “Meet Your Kin” opening event at 7 p.m., enjoyed the display of family photos, posters, and photos of past history of BFA and other memorabilia, greeted and became acquainted with other attending kinfolks.

Marcelle Bondurant Hoffman, President, welcomed all and made announcements concerning the weekend’s schedule of events. A printed schedule covering the weekend was available for attendees.

Introductions were made and it was interesting for members to learn more about their connections to the Bondurant family. Informal conversations and stories followed as members lingered after the meeting to read articles, and look at albums, letters of our ancestry, and gain more information on Bondurant history.

On Saturday morning, Oct. 8th, after a complimentary breakfast, Ginny and Carroll Wray led the group on a tour of Mount Airy, NC, or “Mayberry,” to see Andy Griffith’s home town. Meeting at the Andy Griffith Theater at 10 a.m., group photos were taken before the group dispersed to take in the Andy Griffith Museum, and to take a walking tour of the town down memory lane of the family’s NC native in the TV show series.

At 12:30 p.m. lunch was served at Hampton Inn in Mt. Airy, prior to the annual BFA meeting. A large number of local Bondurant kin, and travelers joined the group for the 1:30 p.m. meeting. Introductions were made as new attendees were recognized, who told how they learned about the Bondurant Family Association. There were 59 persons present, and eight states represented at the meeting.

President Marcelle Hoffman opened the meeting in the Hampton Inn conference room with a warm welcome to all, where the BFA Banner, history, and photos were on display. It was announced that dinner at the Moose Café will be tonight at 6:30 p.m. and all are invited to come.

Minutes of the 2010 meeting were read by Secretary Mary B. Lanier, and approved. The Treasurer’s report, given by Amy Sanders was read and approved, noting that membership had dropped from 145 to 126, with 12 new members in 2011. She suggested that a gift subscription to the newsletter would benefit the treasury!

The BFA website, developed by web-master David W. Bondurant, was discussed to keep members updated, and all were encouraged to actively include any history stories, and/or photos of their Bondurant family sent to David at Bondurant-family.org. Information and answers to inquiries could be advertised on the website.

The family grave site has had caretakers who moved away from the area. The $150 designated donation approved last year was not delivered. A new source of caretakers is needed for the graves’ location north of Midlothian, near Richmond, VA. Mary Warren recommended that the $150 go toward hiring a commercial business to take care of the grave site in the future. The motion was seconded by Amy Sanders and approved.

Motion was made that the BFA Newsletter continue with four issues annually, and to give $200 toward the continued production and mailing of issues to the membership.

Mary B. Warren shared that from a meeting in Martin, TN, in 1986 was spawned the BFA organization. Ruby Talley Smith was presented a certificate of perfect attendance – in spite of her recent challenging health issues – at all 25 annual meetings, and a certificate and an original painting in appreciation of her tireless work of historical and genealogical contributions to the Bondurant lineage.

The DNA Project was presented to members by Amy Sanders, explaining the chart information with a review of genealogy findings. There was encouragement for all to consider testing, especially male Bondurants, to determine the source of ancestry for each line of Bondurants. The project, which was begun by Amy Sanders and Eve Mayes four years ago, now has 26 participants listed. A test can be ordered by any person with Bondurant surname with charts available as well as description of how this process works to identify an individual’s lineage.

NEW BUSINESS: The election of new officers for a two year term was presented. As President, Marcelle nominated David W. and Judy Bondurant as co-presidents. Both had been contacted and were willing to serve in these positions.

As Secretary Marcelle Hoffman was nominated, and accepted the position.

To consider a place to meet in 2012, each even year being in Virginia, it was suggested that the meeting be held in Bedford, VA, where a college is located, and nearby Lynchburg, VA, would provide additional accommodations for attendees.

The motion was made and carried, that the Executive Committee would decide the date for the next meeting, usually held on the 3rd weekend in October.

With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 3:10 p.m.

The Executive Committee Meeting

The Executive Committee of BFA met following an excellent dinner at Moose Café. The meeting began at 8:20 p.m. with Marcelle Hoffman, Amy Sanders, Mary B. Warren and Mary B. Lanier present.

First business was the Jean Pierre Bondurant gravesite care and preservation plan. A commercial lawn care business to see to the upkeep of the Bondurant graves near Midlothian will be contacted.

The place to meet and dates for the 2012 BFA annual meeting: The location will be in Bedford, VA, with backup in Lynchburg or Roanoke, if needed, for accommodations. Possible dates: October 19-20, 2012, as a first choice, with October 12-13, 2012, a second date. Paula Meador has offered to assist in arrangements for the event.

Discussion of dues and access to the Bondurant web site. Have dues been paid to cover the immediate needs in supporting the newsletter? Our goal to reach more Bondurants should be considered in deciding on a closed, for-members-only access to the web site. Recommendation to lock back issues; members receiving the key for this part of the web site.

A change in BFA Newsletter, with issues being available on e-mail, rather than traditional mailings. Also photos, report of current BFA news, information on meeting and plans for next year should be included on the web site. There are other web sites, Ancestry.com and FamilyTree.com which may be useful in deciding how to handle information on the BFA site.

It was noted with pleasure that 59 attendees today increased by 33 the number who were present for the Friday night gathering. A Thank You should be written to Ruby Talley Smith, our only member with perfect attendance, and to Ginny and Carroll Wray for hosting this year’s meeting. Business completed at 9:10 p.m.

Treasurer Amy Sanders agreed to serve for another term. All nominees were approved and elected to serve on the Executive Committee for 2012-2013.

TREASURER’S REPORT, Sept. 30, 2011

Amy M. Sanders

Membership

Active Members (Paid in 2011 dues as of Sept. 30) 126 Members Reported at Last Meeting [2010] 145 New Members in 2011 12

During the year, our President Marcelle Hoffman sent out letters as she has found new people who are Bondurants with some success in adding new members. Renewal envelopes were sent with the final issue os 2010 to remind folks to renew their memberships.

Financial

Balance of BFA funds on Sept. 30, 2010 - $2,246.77
Funds collected from dues, back issues and gifts [2011] - $2,587.50
Expenses for editing, printing, mailing newsletter - $2,687.27
Expenses for BFA website - $106.90
Treasurer’s expenses -$106.90
Expenses for 2010 Meeting (members paid for attending tour & food) - $220.00

Expenses for 2011 Meeting (Hampton Inn room fee) - $140.00
Balance of funds as of Sept. 30, 2011 - $2,113.81

The above funds are maintained at local bank, First American Bank & Trust in Athens, GA, near my home.

Comments

Our 2010 Meeting expenses exceeded the amount collected by $100 (collected $840, spent $940 – Meeting Room $150., Catering $500, Bacon’s Castle $130, Henricus $160).

*Above figure appears that we had excess collected, but the catering and meeting room charges were paid out and reported in the previous year’s Treasurer’s Report.

Our membership is way down from previous years and not just from deaths of members, but apparently the economy is affecting those deciding on whether to continue to be a member. With 12 new members since our last meeting, it is apparent that we have lost 31 members from 2010. We have 7 who have already paid for 2012 (not including the two free subscriptions sent to Allen Co., IN, Library, and the LDS Library, Salt Lake City).

It is apparent that we need to try new ways to get our members to renew, and to obtain new Bondurant members as our Association enters its 25th year. Please join us in contacting all Bondurant descendants that you have correspondence with, and encourage them to join us in preserving our family history and heritage.

MEETING ATTENDEES – Friday Night
Ruby Smith and Jan Moses; Rick and Eve Mayes, granddaughter Haley Weeks; Gail Bondurant Cox; Jim and Mabel Bondurant Culpepper and son John; Clint and Elaine Bondurant; Phyllis Bondurant Campbell; Woodson “Woody” Randall; Warren and Mary Bondurant Lanier; Jack Bondurant; Katheryn Copeland; Inez Bondurant Griffils; Richard Bondurant; Paula and Patricia Meador; Darla and Bonnie Bondurant Marks; Theresa and John Tyree Bondurant; Amy Warren Sanders; Mary Bondurant Warren, Marcelle Bondurant Hoffman; Linda B. Mann; Susan B. Jenkins; and our hosts Ginny and Carroll Wray.

Saturday Additions
Abigail, Amanda, Cassie, Edwin, Grace, Hanna, Hanie, Kellie, Noah, Noelle, Tee Jay, and Tony Bondurant; Leon Clark Bondurant; Faye Bondurant Bryant; Joe and Marilyn Bondurant Blocks; Hilda Bondurant Hoffman and Suzanne Hoffman Watson; Elva Bondurant Neal; Ruth Bondurant Vestal and Andra Vestal O‘Shea; Shelby Cox; Aaron Dilla; Bonnie, Jim, and John Dodson; Jo, Mary and Bradly Slate; Gaye Robinson; Jack C. Verta; and Donna Williams.