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HUSBAY is a community of secular Humanists and freethinkers, dedicated to improving the human condition through rational inquiry, critical thinking, and appropriate action.
(5471 Fruitville Rd., Sarasota, FL 34232)
The Thoughts of the Day SIG begins at around 1:15pm
Click on the link above to learn more about the meeting.
Events / Discussion Groups (SIGS)
• Creativity
• Current Affairs • Open Forum
• Thoughts For the Day • Life's Memories
• Round Table • Science & Technology (STM)
• Non-Fiction Review
• Darwin Day • Film Group
• Lectures • Picnic
For more information, click the Activities
link on the left Navigation Panel.
Annual
Humanist News
Sarasota Herald Tribune
About Us
Our Goals
- Provision of a forum for an informed and free exchange of ideas on critical and controversial problems and policies
- Provision for open discussion of the philosophical and moral basis of our society and encouraging ethical practices within our community and our country
- Provision of humanistic education in regard to issues that affect the human condition
- Advocating, defending and practicing the principles of democracy, free speech, civil rights, and the separation of church and state, as expressed in the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and Supreme Court decisions
Policies & Procedures
1. Notice of dues shall be sent in December by Treasurer.
2. Priority will be given to topics for the lecture series that are relevant to humanism. When speakers for those are not available, other subjects of probable interest may be scheduled.
3. Attendance in HUSBAY special interest groups will be restricted to members of HUSBAY unless the leader of the SIG approves attendance by guests who are restricted to one visit.
4. The membership list shall remain confidential and only distributed to Board members and other leaders of events and activities. HUSBAY mailing and email lists are restricted to HUSBAY business.
5. Speakers will be offered an honorarium of $100 with the exception of member speakers. (Passed at the Annual Meeting, April, 2016.) Out of town speakers will have travel reimbursed. Dinner will also be offered to speakers at HUSBAY expense and attended by Board members at their expense and can include spouse, partner, or friend.
6. The Board via meetings will express condolences, concerns and remembrances to members but only after consulting with the member(s).
The President will send emails of concern, condolences and get well wishes on behalf of the Board. No broadcast to the membership shall be made without the consent of the member(s) affected.
7. The Board will maintain communication regularly via email and other media about lectures, weekly news about luncheons and topics, and other news of interest to our members.
8. HUSBAY shall maintain a website to disseminate information about HUSBAY’s activities, events and members. The webmaster shall be appointed by the President and approved by the Board. The Board will periodically review the website and make recommendations as necessary.
The webmaster will make a report to the members at the annual meeting.
Hats Off to HUSBAY
Karen Koenig: When we moved here from Boston, knowing no one, Husbay saved the day. It gave us a strong sense of community with like-minded people who enjoy intellectual stimulation as well as having fun. We’d be lost without Husbay.
Barry Zack: My wife Joanne and I were members of a Humanist group in New Jersey. We were quite pleased to learn that a group expressing similar values would be here for us to join. And are we glad we did.
ByLaws
Click here to read the bylaws that were approved by our board in April 2016. Please note: The bylaws are currently being reviewed by the Board and any suggested revisions will be presented to the membership at the Annual Meeting of members.
Our Board of Directors
(Effective: August 2022)
President Emeritus: Noel Smith (now deceased - see below)
President: David Helgager
Treasurer: Holly Downing
VP and Webmaster: Barry Zack
Newsletter:
Robert Lasalle
Secretary: Sandra Zellick
Other Board Members
Donna Gannon
2023
Annual Membership Meeting (Monday, Jan. 23)
This was a live meeting, beginning at 2:00pm,
held at the Center for Arts and Humanity
(1226 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota 34236)
held at the Center for Arts and Humanity
(1226 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota 34236)
Agenda:
1. Call to order
2. Secretary’s Report
3. Treasurer's Report
4. BUDGET FOR 2023
5. MEMBERSHIP REPORT
6. GENERAL REPORTS (luncheons, newsletter, website, film group, Darwin
Day)
7. Old Business—Scholarship
8. New Business—Fund raisers
9. Election of Board Members (David Helgager, Robert LaSalle,
Barry Zack,
and Sandra Zellick are up for three year terms.)
2022 Annual Membership Meeting (Monday, Jan. 31)
This year's meeting was a virtual session on Zoom.
Meeting begins at 2:00pm.
Look for the invitation and link in your inboxes.
Agenda:
1. Call To Order2. Secretary's Report
3. Treasurer’s Report And Proposed Budget 2022
4. Membership Report
5. General Reports (SIGs, Website, Newsletter, Film Group, Darwin Day)
6. Old Business (Scholarship)
7. New Business
8. Election of New Board Member
9. Adjournment
2020 Annual Membership Meeting
When: Wednesday, April 20th (1:30pm.) *Note the date change
Where: In front of your computer or your smart device.
Agenda:
1. Call To Order2. President’s Comments And Thanks To Volunteers
3. Treasurer’s Report And Proposed Budget 20-21 (Via Email)
4. Secretary’s Report (Via Email)
5. Scholarship Update
6. Election Of Board Members
7. HUSBAY During The Coronavirus—Covid-19
8. Further Comments From Members
9. Adjournment
2019 Annual Membership Meeting
When: Monday, April 1st - Gathering at 6:30pm. Meeting began at 7:00pm.
Where: Center for Arts and Humanity (same location as the lectures) 1226 N. Tamiami Trail.
Agenda
1. Call to order, President's Comments and Thanks to Volunteers
2. Secretary's Report
3. Treasurer's Report & Budget 2019-2020
4. Presentation of revisions to bylaws, discussion and vote
(Revisions proposed to follow)
5. Election of Board Members
6. Comments and Suggestions from Members
7. Adjournment
Our 2018 Meeting
Among the many items on the agenda was the award presented to HUSBAY's founder, Noel Smith. This included free life-time membership. It was the least we could do for all the work Noel has done for HUSBAY. The meeting minutes can be read here.
Noel Accepting the award from HUSBAY President, Dave Helgagger
Our 2017 Meeting
Board members elected at the annual meeting: Dave Helgager, President and Don Slate and Gale Midwood, at large members. We had no secretary at the time of the election. Later Sandie Zellick agreed to serve again and was approved by the Board for another term. Your Board for 2017-18 is Dave Helgager, President, Barry Zack, VP, Chuck Smith Treasurer, Sandie Zellick, Secretary, Don Slate and Gale Midwood, at large members. Zack, Smith and Barb Kavanaugh are completing their two year terms and were not up for election.
Missing from the photo is our newest board member,
Gale Midwood. - Someone had to take the picture.
Minutes to be posted.
Our 2016 Meeting
Board members present:
Chuck Smith, Baerbel Kavanaugh, Don Slate, David Callahan,
Sandra Zellick, plus 35 members and one guest.
To read the minutes for the 2016 annual membership meeting, please click on this link.
Husbay Scholarship Program
HUSBAY annually awards the Klein Foundation Scholarship, for $2000, to a deserving student, who follows the tenets of secular Humanism and is enrolled in an institution of higher learning. The initial selections are made by the Secular Student Alliance who then sends them to the HUSBAY Board for selection. The scholarship program and its process has been approved by the membership at an annual meeting.
Our most recent award went to Neil Dervis, whose bio appears below:
November 10, 2020
Special Board and Membership meeting to present Neil Dervis his award winning scholarship certificate and cash. Present were Neil's mother Jocelyn Williamson, Ingrid Cardozo, Betty Comora, Dan Dana, Holly Downing, Barry Zack, Bob LaSalle, Sandie Zellick.
Bud and Judy Klein attended and generously donated the $3000.00 scholarship award.
Attending members were invited to talk about their pre-retirement careers.
Neil Dervis attended the Zoom meeting and thanked HUSBAY for the scholarship and certificate. He described his future plans to attend college followed by graduate school in medicine specializing in psychiatry. His goal is to serve human needs and solve problems.
Neil has been active in the Central Florida Freethought community.
Neil intends to use the award money to help with room and board when he attends college.
Respectfully submitted, Sandra Z. Zellick, Secretary
Below is a photo, of board members and the preivious recipient, taken at the award luncheon:
Pictured (L-R): Bob La Salle, Barry Zack, Gale Midwood, Emily Cutler,
Bud and Judy Klein, Dave Helgager and Sandra Zellick.
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