TGAGNOI – General Membership Meeting --  5/17/07

Historic New Orleans Collection

533 Royal Street

Members toured the Bibliotheque Francais Creole Lifestyle Exhibit and New Orleans Cuisine Exhibit.

After the tour, the meeting was called to order by President Madeline Axtman.

Bobbie Gattuso, National Association of Tour Guides President was introduced.  She explained that 16 cities with tour guide associations belong to the national organization.  Their meeting is held every other year and this was a great opportunity to show to tour guides from around the country that New Orleans is back up and running and very available to entertain visitors.  July 19-22 are the dates for the Conference.  She is soliciting volunteers to assist with the tours and programs to be presented to people  attending from main areas like Washington D.C., San Antonio, and Chicago.  Rather than a separate TGAGNOI Seminar, the conference will include programs of interest and education for local tour guides.  WE NEED YOUR HELP to make the event a success.  Please let Bobbie know if you’d like to be part of this important tourism conference.  Information will be posted on the TGAGNOI website as it becomes available.

August 5^th is the proposed date for our next Locals’ Day to provide tours as a thank you to the community.  Please keep that date open to volunteer for a city bus tour.

Save Our Cemeteries will be holding a seminar in early June. 

A representative from the Historic New Orleans Collection spoke of upcoming events – including the “Parade of Cooks” on Sunday from 11am-4pm.  Everyone will meet on Decatur Street to don chefs hats.  After Mass at the Cathedral, Archbishop Hughes will bless the “Cooks” and their Boeuf Gras as they Second Line in a Parade to the Historic New Orleans Collection to enjoy Lucky Dogs, Snow Balls and lots of New Orleans foods and music.

Estelle obtained 6 Tickets to the NOMA Exhibit “Femme, Femme, Femme” to be raffled.  Thanks to NOMA for providing some tickets.  We were unable to have a meeting at the facility during the exhibit due to lack of manpower.

There being no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned.  Thanks again, Historic New Orleans Collection for a brilliant exhibit and meeting place.

Respectfully submitted by Estelle de Verges, Secretary.