Back around year eight, I decided it was in my best interest to step down from the Board. It was also time to allow the membership to pick up most of the work involved in running the TimeBank.
The first step in this process was to recruit Board Members. Dan Ziskin and I worked together to recruit a sufficient number of members to allow me to step down. Before I left, I gave each new Board Member a ball cap that said, “SkillShare Network of Boulder County We help each other.”
The first meeting of a new BoD includes the election of officers. This seemed like a shock to the new members and they struggled until finally, Brett Reeder agreed to take on the role and title of President. Andi Blaustein eventually stepped up into the equally important role of Secretary.
Brett wanted to increase support within the organization by holding several meetings to write new Mission, Vision, and Core Values statements. At the time, I thought, “Why is he doing this?” We had already done this work years ago.
Later I came to understand that, as someone who had a background in non-profits, he knew that a strong one is based on thoughtful determination of what its mission, vison, and core values really are and that they reflect what the organization is all about. These meetings were designed ensure that SkillShare was on the right footing to move forward.
I had served as Secretary before and I used a voice recorder to record each meeting. I would then transcribe the tape into the minutes. I suggested that Andi do this, but she wanted to take notes during the meeting and then write the minutes from them. My way is not the only way. This way worked for her. That’s what mattered.
Stay tuned for the next installment.
In the meantime, isn’t it wonderful? SkillShare, now doing-business-as TimeBank Boulder, is still going strong after over 17 years, and new members keep joining, even in the face of a pandemic that severely restricts face-to-face exchanges.
In the spirit of the new technology of this new reality, Jan DeCourtney has created a wonderful series of gatherings over Zoom in order to maintain the sense of community that underlies all we do as an organization. Way to go, Jan!