Almost two years ago I ran to be elected onto a board for a little community pool. I was elected and was very excited. Being a member of the pool board means you get a free family membership for the summer. I must admit that this was my biggest reason for running. I would also love to see the pool as great as it once was, like when I was a teenager. I thought two years ago that it would be a peace of cake to be on the board. I thought that I would spend a few hours of time doing things for the pool each month, and for that I would get a free membership! Boy was I wrong!
In the almost two years I have been on the board I have put in well over 200 hours of work... WELL over! maybe even over 300 hours. I have gotten TWO free memberships now (each worth $300). But a long with the actual hours of work there has been the stress as well. The first year on the board the stress was limited to not knowing what my role was and working with a bunch of people with different standards than me (many board meetings where most of the men were drinking, chewing/spitting tobacco and so on). Not to mention all the fun "Mormon" jokes that I have been told. Oh and the fight to NOT meet on Sunday, because that was the only day of the week some people could meet. "You can't ever meet on Sunday??? That is the only day I CAN meet!" My reply... "I gave you six other days in the week I could meet."
But then the second year started. And things did NOT go well! By the middle of the summer two board members were kicked/quit off the board, and we only had one alternate. Then comes the end of the summer when we learned that some important things for the pool were really not being done! OOPS! And three more people quit. And now I am no longer the lowly sectary doing what I am told... No, now I am the president of the whole pool board! And there are only four of us left to figure out how to make a failing little community pool run/stay open. Oh and we have to find a new manager! So again I ask you... Is it worth it???
Without your awesome leadership and concern for this pool board and the pool members, it would be an awful situation. Sacrifice is always worth it, if it brings about good things for those around you. I am so proud of what you have done and supportive of whatever you decide to do going forward. President of the Board. Manager of the Pool. Assistant Manager of the Pool. Or just plain old "Board member" ... you are needed and appreciated more than you'll ever know.
ReplyDeletePS -- Brooklyn told me tonight her favorite sport is swimming. Why do you think that is?! Y-O-U!