My Last Board Meeting: Stepping down from Camp Fire USA

Last night, our Camp Fire USA council hosted its annual meeting. I presented our work from 2010, shared a few key changes we made, and we voted in new board members – including President.

One of our key changes was the combination of two jobs, our Executive Director and the Camp Director. The board decided to appoint my wife this new position (she’s currently the Camp Director), which presents a conflict of interest we wanted to avoid. Since my term as President was ending as of the annual meeting, I stepped off the board and handed the reins over to my successor.

Like most changes of this nature, I find it bittersweet to step away from something I’ve held so dear. I’m incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made and the work I’ve done. Hearing stories and getting letters from campers remind me of why I chose to get involved in the first place.

Fortunately, I’m not stepping away entirely. I am re-focusing my attention on specific marketing and fundraising efforts – two areas which have been sadly neglected in recent times. The change will free me up to work on other initiatives outside of Camp Fire as well (including this blog). And that means I’ll have new ideas, material to write about, and the time to actually blog again. I hope.

So here’s a toast:

Through 2011 and beyond, here’s to you non-profit leaders, volunteers, and supporters and your continued dedication to a difficult job and the satisfaction that comes from working toward a mission. May we leave our organizations better than when how we found them.

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