Volunteering - An Update

This is a guest post from SimplyForties senior correspondent Carma who's keeping busy and enjoying her retirement!

Another “opportunity” to volunteer came my way this winter. I was asked to serve on the Board of Directors of our small community within a community and I said I would. My dear husband took his turn at this job and his efforts benefited our development with some new measures and refinement of others already in place. He has continued to serve by being willing to serve on some other committees when asked. So I thought I had better take my turn.

One of the limitations on people willing to serve is that they be year-round residents as it is felt that the seasonal people would not be on hand should an emergency arise during the summer. This definitely limits the number of available people. With certain jobs, my opinion would be that a seasonal resident could function just fine, especially given the ability we have these days for instant communications should a vote become necessary. This is something I may try to address during my term on the Board. Ah well - that’s another subject.

So far we have had one meeting and I found it interesting. I suspect that the issues having to do with grounds maintenance will usually be those which take up most of the meeting time as we pay for lawn care with our association dues and it never seems very satisfactory. The job of Course and Grounds Chairman is not one I aspire to and don’t envy the person who holds it.

My job on the Board, sort of by default, is that of Treasurer. We have a management company which provides the bridge from one board to the next and which actually handles most of the financial business of the community, but the Treasurer has to sign checks and stay aware of whether we are maintaining our budget or finding ways to pay when we exceed the budget. I sign the checks and generally keep an eye on expenses. Income is pretty well set within the limits of our association dues.

I find that we only meet every other month unless something out of the ordinary arises - so that is only six times a year for a meeting, but the time devoted to the job outside of meetings is also part of the package.

My second job is that of chairman of the Social Committee. Our community has a series of golf tournaments followed by dinner during the winter season, which runs from October through April. Dates must be reserved with the club and couples found to host each of them. I’ve already decided that any month without a volunteer host and hostess will be cancelled. As our population ages, we have many more people coming to the dinner than playing in the golf scramble in the afternoon, so perhaps some of those events will gradually morph into dinner only.

In addition to the monthly get-togethers we have a block party, usually in the fall, to welcome back the seasonal people and to meet and greet old and new friends. Everyone brings something to eat and their own drinks - we set up tables in one of our dead-end courts and gather round to eat, drink and talk for awhile, which gives residents a chance to reconnect.

Because ours is a golf course community, we have several working Boards of Directors floating around. The Country Club itself has a Board, the residential community as a whole has an Association Board, and each of the three smaller communities like ours has its own Board. Overkill? Perhaps, but I don’t think ours is unusual in this. There are details that have to be dealt with in any group housing venture. Every condo assocation has a board, too. It is apparently the only way to insure that conditions will contribute to the enjoyment of this retired life.

So, if you are asked to serve on your community board - don’t automatically refuse but be aware that you will be contributing to the good of the whole in a positive way.