Dee Ann Kline Parkinson
Our Olympia Branch is a vibrant, growing community with quality volunteer leaders. Our Branch Council supports our community of volunteers, and is staffed by volunteers too! We are in need of additional member of our branch council - will you join us?
We have three positions up for election this year: Chair Elect, Social Chair, and Treasurer. All positions assume office on October 1, 2019 and serve a two or three year term. You will be given support before and after you start your term.
Chair Elect: Serves a three year "term". First year as chair elect, second year as chair, and third year as past chair.
Social Chair: Serves a two year term.
Treasurer: Serves a two year term.
The Council meets on the 2nd Wednesday of each month 6-8pm. Information on job responsibilities can be found on page 4 of Olympia Branch Rules.
Your Personal Impact
Greg Lovelady, past Olympia Branch Chair, Social Chair and current member of The Mountaineers’ Board of Directors. May 15, 2019 describes what serving on the Council means to him:
"It was almost 10-years ago when I joined The Mountaineers, mostly to get back into hiking and climbing. I was new to The Mountaineers and was eager to learn more, how it was organized, who were its movers and shakers, and where was it headed? So early on, I ran for a position on the Olympia Branch Council.
"Being a branch officer has helped me improve leadership and organizational skills while providing the opportunity to visit many of the organization’s far-flung mountain properties and spend quality time learning and solving problems with other like-minded Mountaineers. I’ve learned about Mountaineer Books, our publishing arm, and discovered what it takes to run an organization of almost 15,000 members.
"With our local Officers’ Council, it’s been a journey in which all council members make important contributions. For example, I’ve served on committees to help update our governing Rules and wrote a manual describing how to put on our annual banquet. I’ve also worked with our 30+ branch committees to describe what each does and the challenges they face.
"For those of you who haven’t yet volunteered to run in a branch election you truly don’t know what you’re missing. Sure, it takes a bit of time and energy but in a nerdy sort of way, for me it’s fun and has connected me more closely to The Mountaineers’ organization while bringing leadership opportunities I wouldn’t have otherwise found.
"In a way, it’s one of those win-win opportunities where both sides reap benefits. So, I encourage you to jump in and become a part of branch leadership. You won’t be alone. It’s a great team where everyone is welcoming and eager to help new members on the council to begin helping to solve the everyday problems needed to keep strong."
Get involved!
If you are interested in running for one of these positions or would like more information, contact a member of the nominating committee to express your interest and get the process started:
The deadline to apply is May 31, 2019. Once the voting slate is finalized, the Olympia Branch votes on new officers, who begin their term October 1.
