The weekend of our last board meeting, there were two conferences at Rowe, both focused on women. At dinner on Saturday evening, five men suddenly appeared in the circle. Prue, sensing the unasked question in the room, introduced them as Members of Rowe’s Board of Directors. Later, during dinner, a conferee asked, “Where are the women on the board?” Where, indeed?
Since September, I’ve been the lone member of our gender on Rowe’s Board. This is not for want of trying, as Simon Delekta, chair of the nomination committee, has been working hard to bring our profile more in line with the greater Rowe community, and a number of women have been attending meetings to try us out.
Yes, at present they are all men except for me, but they each bring a unique gift to the table and a wonderful variety of interests, skills, and experience. This is the first of a two part series to introduce you to the board. In keeping with the theme of this edition, I would like to first introduce our board members who are yesterday’s campers and today’s leaders.
Simon Delekta is vice president of the board and travels to Rowe from Brooklyn. He had pictured us as “a bunch of suits and ties sitting around a table” before he joined out of fear of not having a camp voice on the board. In 1991, at the age of 11, Simon’s mother dragged him to Rowe for Junior High Camp. He really did NOT want to go. Fast forward to 1995, when he gave up going to Senior High Camp in order to be a C.I.T. at Junior High Camp. In 1996, he joined the Jr. High staff, continued until he went to college, and came back again after college in 2001.
As a board member, Simon enjoys hearing Doug’s philosophy, knowing how things work, and, of course, working with the rest of us whether or not he agrees with us. What Simon finds challenging is also what he likes: the power of working the values we talk about. Ironically, he is one of the more mainstream members, and during discussions it is Simon who brings us back to the center.
Zack Leven is board clerk. He stepped right up to that job as a new board member. Zack first came to Rowe as a camper in 1984. He became a “spirit” in 1991 and then joined the staff in 1992. He returned as staff in 1995 and 1997. Zack says Rowe has been a big part of his life, and he joined the board because he wanted to give something back. He says the most challenging thing about being on the board is getting to Rowe from his home in New York City.
Zack enjoys seeing behind the scenes and getting to know how the organization operates. He is pleased with how issues are handled, and he likes having a voice. Most of the time, Zack types quietly away at his laptop, taking minutes, only asking for clarification. Then, every once in awhile, he speaks up, making an observation that is right on point, asking a question that opens up a new way of looking at a problem or making a recommendation that is balanced and well thought out.
Bob Scheier was a camper in the 70s and says, “Rowe changed my life!” He says it was the one place where he “felt at home and could be myself. It’s where I found out who myself is!” Bob also worked hard as a volunteer on the long-range planning committee before joining the Board in September. He joined because he wanted to be more connected to Rowe and wants to make sure it’s there for many more years.
His daughter Marissa is currently a camper, and the whole family loves being there. Just eating at Rowe feels supportive of the values that are important to him. Being vegetarian for Bob is living up to the ideals of peace, non-violence, and the seventh UU principle, “respect for the interdependent web of all existence.” His challenge is stretching himself in areas he hasn’t tried before. It’s also one of the things he likes about serving, and he appreciates the opportunities to grow and to give something back. He is chairing the development committee and sees that as a way of reaching out to others who feel as we do and want to help.
Many of the trustees travel long distances to serve, and they do it because they love Rowe and want to contribute to our success as an institution. They are willing to speak honestly from their hearts about whatever issue surfaces, to listen, and to argue their points of view. They each do things that they personally find difficult, because those things have to be done.
There is room for more at this table, and we would welcome inquiries from any of you who are interested in committing to this work. It would be nice to add women, people of color, and a GLBT person. Next edition, I will introduce the rest of the board, but why not come and meet them for yourself. Our meetings are open, and the schedule is on the website. We hope to see you there sometime.
Cathy Perkins, President
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