We had good response to the Community Leadership Institute, with 32 applicants this year. We had expected more based on the national mailing but we get that this is new for a lot of people. My advice: Watch myROCUSA.org for news from this year’s group, keep an open mind and find a fellow ROC leader in your community to apply with next year. It’s worth it.
So, this year, we will accept at least 16 participants however we are negotiating to win another 8 slots so we can take 24, our largest group ever! We should know the total number of slots and therefore final participants by mid-July. Stay tuned!
Nominations were also due for the ROC Association (and therefore ROC USA Board) last night. Based on what I know right now, we have competition for the ROC Association Board of Directors in the New England region!
The New England seat is being sought by two outstanding community leaders, David Grout from View Point Cooperative in Swanzey, New Hampshire and Colleen Preston from Cranberry Village in Carver, Mass. You’ll learn more about each of them shortly: Ballots will be mailed to the Board Chair/President in each respective region next week and they will include some insight into the candidates.
The two other regions will have ballots with one candidate each as it looks right now:
I am delighted that Natividad Seefeld has been nominated from the East, Midwest and South region. Natividad, as many of you know, is from Park Plaza in “friendly” Fridley, Minnesota. (She always adds the “friendly” part, and for as much as I know, it’s true!)
While Dick Martin from Green Pastures in Redmond, Oregon was nominated from the Mountain West region, he withdrew his application due to time constraints. I was sorry because Dick’s been (and still is) a tremendous leader and supporter in Oregon.
However, just in the nick of time Liz Wood from Duvall Riverside Village in Duvall, Washington raised her hand! Liz, you will come to see, has tremendous energy for doing good in the world. She’s wanted to help spread the news of ROCs in the region so this is a great fit! Thank you, Liz!
As I have told a few of you, this element of ROC USA thoroughly represents who I am. In the future, other presidents will sit in my chair and serve ROC USA. Through that I know one thing is now certain: ROC leaders will be there to direct how and what the organization does in service to this burgeoning community of ROCs! We are “Better Together,” forever and always.