Just as a school’s success is dependent on parental support and involvement, so a neighborhood association’s effectiveness is reliant on residents’ willingness to volunteer.
Here are a few ways you can contribute:
Become a member of the BWNA Board of Directors
There are 14 Board positions, comprised of 4 officers (President, V.P., Secretary, and Treasurer) and 10 At-Large Board members. (At this writing, there are two vacant At-Large positions in need of filling.) Board members serve 2-year terms, and there is no limit on how many terms they can be reelected to. Elections are held every April at the Taste of Beaumont General Meeting, when half of the officer and at-large positions are up for a vote. If vacancies occur between elections, the positions can be filled by a vote of the Board at a scheduled Board meeting or at a general meeting.
The requirements for becoming a Board member are as follows: 1. Reside or have a business in the B-W neighborhood; 2. Be able to attend meetings on most second Mondays of the month (the exception being August, when the National Night Out Picnic substitutes for the general meeting); 3. Have an interest in making decisions that affect the neighborhood’s well-being and a willingness to participate in the organizing and implementing of BWNA activities and events. (The amount of volunteer time put in by each Board member varies from month to month, depending on personal schedule and interest.) Contact Al Ellis at President@bwna.us if interested.
Volunteer to serve on a BWNA committee
Crime Prevention, Transportation and Land Use, Parks and Open Spaces, Newsletter, and Website/blog. To contact people for each committee, see the “Officers, Board Members, and Committees” column to the right of the “President’s Message” on page two.
Become a Newsletter Distributor
This newsletter is distributed every other month to thousands of residents, and there is always a need for volunteers to walk routes. This is BWNA’s most vital communication link to the neighborhood, and those who help distribute do an important service to the community. Additionally, most distributors will tell you that the door-to-door experience is enjoyable and interesting, as well as good exercise.
(Contact Serah Breakstone at sryano@comcast.net if interested.)
Help With Events and Activities
There’s always need for volunteers to assist with BWNA events and activities, and the biggest one is just around the corner—the National Night Out Picnic. Many chairs and tables need to be set up, items transported from storage, assistance with barbecues and cooking, arrangement of food and beverages, organizing of the raffle, kids activities, publicity, etc. (Contact Al Ellis at President@bwna.us if interested.)