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CHALLENGE The Newsletter of the Gay Activist Alliance in Morris County – Serving New Jersey’s GLBTI Communities Continuously Since 1972
Volume 39, Issue 8, October 2013
Board Service by Andy Skurna
GAAMC’s by-laws include term limits for each office and for each Community Trustee. No one should hold a voting seat on the Board of Trustees for more than six consecutive years. Well, friends, that means I am being forced into retirement…and not a moment too soon. It has been my extreme pleasure to serve this organization in so many volunteer positions. But all good things must come to an end. If they don’t, those serving just burn out. And, to be honest, I am long overdue for a cooling off period.
Our funds are secure, for the near term. But a steep increase in rent last year, followed by smaller increase this year is definitely being felt. We have also felt the sting of sharp increases in printing costs for Challenge. To keep the GAAMC tradition alive and healthy will take a renewed team effort. And this is the perfect time to roll up your sleeves and pitch in. There are many small functions that need to be addressed, and many more things that could be done to enhance LGBT life for all members.
I hope I have served you well in my past three terms as president and four years as treasurer/acting treasurer, webmaster, and other roles. Only time will tell what tomorrow will bring. But it is safe to say that opportunities for each of us are plentiful; we just need to step up and greet them. This has been a fairly stable year for us, with few major changes. One could say it’s been a quiet year at GAAMC, even as groundbreaking Supreme Court rulings have brought us joy, and sharp increases in bias attacks remind us that our work is far from done. There is always room for growth, and each of us is responsible for cultivating potential.
Please consider stepping up to fill a Board seat a s a Tr u s t e e . The only qualification for a Community Trustee position is being a member in good standing. Officer positions have varying requirements; none of them require any special degree, just a slightly higher degree of dedication. The Board is now actively recruiting Trustees. If you have ever considered joining the Board, or have been off the Board for a spell, now is the time to get onboard. Please contact me at President@GAAMC.org, or any active member of the Board, to learn how it’s done and just how rewarding it can be.
Inside Challenge Challenge Information.................................... page GAAMC Events What's happening at GAAMC's Monday meetings. page Bulletin Board Add these upcoming events to your calendar......page This Month's Contributors............................... page Getting Personal: Classified ads........................page 2013 New Jersey's October Senatorial & November General Election Dates & Deadlines.. page Gleanings: News you should know .....................page
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Q-munity Calendar........................................ page 6 Good Eats! Recipes both easy and delicious................... page 8 Dancing To Architecture™ Music news, views, and reviews for queer ears..... page 9 Media Outage™ Queer clippings from print and web sources.... page 10 The Little Box of Concerts............................. page 11 Board Minutes for August............................... page 11 GAAMC Information...................................... page 12