The Best Damn Newsletter in New Jersey! ®
CHALLENGE The Newsletter of the Gay Activist Alliance in Morris County – Serving New Jersey’s GLBTI Communities Continuously Since 1972
Volume 39, Issue 1, February 2013
Welcome to a New GAAMC Year! by Andy Skurna
I wish to thank you for electing me as GAAMC’s president for 2013. According to our By-Laws, no one is supposed to hold a voting seat on GAAMC’s Board of Trustees for longer than six consecutive years. I plan to adhere to that limit, as I head into my sixth and final year of Board service. We would be remiss if we did not thank Mickey Suiter and the other officers who have led us for the past few years, and most notably 2012, our 40th anniversary year. On behalf of the entire membership and my fellow trustees, thank you. On January 17th, GAAMC’s newly elected Board met for the first time. And during that meeting we have made some sweeping changes. Most notably, we are suspending “committees” that are not really committees, and those that no longer serve a regular purpose. We are also creating some new committees to address current needs and to consolidate and streamline some functions. It is important to note that this does not mean we will no longer address those needs; it just means that the entire Board will share in those responsibilities. If someone from the general membership or the Board of Trustees wishes to re-establish any dormant committee(s), we would welcome the help. Starting with this issue of Challenge you will find descriptions of continuing committees/projects, and with each one, you can clearly see your opportunity to get involved. With any project or committee, you may get involved to the extent you feel most comfortable. That could be as simple as offering to stuff envelopes for Challenge ten times per year, or offering to lead a major fundraiser or an activism project. But it should be noted that without your involvement, we cannot guarantee the longevity of our beloved organization. No matter how much energy we put forth, there is a limit to how much ten individuals can do. This past election we had so much interest in Board service that we had to hold a paper ballot. My understanding is that this has only happened a few times in our 40 year history. The election results clearly show that those who have been most dedicated and loyal were those elected to new one year terms as officers and new two-year terms to the Board. Although some egos may have been wounded in the process, wounds heal if we let them. I think it is most beneficial to all of us if we focus on the future. What can we do to improve and strengthen our group? The answer is, as it always has been, participation. Without diverse talents and perspectives, we become stuck in a rut of having
the same people doing the same things the same way. Although it is sometimes easier to just do things ourselves, it isn’t the healthiest practice. The best way to win a seat on the Board of Trustees is through service on our committees. Helping a committee gives you the opportunity to see where your talents can be put to the best use, which teams of personalities you work best with, and which roles will bring you the greatest sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. This year, each committee will be holding open committee meetings on Monday evenings, during or after Open Talk, and I invite each of you to sit in on those meetings and find out what dreams we’re cultivating and what needs we see for making those dreams a reality. I will say again, as I have been since coming to GAAMC in 2007, the function of the Board is to keep our doors open and our lights on. All the rest is up to our members. What do you need? What do you want? What can you bring to the party to make sure everyone’s needs are met? In closing, I will remind everyone that GAAMC is an all volunteer organization. No one gets paid. All the services and goods donated to GAAMC come from the goodness of our hearts. From the office of the President right down to someone offering to wash dishes after Pastabilities, we are all equal. We equally share in the responsibility of keeping New Jersey’s longest operating LGBTI-supportive organization a safe, welcoming, and exciting place for the members of our community and our allies.
Inside Challenge Challenge Information.... ................................ page 2 GAAMC Events.............................................. page 2 The Bulletin Board......................................... page 3 Committee Spotlight: Committees in Moth Balls.... page 3 Gleanings: Queer news from around the world .... page 4 Committee Spotlight: Pride Events Committee......page 4 This Month's Contributors................................ page 4 Committee Spotlight: Bylaws Review Committee... page 6 Calendar ..................................................... page 7 Dancing to Architecture: music reviews............. page 9 The Little Box of Concerts............................. page 11 Good Eats: Recipes.......................................page 11 Book Review: Thar Be "Dragons"..................... page 12 GAAMC Board Minutes, November 2012 &.................... December 2012....................................... page 13 GAAMC Information...................................... page 14