2020 Mazama Annual Meeting by Mathew Brock, Library & Historical Collections Manager
I
n a year of many firsts, the Mazamas added another on Monday, October 5, when they hosted the Annual Meeting online. Over seventy members joined committee representatives, board members, and staff for a year in review.
Mazama President Traci Manning opened the meeting by welcoming everyone and highlighting some of the organization’s challenges this year. Those included closing the Mazama Mountaineering Center (MMC), canceling the Basic Climber Education Program (BCEP), and losing our new Executive Director. Joe Eberhardt, Mazama Treasurer, then reported that for our 2020 fiscal year, revenue came in at just over 40 percent of what was forecast, or $790,000. The organization had close to $1 million in expenses or roughly 58 percent of what was anticipated. Mazama Secretary Amanda Ryan-Fear reported that Mazama membership remains strong at 3,650 members. In her report, Acting Executive Director Sarah Bradham highlighted some of the Mazamas work engaged in externally, including the successful operation of the Mazama Wild summer camps. The camp served 240 kids this summer with only two days canceled due to potential COVID exposure. The program was a huge win in two ways. Mazama Wild is a significant asset to our community as it provides quality child care for working parents, as well as it was one of our only major sources of earned revenue since March. In another win for the Mazama community, Sarah highlighted the work of Oregon Outdoors in advocating for the passage of the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act. Internally the Mazamas made progress to serve our members and community better. This year, some notable achievements include converting our lower level meeting room from office space back into a meeting room, creating
24 MAZAMAS
quarterly meetings for committee chairs, and the return of the annual Committee Orientation. Staff developed a Budgeting 101 class so that committee members could better understand the budgeting process. The Mazamas have been operating under a plan of fiscal conservatism for almost two years. In the last 18 months, the organization has significantly trimmed expenses, so while our revenue was down, our expenses were also down. Lodge Committee chair Bob Stayton gave a brief update on the Mazama Lodge, including the lodge’s closure due to the pandemic and the departure of Charles Barker as the manager. Nominating Committee chair Walter Keutel noted that the committee was proud of their work in recruiting seven qualified candidates to stand for the Executive Council. Laura Burger, Mazama Development Coordinator, gave a brief overview of the donations received during the membership renewal process. Overall, last year members gave $14,500 with their 2020 renewals, and so far have given over $18,000 with 2021 renewals, putting us over halfway to our goal of $30,000 for this campaign this year. Education & Culture Manager Claire Nelson shared some of the Mazama education programs’ successes. While COVID-19 derailed much of the Education Committee’s work, 2020 represented a successful year for the Backcountry Skiing committee. Their class admitted a record high enrollment of 36 students. Eighty students completed the Mountain First Aid (MFA) badge requirements, while another 37 students recertified theirs. The Mazamas piloted two new skill builders this summer, Train the Trainer: Experiential Education, and Safe Outside Online Training: Preventing Sexual Harassment and Assault. Andy Nuttbrock, Chair of the Intermediate Climbing School, lamented the 2021 ICS program’s cancellation, while Nordic Committee chair Andrea Ogston celebrated the success of the Nordic School for 2019/2020. Reena Clements, chair of both the AYM and Trail Trips Committees, noted that together the two committees welcomed 12 new hike leaders before the pandemic shut down group activities. Climbing
Committee chair Guy Wettstein stated that the rollout of new climb prices, while unfortunately timed due to COVID-19, now more accurately represents the actual cost of running each climb. Greg Scott, Chair of the Critical Incident Stress Management Committee, noted a quiet year but stressed that the committee stands ready in the event of a tragedy. Committee presentations wrapped up with Conservation Committee chair John Rettig sharing that his committee hosted presentations on Mt. Hood, the Sandy River Delta, and an update to the popular Melting Mountain series. Mazama Library and Historical Collection Manager Mathew Brock remarked that after a promising start to the fiscal year, library circulation dropped to zero with the MMC’s closure. On a brighter note, the archives took in over thirty donations, including several significant to the Mazamas and the history of mountaineering in the Pacific Northwest. Mathew also talked about the recently completed emergency response plans for the library and the MMC. Claire returned, this time to report on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)Committee’s work and acknowledge our community partnerships. The DEI working group drafted a Mazama Equity Statement and petitioned the board to become a standing committee. The Mazamas continued to partner with Wild Diversity to host Unclimb Night for the Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color community. Rounding out the evening’s event, Walter returned, this time as the chief Teller for the Mazama election. He announced that over 800 members voted in the 2020 election and that Bob Breivogel, Reena Clements, and Lori Coyner would be joining the Executive Council. After noting that the evening attendance was higher than for any annual meeting in recent memory, Sarah thanked everyone for attending.
