4 minute read
Wisdom in Action Through MAC Committees
By Vicki Tagliafico
’Tis the season! The committee season, that is. One of the pillars of the MAC community is the robust committee system, which is the heart of our governance structure. And, you are never too old to participate. Now is the time.
Seniors members are vital contributors among the more than 600 members who power MAC’s committee system. Not only do they bring a variety of life experiences and skills, but they also provide institutional memory and help shape MAC policies. This memory is one of the club’s treasures and helps to remind members of how we got here and why a particular policy exists. Senior members have been invaluable in that process.
But the seniors who have participated say they have gotten more out of the process than they anticipated. Many times, it has kept them engaged in their area of expertise and knowledge. They have found purpose in helping to build a better club for future members, while expanding their own community in the process.
Mike Kobelin has participated in committees for more than 30 years. He has been a member of Early Birds for most of that time and currently serves as chair of the House Committee.
While these are two dramatically different committees, Kobelin says he enjoys being engaged in each. Early Birds has provided a social, healthy, and active environment in which to grow his group of friends. He considers that important for seniors. The House Committee has kept him involved in making sure all members enjoy the club experience.
Jim Peck is also on the House Committee, having joined the committee system when he retired. His participation in Doctors Without Borders sometimes finds him far away from the club when the committee meets. He has mastered the ability to connect through Microsoft Teams no matter where he might be. Recently, that was on a bus in Belgium. Kobelin attests that Peck’s participation was flawless. Club technology helps to make committee participation possible for members who travel.
Mary Kay Rodman is currently the chair of Member Events. She has been on the Athletic Committee and spent many years participating in holiday decorating. She has also helped select the honorees for the club’s award and recognition programs, such as the President’s and McAlpin awards. Her wide range of participation has allowed her to go behind the scenes and see how the club works, gaining much more appreciation for staff and member efforts.
It has also allowed her to interact with and get to know staff members, develop member friendships, and help shape policies.
Steve Easterday has been part of the system for more than 46 years. He currently serves on Member Events and is part of the Sports Pub & Reading Lounge Refresh Ad Hoc. While retired, Easterday is able to bring his years of experience in construction engineering to MAC for this important project. Prior to his current committee service, Easterday served on the Property Committee. He said that his construction experience helped create staff policies that are still in use today. He is proud to be part of helping make the club more accessible and modern.
Carolyn Wood is a name familiar to many MAC members. She has been a member since she was a child and won an Olympic gold medal in swimming as a teenager. But it wasn’t until she retired that she joined a MAC committee. Wood turned her interest in yoga into participating on the Yoga Committee for 10 years. She says that seeing how the sport committees work and participating in their governance can deepen and broaden your perspective and open up other avenues of club participation. She has become a valued participant on panels sharing her knowledge of writing and diversity.
These five members have at least one thing in common. They are all seniors who are actively engaged in MAC. Their paths may vary, but they all believe that participation in the committee system has made them a better MAC member. The committee system depends upon participation from all its constituencies.
If you are a senior and interested in becoming part of the committee system, be sure to visit the Committees page on themac.com and submit your form by Tuesday, Dec. 31. If this is your first entry into the system, the sport committees or social committees are a good place to start. If you would like more information about the committees, please contact committees@themac.com. It is never too late to become part of something which helps shape the experiences of more than 22,000 members.
