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President's Column - September 2012
Run for office!
Greetings, SF FrontRunners!
Soon it will be voting time in America, and I have some very good news for you. This year’s election will feature candidates who simply want to serve and are not motivated by career advancement. They will not be affiliated with any particular party. They will not formulate policies that interfere with reproductive rights or same-sex marriage. Instead, they will be actively engaged in responsible fiscal management and creating fun social events and volunteer opportunities for their constituency. I am, of course, referring to the annual election of SFFR club officers.
We’ll make this easy for you. Here are five compelling reasons why you should run or nominate someone to be president, vice-president, treasurer, secretary, or officer at large:
1. Be part of a longstanding tradition. San Francisco FrontRunners was established almost forty years ago as the first LGBT sports club devoted to running. It has since spawned over 100 chapters worldwide. There is great satisfaction in knowing that you are stewarding an organization with a vibrant history and a promising future.
2. Strengthen your relationships. A recent New York Times article (link) pointed out what we already know: while health concerns motivate many people to start running, “what keeps them exercising are the friendships, sense of community, and camaraderie that may otherwise be missing from their lives…” As a club officer, you will get to know more members even better and be amazed how, year after year, so many remain pro-active in volunteering, organizing social events, maintaining the club’s infrastructure, and so much more. You’ll also bond tightly with your fellow board mates.
3. Become a better runner. Whether “better” for you means running faster, farther, or more frequently, deeper involvement with the organization will have you improving your technique. You’ll also be among the first to learn new training tips, receive early notifications about special running events and deals, and get privileged access to special events as part of the club’s leadership.
4. Give back to the community. San Francisco FrontRunners has been a lifeline for so many people, and it is worthy of support. Members have shared with me stories of how regular participation has helped them overcome major obstacles in their lives. It feels good to take a leadership role in an organization that promotes overall well-being—physically, socially, and mentally.
5. Exercise your creativity. The club relishes community events that are simply fun (movie nights, bar nights, themed runs, theater outings, etc.) or generate operating expenses for the club (water stations at races, beverage booths at Pride, partnerships with performing arts groups like the Kinsey Sicks, and the JOCK jello shot fundraiser (link) coming up at The Lookout on September 23). Officers are encouraged to keep popular events going and seek or create new ones. The sky’s the limit because anything you can think of is one degree removed from running or being gay.
Bookmark the following web page: http://www.sffr.org/page/show/477915-2012-sffr-board (link). There you’ll be able to email questions to current board members, review the bylaws, and read position descriptions. (See the PDFs at the bottom of that web page.)
SFFR members Tim Allen and Brennan Brockbank have graciously agreed to head up the Nominations Committee this year, bringing their knowledgeable experience with the process along with broad and deep connections to the membership. They are looking for one or two more people to join them. If you are not running for office, contact nominations@sffr.org to be part of their committee. The process continues through October and November, with election results announced in December.
It has been a privilege to serve as SFFR president this year. I am grateful to the other officers—Brian Ray (vice-president), Clayton Bullock (officer at large/secretary), and Rick Aguilar (treasurer)—for their steadfast collaboration. Ask us anything to help you make up your mind to run for office.
-B
Brent Sverdloff
President 2012
San Francisco FrontRunners
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