Last night, I returned home after a full day in the mountains of West Virginia. The Middle Eastern Province of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. held its Winter Board Meeting at the McKeever Lodge in Pipestem Resort State Park.
The drive, which was close to 5 hours, wasn't all that bad. Equipped with a power converter, laptop, and numerous Red Box movies, I was ready for the trip. On the way up, I had to deal with rain, darkness, and, at certain times, fog. Thankfully, the family and I made it there safe.
In preparation for the meeting Saturday morning, I stayed up late Friday to review reports sent in by the various committees. Some had nothing more than a status update, while a few requested funds and procedural changes. As an elected board member for the province, I'm responsible for presenting reports on behalf of the Membership Service Committees.
Little known secret: I'm always a little nervous before speaking in front of people.
The meeting started around 8 o'clock in the morning after much of the board finished eating breakfast. We ran through the preliminary greetings, roll call, and other salutations before diving into the meaty topics. The first topic dealt with finances followed by the Province Polemarch's report.
Throughout the day, we moved from topic to topic and voted on issues when asked.
There was something about this meeting that caused me to speak up more often than in previous gatherings. Maybe it's because I felt more included in the operations of the Province. As the manager of Membership Services, the Province Polemarch asked me to work with chairmen who make up a huge portion of the active committees. Whatever it was, I liked it.
Despite what many people may think, the Board works. At times, there are arguments (heated debates) over issues and how best to solve them. People will disagree but there is a process for dealing with it. In the end, we come out better than when we started and that's one of my favorite lessons.
As I get ready to close, let me tell you that I had fun. It was great getting the kids out of the house and also hanging with the boys. Next stop: Spring Intake and Province Council Meeting.
For those interested in getting a glance at my weekend, check out the photo gallery below.
If you cannot view the pictures, click here.
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