A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT

A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT

It is a great honor to serve as President of the Pasadena Village for 2021-22. I want to thank Mike Babcock, our outgoing President, for his leadership during the past year which was full of challenges brought on by the pandemic but also rich with accomplishments culminating in the hiring of Katie Brandon, our new Executive Director.

As I prepared to take on the President’s responsibilities I reached out to current and in-coming board members as well as other Village members and volunteers to get their input on the priorities of our Village. As a result of these engaging conversations I have a better understanding of the opportunities and challenges we will face in the near future.

Financial sustainability is of primary importance. The long-standing financial support of ECS (Episcopal Communities & Services) will end after this fiscal year. So next year will see us focus on building up, broadening, and expanding our fundraising activities. We already have a good start with our Business Partnership program, and this gives us confidence that our message of aging in community will resonate strongly with others in the Pasadena area.

A second priority is our infrastructure. At the Village, we are talking about human infrastructure – the ways in which we organize ourselves to implement all of the great ideas our members have. We have a strong foundation with our committee structure but I see opportunities to deepen communication and clarify responsibilities between committees. We have to always remember that the Village depends on its volunteers, many of them members, to provide most of the programs and services that we all find so helpful. So we need to work as efficiently as possible.

It is also important that we increase and diversify our membership. This is the focus of our upcoming board retreat where we will develop strategies and set goals to increase our membership. I know there is a great motivation among our members, now that pandemic restrictions are ending, to get out into the community and spread the word about the benefits of being a member of the Pasadena Village.

I love that the theme of our Annual Meeting is “Looking Ahead”. As a retired city planner I know how important it is to look to the future. I want us to make sure that those of us in Village leadership are always looking ahead, not just one year at a time, but in multi-year cycles. We will work on a Strategic Plan that is built on our vision and mission and that will keep us on track to reach our goals.

I am confident that with our creative, responsive board and our energetic and skilled staff, all of these goals are attainable. But we need everyone to join us in these efforts. I invite you to participate to your fullest extent possible in helping to grow and strengthen the Pasadena Village so that it will continue to support older adults in their desire to live full and meaningful lives as part of a nurturing community.

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