Trust me when I say that a Board Planning Retreat in no way resembles a personal spa retreat or a quiet spiritual retreat. Quite the contrary. It’s mostly a very long, very detailed business meeting during which an entire year is addressed. It’s about examining the past year and determining direction for the year ahead. It’s a slog!

Now, let me be clear: while the work can be tedious and tiresome, if we can find our way to laugh occasionally, the day becomes much more productive. And your Pasadena Village Board of Directors did just that. Amid the hard work that we did, we managed to sprinkle a few light-hearted moments throughout the day.

The most important element for a successful Planning Retreat is commitment to the mission; the mission drives everything else. Our Village mission to foster vital independent living in a spirit of mutual support, enrichment and inclusiveness, is the foundation of who we are and informs how we work together and plan for the future. I can assure you that our mission is in the very capable hands of a committed group of individuals. In my decades of working with various boards, this one is outstanding in its grasp of the mission and the need to effectively set and measure priorities based on understanding.

During this past year, Board Directors explored in depth the eight Focus Area groups established in our Strategic Plan gatherings, which are: leadership, development, finance, programs, membership, communications, support and partnerships. These groups met to discuss what is working well and what needs improvement. From these thorough reports, we set priorities for the year ahead:

2026-2027 PRIORITIES

Establish a new Transportation Task Force
Engage leaders for all teams and assess all Program Teams
Define volunteerism in the Village
Create a Finance Calendar
Increase visibility and participation in our Village Legacy Circle
Create a Support Services Task Force
Review size of the Board of Directors
Clarify the administration and initiation of staff-driven vs Villager-driven programs and initiatives.

I encourage every Villager to take a few minutes to read the Strategic Plan, which was created in 2022. This visionary document is the roadmap for what the Board holds as vital and uses as a measuring tool to determine our progress and draw our attention to areas that need to be addressed. At the time it was adopted, it was a herculean task that engaged the ideas and skills of a very dedicated Board of Directors, many of whom are now completing their terms of service on the Board.

It’s important to note that during this day-long meeting, the Villagers who will begin serving in July were included in the planning process. New Village Directors are Jeannie Brown, Jeff Gutstadt, Gina Frierman-Hunt, and Patrick Mathews. Those whose terms will end this year are Wayne April, Sally Asmundson, Betty Ann Jannson, Sue Kujawa and Dick Myers. Officers elected are President Bridget Brewster, Vice President Jo Yeargin, Secretary Phillip Hoge and Treasurer Doug Colliflower.

While these meetings are intense, they also allow time to form stronger bonds as we recognize in each other the same dedication to do what we can to ensure the success and growth of the Village. We know we can disagree as long as we acknowledge that each person is seeking an outcome that gives deeper meaning to our work. We each want to do all we can to strengthen a sustainable community of older adults who care about each other.

The incredible leadership and heart-felt commitment of our Executive Director Katie Brandon was vital in guiding and assisting us in creating an effective agenda (as daunting as it was) that addressed critical aspects to examine as we set priorities. April Eldahaby, a part-time contractor for Pasadena Village, was at every meeting and arranged the myriad details for the day, in addition to recording all the discussion details for the day. These two individuals made certain the day went smoothly. Additionally, a huge thanks to our stellar President, Dick Myers, for securing the location for our Planning Retreat at Villa Gardens and the inimitable Dawneen Lorance, Marketing Supervisor, who hosted us for a delicious lunch. We are indebted to her and the Villa Gardens staff.

All in all, it was a productive day of positive planning, and we were properly rewarded with a lovely wine reception on a beautiful patio overlooking the city. That’s a paycheck we were happy to accept.

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