Giving time to meet a need with the best interest of the organization in mind without profiting is what many have done and still do to keep NVLPC running. The selflessness and commitment of those that have volunteered in the past and the ones that currently are serving is what feeds our energy and allow us to grow. Everyone wants to see NVLPC thrive! I can also speak to the high level of commitment that everyone in the leadership has shown in support of members.

As I have mentioned in previous communications, NVLPC is experiencing a great deal of growth as evidenced by:

• The incorporation of NVLPC (which was accomplished by our previous leadership)
• Currently updating the NVLPC bylaws
• Currently defining the volunteer roles within our organization
• Documenting policies and procedures
• Launching an exciting new website

All of these things have opened our organization to many new opportunities and will continue to do so in the future. Although the work is moving forward, we still have a lot to do. My hope is that by the end of this fiscal year, June 30th, the bylaws will be updated, the roles, policies, and procedures are drafted for review, and the website is running. All of these needs became apparent after our organization became incorporated, which obligated us to look at managing the day to day workings of NVLPC as a business. To do all this we have identified the need for legal counsel to assist us in defining our organization’s boundaries within the law and protecting what has already been accomplished. In order to do so a line item was added to the budget to hire an attorney and we are now choosing one.

One of the most exciting aspects of our growth for me is the website. Our Website Chair and her assistant have put countless hours into migrating information from the old website to the new one. Those of us who have been involved in this process and who have seen what is available to us on the new site are very excited for others to see and use it. It is user friendly and offers a wide range of new services that will add benefits to the membership.

The long term goal is to reinforce the foundations of NVLPC so our next leaders and volunteers can do their job with greater ease. The future is exciting!!!!!!

With that said I need to bring to everyone’s attention to our general membership meeting and election for the new officers of the board which will be held during our April workshop. I want to encourage each of you to think about how much you have enjoyed and benefitted from being a part of NVLPC. Consider the possibility that you, too, can volunteer and become part of next year’s leadership. Increasing involvement from our members and maintaining an all volunteer leadership maintains the ability of our organization to continue to offer trainings at a low cost, offer a highly functional website, and provide many other benefits without the need to raise our dues significantly.