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Guidelines for Prospective Board Members.
Wood's Homes is a complex and powerful place.
This is because the stories and the feelings attached to those stories told by the people who come to our doors make it so.
This is also because Wood's Homes has an almost 100-year history of caring for troubled children and their families in desperate circumstances that gently reminds us of 2 things:
The first is that many others have done it all before us and they were just as committed and passionate about their work as those who are here today.
And secondly is that we are just as responsible for what happens today and tomorrow as we are responsible for what happened yesterday.
After these 'everyday' things, the final reason for this powerful effect is how we have interpreted what we know of our history. We have consciously and deliberately transformed the details of the workaday world and all of its serious and not-so-serious adventures into what we do each and every day in all of our programs.
Guidelines
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The first one is the most important. It is very important that any potential Board member knows and understands the above intentions. This is because these sentiments are what make the work and the world of Wood's Homes 'go round'. Before you read any further . . . you must be captured by these ideas and the power behind them in order to become a Board member. Involvement with this agency is not just a commitment of time, energy and expertise - it's a commitment of the heart.
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In most cases, prospective Board members are asked to join a committee before joining the Board proper. This step serves to orient Board members and gives them a chance to decide if this opportunity is one that fits their needs as well as the agency.
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The first task of a new Board member is to understand what his/her contribution might be to the overall 'whole' of Wood's Homes and to develop this expertise in conjunction with the people doing the work as well as what is needed.
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Each prospective Board member will be asked to participate or chair at least one of the above committees. Committees generally meet once per month for about an hour for 10 months of the year (September - June). There may be other duties attached to committee work.
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There are two retreats for Board members every year. One is a half-day retreat in the fall and the second is 1½ days typically in the spring. Topics for these retreats are determined by interest and/or need. Attendance is very important.
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The presence of Board members is welcomed and in many instances requested at many agency functions as a show of support, to give appreciation, to meet government officials, donors, etc. Requests for attendance may occur as a notice, at a Board meeting, or as a personal request. Some of these events are the Annual Service Recognition Dinner in November, our 2 now-famous Stampede Breakfasts in July, various Open Houses, celebrations and the like. It is not necessary to appear at all of these functions, however, a presence is important and always noticed.
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Board members are always welcome in the programs as well. Agency staff do ask that you call ahead to request a visit as the programs are always busy. Please note that the residential programs are someone's home and because of this, access to those programs are limited.
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Ideally, all Board members undergo an orientation process prior to their first Board meeting. This process will include meeting members of the Wood's Homes Board and/or the Wood's Homes Foundation Board, and making a connection with someone in senior management for orientation and a tour.
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Board meetings take place on the 4th Tuesday of every month (September to November and January to May). Meetings start at 5:30 p.m. and dinner is provided. Agendas and other material are distributed about one week prior to a Board meeting. In December, there is a Christmas Social for Board members and their partners. The Annual General Meeting is held at the end of June.
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Fundraising is the key responsibility of the Wood's Homes Foundation. The Foundation is a Board structure that operates under the Wood's Homes Board and reports to it. All Board members will need to familiarize themselves with the work of this structure.
Raising funds is an integral responsibility of all Wood's Homes Board members as funding is so closely connected with marketing the good work that is done and raising the profile of the agency locally, provincially and nationally.
It is the responsibility of all Board members to contribute to this arm of the organization in one way or another - as an advocate, as a solicitor of funds and as a donor. There is a standing expectation that all Board members will support events, be involved in annual United Way or other campaigns and lend their creative and organizational abilities to fund development initiatives.