Elect Your Mahaska County YMCA Board Members

Oskaloosa YMCA

Membership to cast ballots November 18-November 30

The Mahaska County YMCA has selected its slate of 2012 board members and officers. Ed Butler, Butler-Brown Insurance, has agreed to serve a second three-year term. Community members Pat Jones, Town Square Dental, and Karl Siedel, Cablevey Conveyors, are on the ballot as new board members. Executive Committee nominations include:

· President – Tory Schrock

· Vice-President – Madonna Bowie

· Past-President – Linda Crookham-Hansen

· Treasurer – Daryl Petty

· Secretary – Wendy Van Roekel

Pat Jones, and wife Jessica, hail from Oregon, IL, a small farming community south of Rockford, Illinois. They came to Oskaloosa after the decision to join Eric DeBoef at Town Square Dental in July 2010. Pat first joined the YMCA in Kansas City, MO. Pat has significant community volunteer services experiences including free dental clinics and outreach programs. Pat hopes to help keep the Y serving the Mahaska community to the best of our ability by serving on the Programs Committee. Pat is also volunteering with the Blue Zones and wellness efforts in our community. He and Jessica enjoy biking, running, and waterskiing.

Karl has been a member of a YMCA nearly all of his life in each community he lived. He and his wife, Deborah, have been members of the Mahaska County YMCA for several years. Karl is the marketing manager at Cablevey Conveyors. He has been active in the community through organizing can drives for The Ecumenical Cupboard, and in decision-making for local sponsorship of sports, fundraising, and charity groups. He is supportive of efforts to develop children’s potential, and address gaps in education, through participation driven community-based programs. Karl is already serving on the Marketing/Membership Committee and assisting with plans for a fundraiser in February.

Members Jane Kelderman and Ruthi Rogers are stepping down after completing their terms of service.

“I greatly appreciate their leadership and service to the Mahaska County YMCA. I have enjoyed working with them both,” said Linda Crookham-Hansen, board president. “We are fortunate that Ruthi plans to continue to volunteer on our Marketing and Membership Committee, assisting with special events, fundraisers, and other committee responsibilities. Anyone interested in serving on a committee should contact the Y and talk with Dawn (Collins, YMCA Executive Director). This is a great way to get involved and make a difference without the responsibility of serving on the board.”

Community members should be made aware of the Mahaska County YMCA By-laws requirement that YMCA membership must vote for new board members. This is a practice many Ys today perceive as outdated. Most approve new leaders through the Board of Directors, rather than a membership-wide vote.

“Our YMCA by-laws have not been updated since the mid-1990s. This is something we hope to do next year. I don’t know if we will change the voting practice or not. The board has it slated as a topic of discussion. We see advantages to both practices so it is not necessarily an easy decision,” said Collins, Executive Director.

Y Members need to vote for the slate of board members in person and by ballot at the Y (414 North 3rd Street) between November 18 and November 30, 2011. For more information, contact the Y at 641.673.8411.