A tribute to our outgoing President:
We are an enthusiastic group, and board members have joked that running a BWS meeting is like herding cats. I thought a lot about that comparison during the day that we constructed the storage tent for processing refundables. There was really no one in charge and it was a complex task. But we all found ways to be useful and the project was finished in good time.
You might see this as a testament to our group or a testament to functional anarchy. But I noticed that throughout the process, Roger, who was nominally the host, spent time digging out tools and supplies and wandering from group to group making sure we had what we needed to make progress. This seems to be the essence of Roger’s leadership style. He doesn’t go out of his way to tell you he’s in charge but when the anarchy starts to trend toward the non-functional he clears his throat, interrupts if necessary, and reminds us which agenda item it is we’re discussing. This is not to say that he’s been a passive moderator. He’s often involved in the discussion, and, occasionally, it’s someone else that has to bring us back to the agenda. But overall, Roger’s calm, patient guidance is a big part of why we have been so successful as a group.
We thank Roger for his ongoing contribution as Past President!