We “Zipped It Up” – and then some…

Thank you! Thank You, thank you for your support of the PSA’s Annual Fund and ALL of our Annual Giving Opportunities.

We zipped it up–and blew past our total annual giving goals by a few thousand dollars (that’s real money!)–all because of your support.

The numbers are incredible:

• The President’s Circle – our goal early in 2007 was $30,000. We actually raised $34,020
• Silent Auctions (at two reunions) – our goal was $6,000. We raised $8,243
• Annual Fund – our “revised” goal $75,000. Our total is now $71,469.92!

We’re still getting a few stragglers in the mail at the PSA Office, but this means our grand total for Annual Giving to the PSA is $113,732.92. This is the first time in our history that we’ve raised over $100,000 in annual support for the PSA. Thank you! We did it while finishing a million dollar Capital Campaign – a year early! Thank you, again.

Zipper pulls will be in the mail shortly.

Best wishes to you all in the New Year!

WE DID IT!

Because of your support – and the gifts of more than 600 PSA members and friends – we presented a check for $1 Million to Philmont Scout Ranch and ceremonially broke ground for the Silver Sage Staff Activity Center during our annual meeting on October 13th in Dallas, Texas. We did this a year ahead of schedule. The ink on the floor-plans was barely dry. At Philmont the earth-moving, re-bar and concrete work has already begun.

THANK YOU!

Our actual fundraising total – cash and pledges – stands at just over $1 million. You, and more than 600 others, have been very generous.

But we are not done yet…

At the Ranger Department’s 50th Anniversary this summer the group launched a special campaign to give a legacy gift from the Rangers to Philmont: a special fireplace for the Staff Activity Center. Rangers from the full history of the department have been asked to participate and donations are still being accepted.

We also still have a ways to go, because several donors have stepped forward to help remodel the staff area at PTC. Still others are pledging their support to help maintain these new facilities by adding to the Chuck and Judy Walneck maintenance fund so that future repairs to the staff center will not be a burden to the Ranch.

If you made a pledge, but have not completed it yet, please continue to help with your regular payments (we are sending reminders). If you have not had the opportunity to give yet, please pledge your support today – we’re wrapping this campaign up on December 31st and our new PSA President, Jim “Cuda” Lynch is looking for new ways we can help Philmont!

Thank you for all you do for Philmont and have a Wonderful Holiday Season and Blessed New Year!

We are closing in on the half-way mark for our Annual Fund goal of $75,000. We’ve received a special challenge from a long-time Philmont friend to match each gift received, dollar for dollar, if we can add another $15,000 to our total by December 15th!

With your support we can meet this challenge and go on to meet our fundraising goal for the year so we can continue doing great things for Philmont.

Your past support to the Philmont Staff Association has helped us do a lot this year:

• Sponsor Philbreak for the fifth year in a row
• Coordinate hundreds of hours of service to Philmont on the Urraca Trail
• Hold a dozen reunions across the country – and are helping Philmont recruit new staff
• Host the Ranger’s 50th Anniversary with over 300 attendees and close to 600 people at the campfire at PTC
• High Country was recognized with a prestigious award

We have done a lot. With your help to meet this challenge we are going to do a lot more.

Please join me in renewing your most recent gift to the Annual Fund today.

In time for holiday cards and connections the member directories have been updated in the Members Only area.

Updating the RSS feed to take advantage of Feedburner’s advanced features.

You may need to update your feed reader to the new URL to receive posts following this one.

New feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/philstaff

The member directories have been updated in the Members Only area.

Officers

• President: Jim Lynch
• VP Service: Fred Cribbett
• VP Membership: Scott Toney
• VP Development: Dennis Dubois
• Treasurer: John Person
• Secretary: Ray Czech

Northeast Region

• Dave Setzer
• Mark Furey

Central Region

• Catherine Hubbard
• Chris Manheim

Southern Region

• Mark Leinmiller
• Troy Phillips

Western Region

• Bill Waugh
• Amy Douglas

National Directors

• Warren Smith
• Steve Rick
• Tim Rosseisen
• James ‘Sam’ Vivian
• Ray Batchelor
• Bill Cass
• Ken Davis

Constitutional Amendment

• Yes: 387
• No: 44

After a month long search to replace Michele Allen as the Executive Director of the Philmont Staff Association, the Board of Directors would like to announce the selection of Randy Saunders.

Randy is currently a professional in the Boy Scouts of America. He will report to Philmont on or about August 1, 2007 and work with Michele until she departs. On August 19, 2007 Randy will assume the title and responsibilities of the PSA Executive Director. Randy has a bachelor’s degree in Parks and Recreation Management from North Carolina State University, worked four years on Philmont staff (backcountry and logistics), and has been an extremely successful District Executive, District Director, Program Director, and Camping Director for Gulf Ridge Council in Tampa, Florida. We are excited about having him lead our staff–and we are convinced that he will continue the positive momentum we have come to expect.

Our Office Manager, Janice Clark, will continue in her current position–we are fortunate to have her, too. Her dedicated efforts go far beyond her job description and help keep our operations smooth and efficient.

The Board of Directors would also like to express our appreciation to everyone that applied–the personnel committee enjoyed talking to the applicants and were impressed with the quality of all that took the time and effort to apply to keep the PSA moving forward.

An Open Letter to Members of the Philmont Staff Association:

The Board of Directors of the Philmont Staff Association has accepted with regret the resignation of PSA Executive Director Michele Allen. Michele and her husband Dave have decided to relocate to North Carolina, to be nearer to his aging parents. While the Board laments the loss of an outstanding and dedicated professional who has served us well, we understand and support her family decision. Michele will remain with us through the course of the 2007 summer season.

Enclosed with this letter is a copy of the relevant sections of the PSA By-Laws which defines the duties of the Executive Director. This is the job description which will guide the Personnel Committee, and eventually the Board of Directors, in selecting our next Executive Director. Salary is commensurate with comparable employment positions with the BSA. The Executive Director is expected to reside in the Philmont area. The Committee has decided on the following timeline for that selection process:

May 15 - Position is advertised on line and in mailing to PSA members

June 1 - Letters of application together with appropriate resume and list of not more than three references due at PSA office.

June 1 - Consideration of applications begins and continues until June 30

June 30 - Board of Directors meets by conference call to receive recommendations from Personnel Committee

July 1 - Announcement of next Executive Director

August 1 - New Executive Director begins duties at Ranch (with Michele Allen remaining as Executive Director through conclusion of PSA Ranger Reunion).

The Personnel Committee understands that extraordinary circumstances may warrant departure from this schedule, but it anticipates no such circumstances at the present time. Candidates, or persons who wish to nominate others for possible consideration, are therefore advised to be attentive to deadlines.

Applications should be directed to:

Personnel Committee
Philmont Staff Association
17 Deer Run Road
Cimarron, New Mexico 87714

Please join us in extending thanks to Michele for her distinguished service to Philmont and the PSA – and please help us locate the best possible person we can to succeed her in this important work.

Ed Pease, President
Philmont Staff Association

An Open Letter to the Members of the Philmont Staff Association:

It is with decidedly mixed feelings that I announce to you the resignation of our Executive Director, Michele Allen.

Michele has served the PSA and its members, indeed any former Philmont staffer whether a PSA member or not, with distinction during her four years as our chief executive officer. We are a much stronger and better organization because of her service and she will be sorely missed.

However, her husband Dave’s parents are addressing the problems of advancing age, and Dave and Michele believe they need to be closer to his parents to help. Accordingly, Dave has accepted a job in Raleigh, North Carolina, only two hours away from his folks. He will leave for his new job next week. We of course support Michele and Dave in their decision to be more available to assist his parents. Michele and their daughter CJ will remain in Cimarron – to finish the school year, to sell the house, to do all of those things that come with life transitions such as this one. And yet, with all of this on her agenda, Michele has graciously agreed to remain as our Executive Director at least through the PSA Ranger Reunion in August.

The Personnel Committee, and then the Board of Directors, discussed ideas for an appropriate and effective transition, including a selection process for Michele’s successor. Details are still being worked out, and further information on this subject will be posted on the PSA website as soon as it becomes available. If, after review of the website postings you have any questions, you may contact me in my role as Chairman of the Personnel Committee. My email address is: president@philstaff.com.

Please join me in thanking Michele for a job very well done, and in wishing her the best in whatever lies ahead.

Ed Pease