April 2018 Board Update
Naramata Centre Society 
April 2018 Board of Directors Update
 
Your Naramata Centre Board of Directors met at the Centre April 22-24. It was a lovely spring weekend and it was great to reconnect to this place that we love and are working hard to sustain. We were delighted to meet our new Program Manager Charmaine Pearce, and Office Administrator Tanya Eckenswiller, and to see other staff and volunteers.

Our new Managing Director, Dennis Hixson, has been active recruiting staff and getting ready for the spring, summer and fall seasons. The staff is now welcoming applications for summer student interns.
 
Summer Student Interns
Our Program Manager has hired two summer student interns and has received grants for two more. Do you know of anyone between the ages of 17 and 30, who may be interested? Please let them know about these positions, which offer the opportunity:
  • to live and work in community at the Centre,
  • to hone their leadership skills,
  • to develop new skills, and
  • to further the Naramata Centre mission: Inspiring individual and collective transformation in a safe, inclusive, sacred space.
More information is available here. 
 
70th Anniversary Celebrations 
We are excited about celebrating our 70th anniversary on Saturday, June 23rd, and at the Board meeting we discussed plans for that weekend. We are grateful to our 70th Anniversary Committee (comprised of Jane Sanden, committee chair; Linda Hatfield; Jane Ritchie; and Board member Barb Hatfield) for organizing the day's celebrations. Sifting through old pictures and memorabilia has brought back memories for many board members, no matter what decade we worked at, or attended, the Centre. Please come out and celebrate with us! Late June in Naramata should be beautiful. For all the 70th Anniversary Celebration details, please read our May 10 email here. 

We also planned the Annual General Meeting (AGM), which will be held June 23 at 2:30 pm. For those of you who have attended the last two AGMs, we promise: no more bylaw changes! The AGM package will be emailed to society members in early June.
 
BC Conference Young Adult Retreat
While we were meeting, the BC Conference Young Adult Come Away retreat was also being held at the Centre. We were very pleased to have them on site! Two of our board members met with them and we shared meditation in the chapel on Saturday morning. On Sunday, we joined the local Naramata Church for worship. That morning they were doing a "fifth Sunday" worship with a focus on the environment.
 
Your Support
Your Board of Directors is pleased with the progress over the last three years in re-starting and re-imagining the Centre. We have come a long way from closure to fully open. Based on attendance, participation and donations by our supporters, the Centre's finances are on more solid ground, and we look forward to another year of success, both with our finances and programs.
Your help and support are essential to ensure the successful future of the Centre. The continued operation of the Centre depends on "Centre people" like you. We would welcome demonstration of support by your registering, attending programs and coming to stay at the Centre.

Registration for spring and summer programs is ahead of where we were at the same time last year and some programs are full. We still have programs and accommodations available. If you are planning to come this year, please register now. If you cannot attend this year, please consider other ways to support the Centre, such as a donation, or encouraging others to attend. If you wish to make a donation, you may do so here. 

We hope you are able to join us at the 70th anniversary celebrations or at the Centre this summer!

Gratitude
The Board is very grateful to local Naramata resident, Donna Simpson, for providing breakfast staples and cooking lunch and dinners for the Board, so we could take shorter breaks. Donna, the Board thanks you for your time, effort and the fabulous food you provided all weekend!  

Sincerely,

Doug Woollard
Chair, Naramata Centre Board of Directors  

Ways to Stay Connected
  • If you haven't already done so, become a Naramata Centre member to support the work of the Board. 
  • Watch for our monthly emailed newsletter to stay informed about Centre activities and Board plans as they unfold. 
  • Follow us on Facebook, and if you "Like" our page and share our updates, you will help spread the word about Naramata Centre. 
  • Check out our blog posts for news about the Centre. 

Like us on Facebook
If you aren't already subscribed to our email newsletter, please  sign up here  to ensure you receive our updates as soon as they are available.