GBA Update Fall 2024

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

By Liz Phillips, GBA President

A lthough we are deep into the winter months and cottage life might seem but a faint memory, for GBA this is a very active time. Our network of volunteers, including Board and committee members, are meeting regularly and taking action to make sure your voices are being heard at all levels of government. I thought I would take this opportunity to extol the virtues of our many volunteers, because without their efforts, GBA would simply not have the impact that we have. First of all, our Board is at full strength with 23 representatives from our 17 member associations. Our Board meetings are always very well attended and members are ready and willing to engage in decisions and share their insights. As our past president Rolfe Jones used to say, this is the best Board you could ever hope to serve on. In addition, each Board member also serves on at least one of our 14 committees, but many serve on two or more. And of course, each committee needs a chair who is responsible for organizing meetings, setting agendas, and making sure that actions are carried out. Committees meet every month or two from September to June, and the concrete actions that come out of those meetings ensure we are always moving forward with our advocacy efforts. We also have more than a dozen other non-Board volunteers woven into almost every GBA committee. Some of these volunteers have specific expertise or connections that are essential for the optimal functioning of the committee they serve (e.g., the Aquaculture Committee, the Coastal Protection Committee, and the Float Homes Not Vessels Coalition). Others are former Board members who still want to make a valuable contribution to protecting Georgian Bay. Gratitude for GBA’s Volunteers As part of our efforts to protect the Bay, committee members write letters to decision makers and attend meetings with government representatives. They take part in conferences, write articles, create videos, engage with friends and family about issues on the Bay – in short, they give generously of their time and their creativity.

While GBA relies heavily on our volunteers, I don’t want to forget about our small but mighty staff, made up of our executive director, Rupert, and our communications and executive services coordinator, Shannon. Between the two of them, while being pulled in multiple directions, they manage to herd our mighty team of volunteers to make sure that our advocacy is targeted and effective. We are lucky to be able to rely on such a strong and vibrant community to protect our beautiful Bay – and we could always use more helping hands. If you are interested in becoming more involved in GBA’s activities, we would be thrilled to have you. Feel free to get in touch with us by emailing editor@ georgianbay.ca .

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GBA UPDATE Spring 2024

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