Committee volunteers needed!

Submitted by Buzz Viberg on behalf of the Board

Dear members,

We have Committees in desperate need of your participation, not just because it is a Coop responsibility fundamental to your becoming a member of this community but also to build stronger connections. During the Member Selection process, the assurance you gave about joining a committee was one of many qualities that made you a good fit for community living and therefore lead to your recommendation. Committee involvement helps prevent burnout of members already serving and ensures that committees like Buildings, Finance, Grounds and Social (just to name a few) continue to provide a strong foundation, on which our community is built.

Together we are stronger! If you have tried a committee and it wasn't the right fit or if you needed a break, then please consider other options moving forward. It is a great opportunity to make positive connections with people other than your neighbours. Each and every one of us has unique qualities and skills that are needed to help in the smooth running of our Coop. A big thank you to the many members who are working tirelessly on committees. It is appreciated.

Please join a committee, make a friend and make a difference towards positive change to ensure the Coop remains strong. The Board always welcomes member suggestions about ways in which committee involvement could be improved. Please feel free to contact me, Buzz at (403) 283-9443 if you would like assistance with finding a committee that you would feel best suited to.

The Committees most in need of new members that have come to the Board’s attention are:

• Finance Committee (contact Kevin Chaney, (403) 313-5773)

• Social Committee (contact James (403) 585-4247)

• Buildings (contact Heidi Mighaug-Cook (403)-700-8525)

Many thanks,

Buzz (on behalf of the Board)

Callout for New Members for the Finance Committee

Submitted by Meagan Synnott on behalf of the Finance Committee

The Finance Committee is seeking new members:

• What we do - we help coordinate the budget requests of the various committees, ensure money is spent in keeping with housing co-op regulations, monitor spending throughout the year to ensure the priorities of the co-op as approved by members are being carried out. Make recommendations to the board and membership regarding changes to the housing charges. Help ensure long-term viability of the co-op.

• Opportunity for people interested in helping co-op be responsible for its own finances and gain knowledge about how the co-op operates on a financial level. You do not need to have a lot of pre-existing knowledge. Great way to learn about the breadth of what the co-op does—if you are new to committees it is a great one to join.

• We meet every one to two months depending on what is needed from us, usually for an hour. We try to meet outside as much as possible. Most importantly, we will bring snacks now that Covid restrictions are relaxing :)

Call for Volunteers for Smoking Policy Task Group

Submitted by Andrea Bergen

February 11, 2019

Dear Members:

At its February 5th meeting, the Board discussed progress, to date, in developing a smoking policy for Sunnyhill. We concluded that we currently have a busy agenda: we are in budget season, we are transitioning to a new Board at the Spring AGM, we are in the middle of lease discussions with the City and developing financing scenarios and applications with CMHC, and we are refreshing our Member Handbook and Policies. With all this going on right now, we are not sure that we are adequately prepared to stage a fulsome member discussion on the topic.

Our intention, then, is to pick this discussion up at the June Board meeting. If you are interested in being part of a small task group to bring this policy to completion please contact the office.

Cooperatively:

Sunnyhill Board of Directors

Conversation Café Topic: Volunteering

Submitted by Jane Roberts

from: clipartfox.com/

At the Conversation Cafe held on January 15, 2017, there were several topics covered, and this topic is volunteering. Many ideas were brought forward for consideration:

• creating a "volunteer deposit" : members could pay money into a fund, and be refunded for volunteer work; another option was only requiring a deposit from non-volunteers
• because we are not in a rental situation, members who do not attend χ number of meetings must attend an education event
• a letter sent out to non-volunteers
• members should RSVP to meetings? Why aren't members attending meetings or sitting on a committee? (survey)
• member Involvement follow-up twice a year? Or ask a volunteer to do this?
• send out a form with the annual income form, that asks about contributions/committee involvement
• put an Education piece in the newsletter about what counts as volunteering
• consequences for non-involvement - becoming a member not in good standing? Members not fulfilling obligation as shareholder/member
• value of volunteer time compared to market rates (for housing)
• what is the cost of not volunteering/paying for property management
• creating work credits (i.e. 100 volunteer hours) - taking the long view of contributions and the ebb and flow of what members do
• one year without volunteering = monetary penalty added to member's housing charge
• why doesn't the Board call people in and ask them about issues they might have?
• encourage members to volunteer; we don't want regular volunteers to feel resentful, and we don't want to shame non-volunteers
• carrot vs stick - the carrot is more successful; possibility of incentives for volunteer work
• consider the social value of helping in the community; it's a good practice for children
• there is great value in showing up, helping and contributing
• positive effects of meeting neighbours, building community, ease of conversation and getting to know people
• activities that can be done on an individual member's schedule
• recording volunteer activity and/or meeting attendance
• offer education on the physical and other benefits of volunteering (Gladwell* example about heart attacks); articles and/or interviews in the newsletter about the medical and measurable benefits

*An excerpt from Malcolm Gladwell's book Outliers can be found here: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/books/chapters/chapter-outliers