The Great Pepper's Meeting is almost upon us. We'll be leaving for Salado Friday morning after we drop off The Juicy at school. I'm looking forward to the meeting and to seeing what type of change can be facilitated between the election of officers and the open discussions during the meeting. A really good point was made this weekend about CASI..."it's "organization" isn't very organized." I agree with that statement, but maybe not as it would seem. I do believe that CASI's structure is very well organized; we have a BOD, a group of GP's and various pods who work to make CASI better. I think where CASI is fledgling is in it's vision for itself. If CASI wants to continue on as a group of great people who get together and cook chili for charity, then I think it's current structure is perfect. If CASI wants to be something more, and be more of a contributor to the Scholarship Fund, for example, then I believe the current structure will not allow CASI to grow. Maybe the ones charged with running CASI are too deeply entrenched in the daily grind and weekend chili cook offs to be impartial. Perhaps we have too many people who are still so closely tied to "how it's always been done" to see that it can be run differently, and maybe even better. I have always maintained that we should either have an outside CPA or an outside audit of the books. That's one area that I feel would benefit from a non cook's participation. Do I believe that we should have a Board made up of all non chili cooks? Absolutely not. We have to have a fair balance of unbiased eyes and seasoned chili cooks to keep CASI's best interests in focus. It's hard to be objective when you are in the big middle of everything - and I don't mean that in a negative way. Sometimes you have to be completely outside of the hoopla to see what works and what doesn't. I sometimes think that we've gotten away from the real reason why CASI was started in the first place. Is that a bad thing? Probably not. It just seems like we can't get enough people to agree on which direction we want to go as an organization. If you want to grow and expand and be nationally known, then you have to be willing to think outside the box, change how you run your organization, and allow yourselves to take chances. It will also involve opening yourself up to the public and membership as a whole to be scrutinized. I just don't think CASI is there yet. I feel like we've got one foot in the future and one foot in the past and that's why we're so stagnant. I think that CASI has to decide what it's identity is before it determines how to obtain it. There are so many great ideas and opportunities out there for CASI if they want to take the steps necessary to be a larger charitable organization. We've got someone (Jim Ezell) who works his butt off for CASI and the sponsorships. If we're going to grow, then get someone willing to work their tail off to advertise, promote and market us. On the other hand, if CASI is going to stay more of a charitable organization that is committed to helping out locally through Pods and the assorted cook offs, then let's embrace that and stop trying to be something that we're not...or at least not ready to be. Either way, CASI is a great organization with wonderful people who are doing a good thing by raising money (any money!) for charities.
I feel a little like a parent (well, technically I am - to Paige) when I read over what I've written. It's like when a parent says, "I don't care what you do when you grow up, I just want you to be happy." Well, that's how I feel about CASI. I don't care what CASI decides to be, I just want CASI to be happy doing it! I also want to see our organization take legitimate steps to becoming what it is that they want to be. In all fairness, that has to start with all of us, not just the BOD. We have to continue to effectively communicate with the Board. The membership has to make sure that their voices are heard. Over the past few weeks, I've had two very different experiences communicating with the Board. One went well; the other one was what I would call "non-responsive". That's okay, you can't win them all. Still, it doesn't deter me in the least - I'm stubborn like that! I don't, nor should any of us, expect to get our way every time we have a beef with CASI or the BOD. I think what most of us expect is to be heard, to be given the opportunity to discuss the issues and come to either an agreement, or an agreement to disagree on a matter. Once that becomes the rule, rather than the exception, then I think that CASI will have an easier time with growing it's brand if that's what they choose to do. Until we get the "organization" organized, then I worry that our efforts will be all for naught.
I want to wish everyone running for the BOD lots of luck. I hope that all of those running are treated with respect for putting themselves out there. Talking chili politics with a bunch of chili cooks isn't always easy. I find that those quickest to criticize are usually the first ones to say "Hell No" when it's suggested that they run for a Director's position. Whether you agree with any or all of the Directors, they are are volunteering their time and talents so that we can cook chili and not be bothered with a lot of the business stuff that still has to be handled.
For those of you who want to see how CASI is run, the GP Meeting is an excellent place to observe us "in action". It's even being held in a town with great antique shops in case you get tired of all of our posturing and arguing over really mundane stuff. I mean, it really is just a pot of chili, right? (This after a page of pontificating by yours truly!!)
Have a wonderful day....I've got recipes to post later!
Spreading joy and kindness in everything I do............
Kelly
No comments:
Post a Comment