originally posted on 5/12/2023
The ACE Executive Committee gathers at the Give Kids The World Village in Orlando, Florida, to conduct organizational business and volunteer for a good cause.
Photo: Derek Perry collection. View full-sized image.
Insights, knowledge, awareness, talents and passion are the important components of ensuring that the Executive Committee (EC) is the driving force for the future of ACE. The committee recently met for its spring meeting at Give Kids The World Village in Orlando, Florida, and began the weekend by volunteering at the Village. This served as an opportunity to not only work together but also experience the tremendous impact of the organization and witness the customized experiences for each participating family. Considering the sheer volume of families, it was a pleasant surprise to see rooms custom painted and decorated with consideration of a guest's preference or needs.
“Volunteering at Give Kids The World was such an amazing experience,” said ACE Vice President David Dragun. “Being able to work with the staff and talking to the families makes it so worthwhile.”
In the discussions leading to the nomination of the 2022-2024 EC, each member was asked to come to the meetings representing their niche in ACE, and the result was a productive weekend.
ACE President Elizabeth Ringas and Immediate Past President Robert Ulrich.
Photo: Derek Perry. View full-sized image.
ACE Vice President David Dragun and Karen April.
Photo: Elizabeth Ringas. View full-sized image.
Joseph Ciza, membership services director, elaborates: “When planning for an EC meeting, participating in discussions and making decisions, my thoughts are always grounded in ‘how does this impact the member experience?’ For me, it always comes back to the members and ensuring they have the best experience possible and want to be an ACE member for life.”
In addition to assessing leadership styles through activities, a significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to new business, including discussing potential locations and hosts for national events, approving a preservation donation, updating a handful of election processes and approving a revised version of the regional representative guidelines.
The ACE Executive Committee gets down to the business of shaping the future of the organization.
Photo: Derek Perry. View full-sized image.
Included among the portions of business were topics of discussion to collaborate and enhance various aspects of ACE. These are typically areas of concern that have been observed or require input from other directors. They allow the incorporation of each aspect of ACE and ensure everyone is working together toward mutual goals. During this meeting, discussions touched on ACE News content and the bimonthly compilations, how ACE can better support volunteers and create more collaboration throughout our organizations and how to more effectively share the workings of ACE.
The EC also focused on reviewing our action list that was generated by the January strategic planning meeting. During this review, it discussed ideas it believed will have the largest impact on ACE and the best manner in which it could contribute in the future. The EC also set deadlines for the old and new items and determined management of the action list to be one of the responsibilities of the vice president.
ACE volunteers in action at Give Kids The World in Orlando, Florida.
Photo: Elizabeth Ringas. View full-sized image.
Give Kids The World offered ideal mental breaks from the taxing nature of the weekend including rides on the carousel and train. In addition, the EC celebrated the wonderful volunteers with whom it had the honor to serve alongside by sharing the names of those who have made stand-out contributions to the team this winter.
The meeting concluded with each committee member sharing what they want to achieve prior to the next official meeting of the EC. Additionally and related to this, it was discussed whether additional volunteers would be needed to achieve the goals and what volunteer roles are most critical to fill.
The EC connects on a regular basis, with the next formal meeting scheduled for June 18. ACE members are urged to reach out to the committee if there is anything they wish to be considered in the future.
— Elizabeth Ringas, ACE President
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