My Farewell as Secretary

I wrote this last week, but I never delivered it. The time wasn't right. I am finding that for the first time since getting involved in UPEX that I don't hold an office. I don't know what I'm going to do, but I'll think of something.

Dear Friends,
Another year has gone by and we are together again to enjoy our annual bbq and election meeting. It is time for us to reflect on the past year and the parts we played in the events that occurred in our community. In the last three years, I’ve ruminated in silence about the part I played in the community. Did I do what I thought was best? Did I add to the joy, optimism and growth of my friends and family in the leather community? Did I grow and learn during the year?
This year is different. I’m happy that I get the opportunity to share with all of you, my friends and leather family, my thoughts on what part I played in the things that have happened this year.
Before I go any farther, I want to express my sincerest thanks in letting me be the secretary for the past three years. I had been a UPEX member for barely three months when to my surprise I was nominated and elected for secretary. At the time I accepted only because I knew it would keep me busy so I wouldn’t be thinking of my beloved Kim whom I had lost only five months before. Over the years, this position has kept me sane and on an even keel. I couldn’t have done it without all of your support. Thank you.
This year, unlike any other year, we have faced some major challenges. I think there were times that the entire board wondered if UPEX could weather the storms that were battering our little group. I’m happy to say that we made it and we’re hopefully stronger for the challenges we endured. We faced accusations and rumors from the outside; there were those who sought to destroy the joyous family we have because we believe in tolerating each and every person’s kink in our community and we don’t need to belong to the status quo. Those were painful days for me. I felt like I had lost several friends who were mentors and like family. But UPEX weathered this storm. We found new friends and added new people to our leather family. Survival is a huge accomplishment and the fact that we have new members to share in our experiences is by far the greatest accomplishment this year.
I think that the first incarnation of the Pledge program was quite successful. It’s true that there are some things that need to be ironed out, but for the first run through, I think it was great. I would say that the Pledge program is possibly one of the most successful endeavors of the year. I look forward to helping out in the future because the enthusiasm and curiosity of newbies is contagious and I love the heady feeling of discovering this new world!
We had several grand schemes when the year began. I questioned whether we bit off more than we could chew. Perhaps if we didn’t have so many challenges in the past year we would have accomplished more than we did, but we have no way of knowing what would’ve happened if things took a different path than they did. For my part, I want to apologize that we didn’t get more done. But then again, if we had done all the things we wanted to this year, there wouldn’t be anything for the new UPEX board to do!
One of the things I wanted to do is get more group participation. Over the years the board has done most of the planning and taking care of the meetings and parties. I have always wanted to see more people volunteering to help out. You don’t need to be on the board to make a huge difference. If you want to participate, there’s a place for you. Speak up and get involved. I would love to see each and every one of you volunteer to do a presentation. Think you don’t know as much about a topic as someone sitting on the board? Think again. My first presentation was horrible. It was on cages. I knew nothing about cages, but I read as much as I could find on the topic and Jodi managed to find a cage and we set it up and I think that in spite of my insecurity and fumbling through notes things went pretty well. Step up to the plate and present on something you want to learn more about. That’s how we all learn from one another. Is there some sort of event in the city that sounds like it would be fun for a group outing? Speak up and let’s get moving! UPEX is only as strong and fun as its members want it to be.
I think we spent a large part of the year being afraid of specters that even if they did exist couldn’t affect us as much as some wanted us to believe. We’ve spent so much of our time building up our defenses that some people don’t feel comfortable being around us. The defenses were necessary at the time, but now is the time to open ourselves up to the possibilities and renew friendships we once had. Is it possible that we’ll get hurt? Of course it is. But this year proves that UPEX is resilient. UPEX has always been friendly and welcoming to everyone. It’s time that we encourage each other to welcome anyone and everyone to come to coffee, our meetings, and our parties. It’s time for us to be optimistic and if I can use a favorite expression, we need to become bouncy again. The joy I feel when bouncing is contagious. Let’s spread the spirit of bouncing, if not the action. Let’s get more in touch with the playful aspects of BDSM and not bogged down in the fear and business aspects that can isolate people who just are looking for a fun-loving group of people to share their love of kink with. This requires each and every one of us to work…whether or not you’re a board member. Do anything and everything in your power to help this group thrive. Thank you.