In last month’s column, I recapped the successes and challenges we faced over the course of the last year. It’s been a busy year, and we have accomplished a lot. In this month’s column, I’m thinking back over the past three years. This will be my last column for the DANews (at least for now), as my term as president is coming to an end.

I’ve been the Board President for three years, and during that time I’ve tried to contribute where I can and offer a little bit of leadership and guidance to the community. But I feel like I have gained so much more than I have contributed. I have acquired a new appreciation for just how many people contribute their time and talents to the DAC. There are so many caring individuals that I have worked with, that it’s impossible to name all of them in this column.

When I began my first term on the board, about 15 years ago, I was really not sure what the role would entail. I had never been a part of a nonprofit board, but I was welcomed with open arms. I was quickly dumbfounded by the amazing amount of dedication and selfless contributions that were made to the DAC by so many people.

I had attended events throughout my lifetime, and my parents (and grandparents before them) were active in this organization. But before I joined the board, I had a limited appreciation for how much goes on behind the scenes. So, during that first term, I learned about how everything operated, and felt like I was invited to make a new type of contribution to an organization that I had been part of my whole life.

When I was asked to become the board president three years ago, I was not quite sure that I could live up to the standards that others had set before me. It was another level of responsibility that I had never held before, but I was willing to give it my best efforts.

I should not have been concerned. There are so many wonderful, caring individuals in this organization that helped me through those first few months, and I cannot express enough gratitude to everyone who helped me get through those early months and the years that followed. I have said it before, and now repeat it here: I am extremely grateful to everyone in this organization. Your dedication is amazing, as we have ALL acted as stewards of this wonderful organization.

I will no longer be the president, but I will remain a member of the board. The new leadership team will continue with my full support, and I thank everyone for your kindness and support.
Pete Gantriis