by Ed Gurowitz,
There are certain fears that seem to be inherent in the human psyche. Two of these are the fear of being conned and the fear of being dominated. These combine to create a whole file of shadow beliefs about organizations. Non-profits, for benefit organizations, and others that have a mission of service are particularly subject to these fears.
As a non-profit with a mission of service, MKP USA is squarely in the bulls-eye of these fears. Accomplishing our mission depends in large part on support from our membership – moral support, participation support, and financial support, and as an advocate for membership and donation, I’m often asked questions like “where does the money go,” “why do we need an organization,” and “why does MKP USA need a paid staff?”
Membership contributions go to support the core of the work of MKP USA – having more training, more workshops, improving content and more. Members can choose to donate the entire amount to MKP USA or it can be split 50/50 between MKP USA and a local center. Funds support both local and national efforts to build, sustain, and evolve our work. You can read about some of the milestones of transformation here and here:
By centralizing support services, Areas save money on these services and receive professional services where before many of these were performed by volunteers or were paid by every single center corporation, instead of once. National promotions, e.g., on Facebook, help to fill your NWTA’s, and Area leaders receive professional training. As organizations of our type go, MKP USA Support Services has a very lean paid full time staff. That full time staff, together with four volunteers the Chair, Chair Elect, Immediate Past Chair and one Board Member At Large comprise together Support Services for MKP USA.
| Lead Link / Curriculum | Julien Devereux, Chairman of the Board |
| Cross Link to the Board / Secretary | Jose Mondelo, Chair Elect |
| Partner Relations: | Robert Powell, Immediate Past Chair |
| External and Internal Communications: | Boysen Hodgson |
| Finance: | Deb Mauger |
| Training Execution / Risk Management | Greg Gondron |
| Administration / Facilitator | Keith Jarvis |
| Community / Intercultural Competence | Dan Baldwin |
| IT | John Bacon |
| Organizational Development | Jon Levitt, Board Member At Large |
Many of these folks are supported by contractors and volunteers, and overall they ensure that the highest quality of services are provided to our Areas and to our community of thousands of initiated men in the US, whether they are members or not, and to the “next man.”
All of us have had experiences with organizations that were more committed to their continued survival and the paychecks of their employees than they were to their announced purpose or mission. MKP, both internationally and in the US, is a mission-driven organization, fueled in largest part by volunteers. We are sustained by the difference we make and by the quality of the services we provide to the men who take the work out into the world.
I invite you to create a relationship with the staff (all of the men are warrior brothers in addition to being paid staff) where we appreciate them for their gifts as much as they appreciate us for our work. While some could make or have made a lot more money doing the same work in the private sector, they choose to bring their talents here and to work with the challenges of a not-for-profit, virtual, geographically diverse organization
- Ed G.
Till next time, Aho!
Out with Gratitude, Ed Gurowitz
