AORE Annual Report 2013 | Page 11

hour  commute  and  to  spend  the  day  with  these  two  talented  people.    It  is  one  of  those  rare   circumstances  where  I  will  walk  away  far  richer  than  the  sum  of  the  work  I  produce  for  the   Association.         Doing  an  internship  at  mid-­‐career?    It  is  something  that  I  would  highly  recommend  to  anyone  if  it   is  possible.    It  was  an  opportunity  to  check  myself,  my  program  and  make  a  small  contribution  to   an  organization  that  has  done  so  much  to  make  me  better  as  a  person  and  a  professional!    As  I   reached  the  end  of  my  two  weeks  working  at  the  AORE  National  Office,  I  couldn’t  help  but  reflect   a  little  and  try  to  understand  what  I  had  hoped  for,  what  I  had  contributed  and  what  I  will  take   away  with  me  when  I  leave.         Having  spent  most  of  my  professional  career  associated  with  national  non-­‐profits  that  represent   the  outdoor  recreation  &  leadership  profession,  I  have  seen  these  organizations  from  many  sides   and  through  many  lenses;  as  a  board  member,  involved  in  committees,  as  a  professional  member   and  as  an  ambassador  for  my  profession.    The  contrasting  views  of  a  member  is  different  for  a   professional  to  a  student,  to  an  organization  to  a  board  member,  and  bears  a  stark  contrast,   mostly  related  to  the  value  received.    The  view  of  a  member  who  is  a  committee  member,  board   member  or  operations  staff  bears  a  stark  contrast,  mostly  related  to  the  future  vision  of  the   organization.         Hannah Cooley- One of the most mature, level headed, detailed, and endearing office staff I have ever met. Watching her work sets the bar for what I want to see in a young professional working for me. Hannah is such an incredible asset to AORE and should be someone that each member gets to know beyond just an invoice or voice on the other end of a phone call.   A  National  Office  is  the  glue  that  binds  all  the  pieces  of  a  national  non-­‐profit  together.    Typical   governance  requires  an  Executive  Director  &  National  Office  to  be  everything  to  everyone,  all  the   time.    Quite  often  this  is  without  members,  boards  and  committees  having  a  complete  and  in   depth  understanding  of  what  it  takes  to  maintain  a  national  non-­‐profit  on  a  daily  basis.    Much  of   my  personal  motivation  for  taking  this  week  plus,  to  serve  as  a  volunteer  for  the  organization,  was   to  better  understand  how  the  orchestra  performs     I  have  been  involved  with  AORE  since  2003,  attending  my  first  conference  at  Utah  Valley  State   University.    Since  then,  I  have  watched,  largely  from  the  sidelines,  the  genesis  of  an  organization   that  transitioned  from  adolescence  into  adulthood.    Personally,  I  see  myself  as  a  professional  best   serving  my  profession  as  a  laborer,  seeking  opportunities  to  use  a  hammer  &  nails  over  talking   10