Below are the nomination statements from the members of the Wicked Running Club who were nominated for a Board position for 2010. Nomination statements were read at the General Membership meeting which was held on November 2nd, 2009.
The Election will start during the first week of December. Vice President Doug Bollen who is overseeing the election process, will be notifying the membership of the Wicked Running Club on the exact day that the Election will start.
President: Tim Short
To the Membership of the Wicked Running Club:
I am seeking a second term as President of the Wicked Running Club. As current President of Wicked it has been a very exciting year. We had another terrific Wicked Frosty Four on probably one of the coldest days of the year and still had 311 finishers. The club established a new race in partnership with the Salem Park & Recreation Department during the summer called the Wicked Kidz ½ Mile & Mile Race. Wicked will also have competed in three great relays, Lynn Woods, Lake W Relay andcoming up shortly Mill Cities Relay. We crossed the 200 member mark, gave out 4 $500 scholarships to a group of talented young adults, and we celebrated our 5th birthday!
I’ve been a member of Wicked since 2006, and since that time I’ve had the opportunity to serve as the Social Committee Director, Vice President, and now President. I’ve also served on the Wicked Frosty Four race committee and continue to do so today. Through it all the one thing that has remained constant is my devotion to the Wicked Running Club. I feel so incredibly lucky not only to be the President of such a wonderful running club but to also be part of a supportive running family.
I’m seeking a second term as President because I want to continue to serve the membership of Wicked and provide everyone with a great experience. I believe that I have the passion and the drive to accomplish many great things next year and if I’m elected I’ll be looking to my fellow Wicked Runners to help me continue Wicked’s great success.
Thank you for your consideration!
Vice President: Rich Tomlins
About 6 years ago I jumped back into running after a lay off of several years. I looked around for local group to run with andafter searching for sometime, found Wicked. It was a small group of about 20 people who came together to run with the Toomey’s That was the beginning of the Wicked Running Club. It was a fun small group of great people. It grew from there and I was lucky enough to get involved and serve on the first board.
I have put a tremendous amount of tim and energy into the club because of the love I have for running and because of the great group of people that make up this club. The club has change and grown so much since those days. The club is now fiscally solvent. We have over 200 members. We participate in multiple relay events. We haveour own club clothing. We partner up with New England Running Co. We even put on our own race.
Still the club faces many tasks and challenges ahead and it takes a strong united Board to meet those challenges. It takes effort day in and day out.It also takes experience and knowledge of the running community. I have volunteered my time constantly over the years and have been involved in running and clubs since high school. I have been a Board Member, Treasurer, Clothing Director, and President for the club. I have a goal and personal interest in seeing the club succeed and grow while maintaining its camaraderie.
Next year the club will need to continue its spirit of volunteerism and comraderie while becoming even bigger. I would like to be part of that challenge as Vice President.
Secretary: Alison Phelan
Dear Members:
It has been another great year running with the Wicked Running Club and the many people whose friendship I have made because of the Club. This is the best reason to continue with the Club. Yes, I love to be competitive, enjoy the challenges of a fun race or relay, but the best part of it all are the people that I’ve gotten to know and laugh with these last 2 years. One of the things that attracted me to the Club was the way the members always hung out together and cheered each other on at races. That to me is appealing and so now I hope to continue giving back to the Club in my own way as your Secretary for another year. Of Course, the meetings are always interesting especially when they are held at some pub – where taking notes can be challenging especially when you can’t hear what’s being said – so I’ve gotten creative at times! Despite that, I’ve enjoyed the past year serving in this capacity a hope you will all give me another chance in 2010.
I thank you for your consideration as your Club Secretary
Alison Phelan
Treasurer: Melissa Jaynes
I am a huge supporter of the WRC and I have been very active in the club since joining almost 2 years ago in a variety of ways; from my regular participation in club activities to helping find sponsors like Panera and EBSB for the 2nd Frosty Four race. I would like to become even more active with the club by serving on the Board as Treasurer. I believe I am well suited for this position as I have experience working with budgets in my job as a policy analyst, am a meticulous record keeper, and will make my attendance at Board meetings and Treasury duties a top priority.
Membership Director: Annie Rose Willis
After being a member of Wicked for almost a year and a half now, I feel ready to be part of the board. Though I had been involved with running prior to joining, being a member has definitely made me enjoy the experience a lot more, and now I want to take my involvement to the next level. I have met some amazing friends, participated in new events and races, and enjoyed the sense of belonging and comraderie that exists (and these are just a few benefits that havecome from being a member). All of that being said, being a board member would be a great way to give back what I have already gotten in such a short amount of time.
As for why I chose “membership”… I don’t think it’s a mystery to anyone that I am an outgoing, social “people” person. I fee that membership was a good fit for me since it so directly corresponds to the actual people-the members (and soon to be recruited members) of Wicked. Recruiting and retaining our members is so important, andI feel that I could bring my positive engergy to this role in order to make such things happen 
Thanks guys!!!
Annie
Clothing Director: Michele Campbell
About four years ago I decided to try something new. I started running with Salem’s Wild Turkey 5 Mile as an “ultimate” goal. One day I discovered the Wicked Running Club and decided to show up for a Saturday run. This was the first time I ever met club members. Steve Touchette kindly ran much slower than his usual pace to keep me company. And the others there that day were incredibly encouraging. I became a member soon after.
I began volunteering with the club, primarily designing race posters, shirts and ads, and setting up recycling at the Frosty Four (with husband and non-runner Gif!). This year I helped Kathey with the artwork for the fabulous clothing she ordered for us. I am familiar with the merchandise and with clothing production and believe I can continue her great work. When Doug asked if I would consider running for a Board position, I thought about it and decided that I could — andshould — give more of my time to the club.
Wicked Running Club is the bomb. I’ve made new friends, and continue to benefit from the motivation that only a club of like-minded people can offer. I would be honored to serve on the Board as Clothing Director and hope that you’ll consider my candidacy.
I’d like to thank all of the other Board members, past and present, fortheir commitment and service.
Regards,
Michele Campbell
Member At Large: Shari Hewson
By way of introduction my name is Shari Hewson and I joined the Wicked Running Club in May of 2009. I started to get back into running a couple years ago but did not seriously train. My idea of training at that time was “Hey, there is a 5K coming up – let’s run.” I realized I wanted running to become a bigger part of my life and began researching running clubs in the area.
The first people I met from the Club was Tim Short, Deb Touchette and John Mahoney. They were all very pleasant, welcoming and enthusiastic. I knew this was a club I had to try and I havenot been disappointed. My husband Kenny joined in July and shortly after the Club incorporated a family membership and welcomed children. Our son Kyle then joined and we have had a great time.
I was always somewhat envious at races when people that belonged to a club all congregated and supported one another. This was something we had been looking for. The Wicked Running Club has provided support and encouragement at all times. There is always someone to run with, ask questions of and commiserate with. The mantra often spoken is “You can do that – no problem”.
I had the privilege of serving on the Board last year as a Member-At-Large and truly enjoyed the experience and believe I contributed to the good of the Club. I would welcome the opportunity to serve on the Board again. I am definitely a team player and will bring enthusiasm and experience to this position.
Thank you for your consideration.
Shari R.M. Hewson
Member At Large: Allison Rourke
To the members of the Wicked Running Club:
I am writing to ask for your support in nominating me for the position of Member-at-Large.
I have been an active member of the Wicked Running Club for 3 years and have participated in the planning and carry-out of many club events, including the Winter Banquet and the Frosty Four. Over the course of the past 3 years I have had the opportunity to get to know many of you personally, and to gain a better understanding of how the Board can help to make the Club a venue for nurturing Club members’ love of running.
As a Member-at-Large, I plan to help support the Club as it continues to grow and to increase the sense of community among club members.
Thank you for your consideration!
Allison Rourke
Member At Large: T.R. Ramsdell
To the members of Wicked,
I’ve only been a member of Wicked for about a year, and I’ve been a runner for a little longer than that. I met Rich Tomlins at The Running Company while getting new shoes, and he persuaded me to run the Frosty Four and also join Wicked. I had been running with the D5K crew and recognized a lot of the same faces. I was looking for some kind of organized running group to help me become a “runner”. I started running races as a member of Wicked, and met so many great people. I couldn’t get over how “friendly” competition could be. It was slaps on the back, and knuckles all around, both before and after the races. I soon found out that this wasn’t a club of just “elite” runners; it was a “Family” of runners of ALL levels. I knew I had found a home.
I’ve been running races and making new friends for the past year or so. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the other members and also their families. Tim recently asked me if I’d be interested in a spot on the board. I declined, sighting the fact that I’d been a member for such a short amount of time, that I didn’t think that I could be of any benefit to the club. He asked a second time, and so did Doug. A couple other members also asked me about running. The turning point, I feel, came a few weeks ago. After a very poor performance during an important race, I was very “down” on running. But the support and encouragement from Wicked members brought me out of my slump. Recently, I posed the question on my facebook page, “are all runners generally optimistic and very supportive of each other, or did I get lucky enough to join the best group of people on Earth? I feel that it is the latter. Runners seem to understand each other better than any other breed of athlete. We all have victories. We all have defeats. But it is this core and genuine caring for one another, and because of the support system in the club, that I have considered running for the At-Large position.
I love to talk, and I love to meet people, and because of this, I feel that I can bring ideas and concerns of other members, to the board in a constructive manner. Everyone has a voice, and if through a conversation with a member, I can help bring forward an idea or concern they may have, than I feel I can be a viable member of the board. I’m happy to provide any help that I am able. Thank you for your time.
