November 12, 2023
It is my great pleasure to deliver the 2022-2023 President’s Report, outlining the achievements and progress our organization has made over the last year. In many ways, this year marked a return to business as usual, allowing us to continue supporting our members while giving us the opportunity to look toward the horizon.
None of this would be possible without the countless volunteer hours put forth by our Board of Directors, to whom I extend my most sincere gratitude: Kevin Bradshaw - Vice President, Faroe des Roches - Treasurer, John Androsky - Secretary, Jonathan Lee - Member at Large, Austin Wilson - Member at Large, Aleia Wylie - Member at Large, Samuel Yates - Member at Large.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, we had to accommodate some slight changes on the Board over the year, with John Androsky moving into the Secretary position and Austin Wilson stepping in as Member at Large when Beth Anne Masselink was unable to continue with her term.
An important event for us was an in-person and virtual Board Social, which brought our geographically diverse group together, gave us important insight into our collective and individual superpowers, and allowed us to stop a zombie apocalypse with only minutes to spare. Board members and staff were given the opportunity to participate in various training opportunities through Volunteer Victoria, ensuring that our team is empowered to develop their skills and have fun while serving our organization.
Jonathan Lee, Aleia Wylie, and Sam Yates have reached the end of their respective terms on the Board, and I thank them for their contributions over the last two years. I would like to acknowledge our Executive Director, Janette Galan, for her tenacity, diligence, and dedication. Needless to say, Janette is the captain who keeps our ship afloat and on course, and I am confident in her vision and conduct in guiding our organization on our journey. Amy Stewart has completed her first year as Membership Coordinator. I know all of us are grateful for her invaluable work behind the scenes, maintaining communication with our members, and helping keep us certified and up-to-date. I look forward to her “Meet the Membership Coordinator” workshop at the Fall Exchange, as it offers an excellent opportunity to learn more about what she does.
I would also like to extend my gratitude to Laurel Archer and the entire Certification Committee. It was another busy year for them, and I am particularly impressed by their ability to go above and beyond in revisiting, updating, and modifying standards according to current needs. The update and change of requirements for Level 2 Guides in the Broken Group Islands and our ensuing letter of support to Parks Canada is just one of many examples of this.
Thank you to everyone who answered our member surveys. This information is a vital part of our Strategic Planning process, which is now well underway. A Strategic Plan will provide a vital road map (or chart, if you will) of where we are and where we want to be, and I’m proud to have worked on this project with Faroe des Roches and John Androsky. We have hired Frank Atnikov to guide us on this, whom we believe is a great fit for our organization, and we will be meeting November 24-26 to complete the consultation process.
Aleia Wylie revamped our Member Benefits Program (aka Pro Deals), giving a major overhaul to this highly appreciated resource for our Guides. Sam Yates and Jonathan Lee updated our Crisis Communication Plan, flushing out and expanding on the Infectious Disease Protocols and Food Borne Illness information. Faroe des Roches and Sam Yates contributed to the revision of the Level 1 and AOG written exams with the input of the Certification Committee. Kevin Bradshaw and Janette Galan have been developing documentation on adhering to SKGABC Operating Standards.
As many of you will have noticed, we have and will continue to encourage members to write blog posts to inform our membership about these types of operational developments.
Our Spring Guides Exchange at Secret Beach was a tremendous success thanks to the spirited collaboration of local outfitters Hello Nature (Kevin Bradshaw), Majestic Ocean Kayaking, and Paddle West (Ryan Rogers). I am grateful to the Toquaht Nation for welcoming us to their territory, and to the participants for their profound celebration of paddling and weather.
Our blended Fall Guides Exchange is underway, and we have an impressive roster of virtual, self- directed, and on-water events scheduled. Thank you to everyone who stepped forward to offer a workshop, and to those who will be in attendance.
Finally, I would like to formally extend my gratitude to our Guide membership for their professionalism, ongoing support, and dedication, and to our Guide Trainers and Examiners for maintaining our mission and vision within the kayaking industry. It has been my honour to serve our organization for the last four years, and I look forward to what is yet to come.
Respectfully,
Eric Boros
SKGABC President