From:
Kamala Hirsch
To: Hank
Cc: Mary, Major
Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2003 10:08 PM
Subject: Re: Jobie Updates for Nov. 5
Hank,
You're right, I should have emailed you about these updates first, and
I'm sorry. But is there any content I can post without waiting for approval?
Let me elaborate:
What is the protocol for reading an announcement in a meeting? Does the
chairperson need the approval of Mary, Major and Pat before it can be
read in the meeting? If the chairperson emails me what is to be read in
the bethel, is it safe to include that on the website?
One of my concerns, and perhaps the underlying reason I simply post most
appropriate information I'm sent, is turnaround time. Council members
have emailed me information about events happening less than a week away--but
only after sending you an email with the same information, and finding
out you are out of town. Of course they want people to know that they
are having said event, but they are afraid that if they wait much longer
the information won't get posted on the website in time. The sooner the
information is available, the more people will see it.
If the GGC wants a static website with generic information that doesn't
change, that's fine. Let me know and I can change it and essentially be
done with it. But I feel the internet's greatest strength over other communication
channels is its ability to remain current and be updated almost instantaneously,
and in turn be immensely more useful. If all information has to go through
a series of checkpoints before it can be uploaded for all to read, how
current can it be?
I understand that everyone is busy and how often emails can get lost or
forgotten in the Inbox, if not addressed immediately. I know that if I
don't sit down and take care of updates for the website as soon as I get
them, I'm likely to forget about them until I sort through my Inbox days
or even weeks later--and by that time, events could have come and gone.
I'm sure everyone is well aware (and I learned first-hand when we were
trying to get the ball rolling on the website), sometimes sending emails
can be a dead end. I have emailed adults requesting something in particular,
never to hear from them again. Should I have to email the people repeatedly
to get an answer before posting something to the website (or decide to
not include it at all)?
Also, does the information have to come directly TO me FROM either you,
Mary, Major, or Pat? I am on Bethel 52's adult mailing list, and so I
get the emails Mary sends to all bethel guardians. I then take any information
that is useful and post it on the website (such as rescheduled GVs). Is
that okay? It would take less time, and Mary wouldn't have to worry about
thinking to email me later with the same information.
What about pictures? Do I need approval for those as well? And what about
the captions?
Job's Daughters has played a very important part in my life since I was
initiated in 1992, and I'm happy to help in any way I can. I'm grateful
to have the opportunity to help in such a unique way, and I think that
Virginia's website is stronger because a former jobie is the webmaster,
instead of a "relative" outsider. On top of my own personal
interest in maintaining the website, I'm thrilled to hear that everyone
else loves it too.
With that in mind, maybe we should go over the approval procedure (and
maybe consider revising some of the rules now that the site is in full
swing) before I make any additional updates. I understand that the GGC
is ultimately responsible for any content on the website, but I would
NEVER post anything I felt was inappropriate in any way. In all honesty,
the reason I started sending the email updates was so I could get the
information up as soon as possible, and also let you know what the updates
were (and on the off chance there were any problems/corrections/issues,
you could let me know and I could take care of them immediately).
Once I'm completely clear on the rules, maybe we should spread the word
to everyone else as well. I can post the rules on the website, and an
email can be sent out to all bethel guardians as a reminder. I have lots
of other things I'd like to talk to the BGs, ABGs and GSs about to enhance
the website, but they can wait.
Like all other adults involved in Job's Daughters, I have the best intentions
for this. Please let me know how you'd like me to proceed in the future,
because I'd like to avoid getting anyone's nose out of joint again (including
my own).
Sincerely,
Kamala
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Since I sent out the last email, Mary (the Grand Guardian) has called me to thank me again for all the work I've done on the website, and let me know that she thinks Hank was out of line and that he owes me an apology. I have yet to hear from Hank (apology or otherwise), but I think I made my feelings clear, and that I was not going to get his approval on every little thing, and that I think I'm competent enough to know what is appropriate and what is not.
Only thing that makes me nervous now is that the woman who will be Grand Guardian next year is Hank's wife. I guess I better enjoy my time with Mary as Grand Guardian :-)
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Glossary
Job's Daughters (Job rhymes with robe): a Masonic youth group for girls ages 11-20 and related to a Master Mason. Go back.
Bethel: a chapter of girls. There are several throughout the state, each has a different number to help differentiate one from another. For example, Bethel 1 is in Arlington, and Bethel 42 is in Virginia Beach. Go back.
Grand Guardian Council (GGC): The adults in charge in Virginia, lead by a Grand Guardian and an Associate Grand Guardian. Go back.
Mary, Major and Pat: The Grand Guardian (Mary Strehle), Associate Grand Guardian (Major Stephenson), and Grand Guardian Secretary (Patricia Rary), the three most important and active adults in Virginia's Job's Daughters day-to-day business. Hank Rees is the Grand Guardian Treasurer (and a Past Associate Grand Guardian), the #4 guy in the GGC. Go back.
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