Should I bow out of this or not? b!tch, but I need opinions (long)....

[AnnieW625]

I am suppose to go to a dues stuffing event for my Jr. League tonight, but I really do not want to go, and need to figure out how to get out of it.

backstory: I am chair of the League's grants and partnerships committee; up until November I was vice chair, but then the chair decided to take a leave of absence. Our league is very small (less than 100 actives) so I decide it's best for our league to just to step up and agree to be the chair. Go to mid year evals in late January, and am told that my committee will be in charge of the annual giving campaign. More information to follow. Three weeks pass and I get an email from the President requesting the draft of annual giving campaign letter, it is due on 2-22, and president says there is no template on file. For the life of me I can't remember what last years looked like so I develop my own and submit it by the due date, and include a monthly pledge option which I had expressed to our finance council, president, and president elect that would be a good thing for our league to do because we need money. On the same day as the due date I get an email from the President saying that the President Elect and her will take it from there. This morning I get an email with the final draft of the flier and it looked nothing like what I had originally done and my great thought to do a monthly donation option is nowhere to be found. I feel like everything I have done has been for nothing. All the email said was "thanks for your work, but we got a copy from last year's flier from last year's chair, that the dues mailer is already too wordy, and that I need to make sure and keep a copy of this current flier for next year's committee". :hopmad:

So based on reading that would you even make an attempt to attend something that you really don't want to be at? I am leaning towards not going because my DH needs to study for his professional engineering exam, and our house is a mess from painting (which has been going on for almost a week), and I would rather not spend a whole lot of time with people I don't feel like appreciate my efforts esp. since I have already finished my volunteer hours for the year.

An added bonus to me not being there is that there are enough people signed up for the dues stuffing that on our website it says it is full. I honestly think me not being there won't be the end of the world, but I don't want to pi$$ off the President either because she holds a grudge and I still potentially have two years of active service left in the league and I do have to make dues reminder calls this weekend or within the next week so I will have to deal with her again at least once before the league year is over.

[boolady]

My honest feeling, although it might not be what you want to hear, is that you need to go. You are the chair of the committee in charge of the annual giving campaign. The letter going out is about the annual giving campaign. You thought you had a good idea with the monthly pledge option and they obviously disagreed or thought it would be burdensome to administrate or whatever. They found the template from last year and decided to use it, maybe because they preferred it to your version or maybe because they're creatures of habit or maybe they're control freaks. I don't know, and I don't think it matters, because I think there are times we should do things, if we want to remain part of an organization that does good for others, even when the reigning royalty, so to speak, ;) is a PITA.

You do a lot of good work in the Junior League, and I think this is one of those times that you will do more good for yourself, your reputation in the league, and in terms of your relationship with the big cheeses if you go, grin and bear it. I'm afraid that if you don't go, it will look like sour grapes because they revised your letter, and if they've got control issues, this will only make it worse.

[kara97210]

I hate it when I spend a lot of time pulling something together and it is not appreciated. Just a waste of your time if they were able to get last year's letter in the first place.

That said, I would go tonight anyway and just chalk this up to being one example of how committee work sometimes sucks. In my experience joining a board or committee is always way more work than I initially think and comes with way more challenges than my normal 9-5, very challenging, job. And it is usually completely thankless. If it was me, I would go for a little while, and leave early if it's clear they don't need you.

[wellyes]

Make an appearance. You're the chair and this is part of it.

Your gripe is with the President, who was unprofessional. She deserves a hearty chewing out and I hope you give her one!