Friends of Mayo Running

Hi, Friends of Mayo Runners,

I am greeting you as newly elected president of Friends of Mayo Running, starting with an excerpt from the inaugural board meeting minutes in 2010:  “Friends of Mayo Running was created in the summer of 2010 as a support group for the cross country and track and field programs, both boys and girls, at Rochester Mayo High School.  In part, the group was formed as a result of the economic stress that the Rochester Independent School District had experienced and to provide a financial base to buy equipment and supplies that otherwise would not be available to teams.”  Friends of Mayo Running is a 501c3 nonprofit organization (i.e., proceeds are tax-deductible).

As president, I have a vision for a family-oriented running community that is revered for fun, school spirit, and building future leaders at Mayo High School.  I would like to see Friends of Mayo Running extend its mission to include social activities and an official home for what many of us know as the Spartan Running Club.  The Spartan Running Club is the name of the team that a group of parents and students took last November to the Nike Cross Nationals (a.k.a., NXN) in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  (We had an awesome time and would like to bring even more people this year on 11/9!)  This club is also the natural place for our off-season family-led running programs.  As we build a more visible presence and include our friends and families at the feeder schools to Mayo High School, this will ultimately bolster the original fund-raising mission.  

As many of you know, I am passionate about running and working with the students.  I am excited by this opportunity to work with many talented individuals that collectively form our amazing community.  In order to pull off our mission, I’m looking for volunteers who share my enthusiasm and optimism.  Specifically I need people to help in the following roles or areas of expertise:

·      Board members (This is a new board that has completely turned over.  I have an immediate need to recruit five new board members with three-year terms.  Initially we may meet up to monthly, but I expect to meet quarterly or less once we settle into a rhythm.)

·      Marketing and fund-raising (We need to become more visible.)

·      Graphic Design (We need a logo and spirit wear.)

·      Website design (We need one place for information.  For a similar model that might inform our mission, please see http://www.waltontfxc.com/cinder.php )

·      Liaisons to the feeder schools (e.g., someone to connect with the running clubs and/or others at Folwell, Bamber, Willow, etc.)

·      Volunteer and activity coordinators (with an immediate need to plan for NXN)

If you are interested, please contact me at greg@productivementality.com or call me at 282-2610.  I plan to call a board meeting sometime after the River Falls meet on August 28.  Then it’s time to have some fun and complete our mission.

Thanks, and see you all next week at River Falls! 

 

Greg Couser