Stephen Koppekin Consulting provides cost-effective and efficient consulting solutions in the areas of labor and employment. With his expert ability to negotiate and his solution-based mindset, Stephen Koppekin shares his vast knowledge on his consulting website.
—
The Valley Jesters is a non-profit organization, dedicated to having fun, camaraderie, golf, and raising money for five children’s charities, with the main charity being the Junior Blind of America. The Valley Jesters have exactly seventy-two members with an assortment of different committees. These members socialize and have fun together through different events, such as the annual golf tournaments hosted by the organization.
On Sunday, January 15, 2017, I was honored to be named King (Chairman of the Board) of the organization at the annual Installation Dinner. This dinner invites Valley Jesters and their significant others to join in commemorating the Board members from the previous year, the new board members for this year, the former King (who steps down), the new King, and the new Crown Prince. Each year, the “King” appoints a Crown Prince to be his right hand. This year, as the new King, I have appointed my dear friend and Valley Jester, Harvey Turell. The Crown Prince automatically becomes the King the following year and appoints his own Crown Prince. This year’s Installation dinner was extra special, because we also celebrated the 100th birthday of one of our very own, Mort Mauer.
Within the organization, there are many roles and committees at play. The King runs dinner meetings and finalizes decisions made by committees and board meetings. The Crown Prince does the majority of the leadership work for the organization, including making sure everyone comes to board meetings, preparing reports, and helping in whatever way is needed. The board includes the following people:
Dinner’s Chair: He organizes the various dinners held throughout the year and invites all the members.
Events Chair: This chairman organizes the organization’s day at the racetrack and trips of interest, including museums. This past month the Valley Jesters visited the LA Holocaust Museum.
Exchequer: He is essentially the treasurer of the organization.
Golf Chair: He organizes six golf tournaments per year.
Lord Chamberlain: This chairman is in charge of informing members about events both good and bad (i.e., illnesses and funerals). There are usually one to two events scheduled every month, with some months hosting three to four.
Speakers Chair: This chairperson schedules public speakers to speak at various Valley Jester events throughout the year. The topics covered are vast. For example, one might learn everything from healthcare to understanding the political ballot and local self defense from police officers to sports teams and artificial intelligence.
One cannot forget about the committees at work within the organization. They are what hold our team together. The committees in the organization are as follows.
Charities Committee: This committee collects funds for the organizations to which the Valley Jesters donate.
Dinner Dance Committee: This group is in charge of creating, hosting, and managing the annual dinner dance for members.
Golf Outings Committee: Every year, there is a three-day outing somewhere in California that provides a great time for all attendees.
Membership Committee: The membership committee screens and advises new applicants of the Jester requirements and maintains a waiting list when there are seventy-two members.
Newsletter Committee: They are in charge of sending out the monthly newsletter.
Ritual Committee: These men keep track of the history of the organization, update the Jester plaque that is kept at the offices of the Junior Blind, and are responsible for organizing the annual Installation dinner, among other things.
Round Table: The Round Table Committee facilitates up to four events each year in which approximately ten jesters at each event discuss topics of interest from history to estate planning.
Sunshine Committee: The Sunshine committee deals with members or members’ spouses who have a happy occasion or are ill or passed away by collecting tributes in their honor.
The Valley Jesters is near and dear to my heart. They are invaluable to the community around them and provide a deep sense of community, belonging, and purpose to its members. I am proud to be the new King of the organization and plan to lead it with esteem and gratitude.
