Board Meeting Minutes

The Palm Springs Front Runners and Walkers board meets the second Wednesday of each month (check the Event calendar for details). This meeting is open to the public. To attend, please contact psfrw.president@gmail.com for details on how to join the ZOOM meeting.

Meeting minutes from past board meetings are posted here. 

2023

June 7 - Highlights

• Frontrunners is signed up to help with the La Quinta Iran Man event. Twenty volunteers will help hand out finisher medals.
• Kathi Garcin represented Frontrunners at a recent meeting of the International Frontrunners to learn more about transgender participation in Frontrunners events.
• Co-Directors Brian Eggert and Tom Crinigen are seeking corporate and member donations to support the 2023 Pride Race.
• Membership of Frontrunners in June has reached 356.
• Social mixers are scheduled through the summer. A recent mixer at QuadZ had 62 in attendance.
• There will be a soft opening for 2023 Pride Race registration in early July. Members will be offered a discount.
• Palm Springs Mayor Grace Garner has agreed to serve as the Pride Race’s starter.

May 10 - Highlights

• Board members affirmed Frontrunners’ commitment to use a portion of the proceeds from the 2023 Pride Run to benefit organizations that support the transgender community.
  
• Demographics of Frontrunners were reviewed. Comparisons with demographics of the larger community may be used develop membership goals for inclusivity. 
  
• Current club membership is 348 persons.
  
• Mixers continue to be well attended. Frontrunners attendance at The Roost was 104; at One Eleven Bar, there were 120.
  
• Frontrunners’ Holiday Dinner has been scheduled for December 3 at Miracle Springs Pool and Spa in Desert Hot Springs.
• Alternate routes have been established for our club’s runners and walkers that make better use of street crossings at signal lights. 

April 8 - Highlights

• Board meeting date changes: June meeting changed to June 7. The September meeting will be on September 20. Other Board meetings remain on 2nd Wednesdays.

• Donation of $2,000.00 received from Tour de Palm Springs for Frontrunners volunteer support of this event.

• Membership Director continues to contact persons who have not yet renewed membership.

• Social mixers continue to be well attended.

• Alternate walking route established to increase safety by reducing congestion at Ramon crosswalk.

• Registration fee of $40 established for 2023 Pride Run with $5 discount for members.

March 25 - Highlights

• The annual election meeting of the general membership (119 runners, walkers and guests in attendance) elected following for two-year terms: Tom Crinigen as Vice President, Tom Larsen as Secretary, Bill Coughlin as Membership Director and Brian Eggert as Member-at-large.
• President Mark encouraged everyone to consider service on the Board, urged everyone to have safety in mind as they walked or ran and invited everyone to attend the 9 am social for coffee/juice with muffins and fruit. 

March 8 - Highlights

• President Mark reported on his recent attendance of a meeting of the U.S. Western Region Frontrunners.
  
• Treasurer Bill completed conversion of our bank account to a new bank.
• Pride Run 2023 Co-Directors Brian and Tom C. are assembling volunteers to host the November 4 event.
• The Board designated the LGBT Center of the Desert and the Transgender Health and Wellness Center as beneficiaries of the 2023 Pride Run.
• Social Director DeLon says that the social mixers are well attended. 
• Member-at-large Neill is working on ways to promote safe practices during walks and runs.

February 8 - Highlights

• President Mark De Angelis reported that an application is being made to the International Frontrunners for resources to help our club reach out to underserved and under-represented communities.
  
• The raising of funds was authorized for the purchase of a tree or trees for the Prescott Preserve that borders much of our walking and running routes. 
  
• Work continued on a slate of candidates for the four positions up for election in March. Board members serve a two-year term. Each March, half of the board positions are up for election. 
  
• The Board learned that more than 200 members have renewed their membership while just over 100 members have not renewed, yet. Membership Director Bill Coughlin is welcoming new members and reaching out to those who have not renewed. 
  
• 2023 Pride Run Co-Directors Brian Eggert and Tom Crinigen reported that Pride Run preparations are underway and that a date for the run has been set: November 4.
  
• Social Director DeLon Gobeli reported good attendance at mixers.
  
• Neill Fishman was thanked for an excellent job of coordinating volunteers to staff booths at the Info A Go Go event and the Health Run and Wellness Festival.

January 11 - Highlights

• The Board thanked Social Director DeLon Gobeli for organizing the Holiday Dinner that was attended by 130 members and guests. 
• DeLon also announced the first mixers of 2023. 
• Thank you notes were read from the LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert and the Transgender Health and Wellness Center, recipients of $14,000 each from Frontrunners’ Pride Run profits. 
• Brian Eggert was thanked for doing a magnificent job of organizing the 2022 Pride Run and was authorized by the Board to begin plans, along with co-director Tom Crinigen, for the 2023 Pride Run. 
• Neill Fishman volunteered to organize volunteers for the Frontrunners’ booths at the Health Run and Wellness Festival and the Info A Go Go event. 
• The Board accepted the invitation from PrimeTimers of the Desert to promote Frontrunners’ participation in the Laughlin Riverside Resort and Casino bus trip scheduled for April 10-13. Registrations for this event will be made through PrimeTimers.