Dear Neighbors of Bridgewood,
As a resident for over 16 years and a volunteer for 6, I have had the extraordinary opportunity to see Bridgewood grow from a half-finished subdivision to the rich and thriving community we have now. It has been such enjoyment to serve you. It saddens me, but I have tendered my retirement as President of the Board of Directors (BOD) effective 01 August 2020. Barbara Zopp will be taking over my role I am confident that she and your BOD will continue to serve you well.
“Is it best for Bridgewood?” When I was first elected to a leadership role in our community, I was very nervous. As I took my new role seriously, I did not want to let Bridgewood down. My mentor told me to just always remember and remind myself about what was best for Bridgewood. That mantra has served me well through today, the end of my tenure as a Bridgewood’s President.
I know what people think of HOA volunteers, I used to as well. And why not? I mean what do we get out of it other than a sense of power over our fellow neighbors, right? No, not at all. First, you don’t have all the power. There are five Board members all with their individual opinions and votes. As a Board member, you are not supposed to handle violations or collections, so you’re not the boss of those either. What did I get out of it, then? First and most importantly, I met the greatest friends I will ever have in my life through volunteering for BYS and the BOD. Wonderful and amazing people. I got to practice things like leadership and management skills that I needed for my career. I got a sense of accomplishment from volunteering at events and games and making people’s lives a little brighter. I loved helping people as much as I could too, it felt good. I also had the honor of serving with some of the best volunteers and staff that Bridgewood has ever had. I thank you for that.
I will miss serving you, but I will still be around if needed and my email will continue to work for some time. Please feel free to contact me at stephanie@mybridgewood.com.
I hope that life gets better for us all soon and I will continue to pray for Bridgewood’s health and safety. Please, all of you, take care.
Steph
Steph Needham
President, Bridgewood Association, Inc.
Liaison, Bridgewood Youth Soccer (BYS)
stephanie@mybridgewood.com