THE KEY TO KVMR'S SUCCESS has always been its vast volunteer network. There are some 700 of us from every walk of life performing any number of tasks to keep this great station alive and functioning. Some of us-approximately 150-are broadcasters; others help out around the station, doing everything from mailing letters to organizing CDs to cleaning the bathrooms. Many volunteer at the Celtic Festival and other events. And 12 of us serve on the board of directors, meeting monthly to handle the affairs of the station and more often for committee work.

We are coming up again on another election for new board members and this year, it appears there will be at least four open seats for election. This presents an opportunity to get new members with new ideas to help us advance the station's causes and come up with new programs and initiatives.

Any member of KVMR is eligible to be on the board, but there are a number of attributes and skills we look for in the ideal candidate. The most important is passion for the station. You don't have to enjoy every music show or necessarily agree with everything that is said, but we want people who believe in the station's mission and goals and who "get" us.

Ideally, the perfect board member is already volunteering in other ways and wants to bring some additional skills to the table. Leadership, financial acumen, legal expertise, strategic planning and grant-writing are all skills that translate well to our board of directors. And of course, fund raising. Folks who have significant contact lists and who are comfortable asking others for money are highly valued on any board.

Generally, four seats go up for election every year, each for three-year terms. They are elected two ways, one by the general volunteer community, which is responsible overall for four of the seats, and by the sitting board of directors, which is responsible for a total of eight. The volunteers will be electing at their Sept. 9 general meeting. The board will be electing at its meeting Sept. 27.

Notices will start going out June 15. The deadline for submission of written applications will be July 30. We will have vetting sessions with candidates in early August where we will interview you on your skills and life experiences and answer any questions you have about KVMR.

We are a team-building, proactive board that works hard to build consensus and is respectful of other opinions. We encourage our members to be active volunteers and to represent the board at various outreach events in which KVMR takes part. We are actively involved in the Celtic Festival, the John McCutcheon concert and numerous fairs and activities through-out our "footprint," from Truckee down to Davis. And of course, we are always answering phones during our membership drives.

We also encourage candidates from outside Nevada City/ Grass Valley to get involved. We currently have board members who live in Auburn, Sacramento, Colfax and Plymouth serving on our board.

For those who are unsure you want to immediately take on the commitments of board work, we invite you to join one of our board committees: board development, fund development, financial review and station development. We also have advisory committees to the general manager in marketing, emergency planning and technical matters. You don't need to be a board member to serve on these committees and it's a good way to put your toe in the water before fully committing.

If you are interested in applying for the board, email me at myoung @ kvmr.org and I will connect you with Phil or Jim on our board development committee who can answer your questions and help you along with the process. We look forward to having you join us in supporting community radio.

By Michael Young, KVMR's Board President