MALMSTROM SPOUSES CLUB

Hi all, My name is Brittany Borgford and I am running for Secretary but I am open to filling a

position on the board there is a need for. I am a USAF veteran and my husband is currently

active duty and is a part of the 341st MUNS, Malmstrom AFB is our 6th assignment together. I

am currently serving the Malmstrom Spouses Club as the Charitable Chair and served as the

Vice President for the spouse group at Volkel AB. We have two children, Emilee who is a 7th

grader at North and Max who is a 5th grader at Loy. We have only been at Malmstrom since

August and we have enjoyed exploring the area, and thanks to our daughter’s soccer

schedule we have seen more of the state than we imagined. As we have moved quite a bit,

with two assignments being at remote bases in Europe, we have learned to adapt quickly

and get involved as I believe that is the key to make each assignment feel like home. I look

forward to serving our community if elected and using my experience to help other members

create a community.

 

Why are you interested in serving on the board of the Malmstrom Spouses Club?

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Being a part of an organization that creates an opportunity for all spouses to get involved

is very important to me. Frequent moves can be hard on families and one thing that has

always helped bridge missing our previous assignment and village and creating a new village

is the spouses club. The social interaction is always what draws me in and then I do

whatever I can to be involved to make these events happen.

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What unique skills or strengths do you bring to this position?

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My background in logistics and working in MDG’s has taught me how to adhere to strict

guidance/AFI’s. It also has taught me the importance of organization, maintaining due dates

and ensuring all parameters are met. I am proficient in using Microsoft products, utilizing

google drives and adobe products.

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How would you engage and motivate volunteers or members of the club?

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Engaging members and volunteers is the foundation of having a successful club. I would

plan to engage them by showing and reminding them of the impact we are having on the rest

of the community. Utilizing examples such as the fun we have at our mini clubs and monthly

socials. Motivating them by thanking them because without them these events would not be

possible and thanking them for being a part of the backbone that gives the remainder of the

community the opportunity to engage in different environments.

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The board requires a time commitment for meetings, events, and planning. Are you able

to dedicate the necessary time to fulfill your responsibilities?

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Yes, I can dedicate whatever time is needed to fulfill all responsibilities.

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Do you have any ideas on how the club can improve engagement or better serve the

Malmstrom AFB community?

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I have two ideas my first would be to create a series of testimonies from current members

on the impact the club has had on them or their favorite part of the club. These can be

shared on social media. My second idea is to offer a one time pass to a mini club to show

them what being a member is all about.

 

What are your top three goals for the club during your term?

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1. Continue to grow membership rates.

2. Find additional ways to fundraise for club.

3. If an increase in fundraising is possible, create additional outreach opportunities to our

members. For example, provide a small gift or flowers in difficult times.

4. Look at sponsoring a unit each month and providing a small treat (like ice cream or cookies).

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How would you handle situations where club membership or participation declines?

 

My first step would be to evaluate what we as a club are doing and see if improvements

need to be made internally to target members. My second step would be to survey the target

audience and see what they are looking for. Figuring out the why the decline is happening is

the most important factor in implementing effective changes.

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Please provide a paragraph encompassing the following questions: Are you comfortable taking minutes, organizing records, and maintaining communication with members? How do you stay organized and ensure accurate record-keeping? What methods would you use to maintain clear and timely communication with members and the board? What ideas do you have for improving communication within the club? How would you ensure that important club documents are properly stored and accessible when needed?

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I am comfortable taking minutes during meetings as well as creating any templates

needed for minutes. As the current board has created a well organized google drive to

organize reports by position and a general folder to house minutes I am comfortable taking

that over as well as making any changes deemed necessary in the future. I will have no

issue continuing communicating with members through email and the private Facebook

group on necessary changes or needs to complete documentation. I would utilize excel to

create a tracker (one for each position) to document turn in dates of reports and who

completed the report as well as set calendar reminders for myself to follow up with members

as needed to turn items in. Communicating clear timelines upfront for reports and providing a

deadline if changes are needed will help me make sure we are meeting timelines. Providing

each member a printed copy of the report they turned in will make sure our binders are up to

date while also maintaining the google drive to ensure all documentation is present.