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Thursday, January 17, 2019

2019-2021 NOMINEES

We have additional nominees please take the time to read all the Bio's

CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT 2019-2021
DEAN LANES

Single, two daughters, one son, and 3 grandsons

45 years in automotive business: Owned Ford, Chrysler, Plymouth, & Dodge Dealership, 5 Star Chrysler Dealer winner, Ford Sales Master Certified, Ford 300/500 Sales Master, and currently the owner of Central Minnesota Solutions

Club: Various duties for Nationals/Members/Duel in the Desert tournaments, Round Robin Captain Sub, Court Utilization Data Entry, 4.0 Shootout Captain, Club Referee, and referee mentor I also volunteered at National Senior Games, USAPA Great Lakes Regionals, Southern Arizona Senior Games, USAPA Middle States Regionals, and Tucson Open

Facebook pickleball profile (Dean Nimmy Lanes)

Started volunteering over 40 years ago in Jaycees-Served as Director, Vice President, President, and District Director then with Minnesota Deer Hunters Association-Served as Chapter President, State District Director, and State President
I came to Palm Creek as a snowbird because of the 24 World Class pickleball courts. I took the beginners pickleball class and I enjoyed the dedication of volunteers that help me with my pickleball skills over the years. I purchased a park model in 2017 and this summer I started to turn my park model into a full-time home.  My passion is playing and then the friendships from pickleball. I have been asked to run for President and give something back. I ask for your input, your involvement, and then vote for and support the board you elect February 13th.

CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT 2019-2021
BILL WISE

My wife Barb and I live at Robson Ranch in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area of Texas.
We were originally from the Seattle area where we both retired from the Boeing Co., me as an engineer.
We have 4 kids and 8 grandkids ranging from 2-16 years of age, with 1 on the way!
Pickleball has been part of our lives since we moved to Texas 5 years ago.
We actively play in tournaments and have played in tournaments from Florida to Arizona to Washington State to Indiana and many states in between. 
I also play slow pitch Softball both here and in Texas and took up lawn bowling just this season.
We both love to travel and just got back from spending 3 weeks in Australia and New Zealand.

Prior club experience:
President of a van club
Treasurer of Robson Ranch Pickleball club
The leader of Cub Scout pack
Member of Seattle Children’s Hospital “Magic Guild”
  -motorcycle club raising money for uncompensated care
Years of coaching little league baseball 

Current Palm Creek Pickleball Club Vice President and Ratings Committee Chair.

We love it here and are I am very excited to have the chance to continue serving on your Palm Creek Pickleball Club board!


CANDIDATE FOR VICE PRESIDENT 2019-2020
GEORGE MCCULLEY

Therese and I have been coming to Palm Creek since we found it quite by accident in 2012. We have maintained an annual resident status in the park for the previous three years and have made Palm Creek our home away from home.  We also maintain a residence in Arkansas close to where our son, daughter in law and two beautiful grandchildren call home.  Therese and I are both retired, me after 38 years of military service, Therese after 31 in public education.  Since retirement, pickleball has become an integral part of our lives.

When I am in Arkansas, I serve as a USAPA Ambassador, teach pickleball refereeing and coordinate referees for local tournaments.  When Arkansas gets too hot and sticky for comfort, I travel throughout the US, stopping at various pickleball tournament venues where I function as a USAPA Certified Referee Evaluator and, of course, play and officiate matches.  My most recent national endeavor was serving as tournament referee coordinator and head referee for the recently completed USAPA National Championships at Indian Wells, CA.

Since first arriving in Palm Creek, I have actively sought out opportunities to serve our membership.  I have served as the tournament team lead for facilities, tournament director for both the Members and Duel tournaments, tournament referee coordinator for the previous two years including the 2017 Nationals which were held at Palm Creek as well as a Round Robin Captain. Today, I continue to serve as your Coordinator of Referees and Training, as well as being a consultant to our tournament directors.


I have always felt the calling to service, and that is why I want the job of Vice President.  The club is facing several near term and very interesting challenges.  Among these issues are; optimizing court utilization in the face of increased membership; fair, yet undiluted, Round Robin play when legacy ratings go away later this year; and always at the forefront, continuing to seek a pathway to additional courts.  I believe my experience at the local, regional and national levels would be helpful when tackling our club issues.  

But always, first and foremost, I want to be your voice when these decisions are being made.  However, to serve you in that capacity, I need your vote.  


CANDIDATE FOR VICE PRESIDENT 2019-2020
BEV PRATT

My pre-retirement career included 37 years in the field of education.  My first 25 years I was a math teacher and also coached a variety of sports including basketball, softball, track & field, swimming, and volleyball.  I was the head of the math department at a large high school for 3 years as well as being an active member of our school council.  My next turn in education landed me in the Oregon Department of Education as a federal grant manager under ‘No Child Left Behind’, as well as being the manager of the statewide teacher mentoring program.  Lastly, I worked for a non-profit organization which specialized in educational policy and worked directly with districts to improve teacher and principal effectiveness.

This is the third season that my wife, Jenny and I have been here at Palm Creek.  Not sure what we wanted to do in retirement we took the recommendation of a friend to come here and try it out.  We immediately fell in love with Palm Creek and the wide variety of activities available to participate in which led us to purchase a park model at the end of our first season.  We have both been members of the Pickleball club for three years.  We had never played pickleball before our arrival so began at the 2.0 level.  Through the mentoring and coaching of many, both of our games continue to improve and we have moved up skill levels. I am currently playing at the 4.0 level, and continue to have friends from the other levels in which I have participated. It has also been my goal to give back to other players, as Jenny and I captain round robins and provide coaching during these sessions.

I am interested in running for the board as my way of supporting the 1000+ pickleball players here in our park.  We have a dedicated group of volunteers and players at all levels.  I look forward to learning more about their ideas and suggestions of what can make this extraordinary club even better.  I believe it is important to listen to players from all levels to ensure we are providing the best experience possible that includes not only time to play but also mentoring and coaching along the way.

I would be happy to visit with anyone who might be interested in why I am pursuing a position on the board.  I hope I can count on you for your vote!


CANDIDATE FOR Secretary 2019-2021
Dawn Vaughan

I started playing pickleball in January 2018, here at Palm Creek. My husband and I moved to Palm Creek in June 2018, and live here year-round.

I actively participate in the Round Robins, and the Inter-Community play during the summer.
I currently volunteer at the Membership table and am the lead for the 50/50 raffle during the Club Tournament.

In the past, I have held the office of Treasurer for my neighborhood HOA.
I am committed to ensuring that the Palm Creek Pickleball Club remains the Club it is currently.


CANDIDATE FOR Member at Large 2019-2021
Bob Bonack

I was born and raised in a small community in Wisconsin. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, I enlisted in the Air Force where I spent 6 years, the last 2 as a civilian working in a Base Weather Station. From there I transferred to the National Weather Service where I spent the next 35 years, the last 18 years in management positions, before retiring 8 years ago.

My wife Mary and I have 3 children, 6 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren who are scattered across the country from coast to coast, so we do quite a bit of traveling.

I have thought about volunteering for an At-Large Board Member position for the past couple of years as the next step in my volunteer process for our Pickleball Club. Now that I have passed my duties as Director of Facilities and Maintenance, Facilities for Tournaments Lead, and Public Address System Lead to other volunteers this year, the time has come to serve as an At-Large Board Member.

I have performed the above-mentioned duties for most of the past 3 years, and before that, I placed balls at the courts in the morning, checked net heights once a week, and did general light maintenance in the courts' area. I have captained Round Robins, been involved with the Rating Committee for the past 5 years, and have been a Mentor.

When our Pickleball Club hosted the USAPA Nationals, we would arrive at Palm Creek a couple weeks earlier than normal. We needed to help get our court complex cleaned and spruced up and ready for the Big Event! The USAPA people also needed our help and input for getting things prepared. It has calmed down considerably this year without our Club hosting the Nationals.

This is our 7th year at Palm Creek, and I got my start in volunteering almost immediately upon arriving. I came to Palm Creek for one reason, and that was Pickleball and the new 24 court complex that was being built and it opened our first year here. It was Pickleball Heaven, and I wanted to give something back for all the fun I was having. I met Michael Hill, and the rest is history. He took me under his wing, and I started working with him. In addition to the above mentioned duties of placing balls and ensuring we always had an ample supply of balls, and so forth, we took care of parking for the tournament now known as the "Duel" and other things needed for the "Members" and "Duel" Tournaments such as water, ice, trash pickup, assisting vendors and sponsors, and helping wherever needed. We arrived in the dark on Tournament days to turn on the lights for the other volunteers, vendors, and sponsors and start to ready the court complex for another tournament day. 

I am a consultant this year for the people who have assumed my former duties. With 7 years of varied volunteer experience for our Pickleball Club, I am ready to serve as an At-Large Board Member. 

CANDIDATE FOR Member at Large 2019-2021
Bert Carreau

My name is Bert Carreau. I am 64 years old. I have been in education all of my professional career. I retired in 2010 and have made Casa Grande our winter home ever since. We started at Val Vista RV Park where we learned how to play pickleball. We were instrumental in forming a club at Dave White Municipal courts.

We moved to Palm Creek three years ago in search for a more structured and advanced play. Since then I became a certified Palm Creek referee. I refereed at Nationals when they were here, and many other tournaments in the area. I am now mentoring the 2.5 women’s Round Robin on Thursdays and also the 3.5 rated women on Tuesdays. I am also one of the tournament directors for the Members’ Tournament 2019.

I have experienced enough in this club to become a good Member At Large.

Thank you for considering me for the position of Member At Large.


CANDIDATE FOR Member At Large 2019-2021
Cheryl Flynn

During my career as an occupational therapist, I worked in a school district in west-central Florida.  Not only did I work with special needs students (ages 3-21), but also with parents, teachers, and administrators.  I spent 10 years working with the Pre-K Assessment team; and introduced novel therapeutic techniques i.e. “Bal-A-Vis-X” to enhance students’ eye-hand coordination. 

While living in Florida I was involved with orienteering, line dancing, swimming, bicycling, fishing, and camping.  Through the YMCA I learned about Pickleball.  Who knew then that it would become such a big part of my life? 

After retirement, my spouse Laura and I moved to Colorado.
In our small town of Pagosa Springs, we discovered many opportunities to become involved in our community.  By joining the San Juan Outdoor Club (hiking group) and Step Outdoors Colorado (volunteer trail workgroup) my appreciation for nature was enhanced.  These activities allowed me to interact on a deeper level with our beautiful surroundings.

In our local Community Garden, we took a bare plot of land and built beds for participants to grow their own vegetables.  We enjoyed eating many fresh salads that summer!   Through my involvement with the community garden, I was asked to volunteer at the Head Start Program.  I then helped 3-5-year old’s grow their own food in a hydroponic grow tower which was purchased through a grant. 

Other volunteer activities include:  The Humane Society, Chimney Rock National Monument, San Juan Mounted Patrol (assisting local sheriff’s Department), Habitat for Humanity, and assisting behind the scenes at the Performing Arts Center (Thingamajig Theatre).

And of course, there’s pickleball…
We met friends in our hometown pickleball club who introduced us to Palm Creek.  We first came for the Nationals to watch.  The next year we came back (for 2 months) and volunteered at the Nationals.  This being our third year we are staying for 5 months and have really jumped into the whole Palm Creek experience. 
I volunteer at the Pickleball membership table and as coordinator for the Ball Machines. 
Other interests include sewing, wood carving, wood shop, Native American flute playing, line dancing, pattern dancing, and fitness classes.

I enjoy meeting new people, talking with them, learning about their interests, and making them feel welcome.   As a member-at-large, I would listen to their feedback (positive and negative) and share that with the Board. Because of my ability to consider all sides of a situation I feel I would be an asset to the Board.   I hope I can count on your vote!

Nominations are now closed

Election: February 13, 2019
3PM - Meet the Candidates, elections to follow at 4PM
  

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