2026 will be the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Oregon Poetry Association!
There could be no better year for you and your colleagues to consider joining the OPA Board, which is a working team that supports contests and an annual conference, promotes connections among members, and celebrates Oregon poets and poetry.
As a board member, you (or the person you nominate) should be passionate about poetry — as a reader or a writer — and willing to bring other talents to the benefit of OPA members and the OPA organization. Board members start in October and optimally can commit to a three year term.
Useful skills/interest – sample related activities:
- organizing events – the conference and other events such as readings and workshops
- attention to detail – contests and the conference
- numbers/finances – shepherding OPA finances, tracking accounts, setting up auto-payments for bills, writing checks to judges, contest winners, other bills and vendors, reimbursements for approved expenses
- communication/writing – shepherding membership, messaging contest judges and winners, announcements, news items, OPA history, etc.
- good with people – coordinating volunteers, outreach to new members and potential board members, being an ambassador for OPA
- leadership – being a board officer, leading committees and activities, connecting with other related/partner organizations
- comfort with technology – helping with Submittable, membership database, forms for workshops and new board members
- special technology – managing OPA email accounts, OPA files, the website
OPA needs all of these to be sustainable over the coming year and beyond. In short, OPA needs you and your colleagues to join the board (or, short of that, volunteer to help with OPA activities).
You’re welcome to nominate yourself or nominate/encourage someone else. At the least, please get the word out within your network that OPA is seeking board members for its 70th anniversary!
Follow this link to the OPA Board Nomination Form.
The call for nominees is open until July 31st