Introduction from Men's Club President Dave Peterson

What motivated you to take on this role?

I was motivated to run for president last year by all the fun and laughs I had working with the guys at Men’s Club over the prior 6 years. I felt that coming off Covid there were a lot of things Men’s Club could do to re-engage the GA community to increase active membership for the enjoyment of all. Not everyone was aware that all dads and male guardians are already Men’s Club members just by their son or daughter attending GA. I was honored to be elected president again this year to continue the mission.

 

In this role, what are you looking to accomplish this school year?

Last year was my first year as president and it was a big year for the Men’s Club. We pulled in a number of great guys who got involved and provided horsepower to accomplish many things. For example, we had three service projects; hosted the inaugural Outdoor Holiday Lighting event; grew Casino Night attendance by 25%; sold out both of our social events; distributed a lot of Men’s Club swag; created and distributed t-shirts for the Academy of Rock benefit; sponsored the Grand Carousel at Prom; had a diversified group of speakers for Networking Breakfasts; and attended numerous athletic, theatrical, and school events. There were 18 committees last year that involved many men. 

 

These things will serve as a foundation to expand further this year. Honestly, the Men’s Club will grow based upon the ideas and involvement of all active members. We are very open-minded and discuss many ideas. For example, we started a Spiritual Committee and look forward to the first spiritual retreat this year. Also, our fall social event is going to be quite a unique experience that came together based upon the ideas of many members. Last year, many outdoor holiday lights were donated to GA by a trustee (and prior Men’s Club president) and we look to expand the Outdoor Holiday Lighting on campus. We are also looking to collaborate with the Women’s Club and Lower School Parent Organization.

 

Bottom line – we plan to grow and expand our engagement with the GA community.

 

What would you like to say to your board concerning the upcoming school year?

The illustrious Men’s Club board this year is the same as last year and includes Rodney Diggs (Vice President), Mike Andrews (Treasurer), and Kevin Schadick (Secretary). They are a great group of guys with their own unique perspectives on issues. This is extremely important as we discuss and weed out activities to select those that can be most beneficial to the members of Men’s Club and the GA community. I highly value their open-mindedness, opinions and humor! Keep it up!

 

What would you like to say to any parents who are thinking of volunteering with the Men's Club?

It took me a couple of years at GA before I became involved with the Men’s Club. I’m an engineer, not a salesman, and was concerned that Men’s Club was all about fundraising. I quickly learned that Men’s Club is about FUN and FELLOWSHIP! After attending a couple of meetings and events, I was hooked. I met people at GA who I would not normally run into and they became friends. It’s great to see friendly faces on campus during events or even while just dropping off and picking up your son or daughter. 

 

Volunteering at Men’s Club is a fun social activity, not a chore. There are many ways to be involved, whether it be a little, or a lot. Come laugh and find out what interests you. Your children are only young once and this opportunity at GA is brief. Experience Men’s Club!