by Marguerite Hills

US Servas needs talented, committed volunteers to guide the organization through an exciting time. Both challenges and opportunities abound. The Board of Directors needs leadership that will advance our organization’s mission. We need your ideas, enthusiasm, vision, and energy.  Here is a link to a document that thoroughly describes the Role of Board Director.

The US Servas Elections Committee is seeking nominees to fill three positions on the board, each for a three-year term beginning January 2026. Applicants will be considered by the committee for placement on a ballot that will be submitted to the full membership for a vote. Visit our Run for the Board webpage for details and application form.

The board is delighted that members agreed to the NY/Nevada merger and to finally leave our New York corporation behind. The vote was 153 for the motion and one abstention, which meant we had a quorum of yes votes. Leading up to the vote, some members wanted a bit more information about why this action was needed. Hopefully the following will help in that regard.

US Servas was incorporated in New York for many years, but after the offices were damaged during the 911 attacks it was moved to California. After the COVID pandemic and closing of the Arcada office we became all volunteer group with no staff. We no longer had a presence in California, so the board investigate and alternative to the red tape and expense of our New York State corporation.  The determined that Nevada was a good fit and recommended incorporating there. That process was completed in 2022.

This left us with two corporations and the requirements to report to both states, so the board tried to “close” NY.  This turned out to be much more difficult than imagined. Board member Eileen Rowley spent nearly two years trying to do so, but was thwarted at every turn by forms, rules and regulations, and other red tape. We finally retained a nonprofit attorney who recommend the merger of the NY corporation into our Nevada one. This effectively closed the NY entity without having to jump through all of the hoops involved in officially "closing" it.

 Many of us feel that Servas hosting requests are down and have also reported that finding hosts in other countries has been more difficult. However, we don't have a measurable way to know if these observations are true. We need member feedback on their overall Servas travel/hosting experience is working for them. We also need your ideas, so please take this very short, five-minute SURVEY on the subject.

This survey is meant to get a little snapshot of how Servas is working for our members and how it can improve.  We aren't collecting personal data here - your name or account won't be connected to the answers - but we hope it's a useful tool for you to quickly share your opinions and experiences. Of course, if you do want to talk directly, feel free to reach out using the Contact Us webpage.

by Tim Sullivan

Please join us for the US Servas virtual Annual Meeting on Saturday, June 14th, at 10am Pacific (11 MT, 12 CT, 1pm ET). We had a great turn out last year and hope even more members will join us this year. 

We realized some people May miss the annual meeting because of the "No Kings" rallies in their towns. If you are unable to join the meeting but would like to send input to the board beforehand, please email ideas and suggestions to me at Tim.Sullivan@usservas.org.

You should have already received a personal invitation via email from Tim Sullivan, US Servas Board Chair. There is a lot going on this year with Servas and the annual meeting is a great opportunity to hear Branch updates and to get your questions answered.

In addition to being informative and a good way to interact with other members, the annual meetings also offer you the opportunity to make meaningful changes to how US Servas operates: its direction and focus, and even specific actions you think it should take. If you would like to do so, you can propose specific by-law changes, and/or offer motions for other actions you wish the board to take. Do this from the comfort of your home – no transportation or parking worries.

REGISTER – click HERE by June 10th to get a Zoom link for the meeting.

by Eileen Rowley

Bylaws are a rather boring topic, but nevertheless, they are critical for our continued operation. For many reasons (see details below) the Board wants to merge our very old NY corporation into our current Nevada corporation. To do so requires a vote of our general membership, and there must be a quorum. The vote is a simple, 30-second, yes-no vote; so please be sure to do that. Voting will begin online on April 7 and conclude on April 17. You will soon receive an email with details of the motion and a link to the ballot, so be on the lookout for it.

Merger Background:

NYC Corporation: Prior to Sept. 11, 2001, US Servas was incorporated in New York state and had an office in NYC. Shortly thereafter, our office moved to Arcata, CA. As a result of the COVID pandemic, the Board felt compelled to make US Servas an all-volunteer organization. At that time, and over the next couple of years, the Board spent many hours reorganizing and simplifying our processes to support our new all-volunteer organization’s operations. One of these activities included the merger of our corporation from New York into our Nevada corporation. Completing this process requires a vote of the membership. The Board believes this merger is in the best interest of US SERVAS.

 For your convenience you can Vote Online (you must be logged in) between April 7^th and April 17^th, or you can vote at the special meeting on April 17^th at 3:00 PM PST. All members will soon receive an email with a link to the meeting. Either method will count toward the quorum needed to vote for the motion.   

See Jan., 2025 Open Doors article for additional information about the Nevada corporation..

If you have any questions, please email  eileen.rowley@usservas.org.

by Marguerite Hills 

The US joined the rest of Servas and became an all-volunteer  group in 2021.  Since then, we’ve been building a successful organization with many volunteers contributing their time and energy to make it all happen (see our Volunteer News webpage).

Our elections committee has now begun its annual effort to fill Board vacancies. Many of you have the time and skills to become a Board Member. Please, ask yourself if you have some time to "give back" to Servas. If not as a Board Member, consider joining one of our other volunteer teams. For more information about US Servas teams and their functions. for more information, please email elections@usservas.org.our website for more information about US Servas teams and their functions. 

We will soon have the Run for the Board Application page updated with the appropriate information for the 2025 elections. Be on the lookout for it under the [About Us] >> [Board Business] webpage.

Tim Sullivan, Board President

The US Servas Board of Directors have announced their intention to hold a national conference in 2026. This means that we need to start planning now to ensure that we have a suitable venue and a solid team of volunteers to stage it.

In 2022, the US SERVAS National convention was in Salt Lake City; in 2023, the conference was in upstate New York. In October of this year the 33rd SERVAS International Conference and General Assembly (SICOGA) is being held in Dijon, France.

Could the 2026 USSERVAS National Convention be held in your city? If you have a suggestion where we should hold our 2026 conference or if your SERVAS community would like to host our 2026 conference in your state or city, please contact: Tim at tim.sullivan@usservas.org

Eileen M. Rowley

As a result of the COVID pandemic US Servas became an all-volunteer organization. Over the next several years we've spent many hours reorganizing, automating, and simplifying processes to support our new all-volunteer operations. One last tax/legal detail of this process is to merge our defunct New York corporation with our new State of Nevada corporation. This bureaucratic, red-tape-filled process has taken several years to solidify. Completing this process requires a vote of our membership.

Voting for the merger will begin online on April 7, 2025, and conclude on April 17, 2025. You may also vote at the Board of Directors monthly meeting on April 17^th beginning at 5:00 PM CST. Please be on the lookout for the voting link that will be e-mailed to you in early April and do your best to vote. We must have a quorum to pass the motion.

Member Question:

For those of us who are not sure about the implications of the merger, could you please briefly state the purpose of the merger and how it is going to impact members.

Dear Helga

The merger will not impact our members in any way. You can think of the merger as a piece of housekeeping. We do not want, or need to be, incorporated in two states.
When the Board decided to move our incorporation to the state of Nevada, it was always understood this last step was necessary. Please feel free to e-mail me at eileen.rowley@usservas.org if you would like to schedule a conversation to discuss further.

Eileen M. Rowley

As a result of the COVID pandemic US Servas became an all-volunteer organization. Over the next several years we've spent many hours reorganizing, automating, and simplifying processes to support our new all-volunteer operations. One last tax/legal detail of this process is to merge our defunct New York corporation with our new State of Nevada corporation. This bureaucratic, red-tape-filled process has taken several years to solidify. Completing this process requires a vote of our membership.

Voting for the merger will begin online on April 7, 2025, and conclude on April 17, 2025. You may also vote at the Board of Directors monthly meeting on April 17^th beginning at 5:00 PM CST. Please be on the lookout for the voting link that will be e-mailed to you in early April and do your best to vote. We must have a quorum to pass the motion.

US Servas not the Other Guy

by Tim Sullivan

Servas began as a peace building organization after World War II. For more than 75 years Servas has been actively trying to support peace in our world. Bob Luitweiler writes “Though not pacifists, Servas has, from the start, aimed to build the foundations of justice that can lead to a peaceful world”. Sadly, today our mission is more relevant than ever. In 2024 wars, violence, injustice and environmental disasters have resulted in record levels of human migration. The experts who maintain the Doomsday Clock said humanity was as close as ever to global catastrophe. Yes, peace building work is more important than ever.

I believe we are called in some way to work for justice for not only our species but all of creation. It is a big job and can seem overwhelming but each of us can do some small part. Archbishop Desmond Tutu said, “Do your little bit of good where you are; it is those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” I am thankful for the opportunity to volunteer with Servas. It is one of the ways I can personally support a more just and peaceful world.

"I believe we are called in some way to work for justice for not only our species but all of creation."

The opportunity to meet local folks in their home and learn about their lives and community has been an absolute wonder and joy for my spouse Charlotte and me. I am sure each of you could share amazing stories about your travel experiences. In every Servas stay we have been guided to local wonders we would have never found as simple tourists. These connections to people different than ourselves are the building blocks of our transformation leading to understanding and tolerance for other peoples and cultures.

In January the US Servas board of directors gathered to reflect on how Servas could advance our peace building efforts in 2025. I would like to share what I think is one of the more challenging strategic initiatives we adopted.

The pandemic resulted in a dramatic drop in membership that forced the board at the time to move to an all-volunteer organization. (All of the Servas groups in other countries are all volunteer.) By early 2023 our membership had grown back to a pre-pandemic level. In 2024 our membership remained flat with little growth.

The board felt since our primary way to build peace is by cultural exchange via hosting and traveling, we should focus our efforts on improving processes, communication, and member experience to keep current and attract new members. This effort will impact every member, volunteer, and all the teams that drive our work every day. There is a lot of opportunity in these areas, and I suspect this will be a multiyear project.

Naturally, there are a few challenges and opportunities for our membership to get involved and support this effort. Here is a short list of suggestions:

Don’t allow your membership to lapse!

• Sometimes folks allow their membership to lapse if they are not planning on traveling in a given year. We hope Servas is a way for you to support peace building and for only $33.00 a year.

Become a host!

• Without hosts there is no traveling. Everyone can be a day host. It is another great way to connect.

Volunteer!

• If we really can grow membership, we will need lots of new volunteers. Every little bit helps. If you have experience with web design/programming, or with video calls and navigating on Servas.org, we’d love to hear from you. Use the Volunteer link below.

Reach out to friends and neighbors and invite them to learn about Servas.

Host a local event!

• This is great way to meet Servas members in your community and attract new members.
• Better yet see if the Servas members in your area would like to host the 2026 Servas National Conference!

I will close with a thank you for being a Servas member, for supporting peace, and for considering how you might get more involved with our efforts. Oh, and by the way, Charlotte and I live in Western Iowa, and we want more travelers! You are welcome here!

Tim Sullivan

Board of Directors Chair

 

Follow this link if you would like to learn more about Volunteering

Follow this link if you would like to begin Hosting or Traveling