The magic 15

Recruiting Board members has proved difficult. 15 doesn't seem like a big number. It is. Board growth has been stagnant. We have seven, myself included. I've been going for big names and big money. If StreetSquash has Mort Zuckerman, why can't we have Ruth Simmons? This rant amounts to one concern; I have always had the nagging fear that RhodySquash suffers from"small town fundraising syndrome." Compared to New York, there are only so many people, and even fewer play squash. As essentially a professional fundraiser, I begin the conversation with "squash is not a vegetable," before I can even explain the RhodySquash mission. That said, our job is not impossible. On more than one occasion, and correctly so, I've been reminded that Newport is the land of the rich, once home to the Vanderbilt's and Astor's. I'll eventually crack this fundraising cookie. In the meantime, we've already secured slightly over a half a year's budget!