Preview to the ZAC board

"We would love to share the joy of serving the community with other individuals... We would like to invite you to take a big part in our community’s upcoming future,” notes a message from the board of directors of the Zoroastrian Association of Metropolitan Chicago (ZAC), carried in their newsletter of October 2009. The current board whose term comes to an end in June 2010 has devised an avant garde initiative to draw new volunteers.

Instead of keeping the executive’s functioning shrouded in secrecy and mystery they are inviting prospective workers who are "curious, apprehensive as to how the present board works, not sure whether joining the board may interest (them)” to sit in at the board meetings "to get a firsthand orientation.” Such an open-house system of working would also ensure that over the next six to eight months, they will be "well versed with the functioning of the board and gain confidence to hit the ground running by the time June 2010 arrives.”

An obligation to serve on the board will not be deemed necessary after attending the meetings. Should the members choose to dissociate themselves, they can rest assured that this orientation to the board was not an exercise in futility but an opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge of the constitution and by-laws of ZAC. Service to the community does not necessarily imply working on the board: "there are always a wide variety of tasks that need to be done on an ongoing basis. You can decide what interests you... We have a beautiful Darbe Mehr which needs to be maintained... The good feeling you get from helping our community is priceless... We have a dynamic population of members who need a warm community to belong to with ongoing interesting programs, with varied activities and with religious aspirations to fulfill their spiritual needs.”

Currently the dynamic ZAC team includes president Hosi Mehta, vice president and treasurer Dinaz Weber, secretary Roxana Dubash, with directors Dr Kersey Antia, Arnavaz Barshan, Ann Arnavaz Elavia and Kayomarsh Mehta.