Dear friends,Last week, I was honored to be elected as President of the Boylston Chess Foundation for another year. At the same time, a new Board of Directors was approved. I'm happy to say that this Board is both talented and passionate about our organization.
It's a good thing we have such a strong Board, because we are truly at a crossroads. The next year is critical to the future of the BCF.
As you know, it is unclear what the immediate future holds for the location of our club. We have appointed a tenacious Search Committee and are looking for new possible homes. I'm particularly grateful to committee members Frank Frazier and Ted Cross, who are working tirelessly on our behalf. If you see possible spaces that might work for us, e-mail details to boylstonchess@gmail.com. If we have to move from our present location permanently, we would ideally like a space that is at least 1,200 square feet in size and no more than $2,000 per month in rent, including utilities.
At the same time, we are working with the owners of our current building, who have pledged to make space available to us in the newly renovated 240B Elm Street. BCF Vice President Charles Riordan is our primary representative in those negotiations, and has my complete faith.
Like a good chess player, we are maintaining maximum flexibility and exploring every possibility.
We also recently discovered that some of our state and federal filings had been allowed to lapse in previous years. Thankfully, a team of four attorneys have stepped up and are now volunteering their time to help us address this. In particular, BCF Director Natasha Christiansen and former BCF director Ed Foye have been instrumental in moving the issue forward. We have submitted critical filings necessary to resolve the problem, but we still have work left to do.
I'm also excited about the addition of our new Treasurer Tim O'Malley, and will be working with him to implement stronger financial oversight controls. In the last five years we have significantly improved our financial situation, and will strive to continue on this positive path.
Regarding tournaments, I'm happy to announce that the new Chair of our Tournament Committee is Nathan Smolensky. Nathan is not only a former BCF Board President, he is also the current President of the Massachusetts Chess Association. Nathan has some exciting ideas, including new events that may occur at off-site venues. Stay tuned for further details.
Finally, I would like to particularly thank new BCF Directors Andrew Boyer, Jared Becker, and Terry Fricker for their willingness to serve. Like every organization, we constantly need new ideas and fresh perspectives.
The BCF is what we make it. Please continue to support us over the next year, as we reinvent ourselves. Together, we can create a bright future for chess in the Boston area.
For the entire BCF Board,
Carey Theil
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