The AOR Board recently completed their annual retreat. We participated in an exercise to understand who we are as an association and how we see ourselves working together over the next year. Here’s a statement that reflects some of the ideas and words that were expressed in that exercise:

The Board of the Association of Oregon Recyclers is committed to advance materials management in Oregon by continuing to provide valuable services to members through cultivating professional relationships, providing educational events and lobbying. In order for AOR to continue to deliver valued services, we need to focus on raising funds through memberships and event registrations to pay for staffing to coordinate these services.

We strive to celebrate and acknowledge that our diversity is our strength as we seek to be proactive and innovative in delivering high-quality services to our members. We recognize that we need to build the brand of AOR to be the organization that citizens, businesses and law makers look to for in depth analysis of materials management-related issues.

As a group, we acknowledge that not all members of AOR will agree with every materials management issue. With that in mind, we are committed to listening and discussing all sides of issues where we do not agree.

Through our events, we are committed to creating opportunities to come together to discuss issues, bring all regions of the state together and raise our knowledge and empathy of all AOR members.

We share a common bond of waking up and going to work in a mission-based industry. We share a connection to the State of Oregon and a true sense of balance between economic development and environmental stewardship. We have an incredible place to call home and we look forward to working together to make it better.