In closing my tenure, I would like to thank the current board, our partners, vendors, and the Westgate community who have supported us. I would also like to take the opportunity to reflect upon the achievements made over the past three years. The very existence of a board is our first achievement, as not everyone is willing to give up their Saturday mornings. I joined as the first Chair of the first board of the Westgate Farmers Market, and I have been so proud to watch this board and community at large rise to meet every challenge these last three years has brought - from a global pandemic to the fight for equity, I could not have asked for better partners to do this work with.

Another achievement has been sustainability: having achieved fiscal stability in the past three years, the board hopes to turn its fundraising efforts to projects that enable further growth. These include the development of market day programming, such as music, crafts, or classes; the creation of a vendor scholarship designed to offset start-up costs for new vendors, and especially BIPOC vendors and vendors from other marginalized or underprivileged groups. Our commitment to sustainability has only grown, and continues to grow with each year.

In turning leadership of the board over to its newest members, I know that the Westgate Farmers Market has been left in good hands. Not only is the board capable, but you - our community and neighbors - have embraced all of us and believed in the work we do at the Westgate Farmers Market. All of these things are necessary to allow the continued presence of the Market in the Westgate neighborhood, and so I encourage you to help in any way that you can, by wearing our t-shirts, by purchasing from vendors, by volunteering to help, and by serving on the board or with a partnering organization. Again I would like to thank the board for allowing me to lead them, and for all our stakeholders and especially our neighbors, for their ongoing support.

Maureen Pritchard, outgoing chair (January 2019 to December 2021)