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Time for a breath of fresh air
Dear club members, dear friends,

In 2017, when I was asked by William Sutherland and Lutz Petersen to help save ipernity from shipwreck, I had just turned 65. I felt too young and energetic for a tranquil retirement. So I went for it, knowing well that it would be a challenging venture full of uncertainties because no one on the founding team was a qualified IT professional. But volunteering for a worthwhile non-profit project appealed to me, and as a passionate mountaineer I was used to handling uncertainties. In doing so, I made a promise to serve our community for five years. This is a usual term of mandate for executives. This commitment ends on my 70th birthday in May 2022.

It is therefore time for the community to start thinking about who to entrust with my two mandates in the ima team (Vice-President and Treasurer). Because this will have to be voted on at the next General Assembly at the end of March 2022. After that, I will of course be available to coach my successors and to advise the ima team, as far as this is desired.

Four years ago, I embarked as a turnaround manager. Together with the others from the ima team, I have fulfilled this task. Apart from the known risks and some minor malfunctions, our website is currently running smoothly. The user experience has never been as good as it is at present. Our association is also well arranged in organisational and financial terms. Nevertheless, we are faced with two major challenges. One is that the technological basis of our website is inexorably approaching the end of its life cycle. The other is to attract enough new club members to pay for the required technical upgrade. These two tasks cannot be done in my remaining election period. They have rather the scope of another three to five years. For this, our association needs new strength and a breath of fresh air.

Of course, it would be possible to run for both mandates for another two years. The knowledge and experience I have gained are the very best prerequisite, and mentally I feel absolutely fit for it. But meanwhile my physical body is very clear in showing me limits that I must not ignore. After two eye operations in the past months, one of them an emergency glaucoma operation, I have to accept that my vision will never be the same any more. For me as a photographer, this is very sad to accept.

But above all, a further candidacy would also be dishonest towards the club. For I can no longer promise that I will be physically able for long enough not only to tackle the challenges described above, but also to bring them to a successful conclusion. It is therefore with a heavy heart that I choose to practice the art of a timely retirement and prepare myself to be only a normal member of the association in the future, as well as to give my successors all the support I am capable of.

Our association needs one or two new leaders from next March, who are keen to tackle the challenges with vigour and lead our association into further bright future. In order to allow enough time to apply for my succession, I am already informing you of this today.

Your 'Bergfex'
(Bernhard Westrup, Tyrol, Austria)

43 comments

Colin Ashcroft said:

Thank you for all you have done for Ipernity

I do hope your eye operations are successful.
3 years ago

StoneRoad2013 said:

My Thanks for all your help with saving and running Ipernity.
It is greatly appreciated.

My best wishes for your recovery from the eye operations.
3 years ago

ୱ Kiezkickerde ( ͡°… said:

Hoffen wir mal, dass sich Personen finden, die sich bei der nächsten Versammlung zur Wahl stellen. Traut euch! Die anderen Leute, die mit euch ipernity am Laufen halten, sind nämlich auch echt klasse, und der Kram macht wirklich irre viel Spass!

Danke, Bergfex, dass du mich einstmals überzeugt hast, mir dieses Abenteuer ipernity wirklich "an zu tun"! Bereut habe ich es bis heute nicht.
Es gibt sie nämlich auch heute noch, die konstruktiv miteinander arbeitenden Menschen. Hier, bei ipernity! Und du bist und warst einer davon. :-)
3 years ago ( translate )

Esther said:

I greatly appreciate all that you and the others have done for Ipernity.
3 years ago

Eric Desjours said:

Dear Bernhard,
the time has not come for a final salute to the pillar that has supported the new ipernity for the past 5 years, helped by an often renewed and always valiant team.
But I am touched by your message and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you warmly for your admirable dedication and creativity. While wishing you a favorable outcome to your eye operations and a well-deserved retirement.

Your presence on the site will always be an assurance for us, but it will not be enough, indeed.
I do not believe that one person will be able to take over the responsibilities that you have carried out all this time. Let's exhort the community to mobilize enough so that a collegiate administration can be put in place to lighten the load of each member of ima.
I firmly believe in this. And you are without doubt the main source of faith that drives us all. Thank you for that too.

My best wishes,
Eric
3 years ago

* ઇઉ * said:

I am deeply touched and can hardly find words. Sorry, Bernhard.

And mere words of thanks, in light of your outstanding commitment to ipernity in collaboration with the rest of the ima team, and the price you paid for it, don't seem to me an adequate return.

I hope, our membership community finally hears the wake-up call and responds accordingly, because each of you deserves every possible support and relief from the membership community as a token of gratitude.

I sincerely wish you all the best and worthy successors.
3 years ago

Guydel said:

Merci infiniment pour tout le travail accompli (et celui qui sera encore fait jusqu'l'AG) ! Profite au maximum de cette demi "retraite" et je te souhaite le meilleur pour tes yeux ! Amitiés !
3 years ago ( translate )

David G Johnson said:

A most informative piece Bernhard.. and very well written.. good luck with everything.. and best wishes too - from , David G Johnson.
3 years ago

Leon_Vienna said:

Danke für dein Engagement Bernhard. Und alles Gute!
3 years ago ( translate )

HappySnapper said:

Your commitment since 2017 has not gone un-noticed, I am sure every member from the start thanks you for your determination to make this club (My family) succeed.
3 years ago

Diana Australis said:

Dear Bernhard,
Thank you for your selfless dedication and hard work over these last years. You have steered the club to a much better place, and we owe you huge gratitude. I am very sorry to hear of your glaucoma. Such a difficult thing to manage, most especially for a photographer.
You have done a wonderful job. Sincere thanks and best wishes.
Diana
3 years ago

Amelia said:

There comes a time when one's body tells one to slow down a bit, and now you have been told, Berhard. But I have to add that you have done so much for Ipernity and its members, so thank you so much. As I approach 80 this year, I cannot help out, but I'm sure that there will be some enthusiastic folks to take the baton, and with your experience and guidance, the site will continue to thrive. I do hope that your vision will gradually improve so that you can continue to enjoy photography.
All the best, Amelia
3 years ago

Bergfex replied to Amelia:

Dear Amelia, I also think that our website will continue to bloom. With Raingirl and Kiezkicker, two skilled club members joined the ima team at the last IGA. And the potential of our association isn't bad: Two thirds of all club members are younger than you or me. Half of them is younger than 65. As we know from all the discussions, there are many capable minds among them. Therefore I am confident.
3 years ago

Bergfex said:

I thank you all for your comments. They move me deeply.

I also like to pass on the compliments to the companions with whom I had the privilege to work on this great project, as well as the current members of the ima team and its advisors. What we have achieved is a collaborative effort, to which, moreover, all who have contributed in the countless discussions have contributed.

Besides, I'll still be around full time for the next few months. I'm just temporarily working a little less to rest my eyes.
3 years ago

Roger (Grisly) said:

A great servant of Ipernity that has earned a retirement, Thank you Bernhard for all the many hours you hav devoted to IP.
3 years ago