Bim Schauffler recently completed six years on the Friends House Board of Directors, bringing a lifelong Quaker perspective and deep community roots to the role. Here’s his story:

 “I’m a life-long Quaker and my family moved to this area when I was just 2 or 3 years old. I attended Sandy Spring Friends Meeting and went to Sandy Spring Friends School for 10^th-12 grades. I taught at the school for 18 years, as well. I was the school’s Community Service Coordinator for a time and helped set up a program where we brought students to Friends House to show residents how to use and maintain cell phones. Some of the students were really good at that tech stuff.

I just completed six years on the Friends House Board of Directors, from 2019-2025.  I’d say my Quaker background and my community ties were the strengths I brought to that position, as well as a long history with Friends House. My grandparents lived there and so did a number of close family friends. From an early age, I was visiting people at Friends House.

What did I enjoy most as a Board member? I really liked being on the Nominating Committee. We had to come up with names of people whom we thought were likely candidates for the Board and reach out to them. It was good. It’s important to have Board members with the appropriate experience–and we managed to do that. I took an active part in last year’s Fall Festival here, serving up Bim’s Barbecue, my culinary specialty. I think it went over well. I plan on continuing being involved with this year’s Fall Festival, even though I am no longer a Board member.

All in all, I am optimistic about Friends House and its future. It seems to have really turned around in the last several years and I would say it is thriving now.”