There is a new verb in the dictionary that aptly describes what happened in 2015 when PebbleCreek Singles Club President Judy Shaffer approached her predecessor Dan Miczek about the need to develop a website for the growing organization.
Simply stated, Miczek MacGyvered it!
There are several meanings and translations of the word MacGyver, which originated from a popular American action-adventure television program of the same name, with the title character distinguishing himself as a resourceful problem-solver.
To say that Dan Miczek was facing an overwhelming challenge when he agreed to take on the job of researching and developing an interactive website, capable of allowing PC Singles Club members to sign up online for monthly activities, is an understatement. Although he had proven himself to be an innovative and hard-working president of the club during his two-year tenure, from January 2012 to December 2013, there was nothing in his employment background as a sales executive that prepared him to take on the daunting task of developing a customized website platform.
However, a believer of the age-old adage “necessity is the mother of invention,” Miczek put on his Angus MacGyver hat and went to work. Throughout the summer and fall of 2015, he spent countless hours researching and mastering skills necessary to climb the steps involved in the website development process. Information was gathered, goals set and a target audience identified. A sitemap and wireframe were created, content written and assembled, graphic elements added, home page designed, links tested and a maintenance and update schedule established.
During the week before Christmas 2015, Dan, now officially a Webmaster, was ready to preview his new creation, pebblecreeksingles.com. Blown away by what they saw, Shaffer and then Activities Director Peggy Kuffner agreed to accept new challenges of their own. Mentored by “the Boss,” as Dan affectionately is referred to by Judy and Peggy, the ladies volunteered to alternate, every two months, between building the new monthly website and taking on the daily duties of posting new activities, sign-ups, membership and payment information. Both agreed it took them almost an hour each day to complete these tasks.
Since its inception, the unique PC Singles website has been enthusiastically embraced by the almost 200 club members.
“I think we have made members more comfortable with using their computers,” notes Peggy.
Judy believes the site’s popularity has a lot to do with its eye-catching design. “We are always tweaking here and there to make it more user-friendly,” she comments.
Dan is gratified to see how many people visit the site. “Recently we recorded 1850 visits in one week,” he said.
At the September meeting of the PC Singles, the talented trio was recognized for their outstanding contributions and given a standing ovation. Time has come for them to pass the torch and in the months ahead, a new team will take over.
Dan, Judy and Peggy wish them all the best as they ponder what they are going to do with the extra time on their hands.
Watch MacGyver reruns, perhaps?