Meeting Society Members

If it is Sunday, I am on an airplane on my way to the next regional conference. This week I am in Portland, Oregon at the Northwest Regional Conference. I have had a great time connecting with members at the Southwest, Southeast, and Northeast. Each regional director has planned an outstanding conference with great speakers and many special activities. They are all different and I have enjoyed each one.

The best thing about a conference for me is the opportunity to connect with you, the member, to share a laugh, exchange an idea, pose for a photo, or talk about a Society issue. When a "Chat with the President" is scheduled, members actually come to chat with me. Of course this year many of you are sharing your ideas about Constitution and Standing Rule changes. Members of the revision team have been hosting workshops on this topic and listening to you. They even take notes so we will have your ideas for us later this fall.

New membership materials are being introduced at each conference and they have been well accepted and generated many ideas about how to use them back home.

New state organization presidents, state program and membership chairs, treasurers, editors, and webmasters are taking part in training developed just for them. It is a perfect time to learn the specifics of their positions and how they can best develop the vision and actions for the coming biennium.

When I return from the final conference I plan 10 days of relaxation in Sioux City, Iowa to reconnect with family and friends. At the end of August I will be back in Austin, ready to meet with the finance committee.

Next summer I hope to see even more of you in Spokane, Washington July 20-24. We will have a grand time at the international convention. Be there!
Carolyn

PS Ask a member who attended one of the regional conferences to give you a quick rundown of their experience whether it be watching the ducks in Little Rock, dashing from the cruise ship in the rain in Burlington, receiving a rose from Elvis in Reno,(I got both a rose and a kiss.) or new ideas gleaned from workshop presenters and Society training.