January was a whirlwind. After returning from our Christmas/New Year's cruise with our goddaughter and her family, I returned to Austin for meetings with the Golden Gift Fund and Eunah Temple Holden Leadership Fund Committees. Thirty-one women were selected for the 2012 International Leadership Management Seminar, representing every region of the Society. The ETH Committee chose to partially fund the pre-convention seminar in NYC this summer and to give the 2013 regionals money to invite non-Society speakers. The committee, which is the only Society committee to choose its own members, declared vacant the seat held by Malissa Cox of Georgia for so many years, due to her continuing illness and inability to participate. We chose Karen Crumley of New York State to be the new appointed member of the committee, with Executive Board approval to be requested this summer in NYC.
I came home the last week in January and went with Jim on his business trip to Savannah, GA--one of my favorite cities on earth. While he worked, I toured a museum and three historic houses and did a little shopping :) in the city market shops. We ate at our favorite restaurants and tried a new one, Vic's on the River, that has now become a new favorite! Then back to Austin!
Now, Valentine's Day has come and gone and I didn't even have time to buy a Valentine's card for those I usually send to, including my husband of 43 (as of our anniversary yesterday) years! Jim gave me a lovely card that said, "I may be an ordinary guy. But I'm married to one extraordinary woman. Beautiful, amazing you. Happy Anniversary." Are you crying? I am, still.
Except for this week at home, I will have been at Headquarters in Austin the entire month of February (Jim has been so patient, but he is counting the months, weeks, and days until my term of office is up!). So far, it's been very productive.
The month began with the annual meeting of the Educational Foundation. We agreed to award 34 renewal and 26 new educational project grants for a total of $134,910. Several projects are in such places as Kenya, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Zambia, Mexico, Germany, Estonia, and many states in the U.S.
Two and one-half days were dedicated to transitio training with the nominee for 2012-2014 international president. I remember well how I felt in that first training session just two years ago. How time flies. This time was followed by the Performance Appraisal Team's annual meeting to review the work of the four professional administrators at Headquarters. We discussed their biennial goals and achievements to meet those goals. These are four amazing and talented women and we were proud to give them excellent reviews, with only minor suggestions for the future.
This week, while I'm at home, I'll attend the orientation session for new members of my chapter. I am a sponsor for a young professional that I nominated for membership. I have been retired from educational work for 13 years, almost, and have nominated and sponsored six educators for membership, four for my chapter and two for chapters in Georgia and New York. I don't understand those members who say they are retired and don't know where to find members! I found one in my church choir, one from the system where I spent my years in education whom I have watched grow professionally over the years, one who was recommended by a friend in Georgia, one whom I have known for years but who was not ready to commit until her daughter went to college and whom I recommended to a chapter in Georgia, my goddaughter whom I recommended to a chapter in New York State--well, you get the idea.
Next week, I head back to Austin for meetings with the Leadership Development and Scholarship Committees. During all this time, I am still working on the organization of the convention. Yesterday was the deadline for breakout session proposals. There are about 110 proposals in the categories of Professional Practices, Cultureal/Personal Enrichment, DKG in the Future, and Educational Excellence (program and projects).
I love my work, and all the wonderful people with whom I work. We are making much progress in moving the Society forward. I am so happy that I am a part of making it happen!
