2006 May: Wrapup 2004-2006

May 2006, From the Outgoing LocSec
by Travis "Lame Duck" Hardin, N. Alabama LocSec
WRAP-UP, 2004-2006

Our local membership on March 31 was 203, possibly the highest it’s ever been! March 31 is always the peak, because that’s the membership expiration date, and some folks forget to renew. I’m getting so old that it became financially attractive for me to become a life member this year. And just in time – I won’t be able to remember any longer.

As I wrap up two years as Local Secretary ending April 30, here’s the "state of the union": Our group continues to exist. I have not killed it. Other results are:

1. I’ve attempted to abide by the chapter’s bylaws and make them available to all. See the bylaws at http://www.intelec.us/travis/bylaws00.pdf.

2. Our ExCom has traditionally been a relaxed group. That hasn’t changed. We’re so laid back and discord is so mild that we don’t use rules of order, though they are available if needed. As relaxed as we are, we nevertheless filled a power vacuum, resulting in officially elected persons making decisions on behalf of the group, including selecting RG chairs, mailing list moderators, and other volunteers; we discouraged over-enthusiastic unelected persons from enforcing their will upon the group.

3. We continued our annual Regional Gatherings for the two years I was LocSec, no thanks to me, but to Debbie Darossett as chair, and to the hospitality chairs, dedicated volunteers, and attendees.

Now is the time to try to convince you I’ve been halfway attentive as a LocSec, so I submit this little list:

1. I attended nearly every dinner meeting and most other events.

2. I produced an agenda for each ExCom meeting and led the meetings, except one.

3. I wrote welcome letters to new members and members moving in – about 40 I guess over the course of each year. I’ve received some grateful responses, and I think new members have felt welcome (thanks to all of you as well). Attendance and interest has recently grown.

4. I’ve kept in contact with the national office and sent them changes in our officers. As needed, I was liaison between our group & American Mensa.

5. I wrote a column in nearly every month’s newsletter. I expected you to hang breathlessly on my every word, but I hear some of you did not. Anyway, I tried to limit my remarks to matters of importance or necessity.

6. I tried but failed to institute regular detailed financial reporting; my powers of persuasion were inadequate.

7. As program chair I solicited speakers and coordinated with them, and wrote something about them for the newsletter. We had a program and a speaker every month that we had a traditional dinner meeting.

8. Each month I selected a restaurant and made and confirmed reservations.

Our continuation is enabled by your membership renewal, your attendance, and the work of each volunteer. Everybody has pitched in, and I understand all eleven volunteer officeholders will continue their contributions of time, joining the four newly elected officers to keep North Alabama Mensa humming along happily into the future.

Our local group extends across north Alabama, from Colbert County eastward through Gadsden to Cherokee County on the Georgia line. It’s an effort for some of you to attend Huntsville area events. You’re always welcome set up a gathering in your area, put it in the newsletter, and see what happens. In any case, thanks for renewing and being a part of a special group of people.