Holiday Time

December rode the winds into being without blinking. Here we are at holiday time. We have been busy at headquarters. The Bulletin with new editor, Dr. Judy Merz, has been sent to press. The DKG News for January/February will go to print in the next few days. The Jan/Dec President's Page has printed, folded and stuffed into envelopes will be mailed this week. The 2010 Constitution and International Standing Rules have gone to print ready for purchase in the DKG supply store in January. We have been busy.

Many committees have met during the fall. Seeing these groups meet and begin their work makes for exciting happenings at headquarters. We've celebrated birthdays and had a few days for Thanksgiving to share with family and friends. Now it is Christmas time for many and we are tying up jobs, wrapping packages, setting calendars for the new year and planning for regional conferences. The staff at headquarters is always busy. It is amazing how much work takes place in Austin. From membership questions to helping state organizations and chapters with web sites, all are answering questions, helping someone or solving problems. We enjoy visitors coming in for tours so when in Austin, make sure you visit us.

The building's schedule follows the Austin School District's calendar so will be closed Monday, December 20- January 1. We will return to the office Jan. 3, 2011. Have a wonderful holiday season as you celebrate your holiday event with family and friends. My dog and I will be traveling to Tennessee to see family. So Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  I'll be back in January.

New Theme, New Board, New Committees

Delta Kappa Gamma began a new biennium in July with the completion of the international convention. Our new international president, Dr. Jensi Souders, has been working hard to prepare for the upcoming training and orientation session to be held in Little Rock, Arkansas. She has a blog up and soon will lead regional directors and committee chairs in new directions.

I thought it might be informative to share with you, our members, what takes place at the international level for this transition to occur. We met with Jensi in Austin during the first week in August. Our job here at headquarters is to help her with what she needs to have a successful orientation and training meeting in Little Rock. Each staff member has a different role to play as we offer suggestions, advice and answer questions. The international president has a big learning curve in spite of her vast knowledge and experiences within the Society. Jensi came to Austin with lots of notes and ideas. She asked questions about each agenda and the process for the preparations. Each day was long and mind-boggling but when she left Austin, Jensi had agendas almost finalized, materials set in motion and much homework. I have known Jensi for a long time since I am from Tennessee and had the privilege of entertaining her while she was here. Once our work was done, we managed to run a few errands and have a relaxing dinner at Chuy's ( an Austin Tex-Mex tradition).

After Jensi left Austin, we started preparing for Little Rock in addition to daily activities keeping Society business moving forward. My role is centered around information and the production of that information. So we began re-working a document from Jensi's arsenal of ideas. We updated the format and improved its appearance, printed and cut pages to size for a productive activity she plans. Meanwhile, we work on the September/ October News, assist the new Bulletin editor with the fall the edition and develop the next month's home page stories for the Web site as this is changed weekly, minimally. In between all this activity we are preparing the new international directory, beginning the process of formatting the upcoming Constitution, installing software upgrades and answering phone calls and emails. We stay busy here making sure everything runs smoothly.

Next week the four administrators travel to Little Rock for our first full sessions with the new board and committee chairs. For some this will be their first international committee experience while others have been on the board before or worked on a committee. We want everything to be wonderful as we meet at the Peabody Hotel to learn, grow and design the future of the Society together. This will also be a first experience for me in my new role. I know some of the members we will met and some will become new friends. I spoke to Peggy McCall on the phone the other day and this is her first committee adventure. I could hear the excitement in her voice as she said, "I'm so excited about this experience and coming to Austin." Peggy is one of those friends I already know and I too am looking forward to seeing her. Watch the Web site for updates on these experiences. I'm taking pictures so be a web watcher and find someone you know.

International Convention Success

The 2010 International Convention had lots for all. You could go to workshops, attend a panel discussion, learn more about the proposed Constitution, enjoy Spokane on a variety of tours and meet friends from everywhere. The 2008-2010 administrative board met prior to convention to complete the final aspects of their work. The executive board met and had an enjoyable lunch together in preparation for convention events. Iowa state organization held a reception for Dr. Carolyn Rants and every region had a special breakfast.

This was my first international convention as a headquarters staff member and I was busy doing so many things I never thought about as an attending member. I had lots of backstage work. Some days it was running presentations, other days making sure speakers knew how to get backstage and to their assigned microphones. Other days were spent helping a member solve an issue or attending pre-convention training for editors and web masters. I met so many wonderful members and enjoyed putting names and faces together.

Gather on the River was an incredible evening. For those who were not able to be there this was a new experience. Coca Cola Enterprises sponsored the event. We had wrap sandwiches, coke products in special bottles and a jazz group playing from the river. The weather cooperated everyday and this event launched the convention on a positive note.

During the workshop days, I was on the technology panel which Judy Merz organized. What an experience. Judy lead us through practical topics to set the audience up for the Q & A time. We started on time and ended on time with lots of interaction from those attending.
During another workshop session, I slipped into one of the DKGnetwork sessions. Since convention we have had more than 50 new members join the social network. That's a fine beginning. Jensi Souders has told me she has updated her blog in the network so I must take a few minutes to read it.

One of the highlights for me was the President's Banquet. I had guests. My cousin, Jack and his wife Donna, drove up to Spokane on Friday to visit for a short time. I invited them to the dinner and they dressed up and met lots of ladies. They made friends at the Double Tree, too. I warned them that I'd have to sit at the head table but they would be fine for our members are friendly. They had a great time. We went out afterwards to catch up.

I stayed a few extra days as vacation and went to the park, relaxed with an afternoon at the spa and had dinner with a few remaining friends. The convention was a great success. Watch for more highlights and news on the  DKG Web site.

Convention Preparations

It's down to the edge of no return as the Society headquarters building becomes a slew of boxes, stacks of handouts, extra forms and bundles of materials for convention as the staff and the DKG store begin packing for the shipment to Spokane, WA. It's an exciting time but can also become messy but have no fear, all know what their role is and what still must be done. Everyone is working hard to make things just right for all in attendance. We ship everything before convention begins to be ready.

New signs arrived that will be at convention to help everyone find the right hallway. The convention program and event agendas have been shipped off to the printer. The supply room has started printing materials to be shipped so stacks of paper line the counter. It's convention time. Have you registered? The Davenport Hotel and Towers, the Doubletree and the Red Lion are ready and waiting for the arrival of DKG members. Can you count yourself as one to attend? I'll be there and look forward to meeting old friends and getting to meet some new ones. It's only a few weeks away. There are so many new things Dr. Rants has planned and we will review, discuss and vote on the proposed Constitution and Standing Rules. There is a grand market place and over 90 workshops including 3 panels for your learning and enjoyment.
Mark your calendar. There is still time to register and reserve a room.

State visits completed

I was assigned Arizona and Alberta as my two spots to visit as the international representative. First, off to the desert and Arizona. I made in time for the Life Experiences photo journey to the Desert Botanical Gardens. What a glorious day to be outside as the weather was perfect, filled with billowing clouds and a soft breeze. The desert as a wonderful array of colors and many cacti were blooming in whites, yellows, bright pinks and oranges. A few wildflowers with a cornflower blue color, similar to the Texas Blue Bonnet, were blooming. We spent the afternoon getting tips on making better pictures with one's camera and it was a remarkable introduction to the state of Arizona.

The first evening new chapter officers attended training and the gala opening started off the convention. On Saturday the state had its general session, executive board meeting, arts auction boutique and the Birthday Lunch to honor founders. Workshop and forum sessions filled the late morning and early afternoon and the Rose Banquet finished the night. The state achievement award was presented and a reception was held after the event. I saw members sharing genuine fellowship, learned about the state's effort with collaborative connections, a mentoring project in schools with retired members helping teachers and students. Everyone in Arizona made this a remarkable journey. I'm thankful for the new friends and the adventure.

On to Alberta, a Canadian province, and they really like being called a province. The conference was for one evening for those that came in early and all day Saturday. On Friday night, a PJ party was held. Members showed up in the pj's for refreshments, games, singing and fellowship. On Saturday the day was full. They had a special guest speaker in the morning from "A Better World." He shared the experiences he has had over the past year working to help education world wide. It was eye-opening, joyous, heart wrenching and inspiring.On Sunday and Monday I became a tourist. Debbie Johnston, state organization president, and Margaret Beames took me to the Canadian side of the Rocky Mountains. What a treat. It was quite cold but beautiful. I so enjoyed meeting members from new places. I will see some of them again in Spokane.

Wordle Your Personality

This is a Wordle. It's written online and is free. I was recently reminded that this tool was out there. I'm going to be working with a new group of people soon that I've never met them. The purpose of this exercise is to have a different way to share something of oneself with those we don't know and to offer something of ourselves to those who know things about us. This is an exciting way to open the doors to learning new things about new people or ideas. This tool can be used for ice breakers, brainstorming and more. It's easy.

Social Network for DKG

We have launched the dkgnetwork for members only. Currently, we are in beta testing, phase II. It is exciting to see what this small group has started. I'm looking forward to opening the site to more members.