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President-Elect's Message
This is my first letter as incoming President of the Louisiana Association of Family and Consumer Sciences. There is so much I want to say in this first letter, but I must remind myself that there will be others. Therefore, I don’t have to say it all right now!
Let me start by commending the previous Vice President for Annual Meeting, our Executive Director, Jan Zeringue, and her committee members for doing an outstanding job in hosting the 2008 State Meeting! We packed a lot into just a couple of days— meetings, tours, guest speakers—and enjoyed every minute of it!
I also thank the past president, Dr. Rene Jackson, and the previous officers for turning over a healthy organization to the current administration. LAFCS is financially sound and poised to meet the opportunities and challenges that are ahead.
Lastly, I thank those of you who stepped up to serve as officers and committee chairs for the Association for 2008-2009. This is truly a great time to be a member of an organization that has withstood the test of time for nearly 100 years! I ask “each one to reach one” during 2008-2009. Let us encourage new family and consumer scientists to join the organization. Let us also reignite the fire under former members.
Now, let us take care of some business. If you have been to the AAFCS website lately, you know it has much information about the 99th Annual Conference in Milwaukee. The 2008 Conference will also kick-off the 100th Anniversary celebration which will culminate in Knoxville at the 2009 Conference. If you have not registered already, the deadline for the advance registration rate of $475 (for members) and $140 (for students) is Thursday, May 15th.
The Summer Board meeting will be Friday, June 6, 2008, from 10:00a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Agricultural Extension Building on the campus of LSU-Alexandria. You will receive specific directions at a later date. The Fall Board meeting will be Friday, September 26, 2008, from 9:00 a.m. to Noon at the Southwest Center for Rural Initiatives in Opelousas. You will receive more information on this meeting later also.
April was National Volunteer Month. As we were driving back from the State meeting, Dr. Eubanks and I were on our cell phones brainstorming about the future of LAFCS and activities in which we could engage over the course of the next year. I had previously shared with her that in 2008 I was personally going to do 50 new things I have never done before. This led to a wonderful idea! She suggested, as a way to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Family and Consumer Sciences, that LAFCS members find 100 different ways to make a difference. She further suggested that each of the five traditional FCS areas (apparel merchandising/design; family life; food & nutrition; interior design; and FCS education) could develop a list of 20 different activities. Activities might include:
· becoming a personal shopper for someone with special needs (apparel merchandising/design)
· reading to children in a child care center (family life)
· volunteering with Habitat for Humanity (interior design/apparel merchandising)
· baking a meal and taking it to an elderly person (food & nutrition)
· doing alterations for a needy person (apparel merchandising/design)
· visiting the elderly in nursing homes (family life), and
· donating toiletries to a women’s shelter (all areas)
Part of the challenge is coming up with 100 different activities! We could start formulating ideas now, and get started right after the 2008 Conference. I am very excited about the prospect of this activity and all the ways we can make a difference in Louisiana during the next year! Thanks, Dr. Eubanks, for such a wonderful idea!
Well, this is enough for my first letter. I consider myself “the ultimate optimist.” I am so excited about the future of LAFCS! As someone once said, “The future’s so bright, we’ve got to wear shades!”
Go forth and be blessed!
Doze
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News - Spring 2008
