Jan. 13, 2013

Skipped a week on my journal. It's been a busy one.

It was a good weekend for me, professionally speaking. We had the Washington Activity Coordinators Association (WACA) board meeting in Yakima. I am the president-elect for the 2013 conference and the president for the 2014 conference. I've been a board member for 9 years. I served 2 years as an area representative, 6 years as the technology director, and this is my first of 3 years in the presidential trio (pres-elect, pres, past pres).

I don't have a burning desire to be in control. That's not why I ran for president. I just wanted to give something back to this organization that has meant so much to me. Anyway, we had a contract signed for the 2014 conference at Semiahmoo Resort, in Blaine up on the Canadian border. But, they closed. So in December we were left high and dry with no place to go for 2014.

I determined that I wanted to bring WACA to the Tri-Cities for my presidential year. I knew it would be a bit of a tough sell. Most of our delegation lives on the west side of the state. But with no viable locations on the west side that are anywhere close to our price range, Tri-Cities stepped up and made us a great offer.

I presented it to the board. We discussed it for a little while, and then we voted. The exec board voted unanimously to bring WACA 2014 to the Tri-Cities. Obviously, I'm pleased.

The other thing that happened this weekend is that I had nominated my friend Jim Qualheim for the WACA Hall of Fame. I can't think of any advisers more deserving. There were 5 other nominees. In order to be inducted you have to get two-thirds of the vote of the board. Jim was a first-ballot, unanimous pick. It's all top secret, hush-hush. We keep it a secret from the winner and invite his or her family to the banquet at the conference and then spring the surprise on him or her right before the dinner. The board asked that since I nominated him, that I introduce him at the banquet too. Pretty excited for Jim.

How has God blessed me today? He has given me the chance to honor my friend among his peers. And He has given me the chance to bring my activities friends from around the state to this beautiful area. I know once they come to Tri-Cities, they're going to love it.