Terminology

It is Cherry Blossom time here in the Nation’s Capital. It would be great if I could invite all of you to come and visit and tour the beauty that is Washington in Spring.

The AMC meeting has taken place in Columbus. The local groups in Region 3 are known for their hospitality, and the local group did their best to make the AMC feel welcome, and enjoy their time there. It was the final AMC meeting of the current term, so we were a little melancholic at the end of the session, but we were able to accomplish much. I was pleased to see members of Region 2 that made the effort to travel there, and participate, thanks to Marc Lederman and Maria Sawczuk for their input and support to the AMC.

Risk Management continues to be a difficult and time-consuming topic for the members of the board. We had a motion concerning ride-sharing and room-sharing policies on the agenda, it was rewritten, in part due to the input from the Region 2 membership on the Yahoo group, and initially believed to have been passed, but due to a discrepancy in the voting, implementation of the motion was delayed until the next AMC meeting. Risk Management on these issues, and other common sense issues continues to take up much of the time in our sessions, and your input is crucial, for we have many chefs to answer to, the membership, the public, the laws of the 50 states, and common sense, and as such, it is a necessary discussion, and continues to take place.

The Annual Gathering in New Orleans will be a great time. If you are going to go, which you should consider, I recommend making plans as soon as possible, for the summer period is rapidly approaching. New Orleans and Baton Rouge Mensas are making every effort to provide us with the best of the region, including their world-renowned cuisine and hospitality. There are several tours available, and the countryside is renowned for its unique beauty.

Regional Gatherings are an important part of the region’s calendar. Marc Lederman wrote a terrific column on it, and it has appeared in several of the region’s newsletters. We have no confirmed gatherings for the future, but I am sure that there are some excellent ones in the offing. RGs require adherence to the risk management policies, but that should not stop us from having them, and enjoying them.

I am still interested in seeing a Leadership Retreat for the Region, for it is necessary for the ten groups to get together and discuss their wants and needs with each other and the national representatives. It is important to educate new individuals in the skills necessary for running the groups and serving the organization, so I request that we consider such an event before the end of the year.