OK. I'll sign up..again
Hard to believe that I have served this organization for almost 18 years. I have agreed to serve one more year as your Club President. This, I realize is an unprecedented tenure. It is not that I am power crazed…frankly, I have enjoyed helping us do the many things that we have accomplished over the years, and the list is long. I am proud of what this club has become and the many ways we have grown. This is in large part due to the incredible other people who have stood up with me to serve this organization. They keep me going. This month, we will be announcing our slate for the 2019 Board. I am thrilled that we formed a working group that talked to many potential candidates, in fact, this year, we had several new Board positions and several candidates. Even better, we have been able to identify many who are willing leaders standing in the wing, people who have expressed an interest in serving, but need to clear the deck a bit. To serve on the Board requires nothing more than a willingness to help, to give some of your time to help others enjoy the hobby. It is incredibly rewarding work. I have learned a great deal from my colleagues on the Board and have been grateful that so many have stuck with us over the years. If you have an interest in help run this club, please let me or anyone of the nominating people know. This year Dave Hewitt, Derick Bonewitz, Burt Krain and Jeff Kraft served on this team. We welcome anyone to join us. We also recognize that many of us are starting to age a bit more…can’t do as much as we used to. We need some young blood with ideas to help us move to the next generation of club leadership. All the members of the Board were asked to identify someone who could carry their position if they had to step down. This will be my 12th year as our President. I took a break after 8 years, when Don Whiteman took over. I would love to see someone else step up to take the reins of this fabulous club, so I can get back on the radio more often!! Meanwhile, I and the other members of the Board are with you for another year. When you see any of them, please thank them for their service.
Meanwhile, one of my other passions has been to organize public service projects. We did a great job for the Evanston Bike Club’s North Shore Century…I didn’t even get the gear put away and I am already knee deep into the Chicago Marathon. This is a best of a different color. 20,000 volunteers. We support the 2000 medical professionals, providing radio communication to the field. 140 hams have signed up to work the event October 7. We attract people from all over the state and from 5 other states! It is incredibly challenging, but also very rewarding. Every year, about 70% of our people return, which says a great deal about the ham radio community here. 10 radio clubs anchor stations, including the NSRC. Don Whiteman holds down station 4, but we have hams throughout the course…as leads, communicators, shadows…and we are not the biggest group! I encourage you to get involved with any of these events to give ham radio a public face. We do make a different, with your help.
My blog this month must be short because I am jammed with both professional work and caring for my wife, who recently had her hip replaced. It has been kind of a zoo over here…. I can’t wait till October is over and I can resume a “normal” routine. Meanwhile, thank you all for your support to this club.
73’s
Rob