Moving Forward with a Heavy Heart

By Becky Thiessen, WSTDA President

As president, I am tasked with writing this article for our newsletter. The purpose of the article is to promote the success of WSTDA and encourage participation in our upcoming conference. I have never used a ghost writer and I often wonder if anyone reads the articles.

Trying to write this one has been most difficult. I can’t bring myself to talk about the progress since our annual meeting in Ontario when my heart is heavy with other issues. So, after no less than ten drafts, I give in – to my heart.

My heart is heavy with the loss of Marlene Norton from American Webbing. She was a business woman, a mother and grandmother, a member and a friend. I will miss her grace and beauty and the kindness she shared with me. My thoughts and prayers are with her family and co-workers she has left behind.

My heart is heavy with the devastation to the gulf coast that Katrina destroyed. The thousands of people that have lost their lives and thousands more that must search for new ones.

My heart is heavy with the fact that while writing this article the calendar reads September 9 and I clearly remember being with most of you in Baltimore on September 11.

Even with heavy hearts we still must suit up everyday. Life does go on as it should and WSTDA continues to succeed in many areas.

Our annual conference in Ontario was well attended and productive.
We welcome eight new members since our annual conference.
We have three new board members, two new committee chairs and a new vice president.
Two publications have been finalized and two more are soon to be released.
New ideas are on the table and old ones are still being considered.

Our mid-year meeting in Annapolis will have a full schedule of technical meetings and networking opportunities. We have a panel discussion on the agenda that you won’t want to miss. I look forward to seeing everyone and wish you all safe travels.

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