(Link to PDF version for printing)

VOL 1 ISSUE 4       DEC 2007

Days of Bliss, beneath the swaying palm tree
Listening to the ocean and the breeze
Close your eyes and let your mind roam free
The wind, the sun, the seas must surely Camelot tease

 

Contents

LocSec Column The Tenth Story Valentine RG on the Gulf Wanna be lawyers et al -- Working Committee--Byelaw Revision Happy Birthday to our members with birthdays in November

 

LocSec Column

        I had the best time at the LDW (Leadership Workshop) held in Plant City Florida. I met many new to me Mensans from all areas of Florida, and enjoyed some lively discussions and a great dinner Saturday night at the home of Gerald and Merrell Fortner a short drive from the LDW venue. The Fortner's have 7 cats, I was only fortunate to meet five of them. All of their cats are extremely friendly, and I especially remember the ginger and white striped one, although his name escapes me, who was being petted by many of the guests and loving it. The Fortner's have a lovely home all wood interior and lots of space. Their dinner was great and catered to both vegetarians and omnivores.

        The workshop contained much useful material for ExComms to use for enhancing their local Mensa chapters, such as improving participation, and growing membership.

        If you get a chance to attend a LDW please take the opportunity to make new acquaintances, and meet up with old friends, You will not regret it.

Brian Johnson
LocSec.

 

The Tenth Story

I wish that everyone reading this could have been with us at the Leadership Development Workshop on November 3. Most of us could benefit from the type of information ably presented at the LDW by 1st Vice Chair and former RVC Elissa Rudolph, former RVC Janice Johnson, and national Public Relations Director Catherine Barney. Eleven of our twelve Florida Local Groups had at least one person attending the LDW, and we had only one no-show, which was a very positive thing. I hope that the knowledge and suggestions from the LDW will prove to be helpful to the 36 attendees and their local groups. Many LocSecs were in attendance, as well as one soon-to-be LocSec. Most, but not all, of the attendees were present or future office holders.

      Something to consider: your local group might wish to work on scheduling a leadership retreat, which is sort of an LDW on a smaller scale. These are scheduled close at hand, so more local people should be able to attend. You can find out more about Leadership Retreats in the LDW Handbook, available for download on the national website.

      I am looking right now at the member demographics for Region 10. We have a total of 3696 members in Florida (which I stated incorrectly at the LDW as closer to 5000). Our 12 groups range in membership size from Tallahassee, with 92 members, to Tampa Bay Mensa, with 635. The most interesting facts involve the different age groups represented in our demographics. We have 1402 members belonging to the Baby Boom Generation, and we now have 841 GenX Mensa members in Florida! That is approximately 30% of the membership in Florida. No wonder we are hearing so much from and about them. And we need to listen, as they are the generation not just the future of Mensa, but the here and now of Mensa. We are seeing more and more of them in leadership positions, and rightly so. We should encourage both their participation and enthusiasm.

      Many good events coming up:

       January 18-20, 2008 - Smarti Gras RG - at the Renaissance Hotel near the airport in Orlando. Details and form can be found on the Region 10 website. (region10.us.mensa.org)

      February 15-17, 2008 - ValenTime RG - at the Holiday Inn in Destin. Link to the form is on the Region 10 website.

Maggie Truelove, RVC 10

rvc10@cfl.rr.com

 

 

Valentine RG on the Gulf

February 15-17, 2008

The dolphins are smiling because we've got

♥Bob & Lynda 's wonderful chili (beef, turkey or veggie), Mabel's famous jambalaya and cornbread, and a CHOCOLATE LOVER'S ORGY on Friday night. Saturday starts with a continental breakfast, then sandwiches and salads for lunch and a Saturday night fried chicken and salads picnic, or you can visit a renowned Emerald Coast restaurant.

Registration: $45 / person before Jan.15, $50 thereafter. Checks M.O.T. Northwest Florida Mensa.   Contact: John Mochan, (850)-585-3194, jmochan@cox.net.

Registrar -- ValenTime, 616 Overbrook Dr., Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547-3528.

Rooms: Call the Holiday Inn, 1020 Highway 98 East, Destin, FL 32541. Phone 850-837-6181, toll free 877-837-6181, FAX 850-837-1523. Tell them to give you the Mensa rate, ranging from $80 to $120 per night depending upon the view.

Visit us at: nwflorida.us.mensa.org

 

Wanna be lawyers et al -- Working Committee--Byelaw Revision

Help with the bylaws and help choose a new name for the group and the newsletter. Contact Elissa to be included in this working committee elissa12@bellsouth.net.

 

Happy Birthday to our members with birthdays in November

If your name is not shown in your birth month it is because Mensa Ltd does not publish your birthday. (Approximately 30% of members request their birthday to be unlisted.)

E Joseph Bensler	Lester L Long Jr
Kevin M Byrnes	Vickie Wallace Mathews
Rbert Corvus	Stephen Kent Mergler
Robet H Franke	Jack P Phelan
Jo Anne Gayne	Thomas J Rounds Jr
David T Hums	Harvey Singer
Michael J Kanaby	Trent Wolf
Philip Ross Kapp	Brian Wright
George Howard Kierspe