Many thanks to everyone for all your hard work for Georgia District Exchange this year!

To those of you who were unable to be with us at the convention, we missed you! It was a great convention!

See the Photo Slideshow.

I’ll attempt to give you a recap:
Our convention co-chairs, Jess Lucas and Bill Bailey along with their convention committee, Club President Marsha Lamb and the Exchangites and Exchangettes in Hapeville did a wonderful job!

National President Rob Davidson and First Lady Rita Davidson from Tucson, Arizona were our National Representatives this year. They are just delightful folks and are thinking of dual residency now, Arizona/Georgia.

Region 10 VP Margie Miller and her husband Fenton Miller from Charleston, SC were also with us for the convention.

Margie and Gus Parker conducted the training Friday afternoon for the Club Directors and District Directors.

We had several Georgia District Past Presidents in attendance. Thank you so much for your support, friendship and words of wisdom throughout the year! My apologies in advance if I miss anyone: Leonard Grace (1979), Alex Crittenden (1980), Gus Parker (1991), Butch Griffin (1994), Frank Redwine (1995), Franz Bruckmair (1998), Jeff Sheffield (1999), Bill O’Brien (2000), Jess Lucas (2001), Don Oliver (2002), Robert Lindsey (2004), Rollin Middlebrooks (2005) and Bobby Davis (2006). We are so glad to have Bill O’Brien back!

We started Thursday with the Golf Tournament at the Griffin Country Club. Thanks to the Griffin Exchange Club for their help with the tournament! Thursday evening we caravanned to the Hapeville Recreation Dept. for dinner (catered by The Varsity) and entertainment by The Cedar Hill Band. A good time was had by all!

The committee chairs did a great job with our four Youth Projects on Saturday. We have some amazing young people in the Georgia District!

Robert Lindsey, Youth of the Year Chair
YOY winner: Aaron Groover, sponsored by The Exchange Club of Statesboro

Gordon Mitchell, A.C.E. Chair
ACE winner: John George, sponsored by The Exchange Club of Valdosta

Bert Gregory, Speech Chair
Speech winner: Breyonna Harris, sponsored by the Exchange Clubs of Albany and Southwest GA

Hazel Hendrix, Quick-Think-A-Thon Chair
QTT winner: Jazmyn Lewis, sponsored by The Exchange Club of Statesboro

Our speakers for the CAP Breakfast and One Nation Under God Breakfast were inspiring! Thanks to Bill Bailey for arranging for our CAP Breakfast Speaker, DePriest Waddy, and to Jess Lucas for arranging for our One Nation Under God Speaker, Col. Don Dickinson.

Leonard Grace conducted a very touching Memorial Service Friday morning for our members who “have been promoted to eternal life”.

Gus Parker did a great job as the Awards Chair. Awards were presented at the Friday Awards Luncheon and at the President’s Banquet on Saturday night. Many thanks to those of you who served as Awards Judges in Macon on June 7th.

Congratulations to all or our award winners! I know we are not involved in Exchange in win awards, but it’s nice to be recognized for your hard work and it’s great publicity for your club!

The CAP Foundation did a great job with the Silent Auction and raffles and made lots of money for our centers.

Checks were presented to the four centers in the amount of $1700.00 each at the CAP Breakfast on Friday morning.

The representatives from each center gave a brief report on their Child Abuse Prevention Center/Foundation.

We recently received notification from National Exchange that the Exchange Club of Columbia County has won the National Outstanding Fundraising Award for Small Clubs. The winning project was their Sgt. Pepper’s Concert. I believe the net profit was in the $26,000.00 range. Way to go Columbia County! We will look forward to seeing you receive your award in St. Louis!

I hope many of you are planning to attend the National Convention in St. Louis July 9-12. If you are not already registered, Please don’t procrastinate. All of the information is available on the National website: www.nationalexchangeclub.org

If you are going, please volunteer to help in the Georgia District Hospitality Suite. Just let Jess Lucas or me know if you are willing to help out.

I will look forward to visiting some of your clubs in the next few weeks to install your 2008-2009 officers.

Please be sure to fax or email me your list of officers so that I can be prepared for your induction ceremony.

Please forward me any pictures you can share from the convention. (For some reason I didn’t get a chance to take my usual 100+ pictures.)

Many thanks again for all your hard work in your communities and for the great Georgia District in the name of Exchange!

Your new slate of officers for 2008-2009:
President- Betty Lindsey
President-Elect - Bill Bailey
Vice President - Ed Poenicke
Vice President - Marty Smith
Secretary - Grady Sceals
Treasurer - Jeff Sheffield
Immediate Past President - Lisa Glisson

Directors:
Division One - Don Martin
Division Two- Open - will be appointed by Pres. Lindsey and installed at the August Board Meeting
Division Three- Anne Cruz
Division Four - Rollin Middlebrooks
Division Five- Jim Bible
Division Six -Jack Roberts
Division Seven - Terry Kelley
Division Eight - Al Winters
Division Nine - Steve Harrell
Division Ten - Shirley Aldridge
Division Twelve - Open- will be appointed by Pres. Lindsey and installed at the August Board Meeting

Many thanks again for all your hard work in your communities and for the great Georgia District in the name of Exchange!

Yours in Exchange,
Lisa Glisson, Georgia District President 2007-2008