Well actually, this month it's the Vice President's letter. I had the honor of conducting the first meeting as we step into the New Year with the new slate of officers and Board Members for our club. I'm beginning to wonder if Teresa was just testing me and she really didn't have her sales meeting in Los Angeles! Hmmm…..

It was an intimate setting at the Holiday Inn Oceanfront - Highland Beach with a core group of Skal members enjoying the phenomenal location. You realize how fortunate you are to be in Florida as you sit in a beautiful dining room overlooking the beach! The social hour boasted delicious passed hors d'oeuvres, wine and stimulating conversation. A delectable dinner followed with our opening toast given by Carlos Banks and a moment of silence for our fellow Skalleague Peter Pinkas. Services were recently held at the Jupiter Inlet Club and Paul Cook, Scotty and Marianne Cassidy, Nancy and Charlie Bieser and Jim Ponce were in attendance paying their respect to a friend and representing Skal.

I had the great pleasure of presenting Gail Gruenbaum, Senior Sales Manager Leisure Sales with Sheraton Grand Bahama Island Our Lucaya Resort, her Skal membership plaque. Although she received her plaque that night, Gail has already become an active member coming to meetings since she received her Skal pin in November! We were also in good company that night with many past presidents of our club's illustrious history in attendance. I was remiss in mentioning them all at the meeting so I'm taking the opportunity to thank Dick Stafford, Ron Stevens, Wilson Carter and last but not least, Cindy Christen, our club's first woman president. Thank you all for your contributions to Skal International Ft. Lauderdale & Palm Beaches, 48 members strong!

This is the perfect segue to remind everyone that Teresa has challenged us all to jump start the year by bringing ONE new member to a meeting before December 1,2009. We all know someone in management level in Travel / Tourism / Hospitality who is not currently a Skal member that would enjoy the benefits of this wonderful and prestigious travel industry organization. A PERFECT opportunity besides our upcoming June meeting would be our Fun Summer Get Together at the Mai Kai Restaurant, hosted by Skal Ft. Lauderdale & Palm Beaches and sponsored by Mai Kai thanks to our newly transferred member, Sharon Malone, Director of Sales at this Florida institution! This will be a casual get together on Thursday, August 6th, 2009. We will be inviting other industry organizations in order to mix and mingle and tout the benefits of our organization. Details to follow soon, but mark your calendars now. You won't want to miss this one!

Dick Stafford, our club's SIUSA Representative filled us in on his recent trip to Anchorage, Alaska where he represented our club at the NAASC Congress. Here are some of the highlights of the meeting:

• Members can now use the Skal Logo on their business cards and stationary as long as their name is on the card or stationary.
• Skal International President will send a personal letter to prospective new members
• Mok Singh is running for SI Director - first member from United States in many years
• 2011 SI Congress either in Dubai or Finland
• 2010 NAASC Congress in Quebec, 2011 in Puerto Vallarta, 2012 in Bermuda
• Our new Region IV Vice President Phelps Hope, from the Atlanta Club, will be attending our meeting in September 2009
• SIUSA has contributed approximately 25% of the money donated world wide to the VMW Fund. The fund received $47K in the last 6 months and paid out $49K. The US received more money than was paid in by the US members.
• Currently 19,478 Skal members world wide - slightly less than last year.
• Pakistan has been dropped as a country and the 3 clubs in Pakistan have been closed
• Current divisions and personality clashes on the SIUSA board created several issues and much discussion at the Congress. An attempt to change the language in the Articles of Incorporation to delete the requirement for 6 Regional Vice Presidents with the known objective of eliminating a Regional Vice President was defeated.
• The proposal to change the title of the SIUSA EST to Executive Director was also defeated. Now the by-laws and Articles of Incorporation must be changed to reflect this vote.
• Approval was given to change the time period for considering and implementing dues increases from 12 months to 6 months. SIUSA will propose a dues increase of probably $9 which if passed would take effect in 2011. SIUSA has not had a dues increase since the mid 90's
• Mok Singh announced that SI has decided to drop the By-Law language that requires a member to belong to the club closest to where they live or work and now to state that a member can belong to any club they choose world wide. In discussions with Mok and John Britton they agreed to insert in the new language that "no club could solicit a member of another club or solicit a potential new member who lives or works in the general area of another club". If a club violates the new By-Law, SI has the right to revoke their voting privileges at the next AGM.

Again, a quick reminder of our SKAL Holiday Cruise. We're sailing on a 3-night cruise onboard the NEW Ruby Princess, Thursday, December 17. Availability is limited, so think about booking now. We will be making announcements during the next few months asking your assistance with planning, implementing and participating in upcoming activities. Please feel free to share any suggestions which you may have for activities / fundraisers / guest speakers! Contact me at CohenKnott@us.costa.it, Teresa Nix at tnix@princesscruises.com or Dick Stafford at rwstaff@bellsouth.net with any suggestions. We welcome your input.

Upcoming Skal Meetings:
The 32nd Annual SKAL International Region IV Congress & Golf Tournament is being hosted by Tampa Bay and is scheduled for the Sheraton Sand Key Resort, Clearwater, Florida, August 28-30, 2009. Should you wish more information, contact: Carlos Banks or check our club's web-site: www.skal-ftlauderdale-palmbeaches.org for registration information.

Please visit our website www.skal-ftlauderdale-palmbeaches.org to get more information on our club, the upcoming "Call To Meeting" and take a peek at the May photos at the Holiday Inn Oceanfront. You'll wish you were there! We missed you, but I'm sure we will see you in June.

Regards and SKAL!

Beth Cohen, Vice President
SKAL Ft. Lauderdale & Palm Beaches

2009 FUTURE MEETINGS

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR OUR 2009 UPCOMING MONTHLY MEETINGS