George: Best wishes to you and Barbara. Thanks for your support of the League for many many decades. Dennis -----Original Message----- From: George Race [mailto:wb8bgy@arrl.org] Sent: Sunday, July 21, 2002 2:14 PM To: arrl-odv Subject: [ARRL-ODV:7500] Going Away To My Board Family: I am sorry that I did not take the opportunity to say goodbye to each of your individually. Emotionally, that probably would have been one of the most difficult tasks that I would have ever faced. Rather than have you remember me as a "blubbering idiot" I chose to leave in a much more private way. I feel that I owe each of you a bit more explanation than you have been given for the events leading up to my decision. Since the January meeting, I have been torn between the proper thing to do for the Organization, and the direction the Division Leadership and Membership wanted me to go in on the Section News and Contest Score issues. Thanks to the support and conversations with now Director Johnston, I know that my performance within the Division since the January meeting has not been the glowing example that it may have been in years previous. For some time I have known that my Section Managers have been looking for a candidate to run against me. This issue came to the top of the pile when I heard from Past President Wilson, on Board Meeting Wednesday, that he had been visited by two of the three Division Section Mangers who informed him that the third Section Manager had decided to run for Division Director, and had their full support. Having this confirmed by George Wilson, and feeling certain that the Board would approve the removal of the two items from QST, I began to consider options that would lead to future harmony and peace between Division Leadership and Section Leadership. After sharing my upcoming election dilemma privately with some of you, and conversations with Director Johnston and my loving Wife Barbara, the best solution became very clearly defined. Knowing that Vice Director Johnston was ready and willing to take on the challenge of being the Great Lakes Director was comforting, and provided what I think is the ideal solution. As Vice Director Johnston had also been approached to run for Director, he became the ideal choice as the next Great Lakes Division Director. He was sitting in the chair directly behind me, and I had the opportunity to make it happen instantly. Truly, a once in a lifetime opportunity was at hand, an opportunity that I could not afford to pass up. I could not be more pleased, having Director Johnston as MY Director. In the years ahead, he will provide Division Leadership that will help to provide the support that is needed by the League from it's Membership in this Division. As a member of the Board Family for these almost 12 past years, I have admired each of you personally for the difficult decisions that often were at hand and had to be made for the benefit of the League, Amateur Radio, and ultimately the Membership. From this recent Board Meeting, I must single out one event that truly gave me the courage to move ahead with my decision to step aside. Director Stinson's speech on doing what was best for the League and Amateur Radio again demonstrated to me the caliber of people who set around the "square". I am both honored and humbled to have been a part of the Amateur Radio history making that I have been witness to these past years. I will remember for a lifetime the way that each of you have counseled, shared with me, and respected me. You are truly family, and memories of our times together will remain in my heart forever. 73...George --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.372 / Virus Database: 207 - Release Date: 6/20/2002 ------------------------------------------- Introducing NetZero Long Distance Unlimited Long Distance only $29.95/ month! Sign Up Today! www.netzerolongdistance.com