On Monday, October 20, 2014, your Board of Governors and committee chairs joined together for their annual WebEx meeting. We normally have two "get-togethers" per year, one of which is the MBAA Annual Conference. It is inspiring to see folks from around the world finding precious hours to donate and dovetail into their busy schedules. The agenda is always aggressive, yet well-thought-out and provided ahead of time for review.
Occasionally, certain agenda items jump out to this heritage-minded soul in a special way. That happened to me when discussion turned to the ongoing formation of a brand new MBAA local district: District Northern Rockies.
A new local district! Wow! The last time I felt this surge of excitement was when my home district officially changed its name from its 125-year old designation of “District Cincinnati” to “District Midwest.” This was a two-year endeavor, often involving spirited discussion as the name change was considered by some to be quite controversial. Changing a 125 year-old name is not something to be taken lightly. Ultimately, the vote fell in favor of the new name, which much better reflects who we represent and who we have become.
Given that reflection, it occurs to me that soon-to-be anointed District Northern Rockies has the rare opportunity to start capturing its heritage, beginning from its day-one inception. Knowing how quickly days become weeks, weeks become months, then years and decades, and knowing how quickly involved MBAA members can disappear from the district scene, the details of many treasured moments can become forgotten and lost forever. It would take only one responsible individual to begin the process of overseeing the recording pertinent details of district events, maybe photographing district meetings, writing down the names of office holders, etc. This is the perfect time to consider establishing a District Heritage Chair.
The role of District Heritage Chair would not have to be complicated. It might be chaired by someone who is just a bit historically minded. Perhaps they simply enjoy reading history. Or perhaps they enjoy genealogical research, already pursuing their own family roots and individual memories. When attending their district events, perhaps they are just a bit more aware of the importance of meeting minutes and photo archives.
I have written about this before, but never from the perspective of appreciating the establishment of a brand new district. I know I speak for many in offering my heartfelt congratulations to the good folks dedicated to the success of District Northern Rockies! Your heritage… begins today!
