President’s Message

Abstract

When I was young, I participated in sports, in particular, football. One year when I was feeling overconfident and convinced I was the outstanding player of the team, I was taught a very valuable lesson.

The quarterback called a

play in the huddle that was executed at the line of scrimmage perfectly. I Rared out from my fullback position to receive a pitch-out and turned up field for a 30-yard gain. At the end of the play, I jumped up and down and was yelling how good I was and that I was No. 1, etc.

Then the coach called time out and motioned the whole team, except me, over to the sidelines. When the team came back onto the field and huddled the quarterback said, "The coach wants to run the same play again." The play was executed the same way as before, only this time none of my players blocked; they just stood there and let the opposing team run straight through. I must have had six or seven guys tackle me for a loss of yardage. The point the coach was trying to make quickly sank into my mind as the last tackler finally climbed off of me. I can't do it alone. There were 10 other players out on the field all doing their jobs and when we all worked together we were successful.

Life is exactly like this lesson I learned that year.

Even though the frontrunner or Rag-bearer of any organization is the one most likely to be noticed, he or she is not the only one. There are many players and individuals executing their assignments perfectly and it all comes together to make the organization successful. For instance, have you ever had a member of the AFA Board of Directors come and speak to your club or organization? This is one of the ways for an AFA team player to help AFA continue in its success.

What you may not know is that the entire board consists of volunteers who pay their own way. The members of the Board of Directors of The American Federation of Aviculture are not paid, nor are

they reirn- bursed for attending Board

of Directors' meetings, conventions

or expenses incurred for traveling to

speak at your club or

organization.

So the next

time you have an opportunity to be around members of

the Board, take the time

to thank them for the selfless service they give to the AF A at their own expense. Next time you invite an AF A director to speak at your club or organization, if you can, offer to reimburse him or her for out-of-pocket expenses.

It takes a team of people to make a national or even

an international organization successful. Thank you for

your help and your contin-

ued belief and support of The American Federation of Aviculture. I'm looking forward to seeing you at the convention in St. Petersburg.

 

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