Great NW Region Message for January

I trust everyone had a joyous holiday season and your celebrations were merry and full of family and friends and memories. In my family we celebrate Christmas and each year brings another tradition that builds memories. A couple of years ago we started making sprinkle cookies in honor of Grandma W (my mother-in-law), sugar cookies with sprinkles were one of the things she really wanted when we visited her during her last Christmas with us. Each year we now make sprinkle cookies for Grandma W and they go on the plate for the cookies for Santa. This year I started a new tradition, in honor of those who are no longer with us, we placed ornaments they gave me (or the kids) in a prominent place on the tree. In 2010 I lost two very dear people to me, my Grandmother who was 95 and a friend I have known for over 37 years (we started pre-kindergarten together many, many years ago!). While unwrapping the ornaments I came across one my Grandmother gave me when I was a baby and one my friend gave me in 1977. We also found ornaments that my mother-in-law gave the kids that last Christmas we were with her. All were placed on the tree and we were able to share the holidays with them, although they are no longer with us physically. These are memories I hope my children will share with their families long into the future.

Memories are key to our well-being. Good memories boost your spirit, give you that little extra something to make it through hard times or just the end of the day. Even bad memories can be good, they remind to not do something that could cause harm. And even sad memories can turn into something good. My mom and I had some great laughs while unwrapping those ornaments about some of the crazier things my friend and I had done when we were young (like trying to dry our shoes on the grill over a campfire and melting the nylon laces together!). Some of my best memories involve family and that includes my ARMA family. Family isn’t just those we are related to, it’s those that touch our lives and leave a meaningful impression on them. Family can include neighbors, friends, your children’s friends (we have one of Rebecca’s friends over so often she seems like a cousin!), even co-workers or ARMA associates can become part of your extended family. There are many individuals in my chapter who have been there through thick and thin, weddings, births, etc. and shared in those events in my life and I have shared in their lives as well. These are memories that I will cherish and I appreciate all those that have taken a part in them. So to everyone I want to say thank you for the memories, for helping my well-being and wishing you a memory filled 2011. And I hope you all will take the time in 2011 to thank those that have become part of your family and wish them a happy and healthy 2011.

Ok, now for GNW Region business! In 2011, the Region will be holding a joint meeting! What does this mean? It means that every chapter in the region will be able to attend a meeting at the same time in their home city! There is a planning committee meeting now to discuss the details for the topic and exactly how the meeting will be distributed to chapter members. We are really looking forward to this opportunity and hope it will serve as a jumping point for many more to come. Please keep an eye out for announcements and plan to attend your chapter meeting for this event.

Jennifer Winkler
GNW Region Coordinator

ARMA Great Nortwest Region Chapter Message for November 2010

Wow, hard to believe it is already November and we are 3 months into the beginning of another ARMA year! I hope everyone had a great summer and enjoyed the more temperate weather this year. I particularly enjoyed the not too hot weather, but yet still warm enough to have lots of picnic dinners outside with the kids and the deer. I know, deer aren’t very exciting, when we visit my father-in-law in the mountains of North Carolina, they are all over the place. But when you live in the middle of suburban Kirkland with two young children, this is a major event! The few appearances it made this summer were a big deal at our house and we have enjoyed seeing how the deer has changed from May to our last sighting about a month ago. It was young and small and is now very large and has beautiful antlers. Of course this lead to a discussion with my oldest child about how things change over time and change can mean growth and new opportunities. For example, the deer grew “pretty” antlers and his height let him to the new opportunity to eat some of the leaves off our crabapple tree. This year brings a change to the GNW Region Team. As you may recall, Marc mentioned at the end of the 2009-2010 year that our former Region Treasurer’s term was coming to an end. I know Marc included words of thanks to Cindy Fredrickson in his final Region message last year, but I wanted to take a few minutes to also thank Cindy for her dedication and hard work on keeping our books on track. She was extremely helpful during the 2010 Region Conference in tracking registration payments and coordinating our PayPal account (I know many attendees appreciated being able to pay on-line!). Many thanks to you Cindy! And with this change, came an opportunity for Marc and I to reach out to our GNW members to fill Cindy’s shoes, and we are happy to announce that Tim Hunt, also with the Oregon Chapter, has agreed to serve as Region Treasurer. Tim has served in many positions in the Oregon Chapter, including a stint as President. Marc and I are looking forward to working with Tim and welcome him to the Region Team!
Fall is also the time that brings the ARMA International Annual Conference. This year the location has changed to the West Coast (anyone remember the last time ARMA was on the West coast……..Vegas doesn’t count!)? From November 7th to 10th San Francisco is about to be invaded by records and information management professionals to explore new opportunities and presentations in records management. I for one am looking forward to the change of flight times from 6 hours to 2! There are lots of great sessions being held at conference, it’s going to be hard to choose which to attend but I never miss an opportunity to see current and former GNW members so I definitely have those sessions circled. As in years past we will be coordinating a GNW no-host luncheon for those attending. If you are going to be in San Fran for the conference, please let either Marc or I know and we’ll keep an eye out for you. We will scout out the area for potential lunch places and make sure to post a note on the event board they usually have near the registration area.
Fall is about change....for many of our Chapters, leadership may have changed. But there is one thing that is constant….the opportunities to learn from new programs and presenters, informative newsletters and resourceful websites! I hope you take the opportunity to embrace any changes you have going on and see how they can be an opportunity for you!
Jennifer
Region Coordinator