RESPONSES FROM CHAPTER MEMBER SURVEY
The 1818 Annual Meetings for 2013 are over and its time again for me to focus on Florida!
By Sept 30 we had 60 responses to the Chapter Survey – a strong response in a relatively short time, suggesting that many of us in Florida have a strong interest in keeping contact with fellow retirees.
In summary, the survey responses showed a very strong support for a spring reunion in 2014 (95%), probably because there has not been one for several years. The results also show a strong preference for biennial reunions (77%). Location for a reunion in 2014 – a majority expressed support for Naples and with cruises, with a strong showing also in descending order for the SW Florida region, Miami, Orlando, Tampa and 1 vote each for Jacksonville, the Bahamas and a few other cities. Several others expressed no preference or for rotating.
I am just back in Florida and will begin looking into options for 2014.
The survey shows also very strong support for regional get-togethers. The question is where and who will organize? Based on a quick overview of members’ locations, my thoughts would be to break the state into five regions. Karen Nordlander usefully suggests these be based on mileage from point to point to give everyone a sense that they are included. So, the suggestions are:
North West: Pensacola to Tallahassee
Central: Lake City to Kissimmee
North East: Jacksonville to Vero Beach
South East: Fort Pierce to Key West
South West: Tampa to Marco Island
I’m new to Florida – and open to your suggestions for alternative regions?
While not wishing to move towards any formalized structure, regional get-togethers might be a lunch/dinner/drinks/round of golf/trip to a concert or movie? What is important, since most of you want regional get-togethers is for a volunteer to step up? Won’t happen without. Of course,
if you initiate, you have the benefit of suggesting your favorite restaurant….
If this sounds good to you, all we need is for a volunteer(s) for each region. This could be for a year (or more) or to plan a single event? 1818 can provide regional coordinators with the names and emails of members living in that region. If the coordinator gets really inspired and plans a longer get-together – then perhaps the invitation could be widened to the entire Chapter, or posted on the 1818 web to reach our broader membership.
Activities – based on the survey, the most popular activity would appear to be a cruise, followed by golf, concerts, lectures and for a few of us, tennis. Karen Nordlander recently sent me a good website for 3 day or more cruises from various parts of Florida and I am looking into these.
Several members also indicated a desire to do something to get give back and support the local community - volunteering with the various skills we all seem to have. This is again something that is perhaps best decided within a region or city and we can discuss more at our 2014 reunion or in your local get-togethers?
The one area where the survey showed little interest: regrettably – volunteering. We’ll have to work on this.
So, what I would like to suggest is the following:
- Lets agree on the ‘Chapter regions’ – your suggestions are welcome.
- Then if one or more of you would volunteer from each ‘region’, we could kick off in all 4 regions with a lunch/dinner? I can kick off with the SW region to begin with a ‘lunch’, but don’t wait – anyone could organize something, let’s just put a notice on the Florida Chapter web or through the new Chapter yahoo list serve (more below).
- Spring reunion: Previous reunions were often in February and cold. So later may be better. Easter is the weekend of April 20, 2014 and probably not a good weekend for our Reunion. So, a likely time would be the second half of March. I am now seriously looking into negotiating rates for both hotels close to both the center of Naples and 4 day cruises.
Naples can meet almost all interests – sunset cruises, golf, concerts, including some free, outdoor classical and jazz concerts - however my initial negotiations suggest it is extremely pricey compared to a 3-4 night cruise to the Caribbean.
I am also looking into tapping into our (exploiting) our own talents and perhaps aim for an intimate concert of our own musicians (any volunteers?); lectures from some of our more illustrious 1818 members, tennis round robins, beach time, guided beach walks.
I look forward to your thoughts, suggestions?
One final issue – communication. On the 1818 website (www.worldbank.org/1818), we have the Florida Chapter site where we can post information about the Chapter and also, under Member Connection, there is section for the individual Chapters where members can post issues. In addition, I have just created a yahoo group list – “1818florida” where we can also email each other and post issues. Over the next few days I will email you with an invitation to join the list serve – just respond. This will probably be the most convenient way for us to communicate and does not require our Office Managers in DC to post on the web.
Take care and enjoy the lovely fall weather down here in Florida!
Sandra Hadler
October 30 2013