October 3,  2009

Welcome to the 2009-2010 season.  Most of us are already rehearsing our first show of the season.  I wish everyone a successful and productive year.  I know that our audiences appreciate all our hard work, dedication and service to our community.

My first President's report last year dealt with how I first got involved with Quonta and the importance the organization and Festival has been to my development as a director/designer.  There are groups in the Region which have participated in Quonta Festivals, are still active, but no longer members.  There are also a number of groups in the Region who have never been Quonta members.  My hope this year is to contact and/or visit many of these groups, possibly attend an executive meeting and introduce or re-introduce the groups to the benefits of our organization.  For example, I know that some groups associate Quonta with a competitive Festival, are unaware of the non-competitive one-act play festival or that Quonta offers associate memberships.

After a year in this position I realize just how much there is to learn, and that there is no substitute for experience.  Our bylaws/constitution take the importance of experience into account, as the road to the Presidency is by serving as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd vice-president.  However, because of resignations, many of us have hop-jumped to the position, including myself, after having served only a portion of the time.  It makes me so much more appreciative and grateful to the long-serving executive members, whose knowledge and guidance we rely on.

I hope everyone had a stress-free and relaxing summer, because we have work to do, shows to produce and audiences to entertain, and although we may differ in our views and not always get along, we have one thing that binds us to each other, and that is our love for this magnificent art.