STATE AND PROVINCE MEETING
As our society learned to live with the pandemic, the number of scheduled College events increased beginning
the summer of 2021 and grew throughout 2022. Brett and I had the pleasure of attending twenty-four state
and province meetings and four regional meetings during the course of this year. We were met at each location
with generosity and kindness. The dinners were often in extraordinary locations and most included exceptional
keynote speakers. There are far too many special memories to recount here but I list a few of them below:
QTraveling across Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana with Regent Lyn Pruitt and her
husband Chip. Not every meal was formal but every one included good food and company.
In the evenings, we shared dinner with the Fellows from each of these states.
QPast President Tom Tongue gave us a special guided tour of Portland, Oregon followed
by dinner with the Oregon Fellows.
QEnjoying lunch with Past President Doug Young and his wife Terry at their beautiful
home overlooking San Francisco Bay, followed by my first experience riding Doug’s
cutter horse named Will. Will and I both survived a few “cutting” maneuvers. We
then met the Youngs and Ackers for a tour of a nearby Redwood forest followed by a
dinner with the Northern California Fellows and listened to a Nobel Prize winning
astrophysicist and astronomer who demonstrated his skill with his traveling telescope
after the dinner.
Q Joining Past President Mike Stout and the Kansas Fellows for dinner in Wichita, Kansas.
Unfortunately, Brett and I were unable to join for the annual trip to Mike’s ranch
in the beautiful Flint Hills due to a College conflict but Past President Doug Young
and his wife Terry and Regent Dan Fulluo and his wife Sally were able to enjoy Mike’s
hospitality.
Q Sharing St. Patrick’s Day with the North Carolina Fellows in Charleston, South Carolina.
QEnjoying Big Cedar Lodge outside of Springfield, Missouri with Past President Rodney
Acker, his wife Judy, and the Missouri Fellows. The Fellows particularly remembered
their devoted Chair Monte Clithero who passed away during his term this year. The dinner
with the Missouri Fellows was in a room overlooking the famous Trail of Tears statue.
QWinning Team at the National Trial Competition
Q Spending time with Michigan State Chair Dan Scully and his wife Peggy, who kindly
drove us over 100 miles so we wouldn’t get lost in the wilds of northern Michigan.
QOur trip to Canada this year started with a lobster feast at the beautiful “cabin” of
Regent Michelle Awad and her husband Jack, followed by separate dinners with the
Fellows of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. The Newfoundland
Fellows made the Youngs, Ackers, and O’Donnells Honorary Newfoundlanders in a
“screeching-in” ceremony which involves a shot of rum followed by kissing a cold, dead
cod fish. Newfoundland Vice-Chair Dan Simmons gave us a memorable tour of the
easternmost point of North America.
9 JOURNAL