Dear Colleagues:

With the holidays upon us, the reindeer getting restless and hopes for a new and improved year filling our stockings, my term as GLAC President is also coming to an end. These past two years have been a true adventure in my professional development and I am honored to have served in this position. It far exceeded my expectations with respect to what I learned and all of our fundraising colleagues from across the globe I was privileged to meet. So many of them told me they knew of GLAC from our website and the pictures of our membership that distinguish the site from others. Some knew us through your own personal efforts to connect beyond Los Angeles...and some just wanted to sign up for our continuing commitment to chocolate.

I cannot thank the members of the 2009 Board enough for their help and support during an admittedly difficult year. Their commitment and enthusiasm to tackle all of the challenges we faced was a reaffirmation of the true spirit of development professionals.

Each of them took on a task and not one was left undone. You should be proud of these representatives who served this chapter so well; they are an amazing group. And of course, considerable credit is due to the mavens of Maple Street Management and Doug Brantley, our webmaster - both of whom kept GLAC fully functioning either technologically or in that old-fashioned "personal" way.

I hope this message will encourage more of you to become involved with GLAC. Its legacy of leadership cannot be sustained by a small group of members - there is room (and a need) for everyone. Please consider spending part of 2010 in service to this chapter - you will find yourself in very good company.

Thank you again for the opportunity to represent you; I remain deeply appreciative. I send my best wishes for a joyous holiday season and may those inebriated elves bring you everything you wished for,

Jan

Janice H. Rice, CFRE, CSPG
President, AFP-GLAC