OVERJOYED

OVERJOYED is the best way that I can describe how I felt in being able to gather alongside 300 of our members at the annual state conference held in Tacoma this past July. This was our largest gathering since something called, “the pandemic”, changed our world. There is a long list of volunteers who spent many (many) hours in planning for conference, but I would like to specifically recognize a few. They include our Conference Chair Melissa Erwin (Kent) and Co-Chair Charlotte Marrison (Sumner); Exhibits Coordinator Karen Brown (Franklin Pierce) and Night of Entertainment Visionary Janel Rupp (Performance Reps. NW). Thank you (and all our volunteers) for your commitment to ensuring that the association was able to offer a memorable event that included a pre-conference Farm tour, inspiring keynote speakers, informative education sessions and exhibits, varied networking opportunities, fun nightly entertainment, personal wellness activities and lastly, some much needed JOY!

Now that we have the annual state conference in the books (and schools open for the new year), the WSNA Board of Directors will this Fall form an Ad Hoc Committee to develop an RFP to recruit for a new Executive Director to lead the association. We will additionally be reviewing our Bookkeeper needs. Donna Parsons, our current Bookkeeper, has informed the Board of her desire to move to full retirement.

Please join me in welcoming the 2023-24 Executive Board Members, Committee Chairs, Parliamentarian and OSPI State Liaison. The names and contact information for these volunteers can be found in this edition of the Apple Press. Please contact the Board at [email protected] if you are interested in volunteering to be part of the work being done by any of our committees (Public Policy, Membership/Certification, Education, Marketing and Industry) to support our Plan of Action efforts.

In closing, I hope all of you have had a successful opening to the school year in your district. Keep up the good work that you do to ensure that children in your community are offered nutritious meals each day.

Wendy Weyer, RD, SNS

WSNA President