"If you don't take charge of shaping your destiny, others will apply their agenda to you." - Eric Attenbaugh

As I sit at my computer attempting to compose something that will make it worth your while to pause and read the president's message, I have just awakened to the fact that this will be the last time I will do so.

When I wrote this column for the first time, I mentioned the great changes that had occurred in the years immediately preceding my election to office. These changes came about as the result of the dedication of those who had accepted responsibility for the management of ARTA. Along with those changes appeared challenges that require on-going attention in order to assure that ARTA remains an organization of which we can all be proud. That has been the charge of all with whom I have shared the task of guiding ARTA over the past two years. A charge that I believe we ably handled.

I want to thank the executive and all the board members who have shared so readily their time and skills in a manner that not only sustained ARTA, but which enhanced it in so many ways. I also want the many committee members to accept my expression of gratitude for their efforts. In spite of what, at times, was likened to a rollercoaster ride, the cooperation and competencies of the office staff made it much easier for me to deal with so many issues. And last but not least, I have been very pleased with the opportunities this position has provided me to experience many contacts with fellow retired teachers from all parts of this province and across this great nation. As I complete my term as president of ARTA, I am reminded of the following saying: "doors close on what has been, while opening to what is to come..."

Looking forward, I see on-going and new challenges for ARTA. When I retired from teaching in August of 1993, ARTA was a collection of autonomous branches that was easily managed by a part-time volunteer secretary. Since then, it has evolved into a three-pronged fork. The right prong continues to feature the autonomous branches that now number seventeen plus a satellite branch in Kelowna. The left prong is what I call the "business prong" that has been created around, and in support of, the ever growing benefit programs. The centre prong is what I like to call the "management prong." It is the prong that will provide the strength needed to assure that the three-pronged fork is continuing to function in a manner that is wholesome for ARTA.

We have been very much aware that we need each of these prongs and steps have already been taken to give each additional strength. The marketing initiative has resulted in two new branches being formed. However, the task of recruitment into our membership of some ten to twelve thousand retired teachers who are not part of our association is a task much too onerous to be carried out entirely by a volunteer group. If we are serious about recruitment from this group, ARTA must be prepared to support such an effort financially. We must also be enthusiastic in our support of those branches that are oriented towards becoming more attractive to retiring teachers.

The initiative to hire Ralph Levinson on contract to act as a consultant with the primary objective of marketing our benefit program to retired teachers and other groups that fit the parameters of affiliate membership was further acknowledgement that the "business prong" of our fork has become too complex to rely strictly on the efforts and commitment of volunteer members. Ralph has ably demonstrated the importance of being ever vigilant of the effects of initiatives brought forth by Alberta Health Services on our program and the general welfare of our members. While it is not ARTA's goal to accumulate enormous wealth, the benefit program provides us with income that we can use to the benefit of our membership as well as senior Albertans in general. I believe that it is imperative for ARTA to undertake immediate action in regards to these matters. For a not-for-profit organization such as ours, I would urge the Board of Directors to seriously consider the establishment of a foundation that would open the door to unlimited possibilities.

The "management prong" needs to be as sound as that of any successful business. Being an organization with voluntary membership that has a strong history of direction provided by a group of volunteer members has its own quirks. While it remains the primary function of the Board of Directors and through it, its committees to guide ARTA into the future, the day-to-day operations must be placed in the hands of an office team headed by a manager who is empowered with the ability to make routine operational decisions. While great strides have been made to escape from the dominance of micro-management, I have at times seen symptoms of this management style being demonstrated.

I want to sincerely thank the retired teachers for giving me the opportunity to be a steward of this most worthy organization. Au revoir!