| by Janet White, Acting President, Columbus, OH
2007! It seems like just yesterday that we were all using the dream of creating a "Millennium Quilt" as an excuse to collect fabric, doesn’t it?
As a child, I remember adults telling me that time flies when you get older. They were right about that. I've also reached the age that I have to admit the pain relief ads are right too – my body just isn't as flexible as it used to be! My shoulders and hips ache after only a few hours at the sewing machine, and those plastic tubs of fabric (still waiting to become a Millennium Quilt) are harder to lift. The irony is that the less flexible our bodies become, the more flexible we need to be mentally and emotionally. Health, families, jobs - situations pop up, our lives change overnight, and mental flexibility becomes a necessity.
As a nonprofit organization with a volunteer board, NQA needs to be flexible, too. On behalf of the rest of the members of the NQA Board of Directors, I regret to report that our president, Barb Broshous, and our treasurer, Gail Stewart, have both resigned for personal and family reasons. Barb and Gail have been active NQA members for many years and their contributions are greatly appreciated. We thank them for their past service and wish them both the best.
When I accepted the office of vice president, my mother asked what I would do if something happened and I had to fill in for the president. I told her that wouldn’t happen and I wasn't going to worry about it. By the time I'm 60, I might learn to listen to my mother. As vice president, I have assumed the role of acting president of NQA. It is a huge responsibility that I never planned for, but I'm still not going to worry about it because Barb assembled a group of very talented board members, and together with the other elected officers and our show director, I trust that we will keep NQA moving forward. I would especially like to thank immediate past treasurer Kim Siebler for agreeing to fill in temporarily as treasurer, and both Lynn Kough and Marcia Knopp for assuming extra duties. Perhaps the NQA board motto should be "We’re flexible!" I would also like to thank Carol Holland in our office for all her extra efforts to help us through this period.
March 17 is National Quilting Day (always the third Saturday in March). Whether you celebrate with a group, a friend, or by yourself, plan to do something special to honor quilts and the contributions quiltmakers make to their communities.
We are all looking forward to a fabulous quilt show this June. Why not plan to spend all three days (and Wednesday night) at the show with your NQA family? Comfortable shoes are a must to walk the aisles lined with more than 400 spectacular quilts and 100 vendors. We have classes for every interest and skill level, and I hope you take advantage of the opportunity to learn from some of the most talented teachers in the country. Special events offer a chance to socialize with quilters from across the country, enjoy some great food, laugh and learn. Along with our special theme exhibit of basket quilts, we are pleased to host two traveling exhibits: "Alzheimer’s: Forgetting Piece by Piece" and the winning quilts from the "$100,000 Quilting Challenge." As an NQA member, you are encouraged to participate in every aspect of the show - enter your quilts, sign up for classes and events, contribute a little quilt for the auction, and, of course, volunteer. Remember, YOU are NQA and this is your show! All the show details are in the registration brochure included in this issue of QQ. Classes and special events can fill early, so don't hesitate - mail your registration today!
My best wishes for a happy and healthy new year....
--Janet
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