08/11/2005

President's Message - I Will Always Have a Voice And So Will You

By: Kenneth A. Cahall, OFDA President

I hope the summer has been good to all of you and time has allowed you to be with your family, hopefully, on a vacation. It seemed like when I was a kid, summer was the time to play and take it easy, away from school and all the other stuff you just didn't want to do. But when you grow older, it's just another season. Commitments and responsibilities keep our noses to the grindstone. It sounds like we are really working hard, doesn't it? Well we are! But, as your president, it has been a labor of love. We have been busy this summer, gearing up for the late summer and fall commitments.

In July's newsletter the OFDA committee rosters were listed. On those two full pages, there were sixteen different committees made up of our dedicated colleagues, who serve our best interests. To me, this is what makes an association strong. It is important that we renew and refresh our committees in order to remain a vital association. Funeral directors serving funeral directors from the grassroots regions. Our association has officers, an executive director and an office staff. We are there to keep us on course. OFDA is a member driven association, not an office or staff driven association. The difference is that the officers, the executive director and staff are under the direction of our members. We are here to lead our association and to listen to all our members to get a feeling in what direction we must go. I was a member before I became president and I will be a member after I'm president. I will always have a voice in what this association does and so will you. This association is one of the few state associations that I can truly say is member driven. Your voices are heard; either through the committees or as an individual. If you ever have any concerns or suggestions please contact us, you will be heard. If you would like to serve on any OFDA committee let us know that too.