Regional Ramblings

By Bob Cox

It looks like I will miss the Los Angeles RG - Escape to Owland - because of the inefficiency of the Travel Agency. I hope others have not had the same problems.

I promised to tell you what happened at the AMC meeting particularly with the motions from the AMC Structure Review Committee. We voted to add the Second Vice-Chairman and the Secretary to the Executive Committee, bringing it up to five members. We decided that the question of removing the Second Past Chairman from the AMC would go to referendum. We rejected the motion to reduce the number of RVCs to five, but felt that the next AMC should appoint a committee to look at boundary changes which could change the number of RVCs.

The AMC also rejected the motions to remove the appointed officers as voting members and to have RVCs and Nationally elected officers stand for election in alternate years. I believe all these decisions reflect the will of the membership as it has been offered at the last few RGs in our region.

The AMC donated $2,000 to MERF for the Marjorie Mandelblatt Memorial Scholarship. Personal donations to this scholarship may be sent to the National Office.

We have more results on the National Testing Day. There were twenty three groups that had not tested anyone in the year to date (April - October), these groups tested 227 that day. There were more tested on that one day than had been tested in the last year. Look what Greater Phoenix Mensa has to say. In the Phoenix area 25 people signed up and 20 sat for the 2 exams, about 7 times the normal rate for a testing day. And better still, we received wonderful coverage in the Republic a few days later. We now have 90 people signed up to take the exam and we have several more who were able to produce the credentials to qualify without taking the test. The National Office reports that the number of lapsed members wanting to renew has doubled.

A lot of my time has been taken up with planning the Leadership Development Workshop in San Bernardino, February 26-28. We have a full line-up of presenters and topics. I would encourage you to attend this weekend workshop. You will find it beneficial personally and of great help to your Local Group. Mensa pays for your Registration and meals. Carpooling and room sharing will keep your costs low. The hotel has only guaranteed the room block until February 5, so call them soon at 909-381-6181, then let me know that you will be there. As I write this (January 4), we have 23 registered and most groups represented.