Re: GWA electronic ballot

**"* M* <c*@ns.sympatico.ca>**

    Perfect timing Donna! I just received a reply from Steve Dobbs our president that we will add a discussion of the election of national directors to our September board meeting in Oklahoma.
    Just to add to Donna's recommendation - I've learned more from networking and talking with other writers and industry people than anything else. That's why I believe membership in organizations such as GWA is so important.

Cheers
Carol

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Donna Dawson 
  To: 'Garden Writers -- GWL -- The Garden Writers Forum' 
  Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2007 5:26 PM
  Subject: Re: [GWL] GWA electronic ballot

  I feel that I must respond to Barbara's question...yes, you do just vote
  only for your regional directors, but for national directors you are allowed
  to vote for anyone running in any of the regions...

  'Part #2: National Directors
  All members are entitled to vote for National Directors regardless of the
  region in which you live. Please vote for one candidate in each region
  shown. A space is provided for a write-in candidate if you choose to vote
  for an alternate choice...'
  The above is listed with the Ballot Instructions...which I see to mean that
  you can go into any of the regions and vote for their National Director if
  there are any to vote for and then only to your own region to vote for your
  Regional Director.

  As region 7 we try to hold meeting across Canada every year...sometimes it
  happens and sometimes it doesn't.  For you that do not know Region 7 is
  Canada and International...now that is a big region and much more costly to
  get to the regional meetings.  I have been to regional meetings in Alberta,
  Ontario, Nova Scotia, England and Amsterdam and each time have met writers
  that I did not see at either of the other meetings...that is why it is so
  important to try and get to the symposium and to the regional meetings where
  big things happen, like the Philly Flower Show, or Northwest Flower Show or
  Canada Blooms, because that is likely where many will go because there is a
  bigger dual purpose in going.

  I now live in Panama, I am now coming to the end of my term as Regional
  Director, but I am still a member who tries to get to as many regional
  meetings as possible.  This group is very much about networking, you get to
  know your own members in your own region and it all boils down to the fact
  that you are the only ones who should vote for your regional and national
  directors - because they are in your region and you should know much more
  about them than we do.

  Thank you Jeff for pointing out the fact that these rules were made when the
  GWA was a much smaller organization...perhaps now is the time to make some
  changes to this so that each region has the best people working for it.

  Anyway, enough from me...

  Donna Dawson, Master Gardener

  Director Region 7 Garden Writers Association 
  Affiliate Member Canadian Institute of Travel Counsellors 
  Member North American Travel Journalists Association
  Member Royal Horticultural Society 
  http://www.ICanGarden.com 
  http://www.gardeningtours.com 
  See our 2007 Garden Tours - London Chelsea, Tuscany/Coté d'Azur

  -----Original Message-----
  From: gardenwriters-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
  [g*@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Jeff Ball
  Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2007 2:55 PM
  To: Garden Writers -- GWL -- The Garden Writers Forum
  Subject: Re: [GWL] GWA electronic ballot

  Your situation is exactly why we started the regional meetings in the  
  80's.  The idea however was for the regional meetings to move around  
  so people in the boonies would have a shot at least one meeting a  
  year.  Region II has three or four meetings a year, but then they  
  don't live in Detroit.

  When Jeff Lowenfels and I ran for the board we were vociferous about  
  our plantform - more parties!!!

  Jeff Ball
  jeffball@usol.com
  810-724-8581
  Check out my daily blog at www.gardeneryardener.blogspot.com
  Check out my extensive web site at www.yardener.com

  On Aug 8, 2007, at 2:01 PM, Cottage Garden wrote:

  I don't think you are "supposed" to be voting outside your own  
  region. The instructions with the email introducing the electronic  
  ballot clearly say you will be voting directors in your own region  
  only, plus the national directors.

     I think the electronic ballot is a good thing. Brings GWA into the  
  21st century.

     I wish the candidates or those willing to serve should campaign a  
  bit more than they seem to do. I am not comfortable voting for or  
  against folks I have never met and have never heard from and have no  
  idea what their goals for the organization might be. (I might be  
  familiar with some of their published work, but in most cases that is  
  about it.) If I have no informed opinion, then I don't vote.

     Maybe I should reach out to the candidates and ask them, but gee  
  whiz couldn't they at least all send around a group email with a few  
  statements in it?

     Sure maybe in the good ole days everyone knew everyone but that is  
  not true now. The group has expanded to welcome people beyond just  
  individual garden writers. So we have an even wider range of  
  different "agendas" and 'interests" and "needs" than ever before.

     The regions are huge -- for example as a new resident to  
  California I have only been able to attend one meeting in two years.  
  To make that happen, I drove six hours each way and introduced myself  
  to two local "officials" who were understandably too busy running the  
  meeting to talk. Do I have a feel for their aims for the organization  
  based on that? Not really.

     Maybe I am alone in feeling disconnected. Maybe I need to step up  
  and make more effort. Maybe I am expecting too much. Or, maybe GWA  
  doesn't offer me that much in return? Maybe I am just grumpy today.  
  Dunno.

  Barbara Martin
     FLOWER GARDENS
  http://flowergardens.suite101.com/
  Member, Garden Writers Association

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Post gardening questions/threads to
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For GWL website and Wiki, go to
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