From the LocSec
By
July 2009
As I write this, I'm getting organized to go to American Mensa’s Annual Gathering ("AG"). It will be held July 1-5 in downtown Pittsburgh, and walk-in registrations are welcome. This year's AG will be co-chaired by CAM own Mary Lee Kemper; based on Mary Lee's history chairing gatherings (including the 1998 AG that was here in Cincinnati), we expect it to be a great one. An AG is more than an RG—it has everything you'd expect at an RG, plus more. It’s longer (twice as long as most RGs), has more people (more than ten times what we’d expect at a local RG), has multiple program tracks, has organized tours of area attractions, has a Mensa leadership academy, and some Mensa business as well.
If you miss this year's AG, next year's is just as close—it will be held in Dearborn (suburban Detroit), Michigan. (The National Office is already sending out reminders that if you wish to explore the Canadian side of the Detroit metro area, you will need a passport to cross the border.) The next two AG's will be farther away—the 2011 AG will be in Portland, Oregon, and the 2012 AG will be in Reno, Nevada; both are easy cities to get to by air from Cincinnati, but aren't easily drivable like Pittsburgh or Detroit. The site of the 2013 AG is yet to be determined; I'm told that a bid is forthcoming in to host the AG in the Ft. Worth, Texas area, but other bids are possible.
Of course, we'll have our Regional Gathering here this fall. Chairs Misty Richmond and Marty Meighen promise our usual great weekend party, with a few new twists thrown in. Mark your calendar now for December 4-6.
July features many great activities locally, also. We have our three regular weekly "spirited discussions" (happy hours), in Covington (Tuesday), Sharonville (Wednesday—political discussions not allowed), and Woodlawn (Thursday). Monday’s trivia at the Pub in Norwood is effectively another happy hour, but built around the more structured trivia competition. Our Tuesday evening electronic trivia "Showdown" team is in a tournament the first half of the month, and eagerly wants more brainpower—yours! Verale Phillips is hosting a pool party at his home by Devou Park; bring meat to grill, a dish to share, and a suit in which to swim. There is a needlework group, and two lunch groups—one for the all-American hamburger, and one for Indian food. And while not truly local, July ends with Columbus hosting an RG just 100 miles away—they welcome all of us. Check the calendar for details on these and more.
Tom Vonderahe has been our scholarship chairman for many years now. He has finished his last year in that role, helping our future leaders fund their education and helping Cincinnati Area Mensa get good public relations. Tom deserves our heartfelt thanks for the quality job he has done with this position, and I hope each of you will join me in thanking him.
And we're beginning to gear up for another CAM election. If you’d like to serve on next year's Executive Committee, ballot access is easy—just submit a petition with four signatures (including your own) to Election Committee Chair Barry Austern by September 1.
--Rick Magnus