THE

PRESIDENT’S

MESSAGE …

It is GREAT to be a GYRO. The more involved that you get, the more you realize this. And when you have a time of adversity, as Linda and I recently have had, it comes out of the woodwork and wraps itself around you. The cards, letters, phone calls, prayers and just plain good thoughts were meaningful beyond your belief.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU … IT IS GREAT TO BE A GYRO

You elected Linda and I to the highest office in our Fraternity, one we receive with Honor, Pride and Humility, and we are unable to attend our own Installation. We will serve – with the backing and support of an extremely strong, dedicated and cohesive Executive Council, we will go ahead. IPIP Ab and Win have been the strong arm that has carried us through to here – new Third VP Jim and Eileen Hyland are the young blood that will lead us into the future.

GYRO IS IN STRONG HANDS

During our three years on the Executive Council, Linda and I have traveled from South Florida to British Columbia, from Southern California to Central Ontario and spent time with dozens of new Gyro friends.

The marvel of Gyro travel is that you don’t eat in restaurants, and you don’t sleep in hotels. You stay with Gyros. Often with Gyros you have never met until you enter their homes. Some are just short of terrified to be entertaining someone from the “EC.” All are close friends when we depart.

What marvelous experiences …

At about age nine years, our grandson, Jeffrey Elliott, with the wisdom of the young, said,

“Poppy, Gyro is one big family with different last names.”

Everywhere we travel we find that truth, and we look forward to continuing our travels.

While I cannot report on the great Victoria Convention, First VP Ken Klinck has a detailed report in this issue.

There is work to be done: • PIP Jim Roberts continues to head up a select committee on the future of Gyro,

• IPIP Ab Nightingale is continuing to grow the website and is actively working on development of an International database, • Second VP Harold Bernard continues his active work on membership development and retention.

With Third VP Jim Hyland as utility man and batting clean-up, I and Gyro have a strong Executive to lead our Fraternity through the next year.

REMEMBER – ASK A FRIEND TO JOIN THE “BIG FAMILY WITH DIFFERENT LAST NAMES”

—Pete Belding

President, Gyro International