As I transition out of the Presidency, I’d like to recap my journey. When I first took the position of President, I had plans to reach out and get to know more than just SoCK members by going to at least one other chapter meeting a month. Then COVID hit. I, along with our guild and the world, went into lockdown. We all went into survival mode. For many of us, this time confined at home resulted in a whole lot of yarn craft. As a Guild, we discovered ZOOM and met through our computer screens. We delayed our annual retreat for a year, we forgave our annual membership dues, the virus raged. We continued to knit, crochet, etc. The next year we canceled our annual retreat. We hung on as best we could, continuing to meet via ZOOM. We extended the terms of both chapter officers and Executive Board members. As time went on, things got brighter health-wise, there was a vaccine. We began to have hybrid meetings, meeting both in-person and via ZOOM. We instituted dues again. We continued to knit and crochet for charity. We shipped 60 pounds of items to the Ukraine. Most Chapters now meet in-person. With each meeting, we share our knowledge. Our skills improve. We connect with each other. 

 

As a result of this worldwide crisis, our membership went from over 200 members to ~130. Two chapters folded. Yet we survived. Most especially we survived because of the leadership of the Executive Board and the Chapter Officers. I want to take this opportunity to thank those leaders. Folks like our Executive Board Newsletter Chair, Gail Close; our two webmasters, Kate Wilson and Lauren Levy; our Charity Chairs, Dolores Rose, Sarah Hartman and Marie Knappenberger; Janet Neberman, our Social Media Chair who also stepped in as our Secretary for Ann Wohn when her obligation pulled her away from us; our wonderful crochet master, Rosanna Maggi, our Membership Chair; and our ever-faithful Treasurer, Crystal Smith. Our chapter representatives to the board, both the following women and their predecessors, Connie Blakley, Barbara Hass, Natalie Salter, Karen Fern, Amy McMahon, and Laura Sawyer. These are the women that have held our Guild together for the last three years. To each of them, I am forever grateful. I hope you, as a member, are as well.

 

I am also grateful to each and every one of you who hung in with us. It’s been a very interesting ride. I simply could not have done it without the wonderful women above and many more like Debbie Smith, Melony Metzler and Nancy Threadgold who shared their counsel with me.

 

It’s now time for a new beginning for our Guild. With this new beginning, I’m stepping down as your President. Lauren Levy will be taking over. We met one-on-one the last week of July to transition. I know she’s going to be great in the position. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Lauren as a SoCK member, a webmaster and teacher (I learned to weave from Lauren). But, you aren’t getting rid of me totally, I’m stepping in as Guild Treasurer. I met with Crystal Smith this past week to learn her position. Hopefully, I can fill her shoes. 

 

Please keep each other and our tumultuous world in your prayers. Please remember, you are each a bright spot that spreads joy and hope with each stitch. 

 

Once again, thank you for the opportunity to serve as the Guild for the last three years. Here’s wishing all a wonderful, wet August.