President Talk

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=150 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=160 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="04f6c470.png" border=0 width="364" height="71" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="15" VSPACE="0">  <A HREF="mailto:asidmail@yahoo.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:asidmail@yahoo.com"><U><B>Contact Us</B></U></A><B> </B> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial Narrow" ><A HREF="id54.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Site Map"><U><B>Site Map</B></U></A></FONT>   <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial Narrow" ><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Home"><U><B>Home Page</B></U></A></FONT></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>   </B></div> <div> <A HREF="id42.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About ASID"><U><B><IMG SRC="17e961c0.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="28" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B> </B><A HREF="id43.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Downloads"><U><B><IMG SRC="17f961d0.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B> </B><A HREF="id44.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Members"><U><B><IMG SRC="180961c0.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="28" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B> </B><A HREF="id45.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Students"><U><B><IMG SRC="181961d0.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=150 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="13bd07d2egerdp.jpg"> <div> ««««</div> <div> <B>Four Star Sponsors</B></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.benjaminmoore.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.benjaminmoore.com/"><U><B><IMG SRC="34d843a0.png" border=0 width="132" height="58" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.closetfactory.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.closetfactory.com/"><U><B><IMG SRC="34e6f4b0.png" border=0 width="111" height="75" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.charlesluck.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.charlesluck.com/"><U><B><IMG SRC="350861e0.png" border=0 width="134" height="30" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.noland.com/bic.php" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.noland.com/bic.php"><U><B><IMG SRC="352841d0.png" border=0 width="132" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <bR> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=320 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B>Making Vision Reality</B></I><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Lucida Sans" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>THIS ISSUE IS DEDICATED TO VA TECH CAMPUS MEMBERS.</B></div> <div> <B>ASID IS ASSOCIATION; ASID IS NETWORKING; ASID......IS FAMILY</B></div> <bR> <div> Virginia Chapter was routinely preparing our spring issue of the <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000BF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.asidva.org/NEWSLETTER_spring_2007_5-15-07.pdf" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.asidva.org/NEWSLETTER_spring_"><U>newsletter</U></A></FONT>, members creating their articles to make the submission deadline, when we all got a sudden jolt ........April 16th happened at VA Tech. No one could really foresee the degree of horror and sadness that would suddenly fall upon us all.  </div> <bR> <div> We felt a sense of total helplessness, but here is where the strength of ASID family starts to show, with our love and compassion. These are not traits that normally come to mind when you think of a professional organization.  I don't know where they come from. Some could say we are more inclined to be too caring as we are sensitive by nature, being designers, and also good listeners, practiced by trying to understand what our clients want.</div> <bR> <div> But I think it goes a lot deeper that all of that.  To illustrate this I will share some of the events and insights into who our members truly are.  Here are just a few instances, of which I am aware, in the four days after 4/16 as I rewrite my column for this issue.</div> <bR> <div> Career Day is a long-planned, special day for the interior design students in Virginia.   Sue Lee and Justine Schott are the 2007 co-chairs and had spent hundreds of hours in preparation.  All of the events were manned, the gift bags were stuffed, door prizes in place.  The turnout from VA Tech was understandably lower than projected.  Several students did attend and Sue and Justine began the opening remarks of the day closing with a moment of silence to remember the 4/16 tragedy.  Many of the VA Tech students broke into tears and had to leave the room.  No one really has the perfect words to say in cases like this but we all wanted to try.  I noticed Kim Schoenadel slip out after the students.  She is one of the campus professional liaisons and gave comfort to the students.  I spoke with her later and she just knew that she needed to be there for them. Kim is a Hokie and had offered lodging and event fees to any of the Tech students who were able to attend.</div> <bR> <div> No one has the answers, but again we are trying. Cindy Burke emailed that she would like to gather members' letters for the students as a compilation of the many expressions we feel for our students.  All day email messages came in on my computer from VA Chapter ASID members with their stunned reactions to the tragedy.  Cindy had emailed the students to say she would pay for gas and fees for the VA Tech students.  </div> <bR> <div> Although none of the interior design students were physically injured; all were harmed and we want to be there for the healing in any way possible....we indeed are family.  We dedicate this spring newsletter to all of the student members in Virginia Chapter.  You are our future; our heirs-apparent; our brightest newcomers to the field.  For many, many years ASID has held Student Career Day; we have it in our "Goal #1" of our strategic plan....students are a high priority for ASID.  We have a board of eight members and one of those members is a Student Representative of the Board (SRB) with full voting privileges. The SRB is the voice for all interior design students in the Commonwealth.  Being involved with bright, eager, young people helps us all to heal and go on.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT</B></I><B>: </B></div> <div> <B>NEW STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE BOARD</B></div> <div> Britney L. Bishop, VA Tech Interior Design Student, is the newly elected SRB for 2007-2008. Welcome on board.  I think Britney's philosophy says it all: "It is only by becoming involved can one truly become passionate and excited about what lies ahead." Amen, Britney! Congratulations to Britney.  You can contact her at blbishop@vt.edu" <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="mailto:" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:"><U><U>blbishop@vt.edu</U></U></A></FONT>. </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter Resources Newsletter"><U><IMG SRC="0f71c1c0.png" border=0 width="28" height="28" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> </U></A><A HREF="http://www.asidva.org/NEWSLETTER_spring_2007_5-15-07.pdf" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.asidva.org/NEWSLETTER_spring_"><U>Spring Newsletter '07</U></A></div> </td> </tr></table></body>