PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

MS. JACKIE FROMDAHL, PAINTING UNLIMITED, INC.

Have you ever made the joke that smart phones are always listening? How our private conversations produce magic pop up ads on our social media feed regarding oddly specific topics. Well, I am not sure who was listening when I introduced my theme for the year 2020, “Challenge Accepted”, but joke is on me my friends! I was very unaware that there was going to be a global pandemic causing all of us to dramatically change the way we operate our businesses, further our education and connect with our clients and homeowners. To say this has affected all of us and changed our normal everyday life into something extremely unfamiliar would be an understatement. I am thrilled and appreciative to see you all taking on this challenge in stride. While many of us are considered essential workers, the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) has affected many of our family members and friends and our hearts and best wishes go out to all those who have been affected as well.

It is important to know that although things are changing almost daily, that the Chapter is working extremely hard to make sure the value of membership is still present for everyone. The committees and committee chairs are brainstorming ideas that will continue to set us apart from other chapters. The board of directors and Executive Director are focusing on transitioning and rescheduling events rather than canceling. We are keeping your best interest as members at the forefront of our decisions.

Beyond the safety measures we have been provided, I believe the next most important thing we can do is to stay positive. I encourage you all to look at the glass as 100% full, not half full or half empty. You see, the glass is filled half way with opportunity and in in the other half we have accomplishment. We have accomplished so much already, including some new events hosted earlier in the year and a new website, but also coming up with some new ways to keep everyone safe once we can host events again (stay tuned). The opportunity is there for us to connect with one another in a different possibly more personal way; maybe a handwritten note, or a Zoom call in your favorite T-shirt? Challenge yourself to look at this time as a blessing, a time to refocus, self-reflect or possibly pick up a new hobby. Whatever you decide, spread the positivity and joy of this new experience with one another.

There are a million things I am sure we have all heard over the last several weeks as well about positivity, adapting to change or even motivation, but I just want you all to know I’m proud of you! I am proud to see an organization composed of so many different people come together, still manage to connect and push through an extremely challenging time. Let’s continue to accept the challenge in front of us and finish 2020 even stronger than before.