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Fellow Santas, Mrs. Claus and
Friends,
This has been one heck of a ride.
But, like all roller coasters, one must know when it's time
to get off.
At this time I wish to announce
that effective September 1, 2007, I will resign my
Presidency of the AORBS.
I will stay on board until that
date in order to help transition the administration.
Should the Board feel that my services are no longer
necessary prior to that, I will step down earlier.
At this time, I am also asking
the remaining Board of Directors, to immediately begin
efforts to hold a national election of the full membership,
to be completed prior to November 1. My recommendation is
that this election will supplant the election that was
planned for the Spring of 2008, prior to the convention.
I will not be a candidate in the election.
My wife and daughter have been
asking me to do this for the past few weeks. They have
felt the anguish and heartbreak that I have been
experiencing. I
can no longer spend 40 to 50 hours a week, and sometimes
double that, trying to heal this organization. I have
my family that needs me, a business to run and many clients
needing my company's services.
Moreover, I am just too tired to
continue fighting the many unwarranted attacks against my
presidency and what I believed was the future of the AORBS.
This past month, I kept thinking
that everything will work out. I have also tried to
figure out why these few individuals are so defiant and
steadfast in their goal to remove me. You must ask
yourself, "What is their agenda?"
It certainly is not the well
being of the AORBS. If it were, they would be working
behind the scenes, and within the Board room, to repair the
problems.
Every time I answer their
accusations, or fight their attacks and prove them wrong, or
receive a Vote of Confidence from the other Board Members,
they resent it.
This resentment is shown in additional attacks with more
un-warranted and un-informed accusations. And the
worst part is, in order to build pressure on me and the
other Board members; they feel it necessary to belittle me
in front of you, my fellow Santas.
What do they expect to win?
Unfortunately no one here is a winner. Those who tell
you that that removing me will repair the organization are
deceiving you, and themselves. If someone wanted to
make changes to the organization, or revise a program, they
could have easily brought it to a board meeting and asked
for a vote, which is why we organized in the first place.
I often wonder why someone
doesn't just call and ask me their question, instead of
placing it out in the public like an accusation. I could
understand this kind of action if I had refused to comment
or speak, or tried to hide something. But, why make public
accusations and innuendos? I have always been open with my
activities freely disclosing everything between my business
and the work I had dedicated to the AORBS.
I am very proud to have been
involved in bringing the AORBS from just a few hundred on a
mailing list, to over 700 dues paying members and over 1300
on the mailing list. Moreover, I am also very proud of
creating, producing and bringing together a team of Santas,
that presented the World's first 'Real' Santa convention.
After the convention and the
doubling of our membership, I knew we needed to evolve.
My thoughts were to bring in a few fellow Santas,
individuals with some dedication to their fellow members.
Together we could take the AORBS to a new level.
And it would be simple.
Write some By-laws, get incorporated and start planning
another convention. And we had over $15,000.00 in
funds which I turned over to the new Board for operating
capitol.
Unfortunately the new
organization was based on 'my' ideas, and as we are all
different, not everyone shares the same ideas.
As you can guess, I am torn.
Torn between the love I have for Santa, and you my fellow
Santas, and the tragedy that is befalling our organization.
And even though there are many of you that support me,
including some of the Board, I must still take this action.
In closing, please know that I
have enjoyed my association with so many of you.
I will continue to be active in my Santa School and
other businesses, and will also continue to enjoy the many
friendships that I have developed with Santas, Mrs. Claus
and all who enjoy the traditions and work associated with
the "Man in the Red Suit." The most important
thing we do, and should continue to do, is bring joy to
children and families everywhere.
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