TxTRA Presidential Corner
by Joyce Ritter, 2008 TXTRA President

WE ARE FAMILY

TxTRA to me is a family.  I have never felt the warmth from an organization as I do TxTRA, but it occurred to me that not everyone might feel that way.  My first TxTRA conference was in 1999, and I felt welcome from the very beginning mainly because my co-workers attended and introduced me to people.  But--What about those who come by themselves or join and never have anyone contact them?  My preacher stated in one of his sermons that the time of welcoming during the church service is the most critical time of the service.  If a person does not feel welcome, chances are they will never come back.  Well, the same is true of TxTRA.  If we do not make our new members feel welcome, chances are they will not get involved and what a loss to us and to them.  That is why mentoring is so very important to the growth and success of TxTRA.  I came into the cancer registry field in 1999 very green.  I did not have the slightest idea what I was doing, but one very special person took me under her wings and introduced me to key people to help me with ACoS, running a cancer registry, etc., and that person is Robin Stokes.  She gave me names to contact such as Pandora Ashley, Lola Mattingly, Rosemary McKee, Diane Ketchum, Kathy Tinney and Shelly Jordan.  Without these TxTRA member's expertise, words of support and willingness to share their policies, forms, etc., I would have been lost.  Because of them, I knew I wanted to become involved in TxTRA.

TxTRA was blessed to have over 25 new members join this year.  Each of them was assigned a mentor.  My hope is that they have been contacted by their mentor.  They, too, might need the help that I received.  TxTRA cannot continue to grow without your help.  We need "new blood" to assure the success of TxTRA for years to come.  To the young TxTRA members I say this is your organization for the future.  Many of us will be retiring within the next few years.  I encourage you to get involved.  The best way to get involved is to volunteer for committees, become a mentor and run for office.  You are probably thinking--I don't have time.  Well, we are all volunteers, and understand that our families, church and jobs come first.  But, when we all work together and not just a few doing everything, we all have time to volunteer.  There is a lot of work to be done, and the success of TxTRA depends on all of us.  You will never regret making the decision to be an active member of TxTRA.  So, when you are approached from the committee chairs, please consider taking the plunge and getting involved.  Remember, "We Are Family."

Joyce Ritter, 2008 Txtra President
September 20, 2007