We're at the beginning of an exhilarating, fast-paced, and value-packed 2006-2007 year with STC-SWO. Take a deep breath and jump in!

Our chapter is full of dedicated, hard-working, and (I have to say it) brilliant technical communicators--like you--who have a significant impact on bottom-line results for their employers and clients. STC-SWO is here to help you increase your impact and your visibility, but we need your help. Nobody has described the situation any better than former STC and SWO President Thea Teich:

Guess what, folks! Based upon some highly informal “surveys,” the best way to get the most from your STC chapter is to do something to help it provide professional development and learning for the other members. In other words, the people who get the most from chapter activities are the people who help put them on.
It’s not difficult to get started, and the rewards are unlimited. Bottom line, can you give an hour a week to help support your chapter? Or maybe an hour every two weeks? Or maybe two hours once a month? There’s a lot of jobs you can do for your chapter that take just that long. …Chapters that fall apart often do so because just a few people try to do everything. They burn out, they throw up their hands, and walk away— all because no one else would help send out the meeting notices.

You can give something back to the chapter in return for all you’ve gotten out of it. Plus, there’s the chance to do something you may have never had the opportunity to do otherwise, to prove to yourself you can do it.

• Want to try your hand at organizing a project start to finish —something they still aren’t ready to let you do at work? Your chapter needs you.

• Want to try marketing writing, when all you do in the office is documentation and help? Your chapter needs you.

• Want to have a little decision-making authority along with all that responsibility? Step right up. Your chapter really needs YOU.

A personal note. I started out with competitions and on the professional development committee of the Southwestern Ohio Chapter along with John, who worked at the time for a software developer on the east side of town.

After I started my own business, a co-worker of John’s wanted to outsource the writing of a technical marketing booklet. She did not know anything about me directly; all she had was a former co-worker’s recommendation. During our initial conversation, I asked her, “Do you know John, who works at your company? John has known me for years and we worked together on a committee for STC."

Wouldn’t you know it? She got off the phone with me and went straight to John, who vouched for me and my promise to meet her deadlines. So. There are quantitative, as well as qualitative reasons for volunteering in your STC chapter.

- from Between the Lines, October 2000, by Thea Teich

Our current group of hardy volunteers includes

• President – Judy Harper – president@stc-swo.org
• Vice President – Chris Schapman – vp@stc-swo.org
• Immediate Past President – Jean Fudge – pastpres@stc-swo.org
• Treasurer – David Kimmel – treasurer@stc-swo.org
• Secretary – Karen Stille – secretary@stc-swo.org
• Chapter SIG Coordinator – John Humpert – sig@stc-swo.org
• Employment Team Lead – Louise Tincher – employment@stc-swo.org
• Membership Lead – An opportunity for you! (temporarily and inadequately being filled by Judy Harper) –
membership@stc-swo.org
• Newsletter Lead – David Michel – newsletter@stc-swo.org
• Program Co-Leads – Kayte Rudolph and Jeff Stevenson – program@stc-swo.org
• Public Relations Lead - Marce Epstein - pr@stc-swo.org
• Web Lead – Chris Schapman – webmaster@stc-swo.org

“Well,” you're thinking, “you've got a good dozen people listed. Doesn't that cover all the bases?”

No. Take a look at a couple of things we're planning to make your chapter responsive to your needs and relevant to our community:

• Member service We need a membership lead to make sure that new members are welcomed and provided with all the information they need to become active in the chapter.

• High school competition We need several someones who are interested in generating publicity, mentoring students who enter, helping with setting up the competition Web site, judging entries, and more.

• Spring software seminar We need more people to manage the seminar project, from topic/speaker selection to publicity to a hundred little details that must be handled.

Any takers? Step right up, folks! Let's have a great year!