I hope this finds all WAABI members well - and safely home from the 2008 Leadership Conference!

WAABI 101 was the theme of this year's Conference. WAABI basics were highlighted and detailed over the course of two days of business sessions.

Craig Wolf, President and CEO of WSWA (Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America) began the conference with a thought provoking discussion of responsibility in the beverage alcohol industry, and how it compares to other industries.

Chapter Presidents reported on WAABI successes from the past year, and gave us insight as to their plans for the coming year. The Sky Ranch team updated delegates on the happenings in South Dakota, and hosted a wonderful Hall of Fame dinner.

Tito Bacardi, a longtime WAABI member and supporter, was honored with the 2008 Unity Award. Judy Bowman, of the Bardstown chapter, was awarded the Spirit of WAABI Award, and Julie Setter, Minnesota WAABI and National Board member, received the WAABI Champion Award.

Our Conference service project, expanding the collection in the Sky Ranch library, was a roaring success with $450 in gift cards donated for the Sky Ranch team to purchase books, and the promise of more to come.

Finally, our delegates wrapped up this busy Conference with some poolside Karaoke! My thanks to all who supported the 2008 Leadership Conference! Planning for next year's Conference is already underway!

Jill Hawkins
Executive Director

The top of the morning to you as one good Irishman would say. The National Convention of 2008 was held in Miami last week. The convention provided valuable information to the Chapter Leaders and Committee Chairman. WAABI 101 was an informative session that will be very useful to all of the chapter leaders and committee leaders. If you were not able to attend the convention, I suggest that ask Jill Hawkins to send your chapter a copy of the 101 handbook. It has some outstanding information, which will help your chapter grow and function affectively.

The future of WAABI is in the chapter's hands. Each chapter outlined the many good deeds and the fund raising events of the past year at he convention. But as we learned at the convention each chapter needs to be communicating to the community the good things that the chapter is developing. Public relations are one of the many areas that were discussed at the national convention and we at the chapter level need to do our share of promoting our activities.

With the heat and humidity in South Florida, the chapter is working on two projects at this time in the comfort of the air conditioning. One project is the scholarship fund. We have 51 applications for the two scholarships that we will give away in the fall. The other project is Serviceman's Lounge at Miami International Airport. Some of our members have donated time and the chapter has donated money for equipment for the Serviceman Lounge. Our congratulations to the WAABI Board of Directors and to Jill Hawkins, the Executive Director, for the time and effort they put in for the national convention and for a training manual that was produced to aid all of the chapters.

Now have a good day.

David Countin South Florida Chapter President

Happy WAABI Wednesday everyone,
       Prom season is rapidly approaching and it is time for Flower Power to come into full swing. Please send me your orders for Flower Power cards for this year. These cards are to be distributed to your local high schools, flower shops, tux rental stores, etc. in time for prom and formal season. The retailers will then place a card in each of their orders for flowers or tuxes, administrators can include them with prom tickets, etc. The cards state the following, "Celebrate  Responsibly. Celebrate Legally. Remember, underage drinking is against the law." It also lists WAABI and our contact information. National WAABI covers any costs for the cards and shipping them. We just ask that you use/distribute the cards you order. If you have sent me an order already, please resend so all cards will be ordered together for maximum cost savings. This is a really great program and I encourage everyone to participate.