The events surrounding the fall NSS Board of Governors (BOG) Meeting are now at a close, and we here in Houston can finally come up for air. The festivities ended this afternoon (Sunday), with a strategic planning meeting at the historic 1940 Air Terminal Museum at Hobby Airport, and let me tell you, there are some really positive things happening within the NSS!
>From the Greater Houston Grotto's perspective, hosting this event was certainly a team effort and a very rewarding experience. For those of you who didn't make it to the event, you missed an incredible gathering of great people and great cavers. And for those of you who DID make it, thank you very much for contributing to this event! A few highlights included: Roger Moore presenting the NSS BOG with a framed certificate commemorating October 22, 2011 as the official "National Speleological Society Day" for the City of Houston; NSS President Wm. Shrewsbury whacking a bat pinata; Kevin and Emily McGowen being awarded a beautiful cave photograph as a GHG lifetime achievement award; and Louise Hose delivering Jean DeVries to the door of the Sunday meeting via her personal aircraft! We even had several BOG members tell us that they sincerely felt that the BOG dinner/party was the best they had ever attended (though it sounded like they weren't at the legendary Buda BOG in the 70's)! And of course, this wouldn't have been possible without the support of the entire Texas caving community! In particular, thank you to the Bexar Grotto, DFW Grotto, and TSA for donating to the event! Outside of the Houston area, thank you to folks like Ernie Garza and Bill Steele for obtainng kegs from the Shiner Brewery, Dave McClung for his bartender services, Hungarian Barbara for helping to shop, and Sue Schindel for single-handling saving party goers from swarms of mosquitoes with some timely bug spray. Then there are my fellow Houston cavers who went above and beyond the call of duty: Mallory, Lyndon, Kevin, Roger, Louise, Paul, Peter, Evren, Stephen, TJ, David, Don, Sid, Ray, Julia, Greyson, Will, and Andy. And I sincerely apologize if I missed anyone (like the various folks who helped set-up and clean-up the events). Thank you! Sincerely, Clint Ladd (GHG Chairman)
