AO MID-YEAR MEETING WAS A SUCCESS!

Each year, Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity’s leadership meets for its mid-year meetings. For the past several years, the Alpha Omega Foundation has held its mid-year meeting at the same location as the Fraternity. This has been done to foster a closer, more efficient and effective working relationship and understanding between the fraternity and the foundation.
This year’s mid- year meetings were held at the Harbor Beach Marriott Hotel, in Ft. Lauderdale. We selected this location because this lovely hotel will be the location of our 2011 International Convention. We are very excited that two very enthusiastic and hard-working fraters have agreed to serve as Co-Marshals, and the names of Andy Lasky and Marty Braverman will be submitted for the office of Marshal-Designate at the upcoming convention in December in San Diego.
The Admin Committee held its meetings and deliberations on Thursday, July 22nd. The Admin has been working very hard all year to enhance communication and services to our fraters, and to “improve the AO experience.” On Friday, July 23rd, the Fraternity’s Board of Directors met and discussed various issues of importance to the fraternity. Significant time was spent discussing creating and implementing a meaningful and effective strategic plan, that will help secure Alpha Omega’s future. Any Foundation members that were interested in attending were invited to this meeting, and many open and important deliberations existed.
Friday evening was, of course, Shabbat, and fraternity and foundation members, as well as fraters from the Ft Lauderdale area were invited to join us for a lovely dinner at the hotel. We began with the traditional prayers over the wine and the Challah, as well as the singing of the “Mishebeach” (prayer for healing). We then enjoyed each other’s company and an enjoyable meal. Over 60 Fraters from the area were at this Shabbat dinner.
The Foundation held its meetings on Saturday, July 24th, and a number of essential discussions occurred during their deliberations. Many of the fraternity’s Board of Directors attended the foundations meetings as board members. A greater understanding of the foundations workings were achieved by all.
At both meeting, the GOHI Chapter Challenge Grant information was introduced and discussed. The purpose of this Grant Challenge is to expand the involvement of chapters and chapter membership to serve the needs of a community in need, locally, nationally or internationally. The goal is to encourage the development of new projects, and exciting models of volunteerism. There will be cash grants to chapters to assist in their good work, and assisting other chapters in creating something that can be duplicated. Alpha Omega is grateful to our corporate sponsors for this program, which includes Henry Schein, SS White, Kurary, Capteck, and Huraeres. International Editor Fred Margolis and the Global Corporate advisory board have worked diligently in bringing this program to fruition. We will be sending out the grant applications to the chapter presidents soon.
Once again this summer, the Florida Regency is holding its Summer Meeting. This year, it is being held at the Oomphoy Resort on Palm Beach from August 13-15th. Contact PIP Howard Pranikoff at (386) 673- 3468, or e-mail him at Hpranikoff@aol.com for additional information and details.
Our enthusiastic, energetic, forward thinking, and dedicated Marshal, Bob Simon, reviewed the exciting details of the upcoming International Convention in San Diego, California, from December 25th, 2010 to January 1st, 2011, and the great hotel rate is available from three days before the Convention to three days after. The Convention hotel is the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay, and the special Alpha Omega rate is only $149 per night per room. Bob and his committee have arranged a value-packed, events-driven, CE loaded, fun and fraternal convention that will be spectacular! International President- Elect Michael Tenenbaum is organizing a special community service program for December 25th, so that our attendees can also participate in the “tzedaka” and “tikun olam” aspects of the Fraternity’s Judaic principles. If you’ve never attended an AO Convention, I urge you to come this year and learn how AO is truly one big family! If you’ve been to conventions before, but missed a few, please consider coming again this year, and enjoying this very special week. If you are a regular convention attendee, you will be very excited about what Bob and his committee have planned for this year! Details and registration is available from: aosunnydays.ao.org.
An organization like Alpha Omega is dependent on dedicated volunteers, like the individuals who diligently attended this year’s meetings. We are all very grateful to those fraters who give of themselves selflessly for the benefit of all fraters.

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