"Lucky " Lady AO President communicates in Conn.

There are many reasons that I have decided to visit certain areas or certain chapters. Sometimes my Presidential visitation has been because the local chapter leaders want Alpha Omega’s International President to preside over some event, feeling that appearance might help the local chapter. At other times, visitations are made for specific purposes, such as having conversations with Deans, meeting with corporate sponsors, attending a specific meeting or event, meeting with local fraters and hopefully imparting an International “flavor” to them, meeting and greeting fraters to open up additional avenues of communication, etc.
Our Hartford Alumni Chapter has suffered from some of the same challenges that several other alumni chapters have also faced. At one time a chapter with over 100 fraters, the chapter today still exists, but has very little activity. For many years, Bill Sherman has been the “face’ of the chapter, having served in many capacities including Regent. Bill and his wife, Sam, have been regulars at International Conventions, and consistent supporters of the AO Foundation. Fortunately, Paula Stern has been acting as Chapter Treasurer for several years. Robin Santiago is further proof of the fact that Alpha Omega is “family,” as Robin’s father; Howard Mark is a former Regent, and long-time Alpha Omegan. All of us who know Robin are very proud of the fact that she will become President of the Connecticut State Dental Association (CSDA) on October 16, my birthday. Robin has been coordinating Continuing Education for the CSDA. I wanted to try to “jump-start” the Hartford chapter, and personally sent out by e-mail and “snail mail” invitations to an Appetizers and Cocktails get-together late in the afternoon on Thursday of the CSDA Annual Meeting, held at the Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, CT. Since the chapter had nearly no activity in some time, and I was not at all sure how many would attend, I made the get-together casual, and held it at Margaritaville at the Mohegan Sun. The approximately twenty people that attended still had strong feelings for Alpha Omega, and we had great conversations about what was happening today with Alpha Omega. Several indicated interest in the Steve Anderson seminar in Boston on October 15th. We also discussed the International Convention in San Diego in December. We spoke about how we would all try to help the members of this chapter get more information about Boston Alumni chapter activities, as well as International events and happenings, and all that attended thought it would be great to have another get-together at the CSDA 2011 meeting.
It was great to see a young couple who originally lived in Detroit stop by the get-together. David Fenton is presently an Oral Surgery Resident while his wife Jodi Levy is in General Practice in Manchester CT. The two of them spoke glowingly of their wonderful remembrances with the Detroit Alumni Chapter fraters while they were there. David was pleasantly surprised to see one of his professors, Dr. Judd Fink and his wife Becky already at the Get- Together when he arrived. Our dear friend, Andy Ponichtera, who was once in charge of Graduate Prosthodontics at U.Conn, and his wife Pam, was glad to rekindle some of his long-time relationships with several of the attendees. Andy and Pam enjoyed attending the Cruise Convention this past year so much, that they are considering attending again this coming year. Norman Katzoff stopped by, and was glad to see Alpha Omega doing something at the CSDA meeting. Even one of our fraters from Virginia, Frederick Krochmal, who was attending the CSDA meeting and saw one of our signs, stopped by and made new “friends” from Connecticut. All important things begin with my first personal step, and I am hopeful that this get- together was an important step toward some sort of revitalization in the Hartford area.
Our active Boston alumni chapter member and Dean of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine Bruce Donoff, and his wife, Madelyn, former Chair of the Boston chapter of Hadassah, will be the honorees at the 25th Anniversary celebration of the Jerusalem Dental Center for Children, on June 13th at the Larz Anderson Auto Museum in Brookline MA. This clinic has been providing much needed dental care at significantly reduced fees for a population which otherwise would not be served.
The Board of Directors of Alpha Omega International Fraternity held their monthly conference call on Monday evening. Your Board has been working diligently to enhance communication and improve member benefits. Many topics were discussed including GOHI and the proposed GOHI Grants Program; the Leadership Seminar in Boston in October 15-16; and the International Convention in San Diego from December 25th to January 1st.
As always, please feel free to contact me at any time with any ideas, concepts, feedback, or concerns.


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