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AsMA NewsWing News & Notes Some Final Words from Your President by Susanna Bellenkes, President Yodluihi, my dear Wing sisters! This year has flown by like a mighty wind. Now, as my Presidency quickly draws to a close, please permit me a few moments to reflect a bit upon what has transpired during this quite remarkable time. I cannot possibly express to you just how honored I was during our meeting last May in New Orleans, to have been the recipient of the WING gavel of authority. Whilst very moved by your faith and trust in me, I was at the same time struck by the awesome and, frankly, rather daunting tasks facing me ahead, that of filling the shoes of those whom I have so long admired and who laid the highly professional foundation upon which I was now to trod. The successes of the Wing program are and have always been the result of much hard work by a zealous and dedicated team of friends and colleagues. For example, everybody on the Board has worked very hard on preparations for our upcoming meeting in Boston. Many of you have been involved in arrangements for our venues, meals and social events. The fruits of these labors have become more apparent each day as we begin to realize just how very exciting holding a meeting in the cradle of America’s history will be. In this regard, I wish herein to especially thank Susan Bassick and Paula Landry who so graciously represented the WING during the on-sight visit to Boston this past July. It is through their many efforts that the WING will be celebrating this year’s festivities in some of the most splendid of Boston’s venues. As with our parent organization, the Aerospace Medical Association, the WING has likewise effectively combined the best of cherished traditions with the excitement of change … and indeed, throughout the years that I have been involved with the Wing I have been witness to much change. For instance, where in the past, we were limited by the unavoidable gaps in communication associated with employing the normal postal services, we now are afforded almost instantaneous communications via e-mail, teleconferences, and the internet. These marvelous technologies have certainly quickened the pace of our world, making many of us feel that the use of normal mails and even phone calls may be counter-productive. I do not regret these changes, as they are making life and business much easier. However, we must never forget that the comraderie that so characterizes our WING cannot be fostered and maintained only by these technologies, but more importantly, by our working together directly at our meetings and other events … and that leads me to yet another example of change. Some of our members may remember WING events many years ago where the ladies would meet in elegant apparal, replete with gloves and hats! Then, at one meeting, we requested that non-U.S. members attend an event wearing original costumes characteristic of their homelands. Some of our members did this, and I remember being very taken by the beautiful Korean silk dresses, Indian saris, African dresses, and a leather trapper jacket with hat from Canada. Seeing this inspired me to proudly wear my Tyrolean Dirndl to our subsequent meetings. What a wealth of different cultures we have in this group! It was truly a splendid recognition of the international constituency of AsMA and its WING. I earlier mentioned that we not only change with the times but also retain our beloved traditions; one of these being that as family, we foster and show great care and friendship for one another. Many AsMA members attending the annual meetings comment on this core value of our WING, and are especially impressed by the notion that for us, the pride we have in our WING family does not stop with the closing sessions of the meeting but they continue throughout the entire year. This manifests itself mostly in how we continue to communicate with one another. You should see my e-mail account; there is always someone from the Wing saying hello, asking a question, sharing good or sad news from their families. No better example during this past year of this can be made other than how all of the WING came together in grief over the terrible loss of our dear friend, Ludy Rayman. We knew that she had been ill for some time, but no one realized just how grave her condition was. When the news of her passing came in February, we were all very very shaken. Yet, amidst our great loss, the WING family came together to support Ludy’s beloved husband, Russ, and their own family. Phone calls and letters of condolence from around the world poured in for many days. I must tell you that amidst the sadness of this loss, I felt such comfort for Ludy’s family in the strong response by all of you to her passing. I am unable to imagine a meeting without her at this moment. She was my mentor and had “put me to work” for the Wing right after meeting her. Now, she is gone, as are so many of our dear WING friends who have passed away in the years before. Let us never forget the contributions they have made, the mentoring they provided, the friendships and love they gave to us. I ask you to take a moment … to think of Ludy … to think of all these friends … and thank them for the gifts they have given to us all. Remember. I am passing the gavel now to my dear friend, Peggy Trumbo. Her meeting in Los Angeles will be wonderful. I have already overheard whispers about the tours they are planning, and I can tell you that I wouldn’t miss that meeting for anything! Appreciation is the word I want to put at the end of this article. I wish to thank my Board from the bottom of my heart for all their time and very hard work. It’s amazing what a group of dedicated women can “whip up” in just a few months! I also want so much to thank all of you loyal WING members who have kept (and keep) coming to these meetings over the years. Many of you take time off from work, household, or other critical duties to share your wealth of experience and talents during this one all-too-short and admittedly hectic week. For me, being with you has been a wonderful way to see so many places on this beautiful continent. I walked on an Alaskan glacier, sailed soggily under the Niagara Falls, saw fearsome (hungry!) alligators, majestic grizzly bears, a grotto filled with bats and a voličre overflowing with magnificent butterflies. I had lunches in high rise buildings, elegant clubs, and at a stately old plantation. I experienced wonder in our exploration of a sunken ship with all it’s treasures. Most importantly, though, as a member of the WING, I have been blessed with the privilege of meeting and getting to know the finest goup of hard-working, hard-playing, and most gracious friends that one could ever imagine. I plan to keep attending the AsMA meetings as long as possible, and when my hearing gets bad and I walk with a stick, you young girls just be sure to please help me into the tour bus...OK? In German, we do not say goodbyes; rather, we prefer to let you know that we will see you again. So, dear WING, I shout out my final‚ ‘Yodluihi!’ and bid you all Aufwiedersehen! Join the Wing! The Wing of the Aerospace Medical Association was formed in 1952 “to support the specialty of aviation, aerospace, and
environmental medicine by facilitating cooperation among its practitioners and by increasing public understanding and appreciation of its
importance.” A second purpose of the Wing is “to promote sociability among its members and their families.” Each year at the scientific
meeting, AsMA spouses meet new friends from every corner of the world, sharing in the many cultural experiences and educational opportunities
of the host city. Dues are $20 per year. For further information, contact: |
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