President’s Message – Mar/Apr 2007

I recently came across an article that I wish to share with you. It is about a Navy pilot who was shot down over Vietnam. As his plane went down in flames, he managed to bail out and float safely to earth. One day, years later, the pilot was in a restaurant, when a stranger came up to him and said, ‘You flew jet fighters from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk and were shot down.’ The surprised pilot was shocked that a stranger knew he’d been shot down, and asked how in the world he knew that. The man replied, ‘I packed your parachute.’

He was just an unknown sailor doing his job who had never been acknowledged. The pilot is now a motivational speaker and he asks his audiences, ‘Who packs your parachute.’ His point is that we rely on all manner of support in life from others, many of whom we never know, and never acknowledge their contribution.

Why would I want to share this story with you? Well, all of us in NWSSA have our parachutes packed by volunteers of our organization. The folks who make the Flower and Garden show happen, the staff of the Journal, our Symposia teams, those who put on member shows, send out emails, work on the website, and the board members receive little or no consideration for their work. Tired as some of you may be of hearing pleas to volunteer, there is no NWSSA unless you help pack the parachutes.

Your pres,

Elaine