The NASCOE National Convention will take place this year in Gatlinburg, Tennessee August 12-16, 2009. This is NASCOE’s 50^th Anniversary and this year’s convention is shaping up to be a very special and memorable event. More details about the National Convention can be found on the Tennessee (TASCOE) website.

 I encourage each and every FASCOE member to try and make it to this year’s national convention. At the National Convention you’ll meet people from all over this country who do the exact same type of work that you do, they have they same general concerns that you have, and they share the same sense of pride and accomplishment for working at FARM SERVICE AGENCY that I know you each share. Believe me - all of these folks have plenty in common with you and your family and I guarantee that you’ll feel right at home with the hospitality that all the convention volunteers extend to Visiting Guests. If you decide to bring your family, that’s even better, you can make quite a vacation out of this Convention as the Tennessee Association has made all kinds of efforts to make this a fun-filled family destination right in the heart of the Great Smokey Mountains. Check out the National Convention Registration Form and complete one if you and/or family members (over the age of 13) plan on attending, you’ll see that they have planned all types of tours, attractions, events, and activities for their guests. FASCOE has reserved a few room for “guys” and “girls” for those members who plan on attending on their own and are willing to share lodging arrangements with their fellow Floridians. If you plan on attending please let your FASCOE District Directors know and they will contact the Exec Board members who are planning potential travel arrangements (we are thinking about renting a large van and carpooling up to Tennessee).

In an effort to help defray the costs of hosting such an event the Tennessee and Mississippi Associations have generously agreed to sponsor a Raffle give-away for a $3000 Gift Card. They have also asked each State Association to assist them in selling Raffle Tickets for this prize. Tickets cost $10 and area available from your FASCOE District Directors and Exec Board Members.  

The raffle will take place at the National Convention in August. You do not need to be present to win, just complete the contact information on the raffle ticket stub. The prize will either be a $3000 (Visa or Master Card type of gift card) or TASCOE may just write the winner a check for the prize amount. Please help us out and purchase a raffle ticket. It’s for a great cause and who couldn’t use $3000 prize money these days?

If you can’t make it to this year’s National Convention, then please try to make it to at least one convention during your FSA Career. I promise that you’ll discover a new sense of FSA pride at these National Conventions and be very grateful for the men and women who work so very hard to ensure better working conditions, better benefits, and more respect and acknowledgement from Washington D.C. and top FSA management for ALL FSA Employees - both members and no-members alike. I wish you all well and hope to see you in Gatlinburg, TN this summer.

Respectfully,

Mike Nordlund, President