EC letter_2009.doc also on the Polk Emcomm Web site www.polkemcomm.org/from_the_ec.htm

Wed Jan 7 22:55:30 PST 2009

Reminder, Polk ARES NETS start next Wed. Jan 14th, at 7:30 PM on the
WC4PEM Repeaters.
2009 ARES Meeting on JAnuary 29th. 
  _____  

Dear Polk ARES Members,

            Greetings once again, I hope that you all had a wonderful
Christmas and pleasant New Year. Welcome to 2009!

            First thing in order, I would like to thank those who
supported me and continue to

support me as we move forward with 2008. I want to personally thank
Loren, Laura, Steve, Thom, and many others who have come to the aid of
building Polk ARES and getting this function back in order. I, by far,
can tell you it is too much for just one person to do on their own free
will. I want to also thank Polk County Emergency Management personnel,
Paul Womble, and Richard Sharp. These two gentlemen are the driving
force behind the repeaters that we use on a daily basis, and have used
in the past for emergency communications when POLK ARES was called upon.
Thank You.

Next ARES NET: January 14th, 7:30 PM, WC4PEM Repeaters
Next ARES MEETING: January 29th, 6:30 PM, POLK EOC.

            I would like to take a moment and open this up a little more
to what one goal that still stands, and needs some focus on this year.
We now have a working "TRUE" Polk ARES Identification Card, I want to
thank my Assistant EC, Laura Pennington and
Billy Abernathy on this project. Now, moving forward with our current
membership, I
want to recruit new and old members back to ARES. It needs to be said,
that with our current man-power, we are still under staffed in the event
Polk County where to suffer
a catastrophe, it would cripple even the strongest agency in the state.
Communications
would for the less be unbearable, thou, Amateur Radio Operators always
come through, however, the need for those to lead the way is short. I
only ask this, if you are not involved in ARES, please consider joining.
I would look forward to seeing new faces, and even enlighten to see our
younger hams joining us as well. There is plenty of room for them to
play!

            For the 2009 year, the main focus is membership, but more
than that, the focus is also on Shelter Operators. Again, with so many
shelters around the county, we are not super-hero enough to be at all of
them at one time. The primary shelters that are around the county are in
need of having a team of operators to assist in communications, traffic
handling, and possibly assisting other friends of the community while at
a shelter. There is such a calming joy that overcomes me when I help
someone else, and I get a smile in return. I just love that. While you
read on, please take a moment to think about what you can do to help out
Polk ARES, and Polk Emergency Management, when it comes to helping out
at a shelter near you.

            Event Happenings: Meetings are  on the LAST THURSDAY of each
month

January, Field Day 2009 Planning, Welcome to new members, other business
items. 

February: Planning for the up-coming Field Day 2009, MS-150 Bike-a-thon
info and sign-up which will be in May this year, and ENTIRELY within
Polk County.

March: BIKE MS (Bike Race PRE-BRIEFING, to talk about the routes and how
Polk County has 90 percent of the race in the county, why communications
is important, and any Q & A that race volunteers may have for them.

Polk ARES will be supplying communications from the Lunch Stop.

April: planning meeting for Field Day 2008; gear, class, who, what, and
beverages, and food, and more beverages...

May: BIKE MS BIKE Race, POLK ARES EVOLUTION! May 16th and 17th.
Polk County Emergency Management to help with Communications as well.
Hurricane Season Preparations, You have a radio you still can not figure
out? Bring it, you have questions for Paul Womble, bring them. You have
a desire to help out, COME SEE US!

June: this is a ways down the path but looking to have a presentation of
DIGITAL HF MODES, not D-Star stuff, but PSK-31, MSFK, RTTY, SSTV, and
other modes..

July through the end of the year... I am not that far ahead in thought,
but open to suggestions. Let me or any of the staff members know.

Closing notes:

            I want to make sure we all know what is going on here with
Polk ARES. I also have made the motion to advance to General Class this
year. I only ask that we do our part and help Polk ARES grow. I think it
would be nice to have our SkyWARN members come together and start a net
soon. It would be helpful to many to get that back into action. There is
planning going on with the Polk CERT members of creating their

own net that will be taking place on the WC4PEM repeaters also. More to
come when I find out the information.

Summertime is coming soon, but we are not out of the fire season yet,
not by a long shot, so we all need to be vigilant for these fires as
well as the storms as they roll through the area. I want to thank you
for taking some time to read this letter, please keep in mind, ARES
needs some help still, but with the staff it has now, it is well off  to
a grand start.

I look forward to helping the Amateurs of Polk County out during the
time of need, but further more, I hope to help a group of ARES Leaders
achieve that same goal during their time as well.

Sincerely Yours,

Evans F. Mitchell

E.C. Polk County ARES

2008 / 2009 Term

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