Good afternoon. It is with great pleasure that I am standing up here and addressing this amazing group of individuals. I want to thank my board for agreeing to fly with me this year as we dare to dream with ESA.
And I can’t forget to thank my dear friend, sister and mentor, Sharon Roberts and her board for continuing their journey not one year but two. I know that there were some hardships, illnesses, and lots of sleepless nights as they tried to continue during the pandemic. I would like thank them. Let’s give them a big round of applause.
As I started my journey, it was so totally unexpected. It was 14 years ago, husband and I were celebrating our 20 wedding anniversary. We decided to take a tour to Ireland. It was a great trip and the grass is really very green.
During our tour, we meet a couple that were from a tiny town in Florida called Oldsmar. What, we are from Dunedin. We developed a friendship (Peggy Daugherty) and had a great time in that amazing country. When we got home, we continued to talk and Peggy invited me to a meeting - Peggy Daughtery’s husband called the meeting a (women’s group).
Well, I found out that meeting was a whole lot more than a women’s group. It was an organization that really intrigued me. The more I learned the more I wanted to learn. It was called ESA and the chapter was Beta Beta. I remember going home and wondering if it was the right organization for me. As I pondered joining, I realized that ESA had a lot to offer.
The organization has structure, education, philanthropy, social and fun Why wouldn’t I join.
I realized that I liked the structure as it fits my military background. The indeed book, meetings agenda’s, awards, an educational program and the degrees of accomplishments, etc. It allows us to move forward with some structure (rules and by-laws) but not restricting us but allowing us to grow and learn.
And learning has always been a part of my life. I am curious how things work, why it is and what happened. The educational program that ESA offers is great as I have learned about Give Kids the World, Women that make a difference, how to uncluttered my closet and conduct a meeting.
I enjoy learning and always gave back to the committee either my time, stuff or money through many different organizations. I found that ESA allows me to give, participate and make a difference in more ways that I could not have done myself. It has helped me channel my efforts in many different ways and really making a difference as part of a larger group while having fun. As a dear friend said to me once, “Sandra, you are earning your oxygen.”
During the philanthropy efforts, we are able to socialize and have fun while participating in the St. Jude’s walk in Tampa, volunteering for give kids the world, getting contributions during the lights over largo, and many more. I have had the opportunity to meet so many new friends and develop some great long term friends. I am looking forward to continue to have fun with my sisters of ESA. When I told my father that I was giving my acceptance speech, we talked about a few ideas. His comment was, “the amount of comrade among your sisters is wonderful and that is what makes that organization great.” And I agree.
In closing, I am excited to have the opportunity as develop some structure in my world with ESA, learning more about life and my ESA sisters, give back to many in need and have fun doing it.
Let’s dare to dream like there are endless possibilities.
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