Volume I Chapter 1 - October 25, 2023

Only 2 months, 61 days, remain until Christmas. As a child, this timeframe would have felt like 2 years, but now it will pass as quickly as 2 weeks. It seems that I am growing older.

Last week, GACE President @Angel Gray sent out a newsletter urging members to participate in the Fall Conference Locations survey. Unfortunately, only 29 individuals have responded so far, despite the significance of this matter. With over 400 members and nearly 400 attendees at the previous conference, it is crucial to gather more input to ensure a suitable venue that can accommodate all members without the need for offsite accommodations and commuting.

Conference Location Survey Link

I created a Blog called Forum Help Topics, which highlights the captivating aspects of the GACE Forums and encourages members to engage in more interesting discussions and topics. As a member, you have the option to create a Blog to share your valuable knowledge and ideas related to your job. To do so, click on the Blog link at the top of the page and choose "Create new Blog". It's a straightforward process.

Your participation is vital to the success of this site. A few years ago, I managed the web sites for the following sites:

• Metro-Atlanta Inspectors Association

• North Carolina Mechanical Inspectors Association

• ICC Region VIII

• Wake County Inspections

• TarHeel Leagues Inc.

With the exception of one site, all the listed sites failed due to insufficient member participation. Some members were unwilling to search for topics by typing a single word in the search box, while others simply didn't care. The one site that didn't fail due to lack of participation was unsuccessful because I retired and my replacement didn't follow my instructions, causing the entire board to crash.

To show your appreciation for a member's contributions to the site, you can participate by liking their post or clicking the "Thank You" button. Additionally, if you plan on attending an event or are considering attending, you can click the RSVP button to indicate your interest.

I added the images from the GACE Facebook page to the Forums Gallery. For most of the graduates' photos, I was able to read the certificates and add their names to the images. However, for the few images where I couldn't read the certificate, please inform me of the name and I will add it to the photo.

If you have any suggestions for the GACE Forums, please inform me and I will endeavor to incorporate the feature or a comparable alternative.

That concludes this week's update. Stay safe until the next one.