As we approach the end of this year of perfect vision, I begin contemplating the past and the future. The upcoming holidays will be as different as any time in my memory. Due to a COVID-19 exposure and not wanting to leave my 16-year-old son home alone on Thanksgiving, we will have 7 at our Thanksgiving table. I can remember Thanksgiving dinners with the Harker family with as many as 75 at my parents’ home (thankful for the heated 3 car garage!). Hopefully, you are also planning modified gatherings to slow the spread of this virus.
As I finish my 10th year of serving on the AASV Board of Directors, I am very thankful for the opportunities AASV has given me to be a leader in this organization. I want to take this occasion to encourage all members to consider serving as an AASV volunteer.
Many years ago, one of our colleagues just a few years older than me told me “don’t expect immediate payback from volunteering.” At the time I was on the board of the Indiana Pork Producers Association. A couple of years later one of my fellow board members called me to schedule a second opinion herd visit. Since then, many other contacts from those years of service have given me opportunities that I would not have had otherwise. Similarly, serving on the AASV Board of Directors and the AVMA House of Delegates has exposed me to veterinary experts that I now call friends. These relationships help build the network for all of us in the veterinary community. Also, do not forget to volunteer to promote the pork industry through Operation Main Street as I described in my previous message.1
There are many places to volunteer within AASV beginning with committees. Anyone is welcome to volunteer to serve on any of the many AASV committees. Simply communicate your desire to serve to Dr Abbey Canon, or any other staff or board member, and you will be pointed in the right direction. Other opportunities are AASV positions within the AVMA including as a delegate to the house of delegates or a member to AVMA committees or task forces. Finally, volunteer to be nominated to the AASV board of directors as a district director or officer. It is wonderful that we have 2 excellent candidates nominated nearly every year for AASV Vice President. Do not succumb to the notion that you have nothing to offer. Everyone has a unique perspective and experience that benefit the association by sharing our diverse points of view.
In addition to volunteering, attend the AASV Annual Meeting every year. I have attended every year since 1992. This habit was instilled in me by the commitment of Dr Rodibaugh for both of us to always go no matter what our practice circumstances were. The value of the educational sessions and social interactions are immeasurable. That is why it is so disappointing that the upcoming annual meeting will be virtual. I hope you all will join me in the commitment to spend the hours each day online to learn and interact as much as possible. We did our family Easter celebration via Zoom and it was very enjoyable, I am hopeful that we can all enjoy something similar with the 2021 annual meeting.
By the time you read this, 2020 will thankfully be over. We can only hope that 2021 can be a year of healing for our association, our industry, and all individuals affected by this pandemic. I cannot wait to see everyone’s smiling faces during the virtual AASV Annual Meeting, so please get your webcams up and running beforehand so we can have some semblance of social interactions. See you in March!
Jeff Harker, DVM
AASV President
Reference
*1. Harker J. Dispelling myths and sharing your passion [Editorial]. J Swine Health Prod. 2020;28(6):289.
* Non-refereed reference.