MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT JANUARY 2003

One of my favorite quotes is “Don’t worry about anything that doesn’t have a heart beat.”  This quote was a frequent saying of one of my best friends and a local physician, who recently passed away.  It is a powerful message if we stop and think about it.  We worry about the most mundane things that really have little bearing on the people and relationships that mean the most to us.  We all have family members and special friends that we care about that provide a special bond like no other relationship.  The House of Jossey-Josey provides such a link with close and distant relatives that have different meanings to all of us.  Therefore, our theme for this year is “Patriotic Family Ties 2003.”  This theme is also timely because of our country’s focus on patriotism especially since September 11, 2001 , and our ongoing national security issues.

The House of Jossey-Josey is alive and well.  Last year (2002) was a great year for our family organization.  We developed a family web site with the outstanding effort of Jackie Josey Helfrich, who spent many hours getting it “right.”  It is now up and running and can be viewed at www.thehouseof jossey-josey.org.  Since the web site was published, we have had over 2000 visits to the site from triends and family of The House of Jossey-Josey all over the world.  I encourage you to take a few minutes and surf the site.  I hope you enjoy your journey into our past, present, and future.

We also are nearing the time for our next Reunion .  The Board approved the site of the next Reunion to be in Valdosta , GA , on April 25-27, 2003 .  This newsletter is focusing primarily on the activities planned for the 2003 Reunion .  Valdosta is located in South Central Georgia at the crossroads of  I-75 and Hwy 84.  I encourage you to go to the official Valdosta tourism web site, www.valdostatourism.com, to learn more about the community and fun things to do while visiting our community.

Since good planning is critical to the success of an event like the Reunion , I encourage you to take a few minutes and complete the Registration Form in this newsletter and send it to:

Mrs. Jackie Helfrich
Secretary/Treasurer
4526 South Cortez Avenue
Tampa , FL 33611-2110  

(If you returned the Jossey-Josey Family Reunion Survey Form last Fall indicating your intentions for attending the Reunion, you will not need to submit a new Registration Form – unless your intentions have changed.)  The Registration Form will help us in meeting your expectations and desires, as well as in planning for the various events. 

I also encourage you to make your motel reservation soon, since the Reunion will be the weekend after Easter; and lots of folks will be traveling on I-75 at that time (See information about accommodations). 

I hope to see all of you in Valdosta on April 25-27, 2003!

Sincerely,
C. Ray Josey 
President 2001-2003