Now is the time for all good men...

...to get an oar in the water, and paddle. Our annual meeting in Kansas City will require some decisions and demand some action, and we must have some input from PROBEmoter readers.

Public Relations Officers and Bulletin Editors obviously became an entity because of their overlapping and interwoven purpose. After the reorganization a few years ago at the International level, the designation of "Public Relations Officer" was dropped (or optional) at the local chapter level. Bulletin editors are still easily identifiable, but how do we find the chapter PR person?

Maybe not every chapter has a bulletin, but every chapter that survives has one or more men who actively promote the program. There can be no annual show, no Singing Valentines, not even a public appearance unless someone is out front doing the necessary groundwork. PR has to precede any successful endeavor.

The question persists then, how do we identify and contact the PR person at the local chapter level? With the capable and dedicated officers and volunteers who labor in PROBE affairs we think it very possible to assimilate, learn, recognize, encourage, and hopefully assist PR efforts locally. But we have not been effective in our efforts to reach the right people.

Do we need different or additional awards or recognition of PR efforts at the district or International level? And if so, should PROBE be the vehicle for new programs? What should be our relationship with the 16 district PR/MKT chairmen? At the PR forum, immediately preceding the annual meeting in Kansas City, these questions will be addressed. We covet your ideas and/or suggestions before the time of meeting, and solicit your presence on that Thursday morning, July 6.

It is pleasing to report that the 1999 Public Relations Officer of the Year contest has in hand a considerably larger number of entries than in recent years. Every submission is of good quality and got some recognition at the district level. At this writing the deadline for receiving entries at International has not been reached, and our hard-working district chairmen have promised that more will be arriving for the final evaluation.

This report would not be complete without noting that in recent months PROBE has been injected with new enthusiasm, ideas and comments from Robb Ollett (Chairman, International PR/MKT Committee), Brian Lynch, Grady Kerr, Grant Carson, Waldo Redekop, and every other officer. Look for more action than ever from your organization, and make yourself a part of it!