Farewell from Treasurer Terri

by: Terri Paulk, Treasurer

I want to send out a fond farewell to everyone. After 9½ years, I will be passing on the torch as the IGBO Treasurer in Seattle.

I started working on the IGBO books more than a decade ago as I helped my predecessor L.E. "Lee" McLemore clean up the books when he took over. He was a little light on accounting skills, so I helped him organize and then answered questions. That was during the early years of Barack Obama's presidency. Then during Midyear 2013, I officially took over as Treasurer when Lee had to step down due to health. It took me a while to get things in order, but then I kept a tight rein on financial matters, as all the Presidents I served under can attest to. I served under 3 IGBO Presidents: Rob McDaniel, Joey LeBlanc, and Rob Silliman. I want to thank them all for their wonderful leadership and assistance throughout the years. Being on the IGBO Board is like a family relationship. You don't always agree on how to approach things, but you work through the issues for the good of the organization. It is a bond that lasts forever.

I have worked with 16 different IGBO host cities and committees. My first official tournament as Treasurer was the Annual in Phoenix in May 2014. Since then, I have traveled all over the country. I have been the IGBO Treasurer for an Annual or Midyear in every Region. As Treasurer, you get to work very closely with the Host City committee during the registration process, and at the tournament paying all the bills and reconciling the entry money to be distributed for payouts. I have met so many wonderful people and I feel like wherever I go in this country (and Canada and Australia), there is probably someone in that city that I know.

My Treasurer duties have included 2 times working with the Seattle committee, due to COVID. Boy, that was a fun 4 months in 2020! We had registered close to 300 bowlers by early March. Then we started hearing about this virus which was killing a lot of people, ironically Seattle being one of the early epicenters. By the middle of March, the country had shut down, but the Seattle host hotel was holding us to the contract. So, we couldn't "officially" shut down the Tournament. But finally, the Governor of Washington declared the state shutdown and they let us out. But that was a pretty tough time for all, that I hope nobody has to ever go through again. Then I got to refund all 300+ bowlers their entry fees. So it was almost like registering for Seattle 3 times!

Finally, I have worked with so many people on the IGBO Board and IGBO committees over the years. I have developed friendships that I feel will last for many years to come. I know I was always a stickler for getting receipts for reimbursement, but hopefully, it was all good. I have seen the IGBO Board advance in technology and so much more during my years. I wish you all the best for years to come. I know there are a few people that have expressed interest in taking over the Treasurer reins and I feel confident that it will be a smooth transition. I know I will do my best to make it go smoothly. Thank you all for your support and kind words over the many, many years of being your IGBO Treasurer. Hope to see you on the lanes after June as a bowler!

Terri Paulk

IGBO Treasurer