WELL DONE, WESTERN DIVISION!!
by Paul Wassermann, TCA National President-Elect

Putting on a National Convention is a huge project, with many problems and challenges to overcome. The Western Division managed to entertain nearly 800 TCA members and their families with a week of great social events, tours, parties, and of course, a train meet. The weather actually started out cool and heated up during the course of the week. Certain highlights always stand out for me, memories that last a lifetime, and this year’s Convention provided many of those memorable moments:

The golf tournament where I was beaten by a one-armed golfer (Gordon)
A visit to the Neathercutt Museum….fabulous cars, pianos, and organs
The Homestyle Café with pancakes the size of auto tires
The Convention Banquet where Gordon got caught in a bidding war (and lost)
Caressa Caboose (Barbara Jones) hosting a TTML meeting
Receiving the Presidential Gavel from Newt Derby with scores of Desert Division
members standing at Newt’s request
Katie Wassermann getting “sugared up” on the dinner cruise (complimentary Shirley Temples)
A wonderful banquet photographic tribute to Ward Kimball
A lego display that was absolutely awesome!

Everywhere one turned there were Desert Division members. Our support of the 49th National Convention was overwhelming! I am quite certain that others had as much fun as we did. I know notes were being taken by quite a few of us to file away and reference later for use with our upcoming 2009 TCA Convention. Of one thing I am certain, the more planning and effort that goes in, the better the Convention that comes out. So if you found something very exciting, or annoying, or missing, please let Ed Micale (our Convention Chairman) know about it so we can build each year to make the 2009 event another benchmark for TCA conventions.

Paul receiving the gavel from Newt	Paul, Irene and Katie at the Welcome Party

I know I express the appreciation of all our attendees in thanking the Western Division for the effort invested in the 2003 convention. Congratulations on a job well done!