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TICA Southeast RegionCelebrating Felines, Fun, and Friendships
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| > | Regional Director's CornerJune 9, 2023Our region has had an increase in members which is really great and we have a new member in our region looking to start a Midsouth area TICA cat club for promoting shows in the MS/West TN area. Please email me at regional.director.se@tica.org and I’ll pass your information on if you are interested in getting involved and reopening a SE area for shows! We are excited to start our new season’s shows with the Huntsville, Alabama show June 24 and 25, 2023. NAFF always puts on a welcoming and fun show. We have a 125 maximum and at this writing we are half full. Please join us by entering or support the club with a sponsorship. We’ve added something to the regional agenda. It’s a barbecue! You can come to the hotel a little early on Friday August 18th - check in and set up your benching area. Go to your room and relax - there’s no need to go out again for food or drink. Put on your bathing suit and mosey down to the pool to join your judges and fellow exhibitors for food and drink at a good old fashioned barbecue. Cost is $37 for adults which includes tax and gratuity. Children are $20. And of course we will have a cash bar to start the celebration. Please remember to get your photos into Vanadis for our power point. Send them to ticaseawards@nc.rr.com And keep your eye out for our regional sponsorship list. We already have several requests but we’ve got a ways to go to get everyone sponsored. And don’t forget - It's that time of year ... time to vote for our Southeast Region special awards. This is your way, as members of the Southeast Region, to recognize individuals and clubs in the following categories: 2022-2023 Southeast Region ...
IMPORTANT!
We are also going to start a page on our website honoring our SE Supremes. It will be updated once a month after its initial debute after the Southeast Regional in August. I will be collecting the pictures and your cat's information. To submit your supreme for the new page, email the following to regional.director.se@tica.org:
Please send one picture per email. We will start with supremes from the 2022-2023 show season (that's last year's season). So start sending me your pictures! May 7, 2023The Southeast region is proud to welcome our newest SE Specialty judge, Teresa Carroll-Childers. We know she has wonderful experiences ahead of her and wish her continued success in her TICA career. Kool cats and Karen’s Cat Club had a successful, fun show to wrap up the SE’s shows for this season. Great venue and some super cute and different offerings (that wine tasting was amazing). They have already put two new shows on the calendar! Another show season has drawn to a close and we thank all of our SE members for their hard work in putting on shows, exhibiting their cats and being a part of the SE TICA family. Now it’s time to celebrate. Plans for our regional are coming together nicely and we’d like to see as many people at the show and banquet as possible. Please make your reservations for your room and don’t forget you can take advantage of the special rate three days before and three days after to spend some time at Disney World. We have something very special in store for any of our SE juniors who will be attending. Please let Meg Ridgway know if your Junior Exhibitor will be coming so she can get an idea of how many she needs to plan for. April 2, 2023Happy Easter everyone. It’s been a very busy first part of the calendar year for our region. Cattyshack Cat Club took on two new shows (January and March) and made them a great success. Alabama Paws and Claws, It's TICATIME and Ancient City made February a whirlwind of shows. Sunshine and Magic had a very successful first show in March. All the club members really stepped up and worked together. As RD I was so proud of them. The last show of the season in the SE region is right around the corner. Kool Cats and Karens April show has some great surprises in store. They have a Sommelier coming and will host a wine tasting - they’ve paired six individual wines each with a specific cat breed and will be offering tasty bites that go with each wine. There will also be a fun booklet of all the breeds and their preferred wines. I hear they have other things in the works but they aren’t telling anyone! We will all just have to go to find out! The SE region wants to thank Teresa Carroll-Childers for her hard work and time spent as our regional show reporter and welcome Meg Ridgway as our new show reporter as of May 1, 2023. I’m sure Meg will carry the torch well. I’d like to take a moment to remind all of our members to renew their memberships so they will be entitled to vote in upcoming elections. Also it’s a great time for new exhibitors and breeders to join! We’ve had some of our members going through some rough times lately. Stephanie Smith has been battling Pancreatic cancer and has had two major surgeries. We hear some promising news as to her recovery so keep those prayers and donations coming. Stephanie’s insurance would not cover the new procedure used in her last surgery. Teresa Carrol-Childers beat her breast cancer but is now faced with bone marrow cancer and will require a transplant in the next few months. So to all our regions prayer warriors - it’s not time to stop praying quite yet. I have been really busy working on our social media presence for TICA this last month, submitting reels for Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. This is the way to get TICA into every cat household when they think about shows. It’s where everyone enjoys browsing the reels. I’ve just started a few weeks ago but many of our show finals (that all start with the TICA logo) are up to a few thousand hits in each venue. If you have short videos of your cats or a show in general please send it to me through private messenger. I’ve learned how to put videos together to create advertisements and they say practice makes perfect! Check us out on Instagram at -#ticasoutheastnews - Facebook at TICA Southeast region news and TikTok @reneknapp1 and tica_se_region. And last but not least, we are working on an amazing regional in Kissimmee, Florida, on August 19-20, 2023. A parnership of Florida clubs have formed Celebrations Cat Club to host this year's regional. Steve and Carol Lawson and Clint and I conducted a site visit to our all in one Regional venue at the Wyndham Hotel and Conference center. We also met with staff to work on the arrangements. We have negotiated a rate of $99 a night and the hotel has agreed to extend that rate three days before and three days after the show and banquet. Perfect to plan that Disney vacation. Disney’s Animal Kingdom is literally down the road from the hotel and there are shuttles available from the hotel! It’s a great location. And flights to Orlando in August are totally affordable for those out of staters needing a cat show celebration and an added Disney fix! The amenities at the hotel are great. Below you will find a group booking link active to start to process your booking. PLEASE READ: All attendees should be able to process reservations from 08-16 to 08-23 at the 99 dollar price. The Resort Fee from the website will show on your total but they have set it to ensure none of the group attendees are charged Resort Fee upon arrival. Additional one time $75.00 Pet Fee will apply for the length of stay per reservation for those with pets instead of per night which is their norm. IF YOU BOOK BY ANY OTHER INTERNET MEANS YOU WILL BE CHARGED THE NORMAL RATE, THE NIGHTLY RESORT FEE AND A $75 DAILY PET FEE. PLEASE USE OUR LINK FOR RESERVATIONS. If you are even thinking about attending the southeast regional and/or considering adding a Disney visit, I suggest you make a reservation at this price - you can always cancel if you change your mind. Every Southeast judge has agreed to judge and or be part of the celebrations - we have a wonderful menu and are planning some other events which will come to light in the next two months. Vanadis is accepting entries for the show, banquet reservations, and award sponsorships - I hope you will all participate in the show and the awards as you are able. Thanks for reading this really long blog and for trusting me as your regional director. December 4, 2022It’s hard to believe my first year as regional director is almost at an end. At times it’s been a bit of a roller coaster, but I am proud of what our region has accomplished in that timeframe. I thought I’d make this blog about reflection. Our first changes included a treasurer's report detailing everything we have, what we bring in and what we spend. Our new treasurer Barb Kissinger does a great job in keeping me (and the region) informed about our income and expenses. We started making changes in our Junior Exhibitor program and implemented a brand new website, both of which are ongoing projects. Thanks to some great southeast members volunteering their time, we are making some great changes. There is now also a Facebook page to help rehome retired breeders and show cats for SE members: We've seen growth in the region with four new Southeast clubs - as well as the resurrection of Hurricane Cat Club and Sandy Claws and we have six shows on the calendar already for next year! Cattyshack stepped up and added two more shows to their schedule - I see some great shows with new and inventive ideas in our future thanks to the loyalty of our members. It’s TICATime did an amazing job hosting our regional in September and thanks to the generosity of the regional members we were able to actually cover the true costs of all of these items as well as help pay for the expenses that are incurred by the region for the regional show, the yearbook for pictures of all regional winners and a memorial page for Al Walburn. Most impressive! We have finished this first year with an increase in our account of $2,282.50 from January 1, 2022! In 2023 all the Florida clubs, new and old, are getting together to put on an all in one regional in Orlando - with lots of extra offerings which we will share after the new year. I thought things were settling quite nicely and then mother nature throws a curve ball - two Florida hurricanes within less than a month of each other. There was, and still is, a lot of devastation in some of our Florida areas. Not only our region, but our neighboring SC and MA regions donated to help the rescues and members most seriously affected by this disaster. We provided pet food and litter, and some human help too where it was most needed, once again showing that when push comes to shove, we are a family. There’s a lot of great things happening in our region. I have made our SE Facebook page a happy place to visit and get your news. While I believe everyone has a right to their own opinion, I also believe we can all make suggestions in a respectful manner. And I am always ready to hear those suggestions, either in person, by email or through social media private messaging. I’ve tried to handle complaints, help people navigate the changes in TFMS and TOES the best I can, and give you the transparency I promised when I ran for office. I wish you all HAPPY HOLIDAYS and can’t wait to see what we accomplish next year. Rene KnappSoutheast Regional Director August 13, 2022A few bumps in the road in the last few months but the region has leveled out and now it’s time to go on and make some more positive changes. We are very excited that we have a number of new clubs, as well as a number of existing clubs, that will be hosting shows in the upcoming months. Cattyshack Cat Club has added to more shows to the calendar, one in January and one in March. A new North Carolina club, Harmony Cat Club will now be hosting the Pigeon Forge show in October due to Stephanie Smiths illness. We are all praying for a positive outcome for Stephanie and hope to see her back to herself in record time. And we have new Florida clubs plus a beloved resurrected club. Hurricane Cat Club put on its last show in 2012 but it’s making its return run with a 2023 show scheduled October 7 and 8 in Largo, Florida. Sunshine and Magic Cat Club (President Gale Perry) is based in Florida and will hold its first show in Largo, March 25 and 26, 2023 Meowvelous (Becky Gregory and Judy Gillett) is based in Florida and will hold its first show in Deland, Florida on May 27 and 28, 2023 Kool Cats and Karens (Becky Smith and Jen Hardin) is based in Florida and will have their debut show at the Crystal River Armory on August 19, 20, 2023 There will be a detailed Treasurer’s report to be distributed at the regional awards regional meeting. We are trying to have it ready for the September Cattyshack show but definitely by the regional. The TICA Annual this year is in Chicago and there will be more changes to share after the board meetings. As for the annual show itself - the Showcats Columbus cat club has so much planned. Please join us if you can THAT’S RIGHT - ONLY DAYS LEFT TO GET YOUR ENTRIES IN, PLACEHOLDERS CONVERTED, ETC. (AND UNTIL I QUIT MAKING THESE POSTS!)
Summary Sheet: https://www.emailmeform.com/builder/form/c5fb9msl04uGv9 Friday Congresses for BG, BGL, MC, MCP, NF, RD and SB kittens, cats and alters: https://i-tica.com/component/toes/shows#show2268 Saturday/Sunday Show: https://i-tica.com/component/toes/shows#show2234 Saturday Night Banquet: https://fs12.formsite.com/FIFCC/bqkm7rfnyj/index.html Friday Morning Seminars (CEU): https://2022ticaannual.com/ceu-seminars/ Friday Evening On Safari: https://www.emailmeform.com/builder/form/jaOf1882cc463Q And that brings us to the information about our upcoming regional. It's TICA Time is hosting the Southeast Regional Show and Awards Banquet, September 24th and 25th, 2022 "Delightfully Wonderful Cats" 14 Rings (13 AB, 1SP) Simpsonville Activity & Senior Center, Simpsonville, SC 29681 The banquet will be held at the Hilton Greenville, SC, on September 24th. The event starts with a cocktail social followed by dinner and awards presentation. Banquet Registration Closes on THURSDAY, September 15th at 9pm central. Links for banquet reservation, Summary Sheet and vendor agreements are posted in TOES , in the show information details. Show entry closes SUNDAY September 18th at 9 PM central. That’s it for now. The last eight months have held some challenges but I am working hard for the region and TICA. May 2, 2022It’s the beginning of a new show season. Exhibitors are ready to celebrate their wins at the regional as well as begin the process all over again with our first show of the season on May 7 and 8, 2022, in Clearwater, Florida.Our new SE website has launched - its user friendly and our goal is to add something new every month. We had a lot of great ideas from exhibitors and we will be making some of those ideas reality in the coming months. Our new Southeast Fund is set up in Florida and we will be posting a detailed Treasurer’s report for the first four months of the year on the website during the month of May. I will also handing out the report at the May Skyway show. We have 50 show year calendars left and these are all profit for the region so we ask if you haven’t bought one yet to please do so. We have started our Junior exhibitor fund and are planning some surprises this year so we need to sell those calendars! If you are a SE member and need help placing your retired breeders or show cats, please utilize the great Facebook group Archie and Pam Johns have started. Southeast Retired Feline Friends. I am so excited by the huge showing of support from our exhibitors concerning our rosette awards for the regional. Without you, we couldn’t have the successes we do. Thank you.The special Skyway awards and banquet will be held Saturday evening June 18 in conjunction with their show that weekend. It the first of our year end celebrations so please join us in Clearwater Florida. The end of June (25 and 26) gives us the North Alabama Feline Fanciers in Huntsville, Alabama I feel we’ve accomplished a lot since January first. Being Regional Director is a full time job I took on willingly, but it is really difficult. If you feel I should have done something different or you think I did something - instead of social media you can ask me directly! It’s Spring - time for new beginnings. Have a great month. March 23, 2022I don’t really know what a blog is supposed to be but I decided to give it a try. Why did I work so hard to become your regional director? I wanted to enact change. I was tired of going on Facebook and seeing people attacking each other - It seemed no one could actually offer their opinion on anything. It got to a point that new people decided they just didn’t want to be a part of our group. People with great ideas just stopped volunteering. Shows didn’t feel relaxed or friendly, especially to first timers. Things felt severed and I wanted change. But I wanted all of you to change it, not me. And that’s just what you are doing! We have this wonderful new website that’s a work in progress and the most important page is the list of new committees and new volunteers. I feel the excitement at the shows again. I see experienced exhibitors offering a hand to the newcomers. I see a new “face” on Facebook where people feel confident to share their opinions and ideas and offers of help. We have a presence on TikTok! Now there’s an accomplishment - and you did it, not me. Facebook and Instagram are now positive sources to be used to promote our hobby and make people want to join us. We are really making changes in our Junior exhibitor program. With the inception of our new JE Fund, we are going to do some great things for our young people, the most important being a scholarship. Whether to college, trade school, or junior college- something to say thank you for going through our program and sticking with us. Something that will say, we believe in you. Stephanie Smith and Meg Ridgway are passionate about our juniors and they were the right choices to lead the way. But the thing that makes me feel the most successful right now is that the two people that also ran for regional director against me have become important members of my team. Barb Kissinger is our new Treasurer and brings many years of experience with her Archie Johns is spearheading an adoption program for breeder’s to place retired breeders and show cats and heads our fundraising team. Change is good and I will work hard, I am working hard, for our region. I know some of you will never really like me, and that’s okay. I just hope you learn to respect me for the job I do as your regional director. |
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