August. Summer vacations are coming to an end, kids are getting ready, or have already, started back to school, mornings feel cooler, afternoons are hot, and we start thinking about fall activities.  Does your network have an ebb and flow cycle? Do you offer certain activities or conduct certain functions in the fall? Why don’t you share with your peers across the country some of the fall activities of your network?  We would love to hear from you, just send a short description of the activity/event to me or Christy and we will feature them in future issues of the e-News! 

NCHN has traditionally held our Leadership Summit in the fall.  This year we are changing it to January 2015 and are in the final stages of deciding on a location.  We are looking for someplace warm in January and possibility with a beach!  So, watch for more details in the September e-News. 

This month, we also welcome a new member, Washington Rural Health Collaborative. Holly Greenwood is the Executive Director. We welcome her and the network to NCHN.  

I am going to start a series, Chairs of Network Leadership. If I put it here, then I’m committed to doing it! Last week, I purchased an antique wicker chair at the Hospices parking lot sale here in Montrose. In telling Christy about the purchase, I made the comment that we were really “chair poor” meaning that we had a lot of chairs. That got me to thinking about how many chairs I actually do have, and on my preliminary count I was close to 60 chairs.  Now, by chairs, I’m talking about a single chair, including recliners, rocking chairs, dining room chairs, lounge chairs, outdoor chairs, etc.  I am going to take an inventory and address this potential chair issue I may have uncovered!  Christy suggested I start a blog about my chairs, as I told her most every chair had a story.  So, then I started thinking, why and how have I ended up with so many chairs in my life?  What do they or could they reveal about me?  Maybe not a thing, just that I have a compulsion of purchasing chairs?  I will admit in this “thinking about writing about a chair series” rambling that I decided that I should probably begin to address the chair issue. So, the next day I took a chair and donated it to Hospices.  I told the lady that I decided I needed to take one out, since I had brought a new one home the day before.  She said that worked for them! 

So, I challenge you this next month, as we begin to move into fall, think about “chairs” you may have in your network.  Do you seem to collect the same type of
programs and services? When you start a new program, do you consider using it as a replacement to a similar program or service? Or do you just keep adding new programs and allowing older ones that may not be as effective or useful to hang around?  Have you taken inventory of what your network offers recently and analyzed the offerings to determine if they are the best fits for your members.  Will the programs and services change and develop as the needs of your members change?  Have you counted your chairs lately?    

Rebecca J. Davis, Ph.D.
Executive Director