CED's Desk WWW.CAINE.ORG PLEASE AND THANK YOU T wo words we all learn at an early age are "please" and "thank you" ... my Mom would be disappointed even to this day if I didn't take a moment to thank those people in my life who do both big and small things to help me or who extend to me a kind gesture. And equally important is the unfortunately seldom used "please" in requests of friends or family, colleagues, and even strangers. In the context of associations, homeowners every day volunteer to serve on association boards and committees. Managers and other professionals work with volunteers to ensure both effective association governance and ongoing building maintenance. Communities looking for volunteers seek help from residents already juggling busy schedules and often make requests for more assistance from the professionals they work with. If you are fortunate to have volunteers and professionals in your community who have headed the call to "please" help, the best way to say "thank you" is to publicly recognize them. The chapter is accepting nominations in a number of categories (see page 16) for the annual chapter awards to be presented on March 9. There's no fee to submit a nomination and award winners will receive a free ticket to the banquet and their story published in Condo Media at no charge. The only expense is your time and effort-your volunteers and professionals are worth it. So on behalf of the Awards Banquet Committee, I'm asking readers to "please" submit a nomination and express a heartfelt "thank you" for recognizing important contributions. Wishing you all a holiday season filled with friends and family, and a Happy New Year. Sincerely, Claudette Carini Chapter Executive Director 4 CONDOMEDIAhttp://WWW.CAINE.ORG