There are now almost 400 member of our extended family. Our potential to enhance our community and our opportunities to lead are unlimited. This year, I have accepted the charge to further develop an enabling organization to help us meet our mission more effectively and more inclusively. To that end, I have challenged our senior family members to join me in getting more of our member involved in the governance and leadership of this association and its activities. We have launched an ambitious effort to provide membership services and to reach out to those member who have not been active or connected. We will be working more closely to establish a Board of Advisors and Program Directors to identify and collaborate on initiatives to benefit our families. Now I invite all members of the family to join us. More importantly, however, I challenge you to participate 1) by making sure that your contact information and that of your family members is accurate and kept up to date, 2) by contributing your ideas about how to build and strengthen family links, 3) by contributing to our efforts to recognize the achievements of family members, 4) by participating on a committee or in our major service activities, 5) by attending family events to continue to build bridges between our members, and 6) by donating to the scholarship endowment.
Now, I want to applaud and recognize your personal accomplishments. Coley family members are community leaders, activists, engaged individuals and just plain good folk. We are active in many churches and not-for-profit organizations. We contribute thousands of hours of community service each year. Our membership includes Deacons, Trustees, teachers, former school board members, healthcare professionals, business owners, and business consultants all over the United States. One of our members, Zeddie Coley is about to celebrate his 50th college reunion. We have attended college everywhere from Historically Black colleges to Ivy League Universities. We have proudly served the country in all branches of the Military Service. We even have relatives currently serving in Kuwait. As you are now aware, Mary Coley was prominently featured in the Health System of Georgia documentary "All My Babies" (1952, Director George Stoney), which was honored in 2002 and is now preserved by the National Film Preservation Board of the Library of Congress' Motion Picture, Broadcasting & Recording Sound Division. To be included in this distinguish list of films, the film was deemed "culturally, historically or esthetically important" to be preserved by addition to the National Film Registry (a permanent archive collection).
So we have much to be proud of and many more opportunities to serve. I look forward to working with you to bring the family projects from vision to reality.
R. Bernard Coley, Sr.
