Never a "Board" Moment at ATA

I'm officially a board member of the Albany Tula Alliance. I've never been "board" of anything so this is a wonderful opportunity to learn how a successful not-for-profit advances relations with an old nemesis.

A couple years ago Benita Zahn invited me to join her and the Alliance in Tula, Moscow and St. Petersburg. We shot several health and education-related news stories for WNYT-13 and WMHT-11 with interviews from doctors, politicians, business owners and everyday Slavs. The series went on to win a NY State Emmy nomination presented at a large banquet dinner in NYC.

This week I've begun collaborating with many active community organizers and creative entrepreneurs to put ATA in the forefront of people's minds again. Some people ask if the ATA is still around. We are and happily gaining momentum as one of the most active sister-city organizations in the country.

Hopes are to reveal a new website and newsletter soon as well as plan something special for the sculpture dedication in Troy's Tricentennial Park by June. Meetings continue every week where I'm hashing through dozens of marketing, advertising, fundraising and best of all travel ideas for 2010.

Did you know that Russia boasts 23 UNESCO World Heritage Sites?