Monday, March 31, 2014

In Loving Memory

Our friend and mentor Jim Mitchell passed away March 25, 2014 in Bellingham, WA.  


Jim served as a local leader for NAIFA Northwest (WA), as State President and IFAPAC Chair for many years. He is known far and wide in the northwest and has friends all over the country through his involvement with the PAC. He led our Washington IFAPAC for about 15 years before handing the baton to me in 2008. (I handed off to a YAT, Alex Collins, this year).

The picture is of Jim in New Orleans where he and I attended IFAPAC training in 2008. We were out watching the Mardi Gras parades in the cold rain but he was having the time of his life. That big smile was Jim’s trademark – he had one for everybody.

His wife, Diane, also a long-time member of NAIFA, is surrounded by their children and many local friends inside and outside of NAIFA. Jim always said she was his sustaining influence for every success he had. In case you want to send a card or note:

Dianne Mitchell
2209 Ontario St.
Bellingham, WA  98229-4027

Richard Ek
IFAPAC Co-Chairman





2014 March/April IFAPAC


Forks

I remember hearing the story about a traveler who came to a fork in the road and wasn't sure which of the two roads to take.

There was a little boy standing by the side of the road so he asked him if it mattered which road he took to get to his destination. The little boy said, "It don't matter ta me". His answer wasn't the one that the stranger wanted to hear but it was honest.

‘Forks' are decision points and each of us will come to many of them during our lifetime for they can't be avoided, Some are critically important and some make very little difference which road or direction we end up taking either from the short or long term point of view. It seems as though there is always someone standing near our ‘forks' to give us advice as to which road to take and often it doesn't matter to them which one we choose.