HCSWCS Template 2

Hoosier Chapter
Soil & Water Conservation Society
Invitation to 2002 Annual Conference

   Invitation given by Gene Matzat, Hoosier Chapter SWCS President-elect, at
   the closing Awards Luncheon at the Soil and Water Conservation Society
   2001 Annual Conference held August 5-8, 2001, at Myrtle Beach,
   South Carolina:

   First of all, I would like to echo the comments of others before me: Thank you, South Carolina Chapter
   and Byron Thompson, the Local Arrangements Committee Chair, and all your volunteers, for conducting a
   great conference and showing wonderful Southern hospitality. Let me see if I can get this pronounced in
   the proper (Southern) regional vernacular: The Hoosier Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation
   Society (SWCS) would like to invite YA'LL to Indianapolis on July 13-17, 2002, for next year's SWCS
   meetings. Please visit our Chapter's website for information and updates on the meetings:
   www.hoosierchapterswcs.org

   Sunday night at the Hoosier Chapter's booth in the exhibit hall, I was asked the question more than once,
   "Does Indiana have any beaches?" One of our state's summer recreation destinations, INDIANA BEACH,
   uses the following promotional phrase: "There's more than corn in Indiana!" Let me "paint" some word
   "pictures" of what you will see during your visit to Indiana next year: the Westin Hotel (conference HQ),
   the RCA Dome (across street and home of the Colts), the Indiana State Capitol (across street), Conseco
   Fieldhouse (new home of the Pacers), Indianapolis Zoo, White River State Park and Gardens, the
   Children's Museum, Conner Prairie, and, especially for the ladies, Circle Centre Mall! And the
   Indianapolis 500 Racetrack!

   Indiana has had a long history of auto racing. Names that come immediately to mind include Tony
   Hulman, Mario Andretti, Al and Bobby Unser, and A.J. Foyt. There are also some new "names" making
   history at Indy: Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon. Come to Indianapolis next year for the opportunity to bid at
   the silent auction on items autographed by these emerging auto racing stars.

   Indiana also has a long history of soil science and soil conservation. Folks like Alan Hole, Jim Thorp,
   Walt Wischmeier, Tom Bushnell, Phil Low, and George Scarseth all had their "roots" deep into Indiana
   soils.

Indiana also has a long history with this Society (SWCS). At least four folks from Indiana have served as
the Society's president: William Moldenhauer, Chris Johannsen, Don VanMeter and Gary Steinhardt.

   Indiana will continue to have an influence on the Society with folks like Bob Eddleman (newly elected
   Society President), Harold Thompson (2002 Meetings Program Committee Chair), and new Society
   Director's Becky Fletcher (East North Central Region) and Joanne Mosher (Student director).

   Folks in Indiana boast of many passions, one of which is HOOSIER HYSTERIA! If you have ever
   watched the movie "Hoosiers" you might begin to better understand the emotions Hoosiers go through
   every February and March with their basketball. I expect these emotions will continue to be very strong
   despite the fact that Bobby Knight has left the state!

Another "passion" we like to share is HOOSIER HOSPITALITY! Please come to Indiana next year and
allow us to help you experience this passion of ours!

   Finally, another phrase that is used every Memorial Day weekend and was just used last weekend at the
   Brickyard 400 is, "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, START YOUR ENGINES!" and join us in Indiana on July
   13-17, 2002, to see how we, and, more importantly, all of us together in SWCS, are SETTING THE PACE
   FOR CONSERVATION!

   See you next year!

   Sincerely,
   Gene Matzat, Hoosier Chapter SWCS President-Elect