SCC 2005

"The Big Easy"

Southern Comfort Conference 2005

Atlanta, Georgia - September 21 - 25, 2005

It was somewhat ironic that just about one year ago the planners for SCC 2005 choose "The Big Easy" as the theme for this years conference. After Hurricane Katrina devastated the city, as well as other parts of the Mississippi and Alabama Gulf coast there was discussion of changing the theme out of respect for those who were affected by this natural disaster. However, it was decided that keeping the theme was not only a sign of respect and support, but was in the true spirit of the "Big Easy", as it was later put by those who lived there, "New Orleans will be back!" SCC went even further by establishing a "Katrina Relief Fund" using individual donations, as well as donations received from a silent auction, and "Casino Night" funds all went to the relief effort.

About this years conference, the official registered attendance this year was 643, which was an increase in registered attendance from last year. As always the SCC Committee and Staff did a most excellent job of putting together a conference that was nothing less than spectacular. I can just never say enough about these people who volunteer their time and experience to come up with a diverse seminar schedule, as well as planning a variety of off site trips, tours, and social events to fill your day. So, I give special thanks to the SCC Board and to the members of the SCC committee, who by the way have already begun working on next years conference. I also give a special thank you to my very dear friend and older sister, CAT Turner for bringing it all together.

This year I did something different, starting with dinner on Thursday evening at Brio Tuscan, located in Buckhead. And on Friday I took a day tour of the Martin Luther King Jr., National Historic site, which brought back lots of memories of the early 60's and the Civil Rights struggle. This was the first year for this tour and one of several tours scheduled by the SCC conference. Of course one of the best things about SCC is that it is an opportunity to meet new friends, as well as see those friends from previous conferences. Two that come to mind almost immediately are Renee Reyes and Anna Nicole Ashley, it has been two years since I saw either one and they both looked better than ever. Then there was a really special friend, who was attending her first conference. Adrienne Travis and I met online and have stayed in touch off and on over the past five years or so. From the moment I saw her web site and saw how lovely she looked, I have wanted to meet her in person just to tell her to her face. Well, this year I had the chance, and although I may have embarrassed her a little, I just wanted her to know that she had been an inspiration to me. I did get to spend some time with my sister Samantha, and a few minutes with CAT, who was busy keeping things going.

So, here are just a few photos from this years SCC in Atlanta, and when I say a few I really mean that. Unlike previous conference I often didn't have my camera with me because I left it in the room, or the battery was dead, and finally because I had some personal issues going on in my head that really took me out of the moment; and the last thing I was thinking of was taking photos. Talk about being unprepared for the biggest photo opportunity of the year, well that was me this year. Despite my lack of more photos from this year conference, as always it was fun and I would not have missed it for the world!

Thursday