It's been my privilege to serve as president of the Science Writers and Communicators of Canada for the past 21 months, a role I'll be relinquishing at the Annual General Meeting on October 5.

It's been an eventful 21 months, dominated by the pandemic, of course, but also overlapping with the SWCC's 50th anniversary celebrations.

As I prepare to step down, and knowing that Thanksgiving is just a few days away, I'd like to give thanks to everyone who has helped make my tenure as president a smooth one. (I won't mention names because I would inevitably omit someone.)

First, heartfelt thanks to the members of the Board for your hard work, dedication, and friendship.

Thanks to the committee chairs and committee members. Your work is often invisible, but it shouldn't be unacknowledged. Whether organizing the annual conference, rejuvenating the membership, running the book awards or handling digital media -- you provide the services that keep us relevant to our membership.

Thank you to past presidents and board members for your wisdom, historical knowledge and patience in answering sometimes silly questions. 

Thanks to our bookkeeper, and to our former and current general managers, for keeping the SWCC running smoothly.

Thank you to our sponsors, who have faith in us and our goals.

And finally, thank you, our members, for your involvement and commitment. 

Looking at the list of board members who are staying on, and the ones who will be presenting themselves for your ratification at Tuesday's meeting, I believe that we are well positioned to begin our next 50 years with a diverse combination of experience, enthusiasm and energy.

It’s been a privilege to have served you as president. Thank you for providing me with that opportunity.

Terry Lavender