Executive Director’s Message By Ches Blevins: Education and Outreach, a Goal and Effort Worth the Time

Executive Director's Message: Education and Outreach, a Goal and Effort Worth the Time

Are Education and Outreach REALLY worth our time and the resources and effort it takes to make this consistently successful? While I have no doubt that the answer is “Yes,” it’s really YOUR answer with your effort and support that will carry the day! TMRA and I will go where your effort and support allow and direct.

As ALL OF YOU have lots on your plate, always with challenges and always being asked to do more with less, it really is up to you to decide if our TMRA Education and Outreach efforts are worth the time and commitment. Are our industries important to Texas, to our communities, to our citizens, workers, schools? Can/do our Teacher Workshops provide accurate and unbiased information to teachers, then their hundreds of students and, through them, to parents and other family members? Do our social media posts, now more heavily and consistently used than other forms of gaining up-to-date and accurate information, make a difference? If the answer to either is “No,” then we need to step back and re-evaluate. If “Yes,” then I encourage each of your businesses, and each of you reading this, to please take that step to work, or continue working, for the success of our TMRA TEAM and its Mission.

Committee participation is ALWAYS welcomed. Right now Francye Hutchins is working to update our Committee Membership lists. UPDATE YOUR PERSONAL LIST! Either go to our TMRA website and make your choices or updates, or just let us know where you want to be included and we’ll make it happen.

I encourage you to not only read ALL of this eNewsletter, but review closely the pieces focused on OUR Education and Outreach Efforts. I am so very proud of our Education and Outreach Team and our TMRA Leadership!

Review this eNewsletter and our TMRA website for the calendar dates for all of our upcoming opportunities. I encourage each of you to participate on our committees and, for sure, put our Spring Event in conjunction with the Rocky Mountain Coal Mining Institute (RMCMI) to be held in April at The Cascades in Tyler, TX on YOUR calendar (See the announcement and link in this eNewsletter and SIGN UP NOW!). It’s also not too early to (1) check out our Teacher Workshops schedule and plan to attend at least a day or two during the Summer to see what they are like and, perhaps, how you’d like to participate, and (2) get on your calendar our 2020 TMRA Annual Meeting to be held at The Horseshoe Bay Resort near Marble Falls, TX in October.

Best always and hope to see all of you very soon!

Ches Blevins,
TMRA Executive Director