The National Court Reporters Foundation promotes and supports the interests of the court reporting profession. NCRF accomplishes its mission through the philanthropic programs it administers for the benefit of students, “new” court reporters, and all members of the National Court Reporters Association, as well as by providing the Legal Ed seminars that many NCRA members have presented to lawyers and law students, by preserving the oral histories of America’s veterans, and by supporting the international community of record keepers.
These are ambitious and worthy goals. NCRF does all this through the generosity and service of NCRA members, the NCRF Angel donors, its phone-a-thon and auction programs, the work done by the NCRF Board of Trustees, and the support of the professional staff of NCRF: Oral Histories Program Coordinator Beth Kilker, NCRF Deputy Executive Director B.J. Shorak, and NCRA Executive Director Jim Cudahy.
Nominations are now open to serve as a Trustee on the Foundation board, a three-year position elected by NCRA’s Board of Directors. Now is the time to step forward for the betterment of your profession. Nominations will be accepted through January 17, 2014. (See the ad on page 34 for more information.)
The word philanthropy means loving humankind; being a humanitarian; and doing good deeds. All of us want to leave the world a better place. Here’s your opportunity to contribute for the good of our profession.
Attaining proficiency as a court reporter requires great focus, flexibility, dedication, concentration, and persistence, and these are the same characteristics of a natural leader. What we do as court reporters, realtime writers, and captioners is truly an amazing skill set. You already possess most of the necessary qualifications trustees are asked to provide: solid thinking, diverse perspective, vision, commitment, and maybe even fundraising.
I am an eight-year NCRF Angel, a long-time Angel Committee member, and one of the newest members of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees. I’ve found that “giving” makes my heart soar! There’s just no limit to the good feeling of simply doing good deeds. When I was approached to be an Angel, then to be an Angel Committee member, and then to be a Foundation Trustee, part of me wondered, “What can I contribute? How will I find the time? Who, little ol’ me?”
I remember how I felt before passing that last 225 test required to become a graduate of the College of Legal Arts in Portland, Ore. How daunting and seemingly insurmountable that last barrier appeared to me. But then I stretched and bounded over that last mountain.
Please consider the challenges you’ve triumphed over and the opportunities you’ve received in your career as you contemplate becoming involved in the philanthropic programs of NCRF. The Foundation needs leaders who will provide vision and direction. How about you?
Debra (Debi) K. Cheyne, M.A. NCRF Trustee Angels Committee Member
