I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A FEW OF THE DAYS HIGHLIGHTS.
JED CAVADAS, (TOOFAST) JERRY WILSON (V1ROWT8) MYSELF (GSENT), AND MY WIFE ROSE ATTENDED TODAY'S FUNCTION.
ALL OF OUR NAMES WERE ON THE TV SCREEN WHEN WE WALKED INTO THE MAIN LOBBY. VERY IMPRESSIVE. SCOTT SMITH MET US, AND WAS KIND ENOUGH TO SPEND THE MORNING GIVING US A TOUR OF THE PLANT. ITS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WE ARE USED TO SEEING. MOST OF THE PLANT IS BEING USED TO STORE BOATS. VERY LITTLE BOAT BUILDING GOING ON. ALL THE EMPLOYEES KNEW WHO WE WERE, AND WERE KIND ENOUGH TO COME UP TO US, AND EXPRESS THEIR THANKS FOR THE PIZZA PARTY.
ABOUT 10:45 AM, WE WENT INTO THE CAFETERIA TO HAVE LUNCH WITH ALL THE EMPLOYEES. EVERYONE WAS SO GRACIOUS AND KIND, AND REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF OUR EFFORTS. THE WHOLE PORTER FAMILY WAS PRESENT, INCLUDING MR AND MRS PORTER SR. (VIC AND CHRIS), AND ALL GENERATIONS OF THE PORTER FAMILY. THE ENERGY IN THE ROOM WAS OVERWHELMING. PEOPLE WE NEVER MET BEFORE WERE COMING UP TO ALL OF US, EXPRESSING THEIR GRATITUDE. WE WERE TOLD BY MANY THAT THIS PARTY WAS JUST WHAT WAS NEEDED TO BOOST SPIRITS, AND RE-ASSURE THE EMPLOYEES, THAT THEY HAVE PEOPLE THAT CARE ABOUT THEM.
GRANT PORTER LED THE INTRODUCTIONS, AND GAVE EACH OF US AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE WORKERS. AFTER THE APPLAUSES FROM EVERYONE, WE SAT AND HAD LUNCH, AND GREAT CONVERSATION WITH EVERYONE. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO SIT NEXT TO THE FORMULA LEGEND, VIC PORTER, AND HIS WIFE CHRIS. WE HAD GREAT CONVERSATION DURING LUNCH, AND LET ME TELL YOU, HE HAS SO MUCH KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE ABOUT THE INDUSTRY, AND BOATING IN GENERAL.
IN THE CORNER BEHIND THE PIZZA TABLE, STOOD A BANNER TWO FEET WIDE, AND ABOUT SIX FEET TALL, WITH THE THANK YOU LETTER FROM THE FORUM, AND ALL THE NAMES OF THE CONTRIBUTERS. A SPECIAL THANK YOU GOES OUT TO GABBY GIRL, GREG JACKSON, FOR BEING SO KIND TO CREATE THE THANK YOU NOTE. GREAT JOB, GREG.
THEIR ARE NO WORDS THAT I CAN BRING TO MIND THAT EXPRESS OUR FEELINGS FOR TODAY'S OPPORTUNITY TO MEET SO MANY GREAT PEOPLE. I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT THE PEOPLE THAT DID NOT ATTEND, REALLY MISSED OUT ON THE GREATEST FEELING ONE CAN HAVE. THE HIGH THAT I FEEL RIGHT NOW, IS AS GREAT AS OWNING A BRAND NEW FORMULA.
IT TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO NOTICE, BUT FORMULA HAS TWO TV SCREENS IN THE CAFETERIA. BOTH WERE SHOWING A PICTURE OF THE THANK YOU CARD, AND DISPLAYING ALL OF THE NAMES OF THE CONTRIBUTERS, AND THE VISITORS NAMES, AS WELL AS EMPLOYEES ANNIVERSARIES, ETC.
LUNCH WRAPPED UP AROUND 12:30, AND WE REALLY DID NOT WANT THE DAY TO END.
I JUST HOPE THAT THE ECONOMY TURNS AROUND, AND FORMULA CAN GET BACK TO NORMAL OPERATION.
THANKS AGAIN TO ALL THAT MADE THIS DAY POSSIBLE.
