President's Message

Members,

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to All,

I had a couple of great chapter meetings in the last two months with our members.

The Broward Chapter had the second annual GIS Mapping Contest with cash prizes this year to celebrate GIS-Day on November 21st. They had Gabbie Drice, Geographic Information Systems Manager from Broward County give a presentation on GIS at the County level, and then we had 15 contestants from multiple GIS programs (Miami, Broward, Palm Beach, and Orlando) participate and give a 3 minute speech about their map with the top three getting cash prizes. This Map Contest was Dr. Youssef Kaddoura's (UF Geomatics Program) brainchild and he continues to build upon this event with the help of the Broward Chapter. He hopes to make this into a much bigger event each year to celebrate GIS day and to bring more focus on Geomatics.

I was invited to the Indian River Chapter for their Holiday Social event at Cobbs Landing in Fort Pierce on December 5th. What a great place to have a meeting as there was plenty of food and drink to satisfy everyone's taste. I want to say a special thanks to Brion Yancy for all of the work he’s done with the Chapter and it was obivious to me that he really takes special pride in being a Surveyor and the President, and now the new Director for this chapter. Brion and the Chapter have some very lofty financial goals with their upcoming events (Clay Shoot and a New Chili Cookoff) to assist FSMS and our FSMPac Fund. If his dreams come true or are even close, he will accomplish something that no one else has attempted. I will leave those details to him and the Chapter, but I love the enthusiasm and heart that he and the Chapter are putting into this. I would encourage all chapters to support his efforts and goals as well as participate if they can.

Our Legislative Committee is active and on top of things coming up this year. Jack Breed sent out a notice recently looking for a Local Contact in Palm Beach that has a relationship with Representative Anne Gerwig, and several members stepped up to the plate quickly. This was very refreshing and positive and much appreciated by FSMS. Working together we all benefit in finding and supporting our friends in Tallahassee. Politics, like it or not, is something we have to be involved with as a society so I commend all of those that can do it and participate in helping anyway they can.

Winter, this is my favorite time of year, cooler weather, lots of festive occasions to get friends and family together and as an early riser since I was a kid (4am), a good time to peer into the night sky for some star gazing.

Since August I’ve been greeted every morning with my favorite constellation “Orion, The Hunter”. He starts being visible in the eastern sky in August and continues to cross to the western horizon by the end of December. Why my favorite, because it’s the harbinger of fall and winter to me and when Florida becomes the most comfortable place to work outside and get things done. I plan all my outside work during this time and really look forward to it.

My place in Ocala is off the beaten path, has no streetlights and is surrounded by woods. On a clear crisp night or morning, you walk outside to blackness where you can’t see your hand in front of your face and add a quick search with a flashlight to make sure there’s no bears around. But then, take about 10 minutes when your eyes adjust to the darkness, and look up and the stars light up your night for a show of the heavens. I can see why the early civilizations were so mesmerized by the universe that lay before them each night. Surveyors have always been stargazers, dreamers, visionaries, and lovers of the outdoors.

I highly recommend taking some time this winter to get out, away from as much light as you can and watch the heavenly show that presents itself to all that seek it. Wonder, dream, and immerse yourself into the universe and beyond. You’ll never regret it.

As always, respectfully submitted,

Richard D. Pryce, RLS/PSM

Previous 2024 Messages
January 2024
February 2024
March 2024
April 2024
May 2024
June 2024
July/August 2024
September 2024
October 2024
November 2024