From the President

This time of year you will find many people on Facebook posting daily about the things they are thankful for.  Having gratitude is a value I want to instill in myself as well as my children.  One of the areas that I am the most grateful for is the gift of music that so many have freely shared with me.  I hope I can return that gift someday.  Here are a few things I am thankful for...

I am thankful for good parents who sacrificed dearly to purchase a piano, other instruments and private lessons for their children to learn while living on a teacher's salary.

I am thankful for generations of ancestors who also thought music was important for their families to have in their homes and for those that recorded those stories for their descendants to read and be inspired by.

I am thankful for DVMTA and for the individuals that invited me to join.

I am thankful for the examples of others in DVMTA and the generosity they have shown to me as well as others.  They have been my heroes and I hope to emulate them someday.

I am thankful for the great life lessons I have learned while being a board member about service, sharing, stepping up and how a community works together.

I am thankful for the opportunities where I really had to work hard in DVMTA for it taught me many valuable skills like organization, multi-tasking, computer, being a leader, perspective and so on.  I learned valuable lessons and gained knowledge which has directly benefitted my studio and my family.

Lastly I am thankful for a family that has supported me throughout my years of service to DVMTA. Without that support I could not have participated in DVMTA and would have missed all of the wonderful friendships and experiences that I have had that have blessed and enriched my life.

Thanks for all you do and may you have a blessed Thanksgiving with your loved ones this November.

Claire Westlake