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Text Box: In May, a card was sent to Janet Buckland to let her know that we were thinking of her and how much we appreciate her work as a member. A get well card was sent to Liillian LaBonte, too, wishing her well on having eye surgery and a good recovery. To cap off these several last weeks, your Sunshine reporter required surgery as well as medical attention for other ailments, but this too shall pass and June just has to be a better month! We also received notification that long time NARFE member Lambert Stewart passed away on May 16th, see picture below. I wish you all a good healthy summer! Please call me, Lillian Karmel, at 941-475-1340 or email me at charlil@comcast.net with any news concerning ailing members.

Text Box: SUNSHINE REPORT Lillian Karmel

Text Box: FLORIDA FEDERATION CONVENTION REPORT (Written by Linda L. Braswell) Chapter 717 sent four representatives to the 56th Anuual Convention of the NARFE Florida Federation of Chapters ( 75 in all) held May 20-22, 2008 in Altamonte Springs--- 2 of whom are Federation Officers-- Bill Leatham, 717's 1'st Vice President who was re-elected to his post as Florida Federation Secretary, Diana Leatham who was re-appointed Florida Federation Automation Chair, Steve Shoub, 717's 2'nd Vice President, who served on the Federation Nominating Committee and Linda L. Braswell, Co-Chaplain of 717. History repeated itself with our Chapter receiving a $100.00 check for selling the winning Grand Raffle ticket of $1000.00 to Kitty Koscielny, wife of Chapter 717 member Brownie Koscielny. Our congratulations to Kitty and Brownie! Our own District 8 was honored to have John and Sylvia Ventura of Charlotte Chapter 754 serving as the Convention Co-Chairs and Benjamin, Past Florida Federation President and Margaret Pappa of Chapter 754 serving as Hotel Coordinators. Ben Pappa received the honor of 2008 Federation Man of the Year, an honor won by 717's own Bill Leatham in 2004. Don Stewart was re-elected Federation President, as was Wally Roepke of Sarasota Chapter 242, to Federation 1st VP. Convention Treasurer Ruth Blackwell was elected Federation Treasurer, and Federation Treasurer Ken Carter was elected Federation 2nd VP. For another year, Nancy Marik, who chairs double posts as Chapter 717's Web Site Webmaster and Newsletter Editor, designed and executed the elegant and striking Chapter 717 ad in the Federation Convention Booklet. It's noteworthy that the proposed General Resolution NG-001, which advocated return to At-Large Memberships was defeated by the majority of the 260 delegates attending, and the proposed By-Law Amendment FB-007 to alter term limit rules for the office of Federation President also failed.