Last month at the ESPA Conference, I taught convention service managers how to serve as a green meeting resource for planners. Afterwards, I was given the opportunity to have a donation to a local charity made in my name as a speaker gift. Speakers were able to choose from the San Diego Rescue Mission, San Diego Animal Rescue or the San Diego Food Bank. How proud and honored I was to be given this gift of helping charities in the San Diego community. I can't think of a better speaker gift!

Speaking of gifts, the ESPA centerpieces were beautiful apples. These apples were going to be donated to the San Diego Rescue Mission. During his keynote presentation, Chef Jeff Henderson, best selling author of From the Streets to the Stove, noticed the apples on the tables. He told the audience that as a child receiving boxes from the food bank, all the food was either packaged or canned and what he missed more than anything was fresh fruit. He then thanked the organization and participants for being so thoughtful. Very thoughtful, indeed!