Acronym

As we approach Thanksgiving, I thought I'd praise three associations I'm thankful for. Of course I'm thankful for ASAE and my employer, The New Jersey Society of CPAs, so I'll leave them off the list. These are three associations that have impacted me outside of the office in different ways.

The Deanna Durbin Society. Deanna Durbin was a child actress in the 30s and 40s who sang opera. Old movies and music are two things I love. Durbin worked for Universal Studios and is credited with saving it from bankruptcy; but, she quit Hollywood in her 20s. Yes, it's a fan club and I don't really know if it's an official association. I discovered Durbin on public television in my teen years and wanted to know everything about her. In college (mid 80s) I pored through old movie reviews on microfiche and books about the golden age of Hollywood and happened upon this organization located in England. Other people who actually heard of Durbin! I had to be a member. First I had to write a letter, send it air mail to ask how to join. Wait. Wait. Wait some more. Then I received an application and had to pay with a money order in English pounds. I had to look up the exchange rate and calculate it. Send in the application. Wait. Wait. Wait some more. Received my welcome packet and then wait for my quarterly magazine. Not counting the National Honor Society back in high school, this was the first association I joined. Every magazine brought a smile to my face as it shared her memories and recapped movie insights. I imagined myself traveling to England one day to attend their convention and view movies with stuffy English folk in regal old movie houses. Thank you, Deanna Durbin Society, for showing me the value of joining an association of like-minded people and sharing my passion.

American Automobile Association. I lived with my mom after graduating college. My folks had recently divorced and that meant my Dad and car expert was no longer in the household. So, 20 years ago I joined AAA in case I ever had to be rescued. Prior to my first long road trip, I upgraded to AAA Plus for extra coverage. While I've only needed their rescue three times in those 20 years (one embarrassing keys-locked-in-car incident, one tow after an accident and once for someone else in our driving caravan), I keep my membership. Even with online maps, destination websites and GPS devices, I keep my membership and go to AAA and pick up maps and a personalized TripTik. I trust their reviews more than Travelocity, Expedia or TripAdvisor; so, I keep my membership. Oh, they have other stuff too - discounts, advocacy, travel agency - sometimes I forget there's more. Thank you, AAA, for making me feel secure on the road and good about my membership.

The American Fertility Association and Resolve. These two associations offer resources on reproductive health, especially for those struggling with infertility. When we encountered difficulties starting a family, we didn't know what our options were. Working for an association, I knew the first step: find an association to help. We went to conferences held by both groups during our road to parenthood. We talked with compassionate people who knew exactly what we were going through. We had our questions answered. We found the services, resources and experts we needed. We got free tote bags and pens. We joined Resolve's New Jersey Chapter and got a magazine filled with the latest medical, legislative, insurance and adoption information. And while we're not members, I've recommended them to many people. Thank you, AFA and Resolve, for knowing our needs before we did and meeting them so we could make the best decisions for our situation. (P.S. Our daughter just turned 4!)

I hope you'll share which associations you're thankful for too.