I certainly didn’t think I would be writing my first President’s Message as your president without having our convention and annual board meeting. These are definitely unique times we’re living through, and as one reporter, Anita Glover pointed out, would rather be reading about them in history.

The Roaring ‘20s we are living in a very different way than we imagined. We’re certainly not able to live it up with themed gatherings or even able to celebrate momentous occasions. This virus has affected us all in our professional lives as well. Yet I have noticed how so many have reached out with support, financial information, free trainings, free dictations, free grammar classes, discounts on maintenance and remote services, and the list goes on. You see the evidence daily of what a great group of professionals we are, helping each other, supporting each other, despite some differences of opinions we had prior to the virus on licensure, methods, rates.

Times like these can bring out the worst in people, as the expression is used. It’s panic. It’s normal. A lot of reporters are geared to feast or famine, and it seems this is a famine none of us have seen. But we are all in this together. We’re not the only profession that is having to adjust and adapt. One thing to keep in mind to adapt is living in the moment. Life doesn’t wait for us to get over our imaginary fears and worries. It’s going to keep moving on. Move on with it is what you have control over. Take this time now to embrace new technology so you can move on with it. Remote depositions might become a more routine avenue for deposing out-of-state witnesses after all of this is over with to save attorneys’ clients’ money for travel. It will save you as the reporter the cost of parking, high tolls, wear and tear on your vehicle. And it is certainly going to give you more quality time at home and time to get your transcripts out faster. I know, for me, that is something I want to embrace.

VCRA has been working hard to help get the Governor to enter an emergency order to allow those having difficulty obtaining their electronic notary to keep the wheels of justice rolling along and keeping us a part of it. VCRA has been helping members and nonmembers successfully submit their electronic notary applications. VCRA has written to the VA Lawyers Weekly to let them know that many of VCRA’s members have their electronic notary license and are Zoom proficient and ready to work for their subscribers. VCRA has been here to answer your questions the best we can. We want to thank all of the members for your contributions and suggestions towards these efforts, especially Linda Kia and Misty Klapper.

Your new VCRA board wants to thank all of our registrants, speakers, vendors and sponsors for your patience while we successfully worked through the logistics in the most cost-effective way possible to move the convention to October. We are so looking forward to seeing everyone there and the fall leaves will be a hit as well as our speakers.

We still have a ways to go to get through this quarantine. Please feel free to reach out to VCRA for any help you may need or suggestions you have. We wish you much good health and happiness and please don’t forget…wash your hands.

Donna Linton, RMR,CCR,CLR

VCRA President