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                         April 26, 2002

USMA hosts annual Parents Club Presidents Conference

Photo and story by Irene Brown
Editor

The U.S. Military Academy hosted the annual Parents Club Presidents Conference April 18-20 at Eisenhower Hall, here. More than 100 Parents Clubs exist worldwide and the presidents of these clubs use the conference as means of information gathering and networking, said Dolores Salvatore, USMA Parents Club Coordinator.

"During the conference they are briefed on everything from academics to football tickets," Salvatore said. "They also use the time to find out what the other clubs are doing."

The attendees were briefed by members of the USMA command including Superintendent, Lt. Gen. William J. Lennox, Jr., Brig. Gen. Daniel J. Kaufman, dean and Brig. Gen. Eric T. Olson, commandant. Sarah Wulfsberg, president of the Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Virginia Parents Clubs said the information flow from the academy to the parents is tremendous. Wulfsberg’s son is a member of the Class of 2004.

"Between this conference, the Parents Forum and Dolores Salvatore there’s nothing I can’t find out about what’s happening at West Point," Wulfsberg said. "I call Dolores to ask a question and she gets the answer to me in three or four minutes -- she’s phenomenal."

Firstie parent Dick Patton, President of the Inland Empire Club in California, said this was his first time to the conference, but he would definitely recommend it to others.

"I’ve enjoyed it quite a bit," Patton said. "What you get to learn from talking with other presidents is that your chapter isn’t quite as messed up as you thought it was."

Patton said the information he received from both other chapters and the USMA command is invaluable.

"This conference definitely gives us great information to pass on to our membership," he said. "It makes us feel the academy really understands what the clubs are all about."