It is Christmas Eve and I hope that each and every one has the most wonderful day tomorrow and in the week to come. Ann and I would like to wish all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 

To say the least, this year has been enormous in scope and activity. We have had more hamfests in the section than we have had since I became section manager 3 years ago. I visited more clubs and local activities this year than any other year. But two of the greatest events this year had to be the ARRL Centennial celebration held at six sites around the country and the National Celebration held in Hartford Connecticut; and the Centennial QSO party. We even had a special message from the President concerning this part of the celebration that I would like to share with everyone. If you have already seen it, please bear with me. If you have not, I am including it here for you to appreciate as much as I have:

"I want to thank you all for your contribution to the ARRL's Centennial Year. Some of your help has been on very serious business: the campaign to sign up co-sponsors for H.R. 4969. Your work in alerting and encouraging members to reach out to Capitol Hill on this legislation was invaluable. I wish we could have achieved victory and secured reasonable accommodation for hams living with private land use restrictions during the Centennial year. However, showing what we could do in just six months should encourage us all to believe that we will do even better in the next session of Congress.

Some of your help was on the fun side of the Centennial. The on-air operating events, in which many of you participated, have been one of the most effective outreach activities the ARRL has ever done. I liken it to introduction of the variously-colored appointment callsign badges back in (I think) the 1980s. Members at a club meeting, hamfest, or convention could see how many of their fellow hams held ARRL offices and appointments. For the first time, we stood out in a crowd, and a strong message was sent. The Centennial QSO Party has done the same kind of attention-drawing, but on the air. Please thank all your Sections members, and especially those who hold volunteer appointments, for being on the air this year. It's been great fun that turned out to have benefits we didn't think of at the beginning of the year.

The final Red Badges on the Air day will be December 31, UTC. I know it's a week day, and you may have other obligations that take precedence of playing radio. However, if you can get on the air at all to help light up the bands on the final day of the Centennial year, please do it."

Though Kays comments were directed to Section Managers, they apply to everyone and I hope that you are as proud of your accomplishments here in Tennessee as I am of all of you for your efforts. As Kay stated, the last Red Badges on the Air is coming next week and I will be on the air. I hope to work as many of you as I possibly can.

The coming year will start off with a bang in Morristown at the LARC Hamfest on January 3rd. Please plan to attend. There will be a DXCC Card Checker there, Chuck Talley KJ4KVC, and he will be available to check cards for those who wish to get a jump on the action for 2015. Please be sure to have your paperwork and cards in order to help expedite the process and allow Chuck to check as many cards as possible.

If your club or group would like to have me visit you this year, please contact me directly and I will be happy to arrange a time during the year for the visit.

Until next time -- Best 73 es DX.