September was insane! I think I logged more sky miles than most pilots! I started in sunny Orlando and spoke for Robert Cairns and Allstate. I was truly in good hands with the good hands people! From Orlando, I flew back to my home state, and spoke in Price, Utah, for the Division of Child Family Services. What a bunch of caring and hardworking people! From Price, I jumped back on an airplane and flew to Branson, Missouri. I spoke at the College of the Ozarks or “Hard Work U.” The students at this liberal arts college impressed me with their spirituality and patriotism. From Branson, I came west, a little closer to home, to Colorado Springs. I was the guest of Colorado’s finest - the Colorado State Patrol. Many thanks to Chief Trostel and Marc Morelli for taking such fine care of me. I promise to never speed under their watch! Then from the mountains to the beach - back to Florida. This time I was in the panhandle, in a little resort called Destin. I was the guest of Mr Pug Scoville and the finest bunch of realtors from Tennessee! We had a wonderful time together. I’d like to take a moment and give a shout out to my new buddy Trasbin Stoner. Hey buddy!! Thanks for everthing! From Destin, I traveled to my second home, Des Moines, Iowa, where I spoke for the lovely Jenni Gardner and Principal Financial Group. The good people at PFG are like my second family, I spend so much time with them. I also have two brothers who work for Principal and had the pleasure of staying in a hotel with one of them during my short stay there. Next up - from the plains of Iowa, to Reno Nevada with the Nevada Chapter of Associated General Contractors. Melinda Elizondo put on a really superb meeting at the Atlantis. She and John Madole were excellent hosts and I thank them for their efforts. Back on the plane again, heading to Wisconsin this time, where I got to play 007 - that’s Schlappi…Mike Schlappi - for the Wisconsin Realtors Association. I don’t think I made a very good  James Bond though as he is usually the one doing the shooting and not getting shot at! Regardless, we had fun and it was a great meeting. Then I left Wisconsin Dells and headed back east to Rye Brook, New York and Bob Summa and the gang at Independent Financial Group. After the presentation, I went golfing with my good friend Steve Becker and others. How do I golf you may wonder? I drive the cart and use a club to push the gas and brake. I managed to stay out of the sand traps, which is more than I can say for my golfing buddies!

So, what did I learn in all my travels this past month? Very simply this - there are good people all over this wonderful nation of ours; and everyone is doing the very best they can with what they have. Who could want more.

Many thanks to my Marketing Director extraordinaire, Marcie, for keeping me organized; and as always, my love and appreciation to my beautiful wife Tami, for all her love and support, for which nothing would be worth it without her.

Ciao!

Happy Schlappi