<p>&nbsp;</p><p><span class=Apple-style-span style=font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; ><table width=95% border=0 cellpadding=6 cellspacing=0><tbody><tr valign=top bgcolor=#FFFFCC><td><p style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 30px; ><b>Theme</b></p></td><td><p style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 30px; >Dignity International Convention</p></td></tr><tr valign=top bgcolor=#FFFFCC><td><p style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 30px; ><b>Dates</b></p></td><td><p style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 30px; >September 2 to 5 1977</p></td></tr><tr valign=top bgcolor=#FFFFCC><td><p style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 30px; ><b>Major Speakers</b></p></td><td><p style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 30px; >Gregory Baum Barbara Gittings and Patricia Nell Warren</p></td></tr><tr valign=top bgcolor=#FFFFCC><td><p style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 30px; ><b>Registration Fee</b></p></td><td><p style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 30px; >$46</p></td></tr><tr valign=top bgcolor=#FFFFCC><td><p style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 30px; ><b>Site</b></p></td><td><p style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 30px; >Bismarck Hotel</p></td></tr><tr valign=top bgcolor=#FFFFCC><td><p style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 30px; ><b>Registrations</b></p></td><td><p style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 30px; >430</p></td></tr><tr valign=top bgcolor=#FFFFCC><td><p style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 30px; ><b>Membership</b></p></td><td><p style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 30px; >4000</p></td></tr><tr valign=top bgcolor=#FFFFCC><td><p style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 30px; ><b>Chapters</b></p></td><td><p style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 30px; >70</p></td></tr><tr valign=top bgcolor=#FFFFCC><td><p style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 30px; ><b>National Officers elected</b></p></td><td><ul><li style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; padding-bottom: 6px; >Walter Kay San Diego President<br />(October-December 1977)*</li><li style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; padding-bottom: 6px; >Carla L. Kaesbauer Secretary</li><li style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; padding-bottom: 6px; >Madeline Ritchie San Francisco Treasurer</li></ul><p style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 30px; >*Carla L. Kaesbauer San Diego Acting President (January 1978 to April 1978)<br />*Paul C. Weidig President (May 1978 to September 1979)</p></td></tr><tr valign=top bgcolor=#FFFFCC><td><p style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 30px; ><b>Highlights<br /><img src=http://www.dignityusa.org/images/1977convlogo.gif width=108 height=85 alt= /></b></p></td><td><ul><li style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; padding-bottom: 6px; >Father John McNeill is asked to be a speaker at the convention but sends a letter stating he will remain silent in obedience to a directive from Rome that he not speak publicly on the issues of homosexuality or sexual ethics. A copy of the letter is spotlighted on an empty chair as the convention begins. It is then opened and read to the delegates.</li></ul><ul><li style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; padding-bottom: 6px; >St. Sebastian&rsquo;s Church is packed for a mass concelebrated by 100 priests.</li></ul><ul><li style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; padding-bottom: 6px; >The Board of Consultors approves a new Constitution and By-Laws. Key elements:</li></ul><ul><li style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; padding-bottom: 6px; >Regionalization is approved with eleven new Regions created. Each has a Regional Director.</li></ul><ul><li style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; padding-bottom: 6px; >A Board of Directors is formed which is comprised of the National Officers the Past President and the Regional Directors.</li></ul><ul><li style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; padding-bottom: 6px; >A new House of Delegates is approved to replace the Board of Consultors.</li></ul><ul><li style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; padding-bottom: 6px; >One of the new Regions (XI) is comprised of Canadian chapters. The House of Delegates decides to grandfather existing Canadian chapters with the provision that Dignity wants to eventually be a national organization comprised solely of chapters within the United States. As a result of this decision the Canadian chapters eventually form<b><a href=http://www.polarnet.ca/%7Eprince/dignity/ target=_blank style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0 0 102); text-decoration: none; >Dignity/Canada/Dignit&eacute;</a>&nbsp;</b>and the common name for Dignity Inc. eventually becomes DignityUSA.</li></ul><ul><li style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; padding-bottom: 6px; >A campaign is launched to raise $25000<i>&nbsp;</i>to fund a permanent site for a national office for Dignity and a paid staff position to handle the organization&rsquo;s clerical work.</li></ul><ul><li style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; padding-bottom: 6px; >A new Women&rsquo;s Caucus is established as a standing committee.</li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><p>&nbsp;</p>