Dear SFRA,

Unfortunately, I must write you today with the news that our planned meeting for July 2020 has been canceled due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

The executive committee would like to thank the conference’s local organizers, Rebekah Sheldon and De Witt Douglas Kilgore, for all their hard work in organizing this conference, and offer them the regret of the entire organization that we will not be able to meet with them at IU this year.

In terms of the financial health of SFRA, we want you to know that the outlook for the organization as a result of this cancellation is not dire; we will not directly lose any money on the canceled conference itself. Given that historically our membership renewals congregate tightly around conference registration, however, we do anticipate a rather dramatic decline in member numbers for this year. We ask — and, we expect, will certainly ask again this summer and fall — that, if you are able, that you please consider renewing your membership with SFRA despite this cancellation.

Either way, we wish you all good health, safety, and security wherever you are in these strange times.

Gerry Canavan
SFRA President