Dear VOS Colleagues,

Make plans now to attend your Virginia Orthopaedic Society Annual Meeting May 17 - 19, 2002. The meeting will be held at the beautiful Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Virginia. We are fortunate to have Dr. James Heckman, editor of Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery and former president of the AAOS, and Dr. Russ Warren, chairman of Orthopaedics at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, as our invited guest speakers. In addition, we are inviting other well known orthopaedists from around the state of Virginia to highlight various symposia on topics of current interest and controversy, including minimally invasive unicondylar knee arthroplasty, spine vertebroplasty, difficult shoulder problems including cuff arthropathy, arthroplasty, and fractures. We will introduce poster displays for the first time this year so additional papers can be viewed in the exhibit hall. As usual, the meeting carries full category 1 CME credits.

Also new this year will be a Friday evening scientific program and reception, so you may want to arrive early for an extra round of golf before the meeting begins. As usual, we will have a Saturday afternoon golf tournament which should be a real treat on the Cascades course. If there is sufficient interest, a tennis tournament will be held as well. Plans are being made for a special social event for Saturday evening that you won't want to miss. With all that the Homestead has to offer, this should be a very special weekend. The Homestead has lots of kid-friendly activities with childcare possible, so bring the whole family. We encourage you to register early for the meeting as lodging is limited and subject to availability. I look forward to seeing you and your family there.

David Diduch, MD

About the Homestead

Nestled amidst the beauty of Virginia's Allegheny Mountains, The Homestead boasts 15,000 acres of relaxation and recreation for the whole family. Winter, spring, summer or fall you may choose from among dozens of activities to please a variety of discriminating tastes. For those less activity minded, we also offer a full-service Spa and Salon featuring massages, mineral baths, facials, manicures and much more for men and women. Most of our recreational amenities are offered year round, weather permitting - including golf on the Old Course.

The Cascades Course - designed in 1923 by cavalier gentleman William S. Flynn - touts a nearly incomparable tradition of championship golf, and is the jewel in the trio of Homestead courses. But Flynn keeps good company among the designers of The Homestead's two additional courses. The Old Course - boasting the oldest first tee in continuous use in the U.S. - dates back to 1892 and is an original Donald Ross design, while the Lower Cascades Course features the work of Robert Trent Jones, Sr. Each course presents golfers with unique challenges, characteristics and breathtaking scenery. Whether you visit The Homestead to hone your game at the renowned Golf Advantage School, walk the fairways of the Cascades Course where golfing legend Sam Snead began his illustrious career, or simply enjoy what most consider the finest mountain golf in the country - you are certain to find a commitment and a dedication to preserving the fine tradition of golf.