Requisite group picture from the ArmAGgathering 2012.

It’s been twenty — yes, twenty — years since Mensa Philippines first landed in, well, the Philippines. Several hundred members later, the organization finds its second wind thanks to its new set of officers. Pay attention now: Mensa is only as good as the volunteers who run it. And if it’s run by tired oldtimers, well, don’t expect much coming your way.

Which is why we need fresh blood. It’s a theme that you must be well familiar with by now, what with Twilight, True Blood, and a host of other vampire tales flooding the airwaves and all. We need new people, new volunteers, new pairs of hands.

Fortunately, we now have a crack team of officers (and not a team of officers on crack) that is pumped up with fresh blood. This can only mean one thing: exciting times are waiting ahead!

Your amped up Mensa officers kicked things into gear with a planning workshop that they conducted last October 12 and 13. Here, the officers prepared programs and strategies for 2013. Highlights include the formation of the Mensa Brown Bag, the formulation of the Campus Tour for Mensa tests, and strategies for getting old time Mensa members back into the fray of things.

Brown bag, you say? Yes, this is where we gather up every Second Saturday of the month as a Mensan volunteers to share what he or she knows about a topic of interest. This way, we get to learn even as we hobnob with one another. It’s definitely something to look forward to  next year!

What’s more, next year will also  see a souped up membership card, where Mensa membership will mean discounts to a growing number of reasonably intelligent institutions such as Fully Booked and the like!

And brace yourselves, because you guys are going to be part of the system that keeps this going. With the new M2M Program, we will be gathering discount opportunities from fellow Mensa members. Got a business? Spread the word and give fellow Mensans discounts to drive their traffic your way!

We are also putting together a book drive. Lots of Mensans love books. Lots of kids need books. If you have books that you’ve already gone through, let’s pass them on so that we can spread the knowledge. Uh, but please, please hold on to your 50 Shades of Grey.

Your officers will also be linking up with international Mensa communities, bringing you greater access to the Mensa at large.