Triple Crown

Regardless of the location of the Annual Conference, the Hospitality Committee always chooses a local charitable organization as the recipient for the Act of Caring. This year is no exception.

ACCED-I and Region 8 are proud to announce this year’s Act of Caring recipient. Since we will be in “Horse Country”, we’ve chosen a very appropriate charity.

Green Hill Therapy is a nonprofit organization based in Louisville which integrates occupational, physical, and speech therapy with hippotherapy (horse-assisted therapy) and aquatherapy, two dynamic treatment programs that address sensory-motor learning in special needs children. Their goal is "to help kids reach their full potential through proven, playful intervention."

The committee has created a three-pronged approach for our Act of Caring fundraiser. Our own version of the Triple Crown, if you will! Our first jewel is perhaps the easiest. Green Hill Therapy has a wish list of everyday office and art supplies. At the top of their supply needs right now are the following:

• Black pens (these can be any type of pens, even if you have extra ones with your institution's logo)
• Postage stamps (a HUGE need for them, as they go through stamps like water)
  
• Tissues
• Construction paper
• Hand cleansing wipes/Hand sanitizing gel
  

You can make a difference with these everyday items. Bring them with you to Louisville and drop them off at The Buzz.

The second jewel is a Silent Auction. The Committee is working to secure some fabulous auction items and we'd love your help! If you'd like to make a donation of auction items, please contact Lisa Salazar at salazali (at) lewisu (dot) edu or 815-836-5143.

The final jewel is our “ACCED-I Derby,” a Penny Wars fundraiser where regions will compete against each other in a horse race format. Bring your spare change. Putting pennies in your region’s container adds to your total, and putting other coins or bills in other regions’ containers will subtract from their total.

Who will win, place and show? Regardless, the Triple Crown winner at the Annual Conference is sure to be Green Hill Therapy!

Resolutions

Every year it happens. We make it through the Summer Conference Season, exhausted, but looking forward to a productive fall.

Then just about the time we feel we've recovered from Summer, It's January again and we're wondering wheretheheck the year went!

The media doesn't help the situation, with recaps of the "Year in Review". And especially this year, with "Decade in Review". I don't know about you, but those types of stories, while interesting, often make the perfectionist in me a little nuts thinking about everything I didn't accomplish this year (or this decade!).

That being said, we are kicking off a New Year. Did you make any resolutions? Set any goals for the upcoming year?

Maybe this is the year you decide to go for that CCEP designation? Or how about One-Stop Shop Certification?

Maybe you've decided to take the plunge and become more involved this year as a Regional Leader?

How about starting the year with a handful of resolutions you can easily complete in less than three months?

Here's a "Resolution DIY" to get you started.

I (your name here) resolve to complete the following in 2010:

1. Take advantage of at least one professional development opportunity.
2. Reconnect with old friends.
3. Sample great regional cuisine.
4. Donate to a worthwhile charity.

Now I know you're saying, "How in the world will I complete all of these in less than three months?!"

I have just two words for you.

Annual Conference

Yessiree, you can do all that by joining us in Louisville for the 30th Annual Conference!

Diana and the program committee have been working hard and have once again put together a top-notch offering of educational sessions. Heather Roden, Cindi Winowiecki, Kathy Walters and their team can't wait to show off the fabulous southern hospitality for which the area is known! This year's Act of Caring, benefiting Green Hill Therapy, will have a three-pronged fundraising approach, providing a surefire way for everyone to donate something!

Look for the brochure soon. In the meantime, you can register and book your hotel/travel NOW! With budgets tight everywhere, we have a couple of suggestions for saving money as well.

• Apply for one of the available scholarships. Act quickly, though. The deadline for scholarship application is January 25!
• Be an early-bird. Register by 2/19/10 to save $100 on the fee!
  
• If you're within a 300 mile radius of Louisville, consider driving. You can carpool to make the trip even more economical (and who doesn't like a good roadtrip with friends?).
• Find a roomie. The suites at the Galt House are only $20 more than the regular rooms, and have a sleeper sofa in addition to the two beds. There is plenty of room in the two-room suite for sharing space.

If you are having trouble securing approval to attend, check out this great information that the staff has put together on communicating with your administrators.

So back to the Resolution DIY...

I (your name here) resolve to attend the 30th Annual Conference in Louisville, March 21-24!

See y'all soon!