You'll read this elsewhere on the site, too, but just to reiterate: we're trying hard to grow the conferences and move them around so that we can meet and help as many parent group leaders as possible. This year will be our first on the west coast (San Ramon, CA) and our first in the Southeast (Nashville). We know well that we've yet to be in-person in a bunch of big locales (like Florida, SoCal, Minneapolis, NYC, Denver, Phoenix, and lots more). We're working on it.
I hear that flights from Florida to Nashville are pretty reasonable....
What we're doing is soliciting groups who might want to show off a really successful event or program and demonstrate to other groups how the event or program can be run.
The "successful programs showcase" will be one session -- with either two groups presenting for 25 minutes each or three groups presenting for 16 minutes each in one of our break-out rooms.
Nice thing is that if there's an idea you love -- and you don't get enough detail in 20 minutes -- you can connect with the presenters and learn more at lunch or during our cocktail reception or via email after the conference. The more ideas the better.
If you're interested in presenting, email Patty Catalano at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We need to know: a) which conference; b) some details on the program you ran; c) some details on what/how you would present (handouts, pictures, powerpoint slideshow, video, etc.); d) and anything else that would help us understand your presentation.
Presenters will get free admission to the conference.
If interested, respond by mid-January, as many of the slots are already filled.
It's really going to add an ice new element to the conferences. Hoping to expand the concept for 2006.