Today is the first day of Autumn and I am reflecting on all the hard work that has been done by our amazing education committee on launching our annual fall conference October 21-22.
Its 27 days away and the excitement is starting to brew. We have such a thrilling conference planned for you with such incredible educational opportunities with something for everyone. Check out our website at www.newenglandwocn.org for the full agenda.
For those of you who are traveling a distance and need to stay over, unfortunately the room block we set aside has been sold out. The good news is that you can refer to our conference tab under “ Mohegan Sun” and you will find a list of other local hotels that are close to Mohegan Sun.
Our conference is a time for learning about new products, evidence-based practice, meeting manufacturer representatives who are vital to our practice in staying current with new innovative products, and networking with our colleagues. One of my favorite events is the cocktail hour on Friday night where I get to meet up with longtime friends and new colleagues. I hope you will all join us.
Another event that is exciting and fun is our silent auction to support a youngster to summer camp. The Youth Rally has been our fundraiser for some time now and how gratifying it is to hear about the wonderful time these children have at a camp where they feel like they belong.
We would love for you to consider donating an item to our silent auction. It can be a basket of goodies, something you created yourself, a baked good ( I make a mean coffee cake that created quite a bidding war last year) a piece of jewelry perhaps or even a favorite book. Anything and everything are welcomed to support this fantastic cause.
Well, it’s not too late to submit a candidate for Nurse of the Year. You have till October 1st so hop onto our website and submit a name of someone who has been there for you as you continue this great journey as a WOC nurse.
Scholarships are still available as well. Are you precepting a student that could use the support in attending school? Are you a WOC nurse pursuing a higher degree? Check out the website and submit your application before October 1st.
One last thing. For those of you who know me I can be a bit long winded…. We have new apparel that you can purchase at conference. We now are offering a new look to our fleeces, and we still have polo shirts that are for sale. Check these out at conference. We will have them available after conference on our website for those who are interested.
It's never too late to register for conference. I hope to see you there. It will be a beautiful ride from Massachusetts to Connecticut with the leaves changing. Fall has always been my favorite time of year.
Donna Loehner
President New England Region WOCN