Message from the Chair  Greetings Members and Friends,
Greetings Members and Friends,
It’s that time of year again…the moment you’ve all been waiting for. Information about the 2008 MRPA Annual State Conference is finally here! Mark your calendars now because you don’t want to miss this exciting opportunity to gather new ideas, expand your professional horizon, and catch up with colleagues from past and present.
The conference committee has spent much time planning for quality educational sessions and exciting new social events. There are a few new twists for this conference in which we think will deliver an enhanced experience for you. Our theme is Creating Healthy Partnerships and as many of us know our industry cannot survive without the great partners who share our mission and goals of recreational service.
We have a new location this year and we are very excited to share the beautiful South Coast of Massachusetts with you. This conference kicks off on Sunday with a welcome to the area from New Bedford Mayor Scott Lang, a trolley tour of the historic seaport, and a tour of the Buzzards Bay Brewery with food and spirits. As we dive into our learning opportunities we are pleased to announce that our keynote speaker is the nationally recognized Dr. John Crompton. We also have an off-site educational session highlighting the Horseneck Beach State Reservation $5 million “green” renovation.
We are pleased that this year’s program taps experts from across the nation as well as local professionals. This is a true demonstration of MRPA’s collective strength.
It wouldn’t be an annual state conference without some comic relief. We’ve changed the Monday night social by taking a break from the Battle of the Regions, so you won’t need to put in tireless hours of training this fall. Well, maybe just do some sit ups to get those abs in shape because the evening comedy show will have you laughing all night long!
Check out the related conference links for more details on this exciting event. Be sure to spread the word to your partners and friends in the related fields, there is something for everyone this year. The more the merrier, hope to see you in October!
Jennifer Davis Renee A. Dufour, CPRP
MRPA President, 2008 MRPA President-Elect, 2008
The Top 6 Reasons to Attend the Massachusetts Recreation and Park Association Annual Conference
6 The Exhibit Hall is (at 50% as of 6/1/08) sold out! Don’t miss the opportunity to talk to vendors directly and see the newest equipment, supplies and services available in our industry!
5 The awards brunch will be held on Tuesday to give special recognition to accomplishments and contributions to the parks and recreation profession. Come see your fellow colleagues and guests as they receive well deserved awards.
4 Off-site session to Horseneck Beach State Reservation! Check out the “green” renovation project with new bath houses, dune crossings and more!
3 The education sessions are a priority this year. Our keynote speaker will keep you thinking for days to come and many local speakers share a wealth of knowledge.
2 The socials are over the top this year, plus the silent auction is back!
1 The #1 reason to attend the MRPA State Conference- YOU deserve time away from your office to network, learn and have fun! See you in October.
| Off Site CEU Session Offered on Monday, October 27th 
By now we hope you have received the brochure for the upcoming annual state conference because there are many exciting educational sessions and social events. We have included the schedule of sessions in this years brochure in order to assist you in your session planning . Unfortunately, we left one important piece out of the off-site session; the day and time. It's Monday, October 27th from 9:30am-11:45am, hope to see you on the bus! Priscilla Geigis, Director of State Parks, Department of Conservation & Recreation Ruth Teixeira, Construction Coordinator You won’t want to miss this behind the scenes tour of a multi million dollar major capital improvement project at this beloved ocean front facility. This tour will highlight both the internal and external partnerships that made this project a success. You will see the environmental features that were incorporated into the design as a result of field staff, engineers, planners and the legislators working collectively. |