What a wonderful conference we had! This conference saw so many firsts.
This was the first time we focused more on major speakers and presentations rather than break-out workshops, and, based on the feedback thus far, that was a good decision.
This was the first time our attendance was almost 200. We had 175 registered in attendance at the conference, and more watched it in real time, which is another first. This is the first time we have offered a live stream option, and, again, the feedback from those who utilized it is very favorable.
The July Digest will be a special conference issue, which is another first. The Digest will be a few days late coming out so as much conference input as possible can be included.
This year RSOL created two awards, which will now become yearly awards.
The first is our Advocate of the Year Award. This is bestowed on a person working in our cause whose efforts in moving our advocacy forward are exemplary. Nominees are put forth by our state contact and affiliate people, and the final vote is by the Board of Directors. We are very proud to bestow this first award to Mary Sue Molner of Texas Voices for Reason and Justice.
The second award we named the Braveheart Award, and it is for an individual outside of the RSOL umbrella who has worked for our cause during the year. The BOD nominates and elects this person, and the recipient of our first Braveheart Award is Lenore Skenazy of Free Range Kids. Lenore was a speaker at last year’s conference. She continues to speak and blog about our topics and advance our advocacy whenever she can make an opportunity.
Now that our best-ever conference is over and everyone is home and getting settled back in to the work that we do, let us do our personal and collective best in our efforts to restore fairness and dignity to all for whom we strive.
