Earlybird registration for the NTW ends on Friday, September 17. After that, the registration fee increases to $400. There is no onsite registration. Register online at www.conf.purdue.edu/agrability/.
The NTW hotel conference rate is available only until Monday, September 20. Reservations can be made by calling (800) 228-9290 or (304) 345-6500. You will want to mention that you are coming with the National AgrAbility Training Workshop. Rates are $101.00 per night.
The state exhibits are always a large part of the NTW, and space will be provided again this year for the State and Regional AgrAbility projects to set up displays for their programs. Vendor spaces will be available for a registration fee, so please pass the word along to any vendors that may be interested.
Again this year, there will be a live auction to raise funds for our farmer scholarships. The NTW planning committee is asking each state to bring one item for the auction that is representative of your state or program. The live auction will be held after dinner on Tuesday evening, October 12th.
A hospitality suite will also be available for NTW attendees. Please bring snacks from your state to showcase the agriculture represented and are all so proud of!
PLEASE RSVP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO AMBER WOLFE AT AWOLFE@ARTHRITIS.ORG OR 1-800-783-2342 IF YOU WILL BE BRINGING AN AUCTION ITEM, WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THE STATE DISPLAY AREA, OR ARE BRINGING SNACKS FOR THE HOSPITALITY ROOM.
The Roanoke Virginia Goodwill Industries recently hosted a workshop titled, “Challenge and Opportunity in Rural America – Helping Goodwills Improve Services In Rural Communities”, sponsored by Goodwill Industries International, a non-profit partner with National AgrAbility. Attendees came from Goodwills all over the U.S. . The role of AgrAbility Projects in serving rural areas was central to the workshop. Dr. Bill Field (National AgrAbility) , Dr. Ron Jester (Mid-Atlantic AgrAbility), Dr. Bobby Grisso (Virginia AgrAbility), and Kirk Ballin (Virginia AgrAbility) were key presenters during the workshop.
Submitted by Kirk Ballin
Amber Wolfe presented a session on the National AgrAbility Project and the Arthritis and Agriculture initiative to the attendees at the Arthritis Foundation Heartland Region Staff Conference in Chicago, IL August 3-5th. Her presentation included contact information for the SRAP’s that are covered within the Heartland Region and initiated visits with each of the other Arthritis Regions.
The Arthritis, Agriculture, and Rural Life: State of the Art Research, Practices, and Applications conference, sponsored by AgrAbility and the Arthritis Foundation, is scheduled for Indianapolis in May of 2011. More information will follow in the e-Note and through email and web communication.
The Arthritis and Agriculture Community of Interest has completed a survey and conference call regarding a Rural Arthritis Curriculum. The committee has agreed that this resource will consist of five complete lessons on varying topics regarding arthritis. Each lesson will be presented in both outline and PowerPoint format and will be available on the web. The first topic, “Understanding Arthritis,” is being compiled and will be reviewed by the committee before it will be posted to the web.
Submitted by Amber Wolfe