Chapter One - News & Info

Make your reservation now for the NCRA 2008 Conference

Wednesday, September 3 - Friday, September 5, 2008, in the Queen City of Charlotte at the University Hilton.

Registration will be reimbursed!!

The conference is a great opportunity to obtain training in your profession whether you are a private or public rehabilitation counselor, evaluator, recreational therapist, and engineer or support personnel. It is also a time to meet others around the state and network or just catch up with old friends in the field. We encourage all members and non/members alike to get involved in Chapter events where you can make a difference!!!!

Chapter 1 board members for 2008 are as follows:

Karen Byington – Chapter Chair

– Chapter Chair-elect

Lynn Furr – Secretary/Treasurer

Paula Kuhn – Governmental Affairs

Joy Tribble - Membership

Diane Fruend - Professional Concerns

Patrick Hemphill - Consumer Rights and Access

Please feel free to contact any of the above persons via email (firstname.lastname@ncmail.net) with any questions, concerns or suggestions for your Chapter.

Chapter One board members would like to encourage all members to get involved this year with the Chapter events and projects. There is an opportunity to serve the Chapter as well as the state chapter in many areas and we need everyone’s participation to make it work.

Interested in becoming a member??

Right now our membership is a smaller number than in past years, but smaller need not mean less effective. As we know from history, a small number of committed and involved members can still be a powerful engine for progress. That’s not to say that we don’t want our membership to grow. However, if we simply focus on how to try increase our numbers we may loose sight of the fact that the real attraction to prospective members (as well as the real benefits that we experience) is the professionalism, creativity and proactive type of synergy that grows out of association among professionals who are focused on common goals. The very best recruitment tools are not a particular social event or a good brochure with a list of the benefits of belonging to the Association, which can be used as “selling” tools. The best recruitment tool is to become personally involved in the activities and programs of the Association, so that results are achieved and others can see what is being achieved through our efforts.

Rather than focusing on “recruitment”, we must focus on involvement and promotion. As we sometimes say in church “Sign up, Show up and Speak up”. Become involved, and then share what you are doing with others around you about all that is going on in our Association. Our common goals are to promote and strengthen all professions in the field of Rehabilitation, and to advocate for the rights of people with disabilities…not just to increase membership. Its sort of the “Build it and they will come” effect. As individuals, becoming personally involved provides the internal tools that enable one to invite others to join, as well as the external attraction that catches the attention of others and sparks their interest to discover for themselves what they can provide and what they will get out of it…. vs. trying to recruit and/or convince someone to join.

There are several ways in which members become involved in Chapter I, such as: Nominate a person or organization for a Service/Recognition Award, join the Governmental Affairs committee, help on the conference planning committee, volunteer in a direct service project, help with a fund raiser event, become a Chapter I Board member, etc. We don’t need for you to go out and “sell” others on the benefits of membership. We simply need you to get involved, and by doing so others will follow.