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| Off the Cuff | Governmental Affairs | National News Update |
National News Update
Director's Corner ~ ASPAN Region 1
By Deborah Bickford, BSN, RN, CPAN Fall - this is my favorite time of the year! Fall has arrived and with it the presentation of the beautiful fall colors bringing warmth with its colors. Just viewing those orange and red colors fills one with warmth and the stir-ring of that inner passion. Most of Region I’s components have held their annual meetings this fall. Those components who have had a seminar report successful seminars. Along with the seminars brings changes in the component leadership. So if you were unable to attend your component meeting go to their website, Facebook, or read the newsletter and become familiar with your new leaders. Are these new leaders different than you? No, they were members who came to a seminar, looked around and saw others taking on roles within the component leadership. Did that inner voice start rumbling around saying “it’s time to do more” or “I can do that to”. Well, as Nike says then “Just Do It”. It’s actually time to take that first threatening step. It is scary stepping beyond your comfort zone, but as anyone who has taken that step repeats how rewarding it was. All it takes is to muster that courage go up to one of the leadership members, introduce yourself and say I’m READY They will help you. We have all sorts of mentors in Region I. I just came back from a component seminar and had the opportunity to speak to 2 members who had volunteered for a leadership position about 2 years ago. They were at their annual seminar, the call went out for volunteers, and they responded. They very cautiously approached and nervously said “I think it’s time” to come forward That was 2 years ago they became very involved and at this last national conference they went together to ASPAN’s Up and Comer’s. They separated, went home fully energized. They both received a phone call inviting them to speak at this year’s national conference and both said “Yes” The call ended and both said “Oh my, what have I done!” They are now excited. This is not an unusual story as it happens more than you realize. You just don’t hear the stories. That’s how anyone in ASPAN’s or component leadership came into their position You can to! Please approach your leadership and/or complete ASPAN’s willingness to serve form and send it in! You can do it all online. This will be involvement that you can do in the privacy of your home and in your pajamas. You will be seeing lots of information about ASPAN’s Component Leadership Institute this past September in Philadelphia We all had a great time along with learning new strategies and discussing best practices among ourselves. I had the opportunity to lead a discussion on navigating ASPAN’s web site. Wow! Who would have thought we would have had such a lively discussion. We had a lot of interactive discussion and many positive remarks on how ASPAN could improve the web site and helpful information to have readily available on the web site. This information will be taken back to the board to see how we can institute these recommendations. Many of us came away with positive ideas to implement. This is how change evolves, and makes us as an organization stronger.
I would like to share 2 successful practices
from the region. PANAC had their annual meeting
in Lake Tahoe October 14-15 and as their
community service project they raised monies to
support Myrna Mamaril’s staff and patients at
their NATO hospital in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
Attendees donated $462.00 and PANAC will match
those funds so a total of $924.00 to buy items
and ship them.
I’m getting ready to attend ASPAN’s Mid-Year
board meeting Nov. 5-6 in San Antonio. We look
and discuss items that have come up and see if
change can be undertaken. Items not brought to
our attention can’t be discussed if we don’t
know the issues. So from the privacy of your
computer e-mail me anything you would like
reviewed, changed, or clarified. It’s just
between us and I want and need to know the
issues. |
to e-mail Board of Directors.