Vision Statement: Strengthening Eternal Families by Promoting and Defending Adoption and
Increasing our Involvement in the Community

Thursday, July 19, 2012

2012 Regional Conference Service Projects

Each person who attends the Regional Conference this year is encouraged to sign up for a Service Project and donate the supplies needed to complete the project.  (Each project will cost approximately $1 - $6 and remember that this year there is no registration fee for the Conference!)

Service Projects will be done Friday evening so don't forget to bring the supplies required to complete your project.  Feel free to sign up for more than one project if you would like!

PROJECT OPTIONS & SUPPLIES:


1. Fleece Blankets
  • Fleece (Pick one)
  • Child: 1.5 yards of child appropriate printed fabric OR
  • Young Adult/Adult: 2.0 yards of fabric suitable for young adult/adults
  • Scissors
  • Rotary Cutter/Mats (if desired)


2. Journals
  • composition book* (8 ½ x 11 paper bound/no spiral please – see attached photo for reference)
  • glue sticks
  • scissors
  • paper cutter (if desired)
  • (3) sheets of coordinating scrapbook paper (We need journals for both girls and boys)
  • embellishments coordinating with design





3. File Folder Games – “Kids Who Count” will provide copies of the games; you bring the rest of the supplies: 
  • colored pencils  
  • scissors  
  • glue stick 
  • (2) sheets of cardstock (any color) 
  • (1) manila folder 


*Watch the back-to-school sales for good deals on the supplies!  

ORGANIZATIONS FSA IS SERVING through these projects:

Birth Mother Baskets {bmb} is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that delivers gift baskets to birth mothers who have recently placed their babies for adoption.  These gift baskets hold so much more than just the tangible items inside of them.  They are filled with LOVE, warmth, and support.  bmb provides a loving voice saying, "you are not alone, you are loved, you are brave and yes, someone has felt this unbearable pain before."

Please, help us support these brace women who truly give the greatest gift of all . . . selfless LOVE.

West Ridge is designed to assist young people ages 9-18 who have a history of emotional and behavioral problems, low self-esteem, academic underachievement, substance abuse and family conflict.  
The purpose of West Ridge Academy is simple: to send a child home with a change of heart. We are consistently able to do this by applying our foundational principles of Family, Spirituality, Integrity, Work, Service and Gratitude. With each student, a Master Treatment Plan is individually developed and implemented, created specifically for each student’s needs 
The Road Home is a private non-profit social service agency that assists individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Salt Lake County and along the Wasatch Front. Our mission is to help people step out of homelessness and back into our community.  
Originally established in 1923 to assist stranded travelers, the Road Home has grown to address a spectrum of needs that people experiencing homelessness encounter as they work to restore their lives. In addition to operating the largest shelter in Utah, the Road Home has developed a comprehensive housing program that helps people move into housing as quickly as possible. 
Utah Youth Village changes the lives of troubled children and families. The Village offers residential care in Treatment Foster Homes and in Group Homes. The Village also offers in-home help through Families First, an intensive program that teaches parents valuable skills. Other programs include Parenting For Success classes, therapy, and privately funded higher education grants for Village graduates. 
Kids Who Count is an early intervention program.  Early intervention provides services and support to families with children under the age of three with a disability or a delay in development.  Kids who Count provides services to families living within the Nebo School District. 

Monday, July 9, 2012

2012 FSA Utah Regional Conference- SCHEDULE & KEYNOTES

Have you REGISTERED yet?  Click HERE!

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE:
Friday, August 10th

            8:00 - 8:30       Same day registration
            8:30 – 9:00      Check – in
            9:00 – 10:15    Keynote Address: Mark Glade 
                                    Music: Lyndsi Houskeeper
            10:30 – 11:20 Workshops
            11:30 – 1:00    Lunch break
            1:00 – 4:10      Workshops
            4:30 – 6:00      Dutch Oven Picnic
            6:00 – 8:00      Service Project

Saturday, Aug 11th

            8:30 – 9:00      Same day registration / check-in (for those who are attending on Sat. only)
            9:00 – 10:15    Birthmother's Panel, Door Prizes
            10:30 – 12:30  Workshops
            12:30 – 2:00    Lunch break
            2:00 – 2:50      Workshops
            3:10 – 4:30      Keynote Address: Meg Johnson
                                    Music: Susan Felton

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:

Mark Glade: Commissioner of LDS Family Services 

Mark H. Glade, current Commissioner has worked for LDS Family Services for 35 years. His assignments have included agency director for five different agencies, including internationally in Birmingham, England. He has been a group manager for the UT South, UT SLC, Europe and Europe East Areas. Before becoming Commissioner, Mark was the group manager over Clinical Support Services. Mark has extensive experience in counseling, adoptive parent and birth parent services, developing professional training programs, and administrative service responsibilities. Mark has received much recognition, including Manager of the Year, The Kaizen Award, and Process Improvement Awards. He and his wife Kyla have six children and three beautiful grandchildren. He enjoys spending time with his family, reading, outdoor activities, sports, and gospel study.

Meg Johnson: Author of “When Life Gets Hard. . .”

Meg Johnson has motivated tens of thousands of people across the globe with her motto: When life gets too hard to stand, just keep on rollin'! Meg fell off a cliff and broke her neck in 2004 and spent four months in the hospital recovering from multiple injuries and returned home without the use of her legs, back, stomach, or hands - a quadriplegic. Wheelchair bound and determined, Meg refuses to sit still. Since she was paralyzed, Meg has competed at the national Ms. Wheelchair America pageant in New York, winning the Spirit Award; founded and directs Ms. Wheelchair Utah; instituted a service outreach program; and authored several books. Her motivational CD, When Life Gets Hard, is available at book stores now. Meg’s newsletter, “Meg’s Monthly Message” is read by thousands in many countries across the globe. Let Meg help you past your own limitations and Keep on Rollin’! 

KEYNOTE MUSIC:
Lyndsi Houskeeper: Singer/Songwriter
Inspirational singer/songwriter Lyndsi Houskeeper has been performing since the age of just three years old. Now the mother of three beautiful children, she finds joy in writing and performing inspirational music. Youth and adults worldwide have come to know and love the hope-filled messages Lyndsi shares through her music and testimony at firesides and concerts. Lyndsi has produced eight of her ten original CD recordings including Let The Light In, Courageous and Strong, Higher, and her current CD for the Youth, Arise and Shine. Her latest collection, Music from a Mother's Heart, celebrates 10 years of Lyndsi's most loved songs, inspired by her sweet children. A highly requested vocalist and performer, Lyndsi shares her powerful, personal stories through song at numerous events for Youth and Women. It is her hope to allow others to feel of the love and assurance that comes through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She has written songs for many other events and organizations including National Cancer Survivor’s Day and the PTA. Lyndsi regards her music as a special gift, and a chance to express her gratitude for the blessings and joy in her life. Lyndsi and her husband, Darin, enjoy spending time with their children and extended family and friends.
Susan Felton: Singer/Songwriter/Birthmother
SUSAN FELTON lives in Dallas, Texas, where she is about to start her first year of teaching. She graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho with her Bachelors of Science in Music, with a minor in Educational Psychology. Susan is a birthmother and has enjoyed an open adoption relationship for almost 10 years. She loves any opportunity to sing, and is a jack of all trades, filling her time with everything from baking and making cards to tiling and remodeling homes.

2012 FSA Utah Regional Conference- REGISTRATION OPEN!

This Conference is FREE and open to anybody touched by adoption!

DATES: August 10th and 11th

LOCATION: University of Utah Institute Building
1780 E. South Campus Dr.
Salt Lake City, Utah

ONLINE REGISTRATION INFORMATION: http://www.regonline.com/utahfsa*

*To ensure sufficient quantities of food on Friday night, please pre-register by July 31st. Each conference attendee will need to sign up for the classes he/she wants to attend at the time of registration. Details and class descriptions will be available on the registration website. Registration for individual classes is first come, first serve. Classes will fill up fast, so register early!

 NOTE: Our purpose in registering for specific classes is to give us an idea of how many people will be attending each workshop so we can put them in appropriately sized classrooms. Classrooms in the Institute Building are much smaller than classrooms in a conference center. We encourage you to register early so we can make accommodations to meet your needs. To ensure getting a seat, please move to your selected classes quickly.

DRESS: Business Casual

CHILD CARE: No child care will be provided. Babes in arms are welcome; please make arrangements for older children.

MEALS: Lunch will be on your own.  A Dutch Oven Picnic will be provided on Friday evening.

QUESTIONS? Please Contact us at utahfsaconference@gmail.com