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Welcome to the 2023 AR-AER Conference
“Hocus Focus”
The 2022-2023 AR-AER Board of Directors would like to welcome each of you to our Spooktacular 2023 Conference “Hocus Focus”! We are very excited to host our conference in the beautiful city of Rogers, AR. We hoped for years to host a conference in NW Arkansas and here we are.
Many were able to begin the festivities early with a pre-conference hosted by the U of A Stem Center. The attendees participated in a scary roundtrip bus ride and STEM activities scary enough to straighten anyone’s hair.
Don’t miss our social time at the conclusion of Thursday’s programming. We are hosting the social at Crabby’s Restaurant across the street. AR-AER is providing appetizers, non-alcoholic beverages, and desserts. A partial menu of entrees and salads is available for you to choose from at your own cost. A full cash bar is also available. There will be a costume contest with coveted prizes for the best, scariest, and most creative costumes.
Thank you for joining us for this 2-day experience as we grow professionally, collaborate with colleagues, network with friends, and celebrate our award winners.
Once again, welcome!
New Board Members Needed
The Arkansas chapter is truly grateful to the individuals who volunteer their time to oversee the operations of AR-AER and to conduct the business of our chapter. Each year five board members rotate off the board, and qualified leaders are needed to fill their vacated positions. A treasurer and secretary must also be elected annually, and a President-Elect must be elected every other year. An emailed ballot will be emailed out to the membership during Friday’s board meeting via Google Form. Nominations to be added to the ballot will be accepted from the floor. All agencies are encouraged to nominate employees who are AER members to ensure that the Board represents our entire field. Voting members must submit their vote electronically by Friday, November 3, at noon. The election results of this year’s board will be announced via email. For more details, speak to the nominations committee chair, LaTasha Mays, or any other AR-AER board member. We will vote on:
- President-Elect
- Secretary (1-year term)
- Treasurer (1-year term)
- 5 at-large board members (2-year terms)
Continuing Education and Professional Development Reminder
ACVREP and ADE Sanctioned
Attendees planning to receive ACVREP, CRC, or ADE continuing education credit must attend sessions in their entirety. We will be monitoring attendance closely.
Those who need CRC credit will go through their website and pay the fee to receive CEUs. Please send your receipt to ArkansasAER@gmail.com for fee reimbursement.
Awards Committee Update
We are excited to hold the awards banquet in person and shine a spotlight on some remarkable individuals in our field. We can’t wait to recognize some of the strongest pillars in the field of education and rehabilitation for the blind and visually impaired community!
Congratulations to the following 2022 AR-AER award recipients:
| J. Max Woolly Award: | Not awarded |
| Joyce Ogburn Award: | Melanie Birthright |
| Bill Tomlin Scholarship: | Caroline Carper |
| Tom Phifer Award: | Jacob Grace |
| Arkansas Distinguished Advocate (Individual): | Jana Velemez |
| Arkansas Distinguished Advocate (Business): | Not awarded |
AR-AER 