After much planning and preparation, the For the Child Conference is quickly approaching. The conference will be held Saturday, April 30 from 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the Owensboro Convention Center.
“The goal of the program is for everyone in the community to get a better understanding of poverty and neglect and what we can do to prevent it,” says Rosemary Conder, CASA of Ohio Valley Executive Director. It’s as much for those on the front lines, such as social workers and school resource officers, as it is for all parents, grandparents, and neighbors. Conder says the conference is about awareness, but it’s also about action.
In an effort to make the conference more interactive and engaging for attendees, organizers recently added an instant polling software which will allow presenters to poll the crowd during the conference. Using a software that was paid for by a grant, anyone with an iPhone or mobile device can answer questions immediately and the results will be instantly displayed on the screen.
Other accommodations to make the conference a memorable experience for participants include:
- Classroom style setup so nobody will have their backs to the screen or guest speakers
- “Gaining Ground” will be performing Bluegrass music as guests arrive
- Door prizes will be given away at the conclusion of the conference, such as a Big Screen TV, iPads, Fitbits, and more
- Plus, each person in attendance also receives a USB card pre-loaded with the most recent data discussed at the conference, including statistics and a resource list of child-based services available in Owensboro/Daviess County
Thankfully, Conder says For the Child has received enough sponsorships to make several scholarships available to cover the cost for non-profit volunteers. “We don’t want cost to prohibit anyone from coming, especially non-profit workers or volunteers,” Conder said.
People from around the state have registered, including many CASA workers and volunteers and school Family Resource/Youth Service Centers. Several state and local politicians will also be in attendance.
A few more additions to the program since our original post include:
- Owensboro radio personality Brian Jackson will emcee the day.
- Dr. Nick Brake will give the introduction, explaining how and why the Owensboro Public School system has also named 2016 the Year of the Child for OPS.
- DCBS (Department ofCommunity Based Services) of KY Commissioner, Adria Johnson, will also be a special guest at the conference.
After the Conference
The most exciting thing, in Conder’s perspective, is the post-conference that is being organized by the United Way, Public Life Foundation, and Independence Bank.
“We are so fortunate to have great community partners in Darrell Higginbotham at Independence Bank, Rodney Berry at the Public Life Foundation, and David Ross with United Way. They recognized For the Child as a great opportunity to actually DO something, so they’re meeting after the conference to facilitate an action plan moving forward.”
Conder says the more conversations and partnerships like those that come from the conference, the better. “It’s great to have people who are willing to help out and want to make a difference.”
For the Child is a collaboration between the City of Owensboro, Owensboro Health, Daviess County Fiscal Court, The Public Life Foundation of Owensboro, Kentucky Youth Advocates, Kentucky CASA Network, Owensboro Civitan Club, and other organizations. Jagoe Home is the title sponsor.
Read more about Ashley Judd and the other speakers at the conference here.
Tickets are available for $50 at OwensboroTickets.com. Cost includes lunch. Seating is limited to 300.
View the agenda here.
