If you attended the Family Conference in Chesterfield, Missouri, chances are good you encountered a volunteer at every turn. Someone welcomed you warmly as they handed you your attendee bag, someone made sure your dental evaluation happened on time, and someone kept the crayons and water stocked in the hospitality room.
Maybe they checked your family in or helped you find your size in that NFED t-shirt you wanted. Maybe they introduced a speaker you’re still thinking about. Maybe they kept your teen safe and having fun all weekend long.
I want to say thank you to every one of them: Da’Nella, Jeff, and Kyle Anderson; Levi Banker, Zoe Brafman, Donna Cathcart, Karan Collins, Robert Coon, Stacey Costin, Ashley Dunn, Maya Fondren, Sarah, Everett, and Addison Hamilton; Brian Higgins, Ally Kelso, Connie Lanaghan, Jana Luallen, Griselda Magana, Diana Martinez, Sharon Maynard, Jeanne and Paul Mertens; Ollie and Pam Migliore; Nancy, Sammi, and Andrew Nelsen; Rebekah and Lee Parrish; Paul Patrick, Tracy Reeder, Robin Randoph DeClue, Chuck, Charlie, and Kylie Richter; Trisha Rogers, Trish Skaer, Jeanne Stamm, Laurie Whelan, Marylynne Winslow, and so many others.
The Numbers
This year, more than 45 volunteers gave almost 260 hours of their time over Family Conference weekend. That doesn’t count the people who jumped in at the last minute. It doesn’t count our committee members, who worked for months before the Conference even started. It doesn’t count the family members who pitched in wherever we needed an extra hand.
More than 260 hours is a lot of “right this way”, “welcome” and “what do you need?” It’s a lot of people choosing to take some time out of their conference weekend to show up for our community. It is not an exaggeration to say this event would not have been possible without our volunteers.
Where You Saw Them
Our volunteers showed up everywhere this year:
- Introducing sessions and speakers
- Selling promo items and checking families in
- Running the Hospitality Room
- Chaperoning our teens
- Keeping Dental Evals and Ask the Experts sessions on schedule
- And so much more.
Every one of those roles mattered and together, they gave families room to focus on why they came: connecting, learning and feeling seen.
Months of Work Before the Weekend
None of this happens without our Family Conference Planning and Content Committee. This group starts meeting months before the Conference to shape the sessions, plan the schedule and work out the details that lay the groundwork for an unforgettable Family Conference.
By the time Conference weekend arrives, they’ve already put in hours of work behind the scenes. I want to give them a proper shoutout:
Planning Committee
Levi Banker, Katie Flint, Elizabeth Hazzard-Herzing, Virginia Higgins, Zane Higgins, Nancy Nelsen, Charley Richter, and Soren Roe
Content Sub-committee
Dr. Patricia Marik (SAC), Selena Marshall, and Cameron Olsen
Thank you for showing up, month after month, long before the doors ever opened.
A Partnership That Keeps Showing Up
I also want to highlight our volunteers from Delta Theta Tau Sorority. The sorority has supported the NFED at the national and chapter level for 29 years, both as volunteers and as donors.
Having them serve at the Conference during our 45th anniversary year meant a lot to us. It’s the kind of long-term partnership we don’t take for granted. Thank you, Donna Cathcart, Stacey Costin, Tina Eitel, Amie Jackson, Terri Kropf, Sharon Maynard, Robin Randolph DeClue, Jeanne Stamm, and Marylynne Winslow.
Thank You
To every volunteer who gave an hour, a full weekend or anything in between: Conference would not be Conference without you. You’re a big reason families left Chesterfield feeling welcomed and cared for.
Want to be one of these faces next year? Learn more about volunteering with the NFED.
Have a question or comment? Contact us.