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Association Update |
OPHA is currently embarking on a number of initiatives to strengthen the services it provides to its members. This monthly e-bulletin is the first example. We hope that you find the content and format useful, and we welcome feedback.
Our next major undertaking will be improving the OPHA website. As we mentioned in the last issue of OPHA News, we have begun planning a major membership drive. That process has made it clear that our website is out-of-date and does not serve our members well. In fact, we have determined that we need to complete the website changes before we actually carry out a formal membership drive. We have begun the process and will be in contact with you as members to see what information you want from the website, so stay tuned. Our goal is to have the new website up and running by the OPHA Conference in November.
In the meantime, our Membership Committee, chaired by Liz Haugh, has been very busy working with a consultant to develop the elements that will go into the membership drive, to take place later this year.
No OPHA update would be complete without mention of our Annual Conference. This year's conference, "Public Health: Who's at Risk? What's at Stake?" is being co-hosted by Toronto Public Health and will be held at the Toronto Downtown Marriott on November 18-21. An outstanding lineup of keynote speakers and concurrent oral presentations and panel discussions is planned. For more information, visit our Conference website.
A key feature of each year's conference is the Annual General Meeting, where OPHA's by-laws are reviewed and changes approved, position papers, resolutions, and motions that have been personally presented to the Board are reviewed and approved, an auditor is appointed, and the nominees for the Board of Directors are voted on and appointed. Please see the Call for Nominations and Submissions (link to Call on website) to find out how you can get more involved.
We have recently hired Jay Pitter to be our Planning and Development Officer to help us develop more services for members – the initial focus will be on creating a "hub" of tools and supports for continuing professional development. We hope that this information will serve our members well and will also attract new members to OPHA.
HBS Marketing, consultants to the OPHA's keepcontrol.ca campaign, has won a Silver Summit Creative Award® (SCA) for 2007 for the brilliant campaign aimed at raising awareness among youth about the dangers of risky drinking. Congratulations to HBS and to OPHA's own Joe Rock, Ben Rempel, and Kimberly Downs for their great work on the project!
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