Bringing your family along to the conference?

On Milwaukee, the city's daily magazine, published a great list online of 100 kid-friendly activities in Milwaukee. You can read it by clicking here.

Program Highlight: The Future of Child Abuse Prevention

With the conference only 29 days away(!) we’d like to highlight another unique feature that we’re excited about: the panel discussion on the future of child abuse prevention taking place during the opening plenary session on May 19th. We hope you will join us for this opportunity to hear from expert panelists from the fields of health, policy, communications, and economics as they explore some of the following questions and more:

•What will families look like in 25 years – any demographic changes, how they will be living, how they will be structured? How will the changes taking place in the world impact families and prevention?

•What systems/supports should be in place to achieve positive family outcomes?

•What have been some key factors influencing families in the past? What might they be in the future?

•What skills will children and parents need that may be different than what they are now?

•What will be the big issues? War, health, environment, education, technology? How do we prepare for that? How might these factors impact families positively or negatively?

This will all be connected by the perspective of a futurist who is trained to think about how future events should impact our current thinking and planning. It is our intention that this event will stimulate critical thinking and lively discussions long after the session has ended, and we hope you’re looking forward to it as much as we are!

A Conversation with Ann Johnson, PCAA Director of Meetings and Conferences

Click here to listen to a podcast from PCA America's blog featuring Ann Johnson discussing the conference.

LESS THAN ONE WEEK Left to Take Advantage of the Early Bird Registration Rate!!

Make sure to register for the conference by March 31st to get the discounted early bird registration rate of $310!

Starting April 1st, the registration rate will increase to $375.

You can click on the link on the right side of this page to see all of the conference details and register online (or download the registration form to send by fax or mail).

Milwaukee Named One of the Top Vacation Destinations in the U.S.

We are really looking forward to seeing you all in Milwaukee in just 62 short days!

We were also excited to see that our host city was recently named one of the top American cities for a value vacation by Hotwire.com, where they describe Milwaukee as "home to some of the best breweries and sports teams in the nation, as well as powerhouse performing arts, dynamic exhibitions, and even a casino."

Interested in volunteering (including an opportunity to exchange volunteer hours for a free or reduced rate registration)?

It takes a lot of work behind the scenes to put on a world-class educational conference, and we couldn't do it without the support of many wonderful volunteers. There are two types of opportunities-one for those who wish to attend the conference and receive full registration benefits, and one for those who do not necessarily want to attend the educational sessions. Please visit this link for more information and to complete the application form:

http://www.preventchildabuse.org/events/conference/support.shtml

Another Unique Conference Highlight

As part of our series of special conference events, we are excited to be welcoming Chef Wynnie Stein of the famed Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, New York for our Celebrity Chef Special Event! This event will be held at the Milwaukee Public Market at 7:00pm on May 19th.

Chef Stein is a co-founder of the Moosewood Collective, and has been a cookbook author and chef for more than 20 years. The Moosewood philosophy emphasizes healthful natural cuisine and the use of fresh, local ingredients. For more than 33 years Moosewood Restaurant has been acclaimed as a driving force in the world of creative vegetarian cooking, and they were named one of the 13 Most Influential Restaurants of the 20th Century by Bon Appetit magazine.

The connection between healthy food and child abuse prevention is found around the dinner table. Nutritious family dinners provide the backdrop for strengthening connections between parents and children, sharing news of the day and bonding around the dinner table. Studies show that children who eat dinner with their families regularly are less likely to get involved with drugs and alcohol, tend to get better grades, and exhibit less stress.

Guests will be able to see a live cooking demonstration, sample dishes from Chef Stein's springtime menu, and receive recipes to try at home. Moosewood cookbooks to be signed by the chef will be available for purchase. Additionally, there will be a silent auction featuring cuisine, travel, and lifestyle items. The ticket price of $45 includes the cooking demonstration and tasting, as well as wine and cheese.

You may sign up on the conference registration form. If you have already registered for the conference but would like to add on this event, please contact Greer Thornton at gthornton@preventchildabuse.org to make payment arrangements. We hope to see you there!