The Official Call to the 2012

The Official Call to the 2012 Annual Conference of the Western States Region September 5th – 9th “Opening Doors of Opportunity with GFWC” Kathy Janssen, President

Greetings WSR Club members,

Each of you is personally invited to attend the 2012 Western States Region Conference to be held at the Sheraton Anchorage Hotel in Anchorage, Alaska. So spread the word, don’t let a single club member miss out, and MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS TODAY!

Our GFWC International President, Mary Ellen Laister and our GFWC International President Elect, Babs Condon will be guests for the duration of the Conference. President Laister will bring us a message at Friday’s WSR-GFWC, “Opening Doors of Opportunity with GFWC” banquet, and on Saturday President Elect Condon will present a workshop titled, “Where in the World is Reporting Now?”

Chairman Julie Wold and GFWC of Alaska have a wonderful variety of events planned just awaiting your arrival. Come early and enjoy a bit of Alaska before we get down to business. Tours starting Thursday morning will take us to the Alaska Native Heritage Center, then in the afternoon we will visit the Happy Trails Kennels of four time Iditarod Champion Sled Dog Racer, Martin Buser. Thursday evening we’ll be having dinner at the Sourdough Mining Company where we will hear the tales of Dusty Sourdough.

Friday morning we will tour Anchorage with a stop at the Ulu Factory. Then to the Pioneer Schoolhouse where our 1915 School marms will take us back in time, to the early days of education in Anchorage. Friday afternoon we’ll be back at the hotel, for a Membership Workshop, and then the Board of Directors Meeting. We’ll be getting all spruced up for the banquet Friday night.

Our Saturday Luncheon, “Stepping up to Opportunity” will be spotlighted by Speaker, Dominique Barteet, A former Miss Teenage America, Pharmacist, and the inventor and founder of Onesole Shoes. Our Conference is full of informative and special workshops, we’ll also hear reports from our State Presidents and our 2012 LEADS graduates. The new workshop presented by your WSR Officers for Club and State Officers will take place Saturday afternoon.

All Regions are holding their State night on Saturday and we are no exception. We will be entertained by one of Alaska’s premier entertainers, Alice Welling.

Every Club member who registers has a vote at the Conference, so this is your opportunity to join in the Fun and Friendship that WSR is Famous For.

As noted Alaskan Tom Bodette would say, “We’ll leave the light on for you”

2012 GFWC WESTERN STATES REGION CONFERENCE SEPTEMBER 6 – 9, 2012 SHERATON ANCHORAGE HOTEL ANCHORAGE, ALASKA

Conference Registration Deadline – August 1, 2012 Please use a separate form for each attendee--$5.00 late fee after deadline

Address

City State Zip Code

Telephone Number Email

Federation Title(s) Please list your current position (GFWC, WSR, District, State, Club, Booster)

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FEE $ 20.00 $

TOUR REGISTRATION Thursday, September 6 Happy Trails Kennels/Alaska Native Heritage Center (includes lunch & entry) $110.00 $

Thursday, September 6 Alaska Wild Berry Products/Sourdough Mining Company/Tent City Theater (Includes dinner & entry) $ 35.00 $

Friday, September 7 Anchorage City Tour/Ulu Factory/Historic Pioneer Schoolhouse (includes lunch) $ 40.00 $

BOOSTER TOUR Saturday, September 8 Alyeska Resort, Lunch & Wildlife Center $ 48.00 $

MEAL REGISTRATION *Please indicate any special dietary needs

Friday, September 7 Dinner $ 52.00 $ Wild Alaskan Salmon Chicken Picatta

Saturday September 8 Lunch $ 23.00 $

Saturday, September 8 Alaska State Dinner $ 52.00 $ Halibut Olympia_____ Pork Loin Chop______

PLEASE MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO: GFWC ALASKA TOTAL $

Send check and form to: Julie Wold, 7080 East Tree Court, Anchorage, AK 99507-7049 907-346-2253 [email protected]

NOTE: NO REFUNDS AFTER AUGUST 27, 2012 (MEALS & TOURS)$5.00 CANCELLATION CHARGE PRIOR TO AUGUST 27, 2012 WESTERN STATES REGION CONFERENCE TENTATIVE AGENDA September 6-9, 2012 SHERATON ANCHORAGE HOTEL ANCHORAGE, ALASKA

HOTEL INFORMATION: DEADLINE FOR RESERVATIONS–AUGUST 7, 2012 @5:00PM Reservations: (800) 325-3535 Hotel Reservations Direct: (907) 343-3157 Please request the GFWC WESTERN STATE REGION GROUP CODE WSI07A Singles/Doubles $179.00 Triples $189.00 Quads $199.00 Suites $400.00 Club Level Accommodations $209.00 Room prices do not include applicable bed tax currently at 12% Rates will be available 3 days prior to the conference and 3 days after, subject to availability of guest rooms at time of reservation.

TOUR INFORMATION: DEADLINE FOR TOURS – AUGUST 1, 2012 @5:00PM Thursday, September 6, 2012 – 8:30AM-3:30PM or 9:45AM-4:45PM Alaska Native Heritage Center - where you see Alaska’s rich culture. Visit inside culture hall as well as the outside around the lake and visit through the six life sized ancient dwellings representing the 11 culture groups of Alaska. Enjoy lunch in the Athabaskan House and then we will travel to Matanuska Valley to Happy Trails Kennels - home and kennels of four time Iditarod Champion Martin Buser. Learn about the life and the art of dog mushing in Alaska. You can even visit with future Iditarod puppies. (No, you can’t take one home!) Price Including Lunch $110.00

Thursday, September 6, 2012 – 5:00PM-10:30PM A visit to the Alaska Wild Berry Products to see the chocolate waterfall and the reindeer. Dinner will be served at the Sourdough Mining Company Restaurant a family style dinner of Barbecue Chicken & Baby Back Ribs, Cole Slaw, Garlic Buttered New Potatoes, Korn Fritters, Non-Alcoholic Beverage and the Ice Cream Sundae Bar. At the Tent City Theater, Dusty Sourdough will spin a yarn or two about a lost gold mine, a trip down a raging river or the charge of a giant grizzly and pull at your heart strings with a tender ballad and then have you laughing at one of his funny stories. Price Including Dinner & Show $35.00.

Friday, September 7, 2012 – 9:00AM-1:00PM Anchorage City Tour, Lake Hood/Lake Spenard the largest float plane base in the world, a visit to the Ulu Factory, a tour and presentation at the Historic Pioneer Schoolhouse. Price Including Lunch & Tour $40.00

BOOSTER ACTIVITIES – SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012 Leaves hotel at 9:00AM Boosters are encouraged to attend the tours we have planned for Thursday and Friday. Saturday’s Boosters only tour will take you along scenic Turnagain Arm then to the top of Mount Alyeska, at our premier ski resort, also includes a visit to the Alaska Wildlife and Conservation Center. Lunch & Tour $48.00

MEALS: Friday Night Dinner: Wild Alaskan Salmon or Chicken $52.00 Saturday Lunch: Caesar Salad and Chicken Wrap with Spinach Tortilla $23.00 Saturday Night Dinner: Halibut Olympia or Pork Loin Chop $52.00

SPEAKERS: Friday Evening-WSR/GFWC “Opening Doors of Opportunity” Banquet, Speaker, GFWC INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT, MARY ELLEN LAISTER

Saturday Luncheon Speaker – DOMINIQUE MCCLAIN BARTEET, RPH Dominique a former Miss Teenage America, is a pharmacist, who with no business or design experience, invented Onesole ‘The Original Interchangeable Shoe.” She was recently the season finale winner on ABC’s Shark Tank, and her shoes were chosen as Best Product Made in America on Diane Sawyer’s World News Tonight. She is a motivational speaker and has become an inspiration to other entrepreneurs.

Saturday Banquet Entertainment-ALICE WELLING Starring Alice Welling (formerly of the Fly by Night Club) A life time Alaskan and former Miss Anchorage of 198*cough. . . .and Leo Grinberg, her partner in crime straight from Russia, “I can see his house from here.” This show is a quick and somewhat chaotic romp through some fun history of Alaska. It is a very clever multi-media musical comedy packed with songs, funny costumes and characters, impersonations, videos and slides. Don’t miss Sonny & Cher, and Julia Child, also meet Skeeter Man and Bullwinkle the rapping moose and more!

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE & WORKSHOPS: FRIDAY, September 7, 2012 2:00pm - Membership Workshop 3:00pm Board of Directors Meeting 6:00pm State Photos 7:00pm Dinner 9:30pm WSR President’s Reception

SATURDAY, September 8, 2012 7:30-8:45am Meeting 2012-2014 GFWC Board of Directors (State Presidents and GFWC appointees) led by GFWC International President Mary Ellen Laister.

7:30-8:45 am Meeting 2014-2016 Region President and State Presidents led by GFWC President Elect, Babs Condon

9:00AM-12:00PM Business Session Workshop – Membership, Leadership, Communications and Public Relations Platform Workshop- Agnes Peterson, GFWC Membership Committee; Vicki Holden, GFWC Leadership Committee; Kandy Kizis, GFWC Communications and Public Relations Committee

Lunch “Stepping up to Opportunity” Speaker Dominique Barteet RPH

Business Session resumes 2012 Leads Graduates Report State Presidents Reports Workshop “Where in the World is Reporting Now?” Babs Condon, 2012-2014 GFWC International President Elect Workshop Give Kids a Shot@Life Workshop “FUNdraising” Breakout Workshops for CLUB & STATE OFFICERS “The Ins and Outs of Running a Successful Meeting” presented by Region Officers

Alaska State Night Banquet, entertainment by premier Alaskan entertainer, Alice Welling.

TRANSPORTATION: If you will be flying into Anchorage International Airport there are plenty of taxi cabs available to take you to the Anchorage Sheraton Hotel, 401 East 6th Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99501. Approximately $20.00

NOTE: Please bring jackets and wear comfortable walking shoes on all tours. There are no long hikes, but surfaces can be uneven at times. If you have GFWC logo apparel, the tours are a great opportunity to promote our organization.

Recommended attire for Business Sessions is business casual. Recommended attire for Banquets is cocktail/formal

PLEASE SHARE THIS AGENDA WITH ALL OF YOUR CLUB MEMBERS. Western States is for ALL members-Everyone has a vote. The emphasis is to learn more about each other-network with other members in the 11 Western States-meet our GFWC President and President-Elect on a personal level and always-you will learn from the workshops, gain insight to the workings of GFWC and return home with a renewed enthusiasm

Your CALL to the 2012 WSR CONFERENCE is being sent via e-mail, unless you request a hard copy. So it is imperative that we have your updated information. Please advise 2012- 2014 WSR Corresponding Secretary, Kate LeMere at 720-565-1349 or [email protected] of any updates on addresses, phone numbers or e-mail changes. Kate will also need the names and e-mails of each state's Executive Committee members. **Special note to 2012-2014 State Presidents in our Region. Please make sure everyone mentioned below has a copy of this call.

State Presidents, District Presidents and Executive Committees of each state should receive a copy. State & District Presidents it is your duty to make sure that all of your clubs receive all Region information. The more we have attending WSR, the more fun and information we all have.

For questions or additional information:

Julie Wold, WSR Conference Chairman Kathy Janssen, 2012-2014 WSR President 907-346-2253 907-243-0274 7080 East Tree Court 4120 North Point Drive Anchorage, AK 99507 Anchorage, AK 99515 [email protected] [email protected]