For the last two years, I have been a BMAL (board member-at-large) for ASHT. This volunteer position has not only helped me learn more about the inner workings of our professional organization, but also provided me with an opportunity to meet some outstanding individuals who are extremely hardworking and dedicated to the hand therapy profession.
When I reflect on how I became involved in ASHT, I think it all began many years ago when I attended my first Annual Meeting. As a new CHT and younger therapist, I was honestly quite intimidated by the knowledge and experience of some of the other therapists. Many of the therapists at the meeting seemed to already know one another or to have someone to sit with during the general sessions. I felt a bit alone and unsure about how to become involved. Then, as suggested by an ASHT volunteer, I sat in on a committee meeting during one of the lunch breaks. I became fascinated as I realized that all of the programming and projects provided by ASHT were completed by volunteer members. I remember listening to a discussion and thought to myself, “I could probably help with that.”
This year at the 41st Annual Meeting in Dallas, the First-Time Attendee/New Member Networking Breakfast is also a membership engagement breakfast. This session is designed to assist first-time attendees in getting the most out of the meeting and to assist members who would like to volunteer for ASHT. So if you will be in Dallas, join us for the New Member/First-Time Attendee Breakfast on Friday, September 21, from 6:30-7:30 a.m. in Cumberland EF at the Hyatt Regency Dallas. Being involved with ASHT as a volunteer has been such a rewarding, and it all began when I was a first-time attendee at the ASHT Annual Meeting.
