President's Message
The 90th Annual FCCA Conference held in Philadelphia, PA, on July 30 - August 2, 2018, was a huge success due in large part to the hard work of the FCCA Board and the many members who volunteered in one way or another throughout the conference. Please accept my sincere thanks and praise to all of you for a job well done. In addition, I would also like to thank the conference attendees for their enthusiasm, support, and willingness to get involved in FCCA sponsored activities. Without you, this conference would not be possible.
Most attendees will agree that the 2018 Conference offered something for everyone. The Education Committee, chaired by Kelly Clark, did an outstanding job of ensuring the educational sessions were varied, interesting, and relevant. Proof of the committee’s success was contained in the post-conference survey results, which included many positive comments specific to the educational offerings. The peer-to-peer sessions were once again very popular and as a result, the Board is considering hosting a session at the beginning, as well as near the end of the conference next year. This would allow attendees to meet their peers at the beginning of the week in order to get to know one another and network during the conference, and then gather again near the end to share information and lessons learned during the conference.
In addition to the excellent educational sessions, this year’s conference attendees were provided a couple of different opportunities to give back to City of Philadelphia and the surrounding community. As in years past, the FCCA hosted a Blood Drive on the first day of the conference which attracted many donors from within our membership. At the end of the day, 28 donations were received and those donations aided 84 people in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Thank you to all of those who donated!
This year, the Deputy Clerks’ Council also hosted a volunteer opportunity with Philabundance, an organization in Philadelphia that distributes more than 24 million pounds of food a year to nine counties within the states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. A group of nearly 30 clerks and deputy clerks from across the country reported to Philabundance early Monday morning, prior to the opening of the conference, to sort and pack food boxes for those in need. The volunteers later shared how much they enjoyed the opportunity and the comradery gained working side-by-side with deputy clerks they had never previously met. This type of community contribution experience is something we hope to continue each year just prior to the official beginning of the annual conference.
We are in the initial stages of planning for the 2019 annual conference, which will be held August 12-15, 2019, in the Fort Myers, FL area. The conference will kick-off the evening of Monday, August 12th with the President’s Reception and the educational sessions will begin on Tuesday morning. The coastal location of the conference is stunning, so I am hopeful that many of you are able to participate.
Because not all of our members are able to attend the conference every year, we are seeking the assistance of those who attended. Please consider submitting a brief article sharing your conference experience for the FCCA Journal. Some examples may include a description of a class that you enjoyed, or a speaker whose message impacted you and will live with you for a long time to come. First time attendees are encouraged to share their experiences and describe the many ways that attendance at the annual conference will benefit them now, as well as in the future. Returning attendees can share how the educational sessions, speakers, and networking have helped them in their careers over the years. If you have something to share, please send your article to publications@fcca.ws.
Although most of this message addresses our annual conference in Philadelphia this past summer, I also want to remind people of the many additional benefits of FCCA membership. Educational opportunities outside of the annual conference include the Leadership Lessons of Antietam program, the Career Guidance Program, and the Clerk and Chief Deputy Mentor programs. The FCCA has so much to offer, and I encourage each of you to share your positive experiences with your co-workers. This Association is our voice and I want to thank you for being a valued member and encouraging others to do the same!
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