Pre-Convention FUN

One of my favorite ways to spend convention week (because let’s face it, it should be a whole week!) is attending CVOP and Chapter training. CVOP stands for Chapter Volunteer Orientation Program and it is two days of additional training developed by the Volunteer Engagement Committee and Chapter Relations which takes place at Convention, but before the first day of classes. The goal of CVOP is to give chapter volunteers the tools and the training they need to come back and put together all of the wonderful activities that we as a California Chapter put on for YOU! Each new volunteer is asked to attend at least once, and I enjoyed it so much that I asked to go again!

Some of the main goals of AMTA are aimed at advancing the profession of massage therapy through promotion, advocacy, education and service to our members. We offer many different types of things such as education events, networking events and community service-driven opportunities. Well, as volunteers, we have to learn how to put those things together for you! Many people tend to think that AMTA is a massage insurance business, but we are so much more! We are a membership organization that offers insurance as a benefit to our members; and we love to focus on our members!

You will often see us asking for feedback about your wants and needs, and that is because we want to provide our members with the most cutting edge information, the best networking opportunities and the most fun! When you let us know what you want, our training that is provided at CVOP and CAI lets us put together what you want to see!

One of the best things about these experiences at Convention is the introductions that are made and the friendships that bloom. Each time I have gone to these trainings, I learn how other states put their events together, what works (and what doesn’t) and begin to create lasting relationships with massage therapists across the United States! It is wonderfully empowering to see how many people truly care about our industry, and the passion that arises when we all get in the same room!

At this year’s CVOP, we had several trainings which included getting to know the National Board members, and a half-day training all about Transforming Passion Into Action with Tobi Johnson of VolunteerPro. We spent the morning figuring out our big WHY’s and as a special treat, I am going to give you mine!

I volunteer because:

  1. I want the industry to be better than it has been
  2. I don’t want my students to have to go through what I went through
  3. I want the general public to have respect for the work I love

               Some of the other fun we have at the beginning of Convention week is an opening reception for CVOP attendees, meeting with- and getting to know some of leaders in our industry, and also getting to know the lay of the land, so when everyone else gets to convention, we already know all of the great food spots! It is a great way to ease into Convention, versus hitting the ground running on Thursday morning.             

                I would encourage anyone who has every thought of giving back to our industry, even just a little bit, to get involved. It has truly changed my life. I am more in love with my career than I ever was before, and considering how much I love massage, that is saying a lot! I have met some of the best people, learned some of the coolest tricks in the book, and been able to help elevate our profession even higher just by contributing my voice! Your words have power, use them!

I will see you at next year’s Convention at CVOP in Tampa, FL!