Welcome to the Oregon Recreation and Park Association's online proposal system for 2019 conference sessions. Please review the first two informational screens before submitting your session proposal. Doing so will give you a better sense of the conference and our 2019 theme which will help you develop a stronger proposal.
ORPA's 2019 Annual Conference will be held
Monday October 14th - Wednesday October 16th
at Red Lion on the River - Jantzen Beach, Portland, Oregon.
The conference will feature a robust variety of 75-minute "classroom" sessions, 20-minute "mini-sessions", longer workshops, and field sessions. Educational sessions will be held on all three days of the conference.
Theme
"Rivers of Change / Oceans of Opportunity".
As parks and recreation professionals, we are committed to the communities we serve. Growing expectations to address social equity, sustainability, and internal integrity mean we often find ourselves battling a rushing current in order to stand in place – or worse, fording upriver to get back to where we started.
By clinging to our past, we miss an opportunity for improvement. We can do better at addressing diversity and being more inclusive. We can become responsive in issues of environmental protection and climate change. We can effectively navigate the ebb and flow of funding, enabling us to optimize resources. We can address social concerns such as homelessness, immigration, and obesity which also require our flexibility.
We have a choice: swim upriver against the current, or raise the sails and learn to navigate downstream. By navigating the rivers of change we become adaptable and resilient. More importantly, our efforts lead us to the ocean. For it is at the ocean where we meet and share our various journeys, giving us an opportunity for a better future.
In addition to proposals for sessions that focus on the conference theme, ORPA welcomes proposals for sessions that address topics that are of perennial interest to the field. This includes trends and innovations, professional skill-building, new programs and services, resources and fundraising, marketing, budgeting and cost-recovery, guidelines and regulations.
Sessions are also welcome if they relate to parks and recreation sub-fields of Administration, Aquatics, Fitness/Wellness, Maintenance and Construction, Natural Resources, Older Adults (Seniors), Outdoor Recreation, Park Planning and Design, Recreational Sports, Programming, Teens/Youth.
Deadlines & Timeline
- May 3, 5:00 PM PDT - Session Proposals are Due
- June 7 - Session Managers will be notified regarding selection.
- July 19, 5:00 PM PDT - Speaker Contracts are Due
- August 30 - Last Day for Speakers to Register for FREE DAY
- Monday October 14 - Wednesday October 16 - ORPA Annual Conference.
Contact
Should you have any questions about the proposal process, please contact:
Michael Klein, Association Director, director@orpa.org
Amanda Parsons, Association Coordinator, aparsons@orpa.org
Phone # for both: 503.534.5678
Click "Next" to read about the Selection Criteria.
