National PTA Convention: Part Two: Thursday - Sunday

The convention part of National PTA Convention officially started after Hill Day, on Thursday, June 16. All of the state presidents met together in what is called NCAAC and I continued to meet state presidents I had only previously met virtually.

Then I attended my first of many workshops - Advocacy.

Dinner that night was with the State President's PTA -- yep, all of the state presidents, current and past, have formed their own PTA unit. We meet once a year at convention but we have service projects in different parts of the nation - a very cool unit to join.

After that, I decided to go the 80s themed bar on the 18th floor. I'm glad I did because it turned out to be the only chance I had to attend between private parties/dinner meetings/and not feeling too whippy.

View of the Gaylord Resort Ferris wheel lit up at night from the 18th floor bar.

Speaking of the Gaylord Resort -- it is ultimate extravagance in a convention type setting very near D.C. Flowing water, shops and malls, view of the bay. I was on the 15th floor. First a view of the 15th floor while waiting on the elevator.

Now a view of the resort from the elevator as it descends from the 15th floor.

The convention was a celebration of 125 years of PTA. We had a celebration dinner for the 125th year. Other dinners included the AIM dinner. I had plenty of food access for dinners during convention!

At the start of convention, the Tennessee PTA group took this picture by the flag.

And this one at the 125th dinner.

All of the state presidents were recognized. I had my five seconds of fame as I was announced and walked across the stage -- to many cheers by the way!

On Saturday, I was doused in blue lights which was significant in another way. I didn't feel like attending anything. Unknown to me until Monday, I was coming down with Covid. The Sunday morning session seemed to go on forever -- I was in a big hurry to leave, a huge hurry to leave. I did make it home ok and to the doctor on Monday.
My blue picture. I am so thankful and very glad that this year's convention is an all-virtual event!

National PTA Convention: Part One Getting to D.C. and Hill Day

This event takes two parts to tell. Part one will be about getting there and Hill Day, while Part two will be about convention, the Gaylord Resort, and getting sick.

The 125th National PTA Legislative Conference and Convention was from June 14 - June 19. Part one will cover June 14 and June 15 - the struggle to get there and Hill Day.

National PTA turned 125 years old in February of 2022. 125 years. Wow. And for this great event, the Legislative Conference and the Convention were combined for the first time as a big celebration gala.

I woke up to bad news on Tuesday, June 14. My flight from Chattanooga to D.C. was canceled. I could take later flights to get there late. But before I could choose later flights, my president-elect called me and asked what should we do. She was thinking driving. Driving did not appeal to me nor to my back and legs. Especially that long of a drive. And the older I got, the more frequent I visited rest areas along the way and that would be embarrassing. But I decided to ride along with my legislative chair in her brand new SUV that was awesome ride. Our aim was to arrive in time to check in and to get to the Hill Day preparation sessions. 

Driving to D.C. from Chattanooga requires taking 75 to 40, then 40 to 81, then 81 to 66, and then to the Gaylord Resort in Maryland. When I arrived at the resort -- wow, just mouth-dropping beauty and extravagance. I arranged for my suit clothes to be dry cleaned in two days because I got a huge discount on dry cleaning and I knew it would be hot and sweaty the next day on Capitol Hill. I mean June in D.C. is like the hottest, muggiest time of the year.

We arrived in time for the training sessions! Barely!

The next day was Hill Day. We were going to visit staff or representatives from the state of Tennessee. I love Legislative Conference. And this reminded me so much of my seminar days when I was student at the American University.

Me on the bus to Capitol Hill with my President of Tennessee PTA name badge.

One of the first views off the bus - the US Capitol!

The first bus of PTA leaders took a picture in front of the Capitol. It was so good to talk in person with State Presidents with whom I only met virtually through Zoom and Breakout rooms because of the pandemic. Many of us started as president-elects together and now we were presidents of our state PTA associations. 

The Tennessee PTA group headed to the Rayburn House Office Building first to meet with two representatives. Here is a picture on a very hot day.

We visited with two representatives in the Rayburn House and then we visited more staff members on the Senate side. We even got a personal ride home back to the resort in time to hear about the winners of the PTA advocacy awards. All in all - a pretty good day!

June 2022 Tennessee Library Association Board Meeting

On Friday, June 10, I drove to Nashville to a transition meeting. The meeting was for the outgoing and the incoming board of directors for the Tennessee Library Association. Except this transition meeting was different for me -- I would become President of the Tennessee Library Association. 

Yes - president of two statewide advocacy membership-based associations!

I got to Nashville a little bit early which gave me time to self-tour the new Tennessee State Library and Archives Building. What a beautiful building! 

There were several exhibits in the main foyer. One was a historical tour of Tennessee counties with images, digital displays, and timelines. I found this picture about Hamilton County history on the civil rights protest in downtown Chattanooga.

During the board meeting, there was on the meeting agenda the transition of receiving the gavel from the current president to the incoming president. Here I am receiving the TNLA gavel.

After the board meeting, I drove down to the Holiday Inn where Tennessee PTA leadership team was staying. I had a great time getting caught up with leadership training that was happening at the same time as the TNLA board meeting. Talk about two worlds conflicting! I was able to take the team out to dinner and signed a few checks for reimbursement.

I was wanting to stop in Manchester to see the state park, but I did not feel like arriving home later and fighting the bottleneck traffic that is Chattanooga. Maybe, another time.

The TNLA gavel is on my office desk in the library.

 My name listed on the TNLA website.