American Massage Therapy Association – Michigan Chapter

I have recommended our chapter for a National Award called “Give Chapters A Hand”. Chapters are invited to submit their application for consideration, and then National decides which chapters meet their criteria, and awards are presented at the National Convention in Minneapolis Minnesota.

You can read some of exerpts from our application below. Keep our state in your good intentions, and maybe there will be an awards coming our way this fall. You may even be in attendance with us to cheer for all the award winners in person.

This year our chapter was met with the challenge of our president needing to leave office unexpectedly and all board members stepping up to new and immediate positions and responsibilities. All members pulled together and met this challenge head- on and graciously.   We refused to “Miss a Beat”!  Communication and cooperation were key in our success. We’ve accomplished so much and done so well, we’ve given our board a new name “The Wellness Team”!  Our accomplishments include:

User-Friendly Website

After years of struggling with website challenges, our chapter has  a user-friendly website. (amtamichigan.org) In December 2009, we obtained 3 quotes for the site, and after reviewing the proposals, the board voted to go with a local webmaster, AMTA member Earl Wenk. We felt that the chapters’ money should be invested locally, and our webmaster has tutored three of the board members to be able to update the site regularly.We now have up-to-the minute information on the site, can get emails from our readers, can link to National sites as well as archive our newsletters. Our newsletter editor and webmaster are working together to get online advertising to work with our newsletter advertising. We anticipate that two-way advertising will be a bonus for advertisers.

 Chapter Cell  Phone

In February, 2010, the Board approved the purchase of a chapter cell phone. The phone will be transferred to successive Presidents and can be left with another board member designated to answer calls. The number (734-255-6561) will stay the same, establishing continuity in the transfer of duties. It will also prevent outdated stationery, pens, or other items with our state information printed on it.  This will save time and money.

 Newsletter

Our newsletter editor, Don Baker, did an outstanding job this year saving paper, time and money by “going green” .   Our newsletters are now posted and archived on the website. Members can access past issues with the click of a mouse.  We now print a minimum number of newsletters to send to “by request” members, advertisers, and to take on school visits.Don researched publishing houses, and we now have one that works well with us and has the newsletters out in a timely fashion. Again, we went with a local provider to keep Michigan dollars in Michigan.

 Board Retreat

The board participated in their second board retreat this spring. We completed our budget for the year, planned our two educational events and election, and put several community outreach opportunities on the calendar. We also conducted a delegate orientation with  new delegates, worked on a MERT budget and had a great time doing it all.

 Chapter Fee

Shortly after our retreat and setting our new budget ,we received notice from National about voting on changes to our chapter fee.  In less than two weeks we passed a motion to waive our chapter fee for the coming year.  This was accomplished in such a short time due to the immediate response and diligence of board members as well as support from Ruth Cox and Laura Sabransky at the National office.
Member Programming: Community Service/Fundraising
Description: The board and AMTA/MI members participated in the Susan G Komen 3-day Walk last year, and this year we are staffing the first-ever Michigan Susan G Komen Ride for the Cure in Ann Arbor Michigan. We have more volunteer opportunities on our calendar this year than we ever have. Thanks to Julie Finn and Cindy Dort, our MERT activists, we have members offering chair massage at many local events involving police, EMS, fire, and even chaplains’ conventions. They have partnered with local massage schools to staff these events, for an outstanding presence in our community.  During NMTAW we had an excellent representation at ‘The Parade Company’ giving chair massages to the workers there. Our photographs even made it to the National Web site!

 OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO MEMBERS:

Description: We as a board have had to overcome a significant change in leadership in the past year. As First Vice President, I stepped into the Presidents role, and was supported by the next two Vice-Presidents as they agreed to move up and take on a greater role. Our Treasurer overcame significant challenges to maintaining chapter compliance with National requirements, and is an integral part of the current board. Our IPP has mentored all of us through these challenges, and just since Thanksgiving 2009, the board has presented the membership with a new website, a chapter phone line, a ‘green’ newsletter, and a multitude of volunteer opportunities and two educational events. We are working with a newly appointed massage board in our State Capitol, Lansing MI hoping to be able to come to consensus in setting licensure requirements.

So, there you have it, an exerpt from our application for a public ‘atta boy’! from National…What do you think? Anything to add???