Recreation: The Power and The Potential
Recreation Nova Scotia is pleased to invite you to Recreation: The Power and The Potential, RNS' 14th Annual Conference and Trade Show taking place October 11-14th at the Digby Pines Golf Resort and Spa in Digby.Plan to experience a top quality program, excellent networking opportunities and a professional trade show. Register for what will prove to be a memorable experience. You will leave the conference more energized, connected, informed and full of new ideas!
Hockey News!
The Grant Potter Memorial Hockey Game will take place Thursday, October 13th at 3:00pm at the Digby Area Arena. Players must provide their own gear. To get in on the action please contact Katie Harvieux at activeliving.darc@bellaliant.com.
Golf Tournament
There will be a golf tournament for all exhibitors and delegates on Tuesday, October 11th from 12:00pm to 6:00pm. Arrive early and join delegates and exhibitors for a round of great golf and good fun. You can register for the golf tournament on the conference registration form. The registration fee is $60.00 NOT including a cart! Please book your golf carts with the ProShop at 1-800-667-4637. The cost for a cart is $37.95 (HST inc.).
Conference at a Glance
Tuesday, October 11th
12:00pm - 2:00pm: Registration desk open
12:00pm - 6:00pm: Delegates/Exhibitors Golf Tournament
1:00pm - 4:00pm: Certified Aquatic Professionals Course
1:00pm - 4:30pm: HIGH FIVE® Session
1:00pm - 4:30pm: Engaging Youth in Recreation
4:00pm - 6:00pm: Registration desk open
4:00pm - 7:00pm: RNS Board Meeting
5:00pm - 6:30pm: HIGH FIVE Reception - Cabin 29 - open to all delegates and exhibitors
7:30pm - 8:30pm: Trade Show Opening/Reception
9:00pm: Tuesday Evening Social
Wednesday, October 12th
8:00am - 10:30am: Registration desk open
8:30am – 1:30pm: Trade Show
8:30am – 5:00pm: RecreAuction
9:30am – 10:30am:Opening Keynote with Leo Artalejo
11:00am – 12:00pm: Breakout Sessions
12:00pm - 1:30pm: Registration desk open
12:00pm - 1:30pm: Trade Show Luncheon
12:00pm - 1:30pm: Student’s Networking Luncheon
1:30pm - 3:00pm: Breakout Sessions
3:15pm - 4:30pm: Special Interest Sessions
4:30pm - 6:00pm: Self Directed Leisure Time
6:00pm – 8:00pm: Dinner and Live Auction
8:00pm - 10:00pm: Regional Competition
10:00pm - 1:00am: Dance
Thursday, October 13th
7:30am - 9:30am: Registration desk open
7:30am - 8:45am: Breakfast
9:00am - 10:15am: Breakout Sessions
10:45am – 12:00pm: Breakout Sessions
12:00pm - 2:00pm: Registration desk open
12:45pm - 2:00pm: Mental Health and Recreation Plenary
2:00pm - 5:00pm: Research Forum
2:30pm - 4:30pm: Wellness Sessions
3:00pm - 4:30pm: The Grant Potter Memorial Hockey Game
5:30pm: RecreAuction Closes
5:30pm - 8:00pm: RNS Awards Banquet
9:00pm - 1:00am: Band - Twist of Fate
Friday, October 14th
7:30am - 9:30am: Breakfast / AGM / Auction Pick-up
9:45am - 11:15am: Plenary with Kevin McCann
11:15am - 11:30am: Closing Remarks
Conference Opening and Keynote with LEO ARTALEJO
Chief Storyteller & Senior Counsel, MT&L Public Relations Ltd.
9:30am - 10:30am
Leo is a communications strategist who believes the right story at the right time can change the world. He draws from two decades of experience using compelling narratives to establish new ideas as market standards. He worked for Microsoft for 12 years, leading a broad range of software and business development efforts, driving customer and partner outreach and serving as a technology spokesperson through the rise of the Internet and both the dot com and dot bomb periods. During this time, he worked as an executive speechwriter at Microsoft, giving voice to one of the largest businesses in the world, Microsoft Windows and ensuring integrated and consistent messages to audiences as diverse as software developers, financial analysts, computer manufacturers, and lawmakers. Before joining MT&L, Leo founded Uptake Media, a communications consultancy in Seattle, Washington helping Fortune 500 companies, international foundations, and non-profit organizations tell their stories to the world. Former clients include Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, Target, Avanade, Seattle International Foundation, Global Washington, and many others.
With his background creating strategy and platform messaging in the technology world coupled with extensive international travel experience, Leo offers a global perspective to his communications work. Passionate about storytelling, one of Leo’s unique talents is expressing complex ideas in clear and compelling ways; he is as comfortable talking to policy makers as programmers. His approach is rooted in starting with the basic human questions of "What is the story we are trying to tell?" and, even more importantly, "Who are we trying to reach?” .
Leo brings balance and equanimity mixed with a healthy dose of passion and curiosity to his endeavours and enjoys working with a variety of clients in Atlantic Canada.
Closing Plenary with Kevin McCann
Vice-President, MT&L Public Relations
9:45am - 11:15am
Over the last decade, Kevin has become a leader in defining and implementing online engagement and digital advocacy. He oversees major client grassroots initiatives, merging online technology with high-impact, effective digital communication and engagement strategies to help build grassroots support for companies and governments, causes and products. Through his deep knowledge in aligning digital strategy, social media and persuasive communications, Kevin helps our clients connect with their customers, employees and recruits to motivate behaviours and actions.
As senior vice president first with Grassroots Enterprise and then with Edelman, both in Washington DC, he led award-winning digital strategy, social media and persuasive communications efforts for many clients including the launching of compelling online campaigns for Fortune 100 corporations, national non-profits and the United States and Canadian governments. In 2009, Kevin was pivotal in orchestrating the acquisition of Grassroots Enterprise by Edelman, one of the largest PR firms in the world. While at Edelman, he led development on key initiatives for the American Petroleum Institute and the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, as well as the Forum for Education and Democracy and Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Over the course of his career, Kevin has worked with the Canadian Embassy (www.connect2canada.com), Medtronic, Sierra Club, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Pfizer, Visa, American Heart Association, Progressive Majority, Medicare, PG&E, PhRMA and many others. Kevin is considered an industry expert in social media strategies, online campaigns, audience recruitment and engagement and has expert knowledge of Web production, planning, design, front-end web development and various scripting languages. He is a regular speaker on grassroots online, movement-building and social media engagement in the U.S. and Canada.
One of Kevin's personal projects was to found Fair Deal for Newfoundland, one of the most successful online grassroots movements in Canadian history. He motivated 31,000 activists to send letters to Parliament Hill, helping to win a multi-billion dollar deal. For this work, he was interviewed on the Globe and Mail, CBC, CTV, and radio, buoyed by a highly trafficked blog. Kevin is the winner of the 2006 Pollie Award: Best International Campaign for galvanizing support for the new deal.
2011 Annual Conference & Trade Show Offers:
- Your choice of over 20 breakout sessions
- Annual Research Forum
- Dynamic keynote speakers
- Students' Networking Opportunities
- Trade Show with 30 plus exhibitors
- The 2011 RNS Awards Ceremony Reception and Dinner
- Networking with 200 plus delegates
Recreation Nova Scotia Research Forum
The Research forum is an opportunity for those involved in conducting research on recreation in Nova Scotia to share their work and findings. Presenters will have 15 minutes to give an overview of their results, stressing the practical applications for recreation service providers. A five minute Q&A and discussion period will follow. Session participants will learn, first hand, about some of the exciting, cutting edge research projects going on within the province or that hold relevance for service providers within the province. Confirmed presenters and topics will be available in the conference registration package and in on-site program booklet.
If you're interested please e-mail student@recreationns.ns.ca to have the Call for Papers Form sent to you. Once you've received it, fill it out and send it to RNS via fax: 1-902-422-8201 or snail mail:
5516 Spring Garden Road, Suite 309 Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 1G6
On Site Accommodation:
Recreation: The Power and The Potential will be held at the Digby Pines Golf Resort and Spa. Experience the world of casual elegance at Digby Pines Golf Resort and Spa, welcoming guests to this Norman - Style Chateau overlooking the beautiful Bay of Fundy since 1929. Relaxing is easy when you're surrounded by such breathtaking beauty. Walk or run the wooded hiking trails. There's tennis, lawn croquet, shuffleboard and a full fitness centre. Or try our par 71, 18 hole picturesque Nova Scotia golf course, one of Stanley Thompson's masterpieces.
Conference Room Rate is $122.50/night for guestrooms. Please make reservations directly with The Resort at 902-245-2511 or 1-800-667-4637. More details available at pines@digbypines.ca. If you were interested in booking some time in the spa please contact the resort directly.
