CALLING ALL CURRENT AND PAST MEMBERS
OF THE
NORTH DAKOTA CONFERENCE OF SOCIAL WELFARE!!
OF THE
NORTH DAKOTA CONFERENCE OF SOCIAL WELFARE!!
A VERY IMPORTANT DECISION MUST BE MADE ON JUNE 9TH!
For 100 years, NDCSW has served as an advocate for legislation and service programming to improve the public welfare of our state. NDCSW has also been renowned for its sponsorship of annual conferences and training symposiums, providing new information and opportunities for professional networking to both public and private social welfare providers across North Dakota.
Over the past several years, NDCSW’s focus shifted away from legislative advocacy and all efforts were directed to maintaining the fall conference, awarding scholarships, and recognizing individual efforts in social welfare through the giving of service awards.
Sadly, NDCSW hasn’t put on a Conference since 2019. 2020’s conference, which was to be our 100th Anniversary celebration, was canceled due to Covid. 2021’s conference was canceled because of difficulties getting plans to come to fruition, as our board members and committee chairs were spread far too thin to make it happen. Issues such as financial constraints, statewide manpower shortages and the redesign/reorganization of the Department of Human Services have made it increasingly difficult to keep the organization going. It has become nearly impossible to find members willing and able to actively participate in the organization as officers, board members and committee chairs. The advent of virtual training and ongoing state-sponsored training opportunities means fewer employees are finding support to attend in-person conferences put on by organizations like ours. Without a board or an annual conference, there is nothing to offer prospective members and thus, there is no organization. This, my friends, is where we are and the road ahead looks increasingly difficult.
As a result, it is with heavy hearts that the current Board of NDCSW has drafted a resolution to dissolve the organization. By-Laws state that this resolution must be put to a vote of the membership and that we are required to have at least 75 members present for this vote. This is why we need you!
The West River Conference of Social Welfare’s annual conference is June 9-10th in Medora. They have agreed to partner with NDCSW this year, allowing us to hold our Annual Meeting during their event and are welcoming people east of the Missouri River to attend. If you are in need of training/CEU’s, you are encouraged to register to attend the whole conference, the cost of which will include a $5 membership fee that will give you dual membership in WRCSW and NDCSW.
If you are not interested in attending the full conference, the NDCSW Annual Meeting and evening activities will take place on June 9th. At 5 pm, NDCSW will host a social, during which, we will have our Annual Business Meeting. The resolution to dissolve the organization will be presented, discussed and voted on. After the meeting, there will be a long-awaited celebration of NDCSW’s 100 years of service to ND, including a banquet, special program, awards and a fun Family Feud event for the evening’s entertainment. All of this will be provided to NDCSW members for a $5 dual membership fee (free for NDCSW lifetime members), with the tab picked up by NDCSW. It will be a nice opportunity to see people you haven’t seen in a long time and a time to share memories of what it has meant to all of us to have been a member of this organization.
PLEASE give very serious and heartfelt thought to attending this very important meeting. Check back on the website (www.NDCSW.org) and the NDCSW Facebook page for information re: the Conference program agenda and registration, coming soon. Register early, as we’ll need numbers to make plans! Past Presidents…there will be a get together earlier in the day on the 9th, so be watching for that information as well!
I do hope to see you on June 9th….this year more than ever!!
Melissa Bliss
NDCSW President
For 100 years, NDCSW has served as an advocate for legislation and service programming to improve the public welfare of our state. NDCSW has also been renowned for its sponsorship of annual conferences and training symposiums, providing new information and opportunities for professional networking to both public and private social welfare providers across North Dakota.
Over the past several years, NDCSW’s focus shifted away from legislative advocacy and all efforts were directed to maintaining the fall conference, awarding scholarships, and recognizing individual efforts in social welfare through the giving of service awards.
Sadly, NDCSW hasn’t put on a Conference since 2019. 2020’s conference, which was to be our 100th Anniversary celebration, was canceled due to Covid. 2021’s conference was canceled because of difficulties getting plans to come to fruition, as our board members and committee chairs were spread far too thin to make it happen. Issues such as financial constraints, statewide manpower shortages and the redesign/reorganization of the Department of Human Services have made it increasingly difficult to keep the organization going. It has become nearly impossible to find members willing and able to actively participate in the organization as officers, board members and committee chairs. The advent of virtual training and ongoing state-sponsored training opportunities means fewer employees are finding support to attend in-person conferences put on by organizations like ours. Without a board or an annual conference, there is nothing to offer prospective members and thus, there is no organization. This, my friends, is where we are and the road ahead looks increasingly difficult.
As a result, it is with heavy hearts that the current Board of NDCSW has drafted a resolution to dissolve the organization. By-Laws state that this resolution must be put to a vote of the membership and that we are required to have at least 75 members present for this vote. This is why we need you!
The West River Conference of Social Welfare’s annual conference is June 9-10th in Medora. They have agreed to partner with NDCSW this year, allowing us to hold our Annual Meeting during their event and are welcoming people east of the Missouri River to attend. If you are in need of training/CEU’s, you are encouraged to register to attend the whole conference, the cost of which will include a $5 membership fee that will give you dual membership in WRCSW and NDCSW.
If you are not interested in attending the full conference, the NDCSW Annual Meeting and evening activities will take place on June 9th. At 5 pm, NDCSW will host a social, during which, we will have our Annual Business Meeting. The resolution to dissolve the organization will be presented, discussed and voted on. After the meeting, there will be a long-awaited celebration of NDCSW’s 100 years of service to ND, including a banquet, special program, awards and a fun Family Feud event for the evening’s entertainment. All of this will be provided to NDCSW members for a $5 dual membership fee (free for NDCSW lifetime members), with the tab picked up by NDCSW. It will be a nice opportunity to see people you haven’t seen in a long time and a time to share memories of what it has meant to all of us to have been a member of this organization.
PLEASE give very serious and heartfelt thought to attending this very important meeting. Check back on the website (www.NDCSW.org) and the NDCSW Facebook page for information re: the Conference program agenda and registration, coming soon. Register early, as we’ll need numbers to make plans! Past Presidents…there will be a get together earlier in the day on the 9th, so be watching for that information as well!
I do hope to see you on June 9th….this year more than ever!!
Melissa Bliss
NDCSW President
