2024 FALL CONFERENCE

Thank you for joining us in Eau Claire!
Our conference recap page is here!

 


 

 

 

Download the conference mobile app!

https://my.yapp.us/3K96J8

  

 

General Agenda:

 

Thursday, October 3:

  • 7:30 am: Registration and Breakfast (Metropolis Resort)
  • 8:30-10:30 am: Morning welcome and keynote
  • 10:30-12:30 pm: Breakout Sessions
  • 12:20-12:50 pm: Sponsor booth tour
  • 12:50 pm: Lunch buffet in Skybox A
  • 1:30-4:00 pm: Afternoon session and breakout

 

Friday, October 4:

  • 7:30 am: Registration and Breakfast (Florian Gardens)
  • 8:30-10:30 am: Morning welcome and keynote
  • 10:30-12:30 pm: Breakout Sessions
  • 12:20-12:50 pm: Sponsor booth tour
  • 12:50 pm: Boxed lunch in building where your PC breakout is
  • 1:00-3:30 pm: Peer Community breakout sessions

 

Sponsors may set up their booths anytime on Wednesday, October 2 or Thursday, October 3 in the morning. Location: Jump Around Rooms in Metropolis Resort.

 

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FUN, GAMES, PROFESSIONAL GROWTH!

Join us for an unforgettable fall conference at Eau Claire’s ultimate destination for fun and relaxation! This year, we're hosting our conference at the Metropolis Resort, which includes a waterpark, trampoline park, arcade center, and more - offering the perfect blend of business and leisure. Dive into engaging sessions, Peer Community groups, and insightful discussions in a refreshing and dynamic environment. Friday's conference will begin at the Florian Gardens, which is located next to the Metropolis.

When it's time to unwind, enjoy the thrills of the water slides (bring the fam!), the challenge of arcade games, and MORE) and the camaraderie of your colleagues. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to connect, collaborate, and create lasting memories. See you there!

Conference flyer click here.
 

  • LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE | Thursday, October 3 | 8:30 am-4:00 pm

  • YPN STAFF RALLY | Friday, October 4 | 8:30 am-3:30 pm

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Why is this year different?

Have you heard of the Metropolis Resort in Eau Claire? This year it's all about fun and games while networking. The Metropolis has 100+ rooms that will be booked just for our conference attendees. (For those who prefer less hustle and bustle, we will also have another hotel down the road.

  • Chaos Water Park: The resort features a large indoor water park, which can be a great way for you to relax and have fun after conference sessions.

  • Action City: An indoor amusement park with activities such as go-karting, laser tag, arcade games, bumper cars, mini-bowling, and more. If the weather is nice there is also outdoor mini-golf and zip lines.

  • Accomodation Options: With on-site loding available, you can stay at the resort, making it convenient to attend all conference activities without needing to travel off-site.

  • Catering and Dining: The Resort offers various dining options and catering services, providing delicious meals and drinks in and out of the conference times.

  • Family friendly: The Resort's Family-friendly environment means attendees can bring their families along, turning the conference intoa mini-vacation for everyone

We appreciate the flexibility of our attendees as this venue has some smaller rooms and less opportunity for A/V. Your Peer Community breakout rooms might have some fun and decorative paintings on the walls! :)

castle room   tree room

 

Event registration is open from July 31, 2024 through September 16, 2024 at 5:00 pm.
 

Thursday, October 3 | Leadership Conference: $45

Friday, October 4 | YPN Staff Rally: $40

**Y-USA Trainings are available to register for until 9/25/24:

  • Project Management: Wed, October 2, 9:00 am-5:00 pm, $85, click here to register.
  • Allyship in Action - LOW ENROLLMENT - CANCELLED!
  • LiveStrong at the YMCA Instructor Trainer: October 2 & 3, 9:00 am-5:00 pm, $145, click here to register.

 

**New Y Leader participants should still register for the conference!

  • A discount code will be automatically applied when you select that you are part of the 2024 NYL program.

 

Hotel discount blocks expired August 31, 2024.

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Metropolis Resort & Conference Center
5150 Fairview Dr, Eau Claire, WI 54701
No availability on Thursday night.

To inquire about other nights, call 715-334-8751.
$21.99 resort fee deposit required
Check in 4:00 pm, Check out 11:00 am

 

Book Here

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Holiday Inn, Eau Claire South
4751 Owen Ayres Court, Eau Claire, WI 54701
715-830-9889
Double Queen & King Rooms $119.95/night (BLOCK EXTENDED THROUGH 9/20/24!)
Check in 3:00 pm, Check out 11:00 am

Book Here

 

Sign up for social options when you register for the conference.

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Wednesday Evening Dinner | October 2

For those coming in the night before the Thursday conference, join us for group dinner and drinks at 5:30 pm at Casa Margarita. Meet in the hotel lobby... Dinner and drinks on your own.

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Thursday Evening Metropolis Package | October 3

Action City Fun! Pay at the park when you arrive. 3-hour all-access pass to the waterpark, non-ticketed arcade games, laser tag/maze, mini bowling, go-karts, bumper cars, trampoline park, nina warrior course, jousting, and outdoor mini golf (weather permitting).

Action City information here.

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Thursday Evening Downtown Eau Claire Trip | October 3

A charter bus will transport you to downtown Eau Claire where you are free to check out the sights and locations. Departs Metropolis at 5:30 pm with shuttle runs through 9:30 pm. Suggested locations include The District, The Plus, Brewery Projekt, Reboot Social, and various shops and parks.

$15/person, pay with event registration.

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Friday Morning Workout | October 4

Join a group at the Eau Claire South YMCA, steps from the Metropolis for a morning workout at 6:15 am! Meet in the hotel lobby at 6:00 am or at Y.

 

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3

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THURSDAY KEYNOTE PRESENTER:
Pam Liebe, Pam Liebe Consulting
5 Gears: How to be Both Present and Productive

5 Gears: We live in a world that is hyper connected. This is an incredible time to be alive! At the same time, being constantly connected means we can appear to be limitlessly available at all times. So how do we stay present when we need to be present and productive when we need to be productive? The 5 Gears is a tool to help us learn how to be in the right gear at the right time. When we learn to do that, our influence rises. 

      Thursday Morning Breakout Presenters:

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Jennifer Bolger, Matrix Fitness
Adopting an Active Lifestyle: Empowering Y Staff to Foster Long-Term Success

This presentation is aimed to equip YMCA Staff with the essential knowledge and practical skills needed to onboard new members and support their efforts to adopt and maintaining an active lifestyle. This 45-minute session delves into the intricacies of behavior change, providing you with evidence-based strategies and techniques to enhance your members’ experience and support their efforts to achieve their health and wellness goals.

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Dr. Michelle Braun
High Octane Brain: 5 Science-Based Steps to Sharpen Your Memory and Reduce Your Risk of Alzheimer's

Lifestyle factors such as exercise and diet have been shown to significantly boost daily memory functioning and dramatically reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. However, people are often misled by myths and pseudoscience to spend time and money on strategies that are not scientifically supported—such as taking memory supplements, playing online brain games, following restrictive “brain health” diets, and getting unnecessary brain scans—or to develop a false sense of security by engaging in tasks that are minimally helpful on their own, such as crosswords. Based on her bestselling book, High-Octane Brain: 5 Science-Based Steps to Sharpen Your Memory and Reduce Your Risk of Alzheimer’s, Dr. Michelle Braun, a Yale- and Harvard- trained neuropsychologist and national leader in the field of cognitive health will present top five science-backed strategies we can use to immediately maximize our brain health and that of our loved ones. Given that there is no direct genetic cause for 99% of cases of Alzheimer’s, and Alzheimer’s can develop more than 30 years prior to diagnosis, identifying protective factors has become increasingly important. Join the thousands of individuals who have been empowered and inspired to enhance their brain health by attending this presentation!

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Brian Hatzung, Zimmerman Architectural Studios
The Naked Truth - Locker Room Planning and Design Considerations for Today's YMCAs

Designing a YMCA involves many important decisions. This break-out session will focus on locker rooms and how their design fits within the overall project process. We will cover a range of topics, from high-level considerations such as design trends and age/gender accommodations, to detailed aspects like code requirements and tile selections.

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Josh Copeland
Becoming the Leader Your Team Deserves

Anyone can be a boss and tell others what to do, but leaders INSPIRE them to do it. True leaders invest in their teams, knowing that they'll reap the rewards of their investments down the road. How are you inspiring and empowering your teams, increasing their productivity, and in turn, increasing your own bottom line? The goal of this session is to use Josh's own life-changing leadership experiences as a launchpad for leaders and corporate teams to take their own leadership frameworks to the next level.

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Justin Syndor, Professor, UW-Madison
How Can Artificial Intelligence Benefit Your Organization

At this point everyone has heard of the rapid improvements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, like ChatGPT. Many organizations in the nonprofit sector, however, have yet to experiment with and explore how these tools could be useful. This session will provide a basic introduction to strategic thinking about where and how AI tools can be deployed to benefit nonprofit organizations.

 


 

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4

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FRIDAY KEYNOTE PRESENTER:
Kristin Bock, Body Language Blueprints
Tune into Your Cues: How to Avoid Cue-lessness

Check out her intro video below!

The best leaders aren’t necessarily the ones people follow blindly. They’re the ones people follow willingly and eagerly. They’re the people who understand how personal connection
stems not simply from the words we say, but from the physical and emotional cues we display!

In this engaging keynote, your audience will laugh, (possibly gasp) and learn exactly why they need to know what their bodies are saying even when their mouths stop moving.
With an ear and eye-catching experience, audiences will learn:

  • Survival of the best communicators is less about words and more about how you make others feel (spoiler alert, it involves nonverbal cues!)
  • Success is truly for master communicators who use both their mouths and body to convey connection.
  • The brain science of why human connection matters
  • The key factor to making connections memorable (hello there, charisma!)
  • Why the secrets of understanding body language & nonverbal cues can make your interactions a superpower.

It's time to learn why everyone, especially those in leadership, can't afford to be cue-less.

A Quick Message from Kristin

      Friday Morning Breakout Presenters:

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m braun
Dr. Michelle Braun
High Octane Brain: Cognitive Fitness as the Next Frontier of Wellness

Based on her bestselling book, High-Octane Brain: 5 Science-Based Steps to Sharpen Your Memory and Reduce Your Risk of Alzheimer’s, Dr. Michelle Braun, a Yale- and Harvard- trained neuropsychologist and national leader in the field of cognitive health introduced a cognitive fitness intervention to YMCA clients, High-Octane Brain & Train. Learn how YMCA staff contributed to the launch of this first-of-its-kind program, how participants benefitted from High-Octane Brain & Train, and why optimizing cognitive functioning through cognitive + physical exercise is the next frontier of wellness.

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Josh Copeland
The Importance of Putting Yourself First

In this presentation, we will delve into the significance of self-care and recharging as a professional. With age, we tend to deprioritize ourselves and neglect our well-being. Despite the multitude of responsibilities as adults, it's crucial to realize that by neglecting ourselves, we are neglecting the very person who drives everything. Join us as we explore the importance of prioritizing self-care, nurturing our mental health, and making ourselves a priority.

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Nancy Gregson, YMCA of the North
Accelerating Revenue & Improving Retention

Do we need a sales culture? In a world where the word “Sales” can have some negative views, we will examine how to build a culture of relationship selling, cross promotion of programs and services and techniques for your member services teams to drive revenue and member retention.

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Kristin Bock, Body Language Blueprints
Cultivating Charisma

At the core of building executive presence is your charisma—that “something special” that draws others to you, and makes them eager to trust you. Even if you’re not a “natural born leader”, you can build your executive presence by cultivating your charisma. A foundational approach to executive presence training, this interactive session illustrates the nonverbal keys of influence and how they affect the way others perceive you, your warmth, your competence, and your ability to lead. Get ready to go from “meh” to “memorable”. Get ready to cultivate your charisma!

• Build charisma (aka influence)

• Build connection and trust with others

• Recognize the nonverbal cues you are sending and receiving

• Show empathy

• Be influential, engaging, relatable

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Justin Syndor, Professor, UW-Madison
Putting Artificial Intelligence to Work

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, like ChatGPT, become more common, it is important to think about how to make these new technologies an opportunity rather than a threat to your work. This session will provide a basic introduction to AI and will discuss some ways in which you can start using AI to improve your work and efficiency. We will also discuss some limitations and pitfalls of these tools that new users need to be aware of.

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Kimera Way, UW-Eau Claire Foundation
Leveling Up Relationships - Developing Resources without using the "F" Word

You hate dialing for dollars and selling raffle tickets, so how do you build lasting relationships with people and organizations that lead to sustainable resources to support your programming and operations? This session will provide a primer on how to rethink the resource generation model without going right to “I don’t want to ask people for money.” This will focus the importance of telling your story, building and stewarding relationships and focusing on those who benefit most from the great work you do.

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Tour of the Eau Claire South YMCA

Jump in a van and head down the road to tour the Eau Claire South YMCA. Check out the pool, fitness center, Child Watch, and more!

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YMCA of the Chippewa Valley Locations - click here:
  • Eau Claire South YMCA: Located within walking distance from the Metropolis at 3225 Lorch Ave, Eau Claire
  • Eau Claire Downtown YMCA: 700 Graham Ave, Eau Claire
  • Chippewa Falls YMCA: Located 25 minutes north of the Metropolis, 611 Jefferson Ave, Chippewa Falls
  • L.E. Phillips YMCA Sports Center: 3456 Craig Rd, Eau Claire
  • John & Fay Menard YMCA Tennis Center: 1260 Menominee St, Eau Claire
Friday morning workouts!
Join us Friday morning at the Eau Claire South YMCA, just steps from the Metropolis. At 6:15 am two classes will be offered - yoga and strength. No cost to attend. Save your spot during event registration. If you have already registered but want to be added to the fitness class roster, please email julia.

 

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2024 New Y Leader Program information:

  • The final NYL session will be held on Thursday, October 3 at the Eau Claire Downtown YMCA in their Community room. (Please note there are stairs but no elevator.)
  • Check in-starts at 8:45 am. Program runs until 3:00 pm that afternoon.
  • NYL Participants should still register for the YPN Rally the following day at this link. A discount will be automatically applied when you select that are you are part of the program.
  • Rain or Shine! Wear comfortable clothes and shoes, as you will be walking around downtown.
  • Any questions ask John Hummitzsch

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EVENT FAQs

This conference is for all staff, volunteers, and sponsors from the Upper Midwest Alliance of YMCA's - Minnesota, Wisconsin, and U.P. Michigan. 

Thursday, October 3 is for association leadership and board volunteers. The morning features a keynote speaker, Pam Liebe and breakout sessions. The afternoon is dedicated to updates and smaller discussion groups.

Friday, October 4 is sponsored and organized by the YMCA Professional Network (YPN) chapters of our region. Association leadership, program and membership leadership, and any full-time supervisory staff have the opportunity to network and connect. The morning will feature keynote speaker Kristin Bock and breakout sessions. The afternoon allows Peer Community groups to meet in person from about 12:30-3:30 pm.

Yes! Click here to be directed to a real-time registrant list.

Conference attire is casual. Dress in layers as some rooms might be cooler or warmer. On Friday, the conference will be held in two separate buildings, so wear comfortable shoes to get back and forth to where you need. If you plan to use the water park pack a swimsuit; if you plan to play at the Metropolis, wear comfortable clothes to jump around in!

Thursday, October 3:

7:30 am: Registration & Check In
8:30 am: Morning Session & Keynote
10:30 am: Breakout Session 1
11:30 am: Breakout Session 2
12:30 pm: Lunch
1:30 pm: Afternoon Session
2:30 pm: CEO & Non-CEO Breakouts

Friday, October 4:

7:45 am: Registration & Check In
8:45 am: Morning Session & Keynote
10:30 am: Breakout Session 1
11:30 am: Breakout Session 2
12:30 pm: Lunch
1:30 pm: Peer Community Breakouts

You are not required to reserve a hotel. Attendees are welcome to drive into the conference that morning and go back home after the last session.

We will once again offer Y-USA trainings in conjunction with this year's conference!

  • Project Management: October 2, $85, click here to register in LCDC.
  • Allyship in Action: LOW ENROLLMENT, CANCELLED!
  • LiveStrong at the YMCA Instructor: October 2 & 3, $145, click here to register in LCDC.

There is ample parking around the Metropolis on both the north and south sides of the facility. The main entrance to the conference is on the north side facing the interstate. There is no cost to park.

If you arrive on Friday, we will start the day at Florian Gardens, which is to the west of Metropolis. Both buildings are directly next to each other and parking is available at both facilities.

  • You are welcome to bring your laptop to access resources from your local Y  or speaker referenced materials.
  • Business cards.
  • A light jacket or cardigan. Some rooms may be chilly and we cannot adjust the temperature.
  • The Metropolis is a fun atmosphere, so bring your swimsuit if you plan to swim, or comfortable clothes if you plan to play in the park.
  • Dress code for conference sessions is casual.
  • Your family is welcome to join you and enjoy the amenities of the park!

Julia Wohlt, VP of Alliance Operations
jwohlt@uppermidwestymcas.org
920-882-3663

The New Y Leader Program will hold it's 4th session on Thursday, October 3 at the Downtown Eau Claire YMCA in their Community Room. Program will run 8:45 am-3:30 pm. Your contact is John Hummitzsch (jhummitzsch@glcymca.org).

Please still register for the YPN Staff Rally on Friday!! When you select that you are part of NYL your Friday conference fee will be discounted. Hotel and mileage are not included in any discounts.

The Metropolis does not have a fitness center (unless you count jumping on trampolines!), however the Eau Claire South YMCA is less than a quarter mile up the road. There will be two Friday morning fitness classes for our event held at 6:15 am at that YMCA - yoga and strength training.