After five years of desperately wanting to attend the conferences, and now expos, I finally just told the president that we HAD to go this year. When we brought it up at our next meeting, our treasurer loved the idea and I think I've got a mom, who I would love to see on the PTO board next year, ready to go also. I've kind of sold it as a fun, girls day out where we'll just happen to attend an information packed expo. Now if only we could get Oprah tickets for the same day......LMBO

I'm thinking of going to Columbus, but the car sounds like it's going to be lonely on the drive up and back. I also don't know how to sell it to the others.

Thanks Tim,

I attended one of the first Chicagoland PTO conferences with featured keynote speaker Mark Levin, and took away a TON of great involvement ideas from him that I still use today.

Since I'm now involved at the High School "Booster" level, we are really focusing on more "Adult-oriented" fundraising models for our music department.

I need more propaganda to sell these busy parents to come with me to the show.

Questions:
Will there be a listing of all the vendors that will be at the Chicago show?

Also, since the PTO Conference now has an open format, will there be more details on what the educational sessions will entail?

Will there be ongoing demos of your PTO manager software? We are really interested in the volunteer manager.

We need help with:
Bylaw tune ups - they are outdated, how to FIND grants specific to your mission (ours is Music education), how to get your events in the media, tips on how to write grants, steps on how to become a 501(c)3 - I hear it takes about 18 months.

Thanks again, Tim. Hope to see you again in Chicago!

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Hi Momski -

Will have to look up the links, but re: the schedule and workshops, etc. -- our Expo model is very different from old conference model that you may have attended 3 or more years ago.

The Expo is more akin to a "Home Show" or "Garden Show" that you might have in your city than it is to a Convention or Conference. We've found that that crazy-busy PTO leaders actually prefer the flexibility of come-when-you-want and stay-as-long-as-you-want, as opposed to the more rigid full-day Conference model.

So rather than keynotes and breakouts and sessions, it's more high-energy and flexible. We'll have 75+ Exhibitors in every city... with tons of energy and prizes and demonstrations in the Exhibit Hall. Even works for young kids to come, as many of the demonstrations are school programs designed for kids. We will have our PTO Today experts talking and taking questions throughout the day right in the Hall, but it's a less formal schedule than perhaps you remember.

Another key difference = price. $10 (or less), as opposed to the old $40+.

Hope that helps.

Tim

I have attended your shows years back... and appreciate the value of them, however, this group I'm working with now is very skeptical...

Where on the site does it list all the vendors who will be at the Chicago show? as well as the Agenda for the workshops?

Thanks!

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