A group of 23 team members from 13 of our houses, our Northland administrative staff, and customized services attended the ARRM Forward Annual Conference, this past Tuesday and Wednesday at Mystic Lake Conference Center. This conference is the largest educational event in Minnesota dedicated to developing and supporting direct support professionals, supervisors, managers, and organizational leaders. The conference brought together hundreds of professionals from across the state to share ideas, build connections, and learn innovative approaches to supporting people with disabilities. [arrm.org]
Throughout the conference, attendees participated in educational sessions, connected with peers from across the industry, and gained valuable insights they can bring back to their teams and the people they support. The experience provided an opportunity to strengthen professional development, celebrate the important work happening throughout our organization, and reaffirm our commitment to providing high-quality services.
One of the highlights of the event was the opportunity to recognize outstanding members of our team. We were proud to celebrate three ARRM Cares Award finalists, Heidi Casey from 3801, Nadia Gatiglo from Southcrest, and George Gongera from Inndale. Their dedication, compassion, and commitment to excellence reflect the very best of our mission and values. Being recognized in this way is a testament to the positive impact our employees make every day in the lives of the people we support.
Another highlight, they had puppy therapy, AKA a puppy pile, for guests to enjoy. Who doesn’t love a puppy cuddle in between sessions? Not sure if any were adopted, but they sure were cute!
Thank you to everyone who represented our organization at the conference and helped make the experience meaningful. We are grateful for the enthusiasm, professionalism, and leadership demonstrated by all attendees and congratulate our ARRM Cares Award finalists on this well-deserved recognition.
Stay tuned to see if Heidi, Nadia or George will win. ARRM makes the announcement during DSP Week celebrations September 13-19. Fingers crossed, we get a winner!
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