National Social Services Conference held in Toronto

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Passport to the future: Moving people and programs beyond the borders of the past, a fitting theme for first NSSC held outside the U.S.

by Jeff Curnow – 

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Top: (l-r) Major Dave Hudson, Claire Woods and Gordon Bingham. Above: (l-r) Commissioner W. Todd Bassett, Lt. Colonel Paul Bollwahn, Major Carol Seiler, Gordon Bingham, Steve Allen, Dr. Doug Loisel, executive director of Bell Shelter; Helen Hicks, shelter manager and Commissioner Carol Bassett. Right: Commissioner Christine MacMillan.


The atmosphere was filled with anticipation as more than 700 delegates, presenters and exhibitors representing five territories gathered for the gala opening of the 2006 National Social Services Conference, held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Delegates had the opportunity to meet their counterparts in social services work from around the world as the dinner progressed.

Herbie Kuhn, the voice of the Toronto Raptors professional basketball team, served as MC and displayed a fervent faith in God throughout the evening. The North York Temple Band along with the Central Ontario Divisional Youth Chorus provided a night of excellent music and set the celebratory tone for the conference with a “Gowans and Larsson Tribute.”

The West—Learning and Leading

While the main part of the conference lasted from Saturday, March 25 through Wednesday, March 29, the schedule was packed with site visits, evening sessions, seminars and dinners.

The delegates were able to choose from many topics in the 60 seminars offered during the conference. Many of those presenting seminars were from the West, including Steve Allen, Los Angeles; Gordon Bingham, THQ; Mark Bratman, Southwest DHQ; Anne Calvo, THQ; Major Tim Foley, San Diego; Adam Freer, Robert Gregg and Chris Hogan, all of THQ; Major Neal Hogan, Denver; Dr. Edward Lataille, ARC Command; Nicole Noble, Golden State DHQ; Major Carol Seiler, Southern California DHQ and Captain Philip Smith, San Francisco.


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