Last Chance to Register for the Fall Michigan Family Support Council Conference

By Sheila Waldrop, President, Michigan Family Support Council

Boyne Mountain Resort, fall conference site.

There are a couple important changes to note for the 36th Annual Fall Michigan Family Support Council (MFSC) Conference:

1. This year the conference is being held at Boyne Mountain (1 Boyne Mountain Rd, Boyne Falls, MI 49713). In recent years the conference was held at nearby Boyne Highlands in Harbor Springs.
2. The Conference dates are a couple weeks later this year:  Wednesday, October 17 – Friday, October 19.  Register by October 1 to receive the registration discount.

Conference Agenda

This year’s Conference features:

Reverend Dr. Oleksa

• Reverend Dr. Michael James Oleksa as Plenary Speaker. He will be speaking on how cultures influence the way we understand each other and how to deal with this in a reasonable and appropriate way. Reverend Dr. Oleksa spent the last 35 years in Alaska, serving as village priest, university professor, consultant on intercultural relations and communications, and authoring several books on Alaska Native cultures and history. A 1969 graduate of Georgetown University and of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, he earned his doctoral degree in Presov, Slovakia, in 1988. The recipient of numerous awards from local, state and federal agencies, and the Alaska Federation of Natives, Father Oleksa has taught at the University of Alaska and at Alaska Pacific University.
• Guest speakers include MDHHS IV-D Director, Erin Frisch and SCAO FOCB Director, Steven Capps.
• Over 40 workshop sessions! Choose from topics ranging from the child support calculator, intergovernmental casework, leadership, and custody and parenting time, among many others. The Conference opens on Wednesday, October 17, with the first session of workshops that afternoon. Take a peek at the full Conference agenda here and start planning your conference schedule.
• Fun activities keep you busy between workshop sessions and after dinner, including a golf outing on Tuesday, October 16 (register by August 31), dancing, a photo booth, a coloring contest, euchre, and a silent auction.

Silent Auction for Charity

Part of the excitement of the Fall Conference is the annual silent auction of items generously donated by various businesses, organizations, groups, and individuals. Proceeds from the auction are awarded to a charitable children’s organization chosen by the MFSC and to support MFSC's Scholarship Program for the Conference. For 2018, the MFSC chose Bay Cliff Health Camp for the silent auction charity. Bay Cliff is a year-round, nonprofit therapy and wellness center for children and adults with physical disabilities.

Awards Program

Maybe you read about last year’s award recipients in the Winter 2017 edition of Pundit. Since 1992, the MFSC has presented awards to recognize outstanding contributions from Michigan child support professionals. A committee selects individuals and/or programs from the nominees submitted each year. Nominations for 2018 awards were due by September 2, 2018. You can submit a nomination for 2019 using the MFSC Award Nomination Form.

Scholarships & Volunteering

If the Conference cost is an issue, apply for a Conference scholarship by completing and submitting the online MFSC Scholarship Application form. For questions only, contact the MFSC Scholarship Chair at scholarships@mifsc.org. Note that all scholarship recipients are obligated to volunteer at the Conference.

The MFSC is a nonprofit organization that is managed solely by dedicated volunteers. If you would like to volunteer to help at this year’s Fall Conference, please click the SignUpGenius links below. For questions, contact Amy Gilmore at GilmoreA2@michigan.gov.

• Volunteer to help with Conference registration
• Volunteer to help with the Conference Silent Auction

The MFSC's mission is supporting, protecting, and promoting the rights of minor children by providing information and services to those officials responsible for the investigation and recommendation of custody, parenting time, and the establishment and collection of child support. If you are interested in joining MFSC, contact our Regional Council that covers your county or our State Board.