57th Annual Community Living Ontario Conference & AGM

From May 25 to 29, 2010 I once again had the pleasure of working at the 57th Annual Community Living Ontario Conference and AGM. DotCom Your Event was involved in both the management of the conference as well as the online registration for all of the 450 attendees and speakers.

Community Living Ontario is a non-profit, provincial association that advocates for people who have an intellectual disability to be fully included in all aspects of community life. The goal of Community Living Ontario is: That all persons live in a state of dignity, share in all elements of living in the community, and have the opportunity to participate effectively. Community Living Ontario envisions a society where people who have an intellectual disability belong and feel respected.

As a provincial association Community Living Ontario:

• has over 12,000 members across the province
• represents 117 local Community Living associations across Ontario

The first time we were involved with Community Living Ontario was back in 2006 when the conference was held in Sioux Lookout in Northern Ontario.  This was a unique experience as most conferences are not held in a small town like Sioux Lookout, which totals 3000 people and sits northeast of Kenora and northwest of Thunder Bay. To my delight, the town rallied around the conference and turned out to be the perfect hosts.

Over the past five years, I have felt privileged to have had the opportunity to work with the people at Community Living Ontario, their local associations and the self-advocates that they support. I have got to know, at least by name and by face, many of the regular attendees to the conference. I have learned a great deal about the individuals in our communities that care so much about others who are less fortunate than ourselves. It has been a real eye-opener for me and I feel that it has made me a better person.

This year’s conference was held in Richmond Hill, Ontario, just north of Toronto. It was a great success once again. Many of the topics that are presented and discussed are provocative and important to our society and the way we treat and view others.

You can read more about the conference at http://www.communitylivingontario.ca/news-events/news/citizenship/full-inclusion-all-citizens-main-theme-57th-annual-conference and follow Community Living on Twitter.