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Going Universal - VPPPA Region I Chapter

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This e-version of The Leader is provided courtesy of <strong>VPPPA</strong> for members only. For reprint permission, please contact the editor at Communications@vpppa.org.<br />

VPPPa <strong>Chapter</strong> Round-Up<br />

comPiled by lAurie montAnus >> communicAtions & outreAch coordinAtor, <strong>VPPPA</strong>, inc.<br />

ReGIon I<br />

>> ct, mA, me, nh, ri, Vt<br />

As always “The Best of the Northeast” aka<br />

<strong>VPPPA</strong> <strong>Region</strong> I <strong>Chapter</strong> welcomed the<br />

spring season. While our winter weather<br />

overall wasn’t as “wintry” as normal, after<br />

four months of cold, the 101 VPP sites in<br />

New England covering 58,939 workers<br />

were ready for a warm-up. Spring also<br />

indicated that our much anticipated annual<br />

<strong>Region</strong> I <strong>VPPPA</strong> <strong>Chapter</strong> Conference was<br />

just around the corner.<br />

Our chapter’s conference and exposition<br />

this year was June 14-16, 2010, at the<br />

beautiful Sugarloaf Resort in Carrabassett<br />

Valley, Maine. The <strong>Region</strong> I <strong>VPPPA</strong><br />

<strong>Chapter</strong> Conference is annually “the<br />

Premier Safety and Health Conference in<br />

the New England <strong>Region</strong> focusing on the<br />

Voluntary Protection Programs and VPP<br />

Excellence.” The Conference offered an<br />

overall great value. Once again L.L.Bean<br />

lead our conference sponsorship as a<br />

Platinum level sponsor.<br />

Three pre-conference workshops were held:<br />

VPP Application Workshop ® , Ergonomics<br />

and Strengthening Star Quality. Response to<br />

our Call for Speakers exceeded expectations<br />

and, as a result, four additional breakout<br />

sessions were added to the agenda. The 24<br />

breakout sessions were presented by member<br />

sites, OSHA representatives and vendors/<br />

consultants. John Drebinger was the keynote<br />

speaker and he also be presented a breakout<br />

session. The early vendor response was<br />

encouraging, giving us a full exhibit hall! We<br />

announced our chapter awardees (Mentor<br />

of Year and scholarship winners) at the<br />

Conference Awards Dinner. Due to popular<br />

demand – social networking, entertainment<br />

and wellness events were planned for<br />

the conference. <strong>Chapter</strong> work continues<br />

also in preparation for the 2011 regional<br />

conference, the location of which has not<br />

yet been finalized.<br />

Our first quarter 2010 <strong>Chapter</strong> Meeting<br />

and Meet n’ Greet took place April 1 at<br />

16 the leAder >> sPring 2010<br />

Flexcon Corporation in Spencer, Mass. We<br />

will report on the meeting in the next issue<br />

of The Leader.<br />

Regrettably, our <strong>Region</strong> I <strong>VPPPA</strong> <strong>Chapter</strong><br />

and Board of Directors lost two valuable<br />

members in the first quarter due to job<br />

changes. We will miss General Electric<br />

Co.’s Kimberly Hill, our chapter vice<br />

chair, and L.L.Bean’s Bob McKinley, our<br />

chapter treasurer. We thank them for<br />

their many contributions and wish them<br />

continued success.<br />

Congratulations to the L.L.Bean VPP site<br />

in Freeport, Maine, on their flag raising<br />

ceremony February 20. The groundhog<br />

saw a shadow but it was from the beautiful<br />

VPP flag!<br />

Congratulations also to new VPP sites<br />

Milton Roy, in Acton, Mass., and<br />

Raytheon Tewksbury, Mass..<br />

Mentoring continues throughout the<br />

[ top ] employees at milton roy pose with their<br />

VPP plaque.<br />

[ left ] the milton roy staff celebrates their<br />

VPP star approval.<br />

region and new inquiries of VPP interest<br />

and requests for mentoring are being<br />

received at a steady rate.<br />

An SGE training class was held May 11-13,<br />

2010, at Raytheon in Portsmouth, R.I.<br />

The region continues to urge its members<br />

to contact their elected officials and ask<br />

for their continued support and funding<br />

of VPP and preventing workplace injuries.<br />

Much progress has been made through<br />

VPP and we all need to ensure we continue<br />

the progress going forward.<br />

If you’ve never been to northern New<br />

England, consider joining us for the<br />

<strong>Region</strong> I <strong>VPPPA</strong> <strong>Chapter</strong> Conference and<br />

Exposition. You’ll be glad you did!<br />

contributed by region i board of directors<br />

chairman Jack Popp, hasbro, inc., east long<br />

meadow, mass.

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