Going Universal - VPPPA Region I Chapter
Going Universal - VPPPA Region I Chapter
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.