Abstract
lam very excited that our 39th annual convention will be in Raleigh, North Carolina! It has been quite a few years since my last visit during my tenure as AFA's Southeastern Regional Director.
The conference begins on Wednesday, August 7th, with our annual House of Delegates (HOD) meeting and, at its conclusion around 11:30 a.m., we will travel to the Sylvan Heights Bird Park for an exceptional experience that no one should miss. In addition, we have some interesting new events planned for Wednesday evening for your enjoyment. Be sure to check our
website or our official Facebook page for more details. Thursday, Friday and Saturday are filled with speakers and activities guaranteed to be entertaining and educational, beginning with a very special keynote address by Mr. Mark Hagen.
We conclude the festivities with our banquet and silent auction on Saturday night and then, on Sunday, have an extra trip planned to the new North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. I can hardly wait to see the dinosaur exhibit and so much more, including the extinct Carolina parakeet skins. I really enjoyed extending my stay last year in San Antonio to visit SeaWorld, an experience never to be forgotten.
Our annual conference is a great way to get back in touch with new and old friends alike. It does not matter what species you own. It does not matter if you are a breeder, pet owner, conservationist, veterinarian, or are involved in rehoming/sanctuary or some other aspect of the bird keeping. We share a bond that does not need an explanation and a passion that will never die.
I look forward to meeting all the first timers and veterans alike.
In friendship, NancySpeed