It is late January, I am in Syracuse, and the temperature is 3 degrees.  I don’t want to wish time away, but I am already starting to think about Annual Meeting!  This year, we will be meeting in Orlando, Florida - the land of sunshine, pools, Mickey Mouse, and Harry Potter. But from August 6-9, it will be the land of diabetes educators! 

I love the theme of this year’s meeting: Refresh. Recharge. Renew.  When I think about past meetings and talk to others, these are the words I often hear.  The annual meeting is a great way to refresh our knowledge, passion for our work, and ourselves.  We can’t help but recharge when surrounded by so many others (over 3,000) that share the enthusiasm for what we do every day and when we participate in sessions and activities that give us greater knowledge and skills to do our work even better.  And, what a wonderful time to renew friendships (and make new ones), and renew interest in our profession and passion for the work we do.  I was recently talking to our President, Joan Bardsley, and she was so excited about this year’s educational programming with the new focus on a variety of presentations from beginner to expert; something for everyone.

But all isn’t sunshine and fun when we talk about attending annual meeting.  There is a cost involved.  There are registration fees, hotel costs, and travel expenses.  It can be a tough decision; do you go to annual meeting or go on vacation?  This year, the answer can be BOTH!  We are meeting in one of the biggest vacation spots in the world. Orlando is a city that provides the best entertainment and fun for those of all ages.  Orlando has amazing theme parks; great shopping; top notch golf and other outdoor activities; wonderful culture, museums and historical sites; and fun nightlife and entertainment.

I checked out the official conference hotels and found that the price per night starts at only $89!  Stay at one of the official conference hotels and register early to save more money.  There is even a way to do a room share with other attendees. I looked at the headquarter hotel. It has two pools, a lazy river, a spa, and many other amenities for family and friends to enjoy.  To save more money, look for information about awards and scholarships from the AADE Foundation including registration and travel expenses.  Go to the annual meeting pages of the AADE website for discounts on airlines, trains and airport transportation.  I even saw where one coordinating body is organizing travel together on a charter bus.  What a great idea!

If you can’t get to the meeting, don’t worry. The 2014 virtual meeting has expanded with more education hours available and access for a full year.

I found this photo of myself, Patricia Adams and Joan Bardsley from last year’s meeting.  Start saving up; organize with family, friends or colleagues; and join us in Orlando this year to refresh, recharge, and renew!  Hope to see you there.