INANE 2014 is Underway!

Posted on August 3, 2014 by Leslie

Good evening friends,

INANE 2014 is underway! This afternoon I arrived at the Regency and met up with the members of the planning committee. We unpacked boxes, filled LL Bean bags with great treats and got ready for registration.

Registration was supposed to begin at 5 pm but looking at the stats on zKipster, we had already registered 5 people before we even officially opened! As of right now 75 out of 183 people have registered (the latter number includes guests)–about 41%!

We’ll be opening registration at 8 am (or so) tomorrow morning for folks who want to sign in before a Publishers and Editors meeting. There will be at least one person at the registration desk throughout the day.

Raffle tickets are popular! Everyone who sees the one-of-a-kind green L.L. Bean bag filled with great goodies, wants to own it! We have no limit on the number of tickets that will be sold so stop by and buy a ticket or two–without a ticket, you’ll never be a winner. Proceeds benefit the Internet Services Workgroup. The drawing will be on Wednesday morning at breakfast.

The weather report for tomorrow is great–perfect weather for a trolley ride. The rides are included as part of your INANE registration so please make sure to hop on the bus. Trolleys will be leaving from the front of the Regency hotel at 1:30, 1:45, 2:15, 3:30, 3:45 and 4:00. Each trolley holds ~32 people. This will be a fun tour with history of the City of Portland and a visit to Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth. Don’t miss out!

I am off for dinner…I just realized, I didn’t have any lunch and I am hungry! Have fun this evening, everyone, and see you in the morning!

Leslie

Weather, Travel, and Getting Excited!

Posted on August 2, 2014 by Leslie

Happy Saturday Morning everyone!

We are close enough to the conference that I think I can trust the weather widget on my iPad which is predicting sunny with a few clouds and temperatures in the 70s for all three days of INANE. Hooray! Fingers crossed that this prediction holds true. While I enjoy a good rainy day, I wasn’t enjoying the idea of sightseeing on the trolley in fog or worse (although they do have plastic windows that roll down in case there is precipitation).

People are starting to arrive in Maine. I’ve heard from Francie Likis who is up in Bar Harbor right now. Tina Marrelli is visiting friends at their camp in Springvale. Jackie Owens is on the road from Ohio. She arrives in Maine tonight and then tomorrow is taking the train to the Lobster Festival in Rockland. I never knew such a train existed but it sounds like a blast–I am keeping it in mind for a future day trip.

Custom INANE tote with goodies that have been received so far!

The last shipment of L.L. Bean bags arrived on Thursday. They are beautiful! Attendees will have a choice: blue trim with short handles, blue trim with long handles, or red trim. Think about which one you want. And don’t forget the totally unique, one-of-a-kind collectible GREEN bag that will be raffled off. Tickets will be on sale at registration. The winning ticket will be drawn on Wednesday morning. The bag includes lots of great stuff including books by Richard Blanco and Charles Graeber–the winner will be able to have both signed on Wednesday at noon!

The Lobster Bake (Tuesday evening) and Closing Luncheon (Wednesday) are both sold out but there is still room on the bus for Freeport Shopping (Wednesday afternoon). If you are interested in buying a ticket, ask at registration. Cost is $20.

That’s it for now. I look forward to seeing everyone, starting tomorrow. If you have any questions or need more information, please feel free to send me a message. I am here to help!

Leslie

for the planning committee: Peggy Chinn, Margaret Freda, Shawn Kennedy, Lisa Marshall, Jean Proehl, and in memory of our dear colleague, Suzanne Smith

Raffle to Benefit Internet Services Workgroup

Posted on July 16, 2014 by Peggy L Chinn

Hello Friends!

We are just over 2 weeks away from the 2014 INANE conference in beautiful Portland, Maine! But never fear, this blog will continue to be active as the date draws closer. During the conference we will have live bloggers sharing the conference “happenings” right on the spot! However, here is one conference “happening” that you will not see on the program … but it definitely is happening … a raffle to benefit the Internet Services Workgroup!

Custom INANE tote with goodies that have been received so far!

Way back in 2011 in San Francisco, we passed a hat to collect money to support the work of the Internet Services Workgroup. People were very generous but it is time to once again raise some money for the Internet Resources for INANE. We could pass the hat but we decided, instead, to make this a bit more interesting for everyone! We have ordered a very special L.L. Bean Collectible Boat and Tote Bag that will be filled will a variety of incredible donations from very generous people and businesses. The tote bag is one-of-a kind–it will be the only one in existence–with green handles and customized INANE 2014 Logo!! Wow! Who wouldn’t want to win this?

Items that will be tucked inside the bag include:

The Good Nurse by Charles Graeber, donated by the Hachette Book Group ($27)
For All of Us, One Today by Richard Blanco, donated by Beacon Press ($15)
The Anatomy of Writing for Publication for Nurses (2^nd ed.), by Cynthia Saver, donated by the author ($45)
Writing for Publication in Nursing (2^nd ed.) by Marilyn Oermann and Judith Hays, donated by Marilyn Oermann ($55)
On Writing: A Memoir Of The Craft by Maine author Stephen King, donated by Jean Proehl ($19)
A Kindle Paperwhite with a pink Paperwhite cover, donated by Leslie Nicoll ($160)
Kindle Paperwhite for Dummies (2^nd ed.), by Leslie Nicoll, donated by the author ($17)
One year complimentary subscription to Advances in Nursing Science, donated by Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins ($130)
Pack of 4 note cards with illustrations by Maine artist Eric Hopkins, donated by the Planning Committee ($24)
$25.00 L.L. Bean Gift Card, donated by Peggy Chinn ($25)
$25.00 Starbucks Gift Card, donated by Margaret Freda ($25)
$25.00 Amazon Gift Card, donated by Lisa Marshall ($25)
One bottle of wine, donated by Shawn Kennedy ($20)
One jar of homemade strawberry jam, donated by Leslie Nicoll (priceless!)
A whimsical lobster bottle of wine, donated by Jean Proehl (priceless!)
A facsimile of the very first edition of AJN from October 1900, donated by Shawn Kennedy (priceless!)

Total value of the bag and contents: $627 + invaluable priceless items! And between now and August 3rd, when raffle tickets go on sale, we may have a few more donations for the bag. Keep your eyes peeled!

Close up of the custom logo!

Raffle tickets will be on sale at the registration desk for INANE 2014 beginning on August 3rd. The drawing will be held at breakfast on Wednesday, August 6, 2014. The winner (or a designated proxy) must be present to win. Tickets will be $10 each or 3 for $25. As with any raffle, cash is king, so bring along a few ten and five dollar bills to buy a ticket or three and put your name in the basket. Proceeds go to a great cause that benefits all of us and the winner gets a fabulous prize!

With this, I remain your very excited INANE 2014 blogger! Looking forward to seeing everyone in Portland in just a few weeks!

Peggy Chinn

Along with the very enthusiastic Planning Committee members: Leslie Nicoll (chair), Margaret Comerford Freda, Shawn Kennedy, Lisa Marshall, and Jean Proehl