The USDLA Member Giveback Week 2021 will provide plenty of virtual activities – learning, social, and healthy – to stay involved!
We understand that many are experiencing “virtual fatigue” – it happens when you are spending up to half your day conferencing in front a computer or mobile device. These activities are meant to be relaxing rather than a mind drain so please plan to join us and see some of the old USDLA family while meeting new friends along the way.
Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner – Due to the virtual nature of the event, all meals are on your own from your home!
Tuesday October 5th – Opening Reception – Join us at 6:15 PM EST for some social interaction virtually! We will welcome conference attendees from around the world and also have live musical entertainment to provide some food for the soul.
Wednesday October 6th – Morning Yoga – The origins of yoga have been speculated to date back to pre-Vedic Indian traditions; it is mentioned in the Rigveda, but most likely developed around the sixth and fifth centuries BCE, in ancient India’s ascetic and śramaṇa movements.
The purpose of yoga is to build strength, awareness and harmony in both the mind and body. While there are more than 100 different types, or schools, of yoga, most sessions typically include breathing exercises, meditation, and assuming postures (sometimes called asana or poses) that stretch and flex various muscle groups. Join us for a morning class to prepare yourself for an amazing day of learning.
Wednesday October 7th – Virtual Dinner Time Extras – We will have several virtual rooms available to interact with your fellow conference attendees and experts in several industries. Join us on Wednesday between 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM at the following locations:
- Micro Credentialing Virtual Room
- Gamefication Virtual Room
- AI Technology Room
Thursday October 8th – Sunrise Walk/Run
Perhaps you’ve heard the USDLA is tight knit family. That is especially true of our annual national conference. While we can’t all be together physically this year, we do want to carry on a tradition that is near and dear to our hearts. Please go for a morning walk, jog, run or even a bicycle ride to help us celebrate a life lost far too early.
Over ten years ago USDLA started an optional Sunrise Run as part of our annual conference. It’s an opportunity to exercise parts of your body that might otherwise not get a workout attending workshops and hearing high-powered speakers. Just as important, though, it’s a great opportunity for you to connect with your colleagues in a very casual setting. Since those early days our Sunrise Run has been named the Bill Jackson Memorial Sunrise Run to honor a beloved friend and active USDLA leader who was the Association’s president at the time of his passing. The run has a physical element to it, though most of the participants regard it as more of a social event than an athletic event – and certainly not a contest! We typically jog (or walk) about three miles and try when possible to include scenery or local points of interest. This year we will have a virtual option – and you can choose your own route for 15 minutes worth of healthy exercise in your neck of the woods.
We will start our Sunrise Walk/Run with a quick ZOOM stretch and our traditional banner photo start. This year our Sunrise Run will take place on Thursday October 8th @ 5:30am – 6:30am PDT / 6:30am – 7:30am MDT / 7:30am – 8:30am CDT / 8:30am – 9:30am EDT. We will begin promptly @ 8:30am EDT in our ZOOM Room. Our finish line will take place 30 minutes later when you ZOOM back into our Zoom Room!
We will be sharing in real time on Facebook LIVE and look forward to sharing photographs and videoclips of your adventures!
The rest of our day will be spent learning from a community that is broader than our own!
