Let's Plan a Lap Band Forum Get Together!

[bandgroupie]

In another post we were showing our love for Lori, patient care coordinator, and conversation led to hoping to meet Lori one day to possibly planning a get together for the forum members. I know each of us made friends during our banding experience and we will definitely keep up with them and probably return for fills together. But let's think larger than that. Let's face it, we've all benefited from this forum and from those whom we have not had the opportunity to meet. Let's plan a get together that would allow each and every one of our members to attend.

I would suggest San Diego so we can invite the physicians and staff of the Obesity Control Center to attend/participate.

We need to plan ahead, get dates for sometime in first quarter of 2009. This would allow the members (and their families if applicable) to start saving for the trip and will allow us to come up with a great line up of activities.

Speaking of activities. We can turn this into a great meeting not only meeting other members but have fun activites planned as well as informational speakers.

There's a lot of talent in our group of members and we've already seen much success. Hopefully early 2009, many others will have shared some of the success as well. We have registered nurses, hair stylists, aerobics instructors and more on our forum!

My thought would be to schedule a get together beginning on on a Friday with the first activity at Noon to allow people to fly in the night before or that morning. With planned activities and a group casual dinner that Friday, some more activities planned for Saturday, and a formal dinner Saturday night, we're sure to have a good time! Sunday would be a free day - fly home early or later.

Obviously, if we are having a meeting/seminar, we will need a meeting room. Any one have connections in San Diego that could get us a deal on rooms and the meeting room? We'll need to charge a small registration fee to pay for the meals and meeting room. We'll need to arrange for some motivational and informative speakers, etc.

We can get some manufacturers of products we all use and love to donate either products or gift certificates for give aways/door prizes.

We'll need to pick a date. We'll need a theme. We can ask Dr. Ortiz if we can call our get together/meeting LAP BAND FOR LIFE....

We need a committee of about 10 people for starters and will need everybody's participation and ideas! One member of the committee should be an OCC staff member and I'd suggest that be Lori.

COME ON BANDERS! What do you think!????

I'll volunteer to be on the committee and will definitely be at the get together. Who else is willing to serve on the committee?

We need your talents! Tell us what you are willing to do!

Lori, let us know when in Feb-March-April 2009 would be the best weekend for the OCC staff to participate. We would love all OCC staff to attend the formal dinner with us. Give us a few weekends to work with and we'll poll the members.

IDEAS?

TALENTS?

SPEAKERS?

Again, this is where it all begins, it's up to us to make it happen.

[calicat]

I'm so in!!! I'll help organize if you need help.

Great idea =D>

[bandgroupie]

LAP BAND FOR LIFE

Lap Band Forum Get Together

2009

Initial Committee Members:

1. bandgroupie
   
2. calicat
   
3. Lori (OCC Liason)
   
4. Cortaylu (San Diego - accommodations)
   
5. The Redhead
   
6. Dontondan
   
7. Evette
   
8. MamaMichelle
   
9. Hanna
   
10. 
    

We need everyone to participate!!!!!!

Motivational Speakers?

1. Maytee (Salon and day spa owner offering tips on skin care, makeup and how to update your look)

Activities?

1. Paula Bee (Scrapbooking ideas for your weight loss journal)

2. Jena (cooking and nutrition)

Informational Speakers?

Dinner ideas?

Themes?

Door Prizes?

Videographer?

Photographer - Mona-Camille

[Cortaylu]

In another post we were showing our love for Lori, patient care coordinator, and conversation led to hoping to meet Lori one day to possibly planning a get together for the forum members. I know each of us made friends during our banding experience and we will definitely keep up with them and probably return for fills together. But let's think larger than that. Let's face it, we've all benefited from this forum and from those whom we have not had the opportunity to meet. Let's plan a get together that would allow each and every one of our members to attend.

I would suggest San Diego so we can invite the physicians and staff of the Obesity Control Center to attend/participate.

We need to plan ahead, get dates for sometime in first quarter of 2009. This would allow the members (and their families if applicable) to start saving for the trip and will allow us to come up with a great line up of activities.

Speaking of activities. We can turn this into a great meeting not only meeting other members but have fun activites planned as well as informational speakers.

There's a lot of talent in our group of members and we've already seen much success. Hopefully early 2009, many others will have shared some of the success as well. We have registered nurses, hair stylists, aerobics instructors and more on our forum!

My thought would be to schedule a get together beginning on on a Friday with the first activity at Noon to allow people to fly in the night before or that morning. With planned activities and a group casual dinner that Friday, some more activities planned for Saturday, and a formal dinner Saturday night, we're sure to have a good time! Sunday would be a free day - fly home early or later.

Obviously, if we are having a meeting/seminar, we will need a meeting room. Any one have connections in San Diego that could get us a deal on rooms and the meeting room? We'll need to charge a small registration fee to pay for the meals and meeting room. We'll need to arrange for some motivational and informative speakers, etc.

We can get some manufacturers of products we all use and love to donate either products or gift certificates for give aways/door prizes.

We'll need to pick a date. We'll need a theme. We can ask Dr. Ortiz if we can call our get together/meeting LAP BAND FOR LIFE....

We need a committee of about 10 people for starters and will need everybody's participation and ideas! One member of the committee should be an OCC staff member and I'd suggest that be Lori.

COME ON BANDERS! What do you think!????

I'll volunteer to be on the committee and will definitely be at the get together. Who else is willing to serve on the committee?

We need your talents! Tell us what you are willing to do!

Lori, let us know when in Feb-March-April 2009 would be the best weekend for the OCC staff to participate. We would love all OCC staff to attend the formal dinner with us. Give us a few weekends to work with and we'll poll the members.

IDEAS?

TALENTS?

SPEAKERS?

Again, this is where it all begins, it's up to us to make it happen.

I live in San Diego and can help look at locations!

[bandgroupie]

Cortaylu,

GREAT! Let's start with 50 being our number and we can go from there!

Thanks

I live in San Diego and can help look at locations!

[Dolittle]

What happen to God4me's idea about a Vegas get together?? Is that idea history and is the idea of having a band forum get together in San Diego now the plan? Or is there going to be 2 get togethers??

[Paula Bee]

I would love to come, and that is plenty of time to for us to plan a vacation (and save up for it.)

I am so far away, and I don't know if I have any skills to help in the areas of planning.

I will ponder on the thought and see if a trickle of creativity comes to me.

[bandgroupie]

I may have missed god4me's post about a get together. I may remember something but assumed it was for her local support group.

God4Me, let's talk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What happen to God4me's idea about a Vegas get together?? Is that idea history and is the idea of having a band forum get together in San Diego now the plan? Or is there going to be 2 get togethers??

[nothereanymore]

I'll go where ever - just let me know the date and place! I like Vegas because I've heard that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, and if we're going to get a bunch of lap band girls together it may get a little bit crazy, but I also like the idea of seeing the doctors - so you two talk and let us know what you decide.

[The Redhead]

I'm in! And I'll help organize if you need more help.

[MamaMichelle]

I also second the vegas idea as the 2/28 bandsters have already been planning a vegas reunion at the end of FEB 2009. I live in Vegas and fellow Dr Ortiz bandster LadyRebel (http://www.lapbandforum.com/index.php?showuser=11396) works as a convention/meeting planner in one of the largest hotel chains so if we wanted to go big with guest speakers and the works that would be the best way.

Here is the schedule from a similar get together held by the members of another board:

Friday, May 2:

4:30 – 5:30PM Check-In and On-Site Registration

5:30 – 6:30PM Participant Meet & Greet

6:30 – Dinner and Speaker

Timing, Expectations and the Art of Body Contouring

Speaker: Peter J. Capizzi, MD, FACS

9:00PM Activities End – Personal Time

Saturday, May 3:

6:30 – 7:30AM Group Exercise Session with Annie Lee

8:00AM Breakfast – (on your own, protein samples available at general session)

9:00AM General Sessions

Calories In vs. Calories Out – Putting Your Tool to Work

Speaker: David C. Voellinger, MD, FACS

10:00AM Break – Water/Stretch/Restroom

10:15AM Session 1 – Break Out Groups

Track A: Consumption Assumption

Speaker: Heather Mackie, MS, RD, LDN

Track B: A Thyroid Problem Doesn’t Make You Pick-up Chocolate Cake

Speakers: Lin Hanley, ACSW, LCSW and Cleo Caldwell, RN

Track C: I Don’t Have 15 Minutes to Exercise - But I Do for the Drive-Thru!

Speaker: Annie Lee, MS

11:30AM Lunch – Slide Show

1:00PM Session 2 – Break Out Groups for Track A, B, C

2:00PM Break – Water/Stretch/Restroom

2:15PM Session 3 – Break Out Groups for Track A, B, C

3:15PM Break – Water/Stretch/Restroom

3:30PM Gender Specific Sessions – "It" Wasn’t an Issue Until I had Weight Loss Surgery

Speakers: Kendra Kirby, MSW, P-LCSW and Jeff Lorence, MA, LPA

4:30PM Personal Time to Explore Charlotte, NC

6:30PM Dinner and Speaker

Do You Have a "Fat" Personality?

Keynote Speaker: Katie Jay – Director, National Association for WLS

9:00PM Activities End – Personal Time

Sunday, May 4:

6:30 – 7:30AM Group Exercise Session with Annie Lee

8:00AM Breakfast – (on your own, protein samples available at general session)

9:00AM General Session

Getting Back on the Wagon

Speaker: David C. Voellinger, MD, FACS

9:45AM Break – Water/Stretch/Restroom

10:00AM General Session – The Role of Medical Management after Weight Loss Surgery

11:00AM General Session –

What Did I Come With & What Will I Leave With?

12:00PM Wrap-Up/Evaluations/End of Conference

12:30PM Check-Out – Safe Travels

I can get the contact info for any of these speakers if we'd like them to speak at our event.

[MamaMichelle]

This is what the flyer about their event said:

Join the ever-growing community of lap band patients as we come together for a

weekend of education, motivation, support, and socializing! We have a fantastic

line-up of speakers that includes lap band surgeons, plastic surgeons, physical

fitness experts, nutritional experts, and psychologists whose lap band specific

topics will empower bandsters with what it takes to lead a healthy, happy, and

successful bandster lifestyle. Perfect for all who are banded or hope to be banded!

Early registration: $100 per person or $175 per couple

Registration at the door: $150 per person

Early registration ends April 16th

Registration includes admission to all workshops as well as

Friday and Saturday Evening Dinners and Saturday Afternoon Lunch

[Dontondan]

This sounds like fantastic fun! I am in, don't know how I could help, but would love to help out in some way. Either place sounds great, but Vegas would be a lot of fun and pretty easy and inexpensive to fly to.

Donna

[bandgroupie]

I agree Vegas is the ideal fun spot but do we want to have OCC involved? If we want the doctors and staff to attend and even possibly be keynote speakers, then we'd have to consider San Diego. OCC is or will largely be responsible for our success.

I'll do a poll! we need to correct the poll to say Las Vegas, Nevada, SORRY!

This sounds like fantastic fun! I am in, don't know how I could help, but would love to help out in some way. Either place sounds great, but Vegas would be a lot of fun and pretty easy and inexpensive to fly to.

Donna

[bandgroupie]

Ok, here's a quick poll to get things started. Vote where you would like to see a get together of the lap band forum members held.

I agree Vegas is the ideal fun spot but do we want to have OCC involved? If we want the doctors and staff to attend and even possibly be keynote speakers, then we'd have to consider San Diego. OCC is or will largely be responsible for our success.

I'll do a poll!

[Maytee]

I am in too!!! I am a Salon and Day spa owner. I could talk about skincare, make-up, how to change your look.

I think getting together with guest speakers and workshops would be awesome!

Maytee =D>

[MamaMichelle]

Well we all know that the OCC does 6-8 surgeries every day 6 days a week, if Dr. Ortiz was able to attend I imagine it would be on a Sunday when he's not working or else when Dr. Martinez is on rotation for him.

I think the real question is do we want to make this a organized conference with speakers and a schedule similar to the one above?

Or a social non structured event with more causal get-togethers planned over the course of a weekend.

[Dontondan]

I like the idea of both, a conference, but maybe with a social time included. Maybe get in contact with OCC and see if they want to participate or not. I think it would be nice to have some speakers to discuss types of self improvement, tummy tucks, plastic surgery, as well as the physical aspects such as exercise for specific problem areas that we suffer from. Maybe some mind, body, spirit talks thrown in to boot!

[bandgroupie]

Lori thought that Dr. O might even attend if we had the get together in San Diego.

I don't have any personal preference. It's a long flight for me no matter where and tickets about the same. I don't have any personal interest here.

Our group of bandsters have planned a get together for next year as well. We're all going to the Kentucky Derby but this is our opportunity to include everybody from near or far!

Everything is good

I like the idea of both, a conference, but maybe with a social time included. Maybe get in contact with OCC and see if they want to participate or not. I think it would be nice to have some speakers to discuss types of self improvement, tummy tucks, plastic surgery, as well as the physical aspects such as exercise for specific problem areas that we suffer from. Maybe some mind, body, spirit talks thrown in to boot!

[nothereanymore]

I like the aspect of more social time with the ability for those who would like to attend classes, can. (I have to go to natural health conventions often and I'm actually going to be all about the fun and meeting people to talk on that one on one level....)

But I'll go where ever and look forward to meeting everyone face to face!

LL

[mona-camille]

I vote the loacation most definitely where the OCC staff can attend. We do owe it all to them, so they should be able to come as easy as possible. I'd even go back to Tijuana too!

If no-one else has yet, I'll volunteer to be the photographer!

[mona-camille]

Well we all know that the OCC does 6-8 surgeries every day 6 days a week, if Dr. Ortiz was able to attend I imagine it would be on a Sunday when he's not working or else when Dr. Martinez is on rotation for him.

I think the real question is do we want to make this a organized conference with speakers and a schedule similar to the one above?

Or a social non structured event with more causal get-togethers planned over the course of a weekend.

Well, I think Dr. Martinez should be able to come too!! And they don't do surgeries on Saturday only monday through friday, at least that is what they told me. Saturday is just for fills I think.

I kind of think I prefer to social aspect because beyond that you are talking money to hire speakers and such and I think that might get a little complicated. We'd all have to chip in and that could end up being very expensive.

But, good to get all ideas out there to discuss them and see what we can do.

[BeBe]

I'd only vote for San Diego if it was a definite that Dr. Ortiz would be there - that's the only draw there. Otherwise, I'd have to vote for VEGAAAAS BABY!!! (I have a weakness, and I'll take any excuse I can to go back for some more roulette)

[calicat]

I agree - a lap band convention in Vegas would be fun. But I think this is more of an appreciation for OCC isn't it? I mean, alot of us couldn't have done it without Claudia, Lori, Carolyn, the nurses and of course - the sexy doctors!!! I think if we want to show appreciation for our new lives - we should do it in honor of those who helped make it - and have it in San Diego. I'll attend the bigger lap band convention in Vegas - but I don't feel I'll get to thank OCC there.

Maybe Claudia can actually help schedule the date - she is the master planner after all!!

[Dolittle]

I haven't heard from God4me for awhile.. She had started the ball rolling on an informal get together in Vegas and was going to contact me when she had more members interested. Well it sounds like there's a few interested,, but is this enough interest to organize something like this?? My suggestion would be to start out small and see where it goes in the future. The poll was a good idea, lets see how that goes and go from there. I'll be at the OCC Wednesday and I'll talk to Dr. Ortiz about this idea. I'll keep you posted on what his thoughts are.