AOTA Grassroots Members Attend Convention

We were lucky enough to get some extrta credentials and tickets that allowed some AOTA members to participate in some of the Democratic National Convention activities. We put out a call for interest and ended up having so many people respond that we had a drawing to find winners to attend events. Here are their comments about the experience.




I was afforded the most incredible opportunity ever by AOTA! I would put the experience up there as one of the most exciting lifetime experiences. The air was electric in the Pepsi Center in Denver. To see and hear all the special speakers I have followed for years and to be there for President Clinton’s captivating speech was amazing. The event was topped off by hearing Joe Biden and when Barack Obama came on the floor the excitement overflowed. I also had the opportunity along with Chris and Amy to go to a special event before and after getting into the Convention. We promoted the profession by meeting and thanking Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and giving him the AOTA brochure Grip and Grin on handshaking tips. Thank you AOTA and thanks for all you do to help the profession!


Ruth Berenbeim, M.Ed/CT, OTR





Just wanted to say thank you for allowing me to attend Senator Obama's acceptance ceremony at the DNC on Thursday. The crowd and evening was so well planned and Amy did a great job at getting us to Invesco and getting good seats. The cheers, music, speakers and fireworks made for a very loud but motivating evening. Obama addressed many issues that are on my mind. The recent events in my life that are so impacted by the current state of the economy here in Colorado and the USA were addressed briefly. I too have been recently laid off from the hospital I worked for. The hospital said they were in financial trouble and decided to eliminate the Pediatric Rehab Department. That left me and the other OT, speech therapists and physical therapists without a job and many families without the needed therapies for their children. Obama talked a lot about health care reform and the poor state of the economy. He had several ordinary people talk about their difficulties with finding jobs, paying their bills, losing their retirement money and not having enough health care. These people got more applauds then the politicians.




In talking with Amy, she did a great job of networking and getting the word out about the need and benefits of occupational therapy. Professionally I see how the medical and educational services for children with special needs are being eliminated or cutback continually and this is scary. The politicians need to know what is happening to the children in our country. The children of our country deserve more respect and I hope if the words of the politicians on Thursday can be implemented, OT and the lives of the people we work so hard to help will change for the better. Thank you once again.


Jackie Murphy OTR