Come on in…the water is fine!

I hope that you all have had an opportunity to enjoy some of what summer in South Florida has to offer. Sunny days, trips to the beach, time with family and friends, and, at least at my house, popsicles and trips to the pool! FATA has utilized these summer months as many of you have, to spend time with our children and enjoy the weather. We have also used them to rejuvenate and re-focus on the remainder of the year and ensuring that we provide valuable activities for you our members. So here are some highlights to look for in the months ahead.

As promised, FATA is planning a day of art making. No agenda, no fees, no lectures or CECs, just art glorious art! This is our first ever event of this kind and we encourage you to come out and connect, make your own art, or collaborate with your peers. We have secured an art studio at Barry University, a location that we hope will be convenient for all those in the South Florida area. We are working on a location for the central and/or northern part of the state and will send out an email blast with details as soon as they are available. Pencil us in for a weekend afternoon in September! President FATA

We are also working to communicate more regularly with you, our members, by scheduling monthly e-mail blasts that will include updates on events and items of interest. It takes donations of time and energy to build a board that has the ability to provide you with these types of events and information. I celebrate the increase in the number of filled board positions that has been building slowly!

Thank you to long standing members like Craig (Treasurer, Former President) and Lisa (Secretary, Former President), and to new energy like Sonia (Websmaster) and Merrilee (Membership). I also appreciate the specific type of support received from members like Stephanie (Historian) and Mercedes (Ethics). Did you know that nearly 61 million Americans volunteered in their communities in 2007 giving 8.1 billion hours of service worth more than $158 billion to America's communities?

By volunteering you can:
-Learn or develop a new skill
-Be part of your community
-Feel a sense of achievement
-Boost career options
-Try new interests and hobbies
- Have new experiences
- Meet new people

These benefits hold true no matter what type of volunteer work you decide to undertake. I am hoping that at least some of you reading this are already volunteers…KUDOS to you! I also hope that some of you will read this and consider how volunteering with FATA can enrich your personal and professional life.

In my case, FATA has led me to meet professionals across the state who have shared techniques, insights, and even job referrals. I have forged friendships and developed organizational and leadership skills (ok, I am still working on the “organizational”). I encourage you to jump in with both feet, arms outstretched, and accept our invitation to come on in…trust me, the water is fine!

Raquel Farrell-Kirk, ATR

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The FATA Mission Statement

The Florida Art Therapy Association is dedicated to providing education, professional development, training, and political action for its members. Further, FATA will pursue the highest Professional and ethical standards to protect the public for which it serves.