Unofficial Rose Parade mascot

October 31, 2013
by Rob

Getting Involved

This past weekend was the Annual Conference for the Occupational Therapy Association of California (OTAC) in Sacramento. There were lots of educational seminars, presidential addresses and opportunities for after-hours mingling. For me, the most enjoyable part was volunteering and working behind the scenes.

Helping with registration and volunteers gave me the opportunity to meet a lot of new practitioners and students. I think it always helps to see a smiling face first thing in the morning. That, and a cup of coffee.

I also have been helping promote OTAC’s effort to get a float representing occupational therapy into the 2017 Rose Parade. This is a nationwide movement, spearheaded by California therapists, focused on promoting the profession and making us more “widely recognized” the year in which we celebrate our Centennial Anniversary.

One way that I put my skills to use is illustrated in the picture below. Usually, I am down for just about anything, and that includes putting on a wacky hat and walking around getting attention for the Rose Parade effort. At some point in the day Sunday, a woman came up to me and offered to paint my face. I think she was only half serious, but when I challenged her to do it, she rummaged around in her bag and came up with some makeup and got to work.

The results were pretty spectacular, as you can see. I’d like to think that I was responsible for at least part of the great fundraising we did that weekend. But I wonder if I scared more people away that afternoon?! Happy Halloween!

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