Message from the President
Kimberley Benjamin
Hello, members and friends of the AAC!
Many of you have been waiting for a resolution to the procurement of injectables issue and I am happy to report that it is imminent. Our President Emeritus Scott Richardson and I have been in close contact with DORA, and next week there will be a Rules hearing at which a list of approved substances is expected to be presented by DORA as well any additional training that may be required. We should also have an answer about the manufactured vs compound debate. Please keep an eye on our Facebook page for an announcement after the October 23rd hearing.
I'm pleased to announce that the AAC has officially become a voting member of the newly-formed American Society of Acupuncturists . If you are a member of the AAC, you have the benefit of being represented at the national level by the ASA. This November, the ASA is sending a representative to the Society for Acupuncture Research (SAR) meeting in Boston. SAR is dedicated to improving the quality and increasing the awareness of research in acupuncture, herbal therapy and other modalities of Oriental Medicine. SAR’s Board is comprised of both clinicians and research scientists. The SAR board spends their time and resources keeping an eye on what’s happening in the field of acupuncture research, with an over-arching goal of identifying gaps between research and practice, opening dialogue about issues that affect the global Oriental Medicine community, and hosting public conferences. Our representative from the ASA will be there to continue building bridges between research of our medicine and how it can impact legislation and advocacy of our profession.
The ASA is simultaneously working on a Dry Needling committee at the national level to bring a national voice to the issues we are all challenged with. The AAC Board is aware and understands that our members are very concerned about the issues surrounding Dry Needling in Colorado and we are working diligently on your behalf to find the best path forward in our state regarding this topic. If you would like to be involved beyond your membership please call or email me directly.
Lastly, I'm very sad to let you know that the board of directors is mourning the loss of Fundraising Chair Sue West, who passed away suddenly last month. Please see the memorial article in this newsletter and keep her family in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you for your continued support and membership.
Kimberley Benjamin, L.Ac., Dipl. OM
President, AAC Board of Directors
President@acucol.com (970) 214-6683
---
New Treasurer Needed: Get Experience Running a Non-Profit while Advancing Our Profession!
Katie Robinette
The Acupuncture Association of Colorado is looking for their next Treasurer! Be a part of the executive team of the AAC, and help the board to protect and advance the acupuncture profession in Colorado. This board is very active and involved in many exciting projects. Bookkeeping skills are a plus, but the association does have bookkeepers. As the current treasurer, I will give you thorough training and will be your teammate until you feel comfortable in your new role. Board members serve on a volunteer basis for a three year tenure. In that time, you will learn valuable skills for running a business from the financial side, which is rarely taught in acupuncture school, and much, much more. Are you ready to be a force for positive change? If you have any questions or would like to discuss the possibilities, please email me at Treasurer@acucol.com
Katie Robinette, L.Ac., NCCAOM Treasurer, AAC Board of Directors Treasurer@acucol.com
---
From the Public Relations Chair
Hello Acupuncturists of Colorado!
Mark VanOtterloo
I am the Public Relations Chair for the AAC and have a few goals in mind for the remainder of 2015. To start with, I would like to strengthen the presence of the Acupuncture Association on online forums. This will highlight the extensive ways our association provides activism opportunities, creates community functions and nurtures acupuncture support. Please make sure you are following the AAC on Facebook to see important announcements and events. Additionally, joining the AAC Yahoo Group enables you to directly interact with your fellow AAC members and the board, and get special members-only announcements. Another major focus is to increase the percentage of Colorado acupuncturists who are members, as well as garnering non-practitioner support.
AOM Day, October 24th, is quickly approaching. It is the perfect time to devise innovative ways to promote acupuncture to the public while growing your practice. Empathizing with different perspectives can inspire engaging ways to interact with the prospective AOM patients.
The NCCAOM and the American Society of Acupuncturists have created materials to help you educate your patients and community about Acupuncture and AOM.
Here is the link for free downloads of AOM Day materials: http://aomday.org/get.html.
If you are holding an event, you can list it for free here: http://aomday.org/programs.html.
If you have any questions or ideas please send me an email at PRCOMM@acucol.com.
Mark VanOtterloo, L.Ac., Dipl. OM
Public Relations Committee Chair
PRCOMM@acucol.com
---
33rd Annual AAC Conference at the Marriott Westminster
Stephanie Shober
We are pleased to announce that our 33rd annual conference will be held April 23-24, 2016, at the beautiful Marriott Westminster. We have negotiated a $119 nightly room rate for attendees wishing to stay at the hotel. Follow this link to the Marriott Westminster website if you would like to check it out.
As previously announced, Lonny Jarrett, author of Nourishing Destiny, will be joining us for a two-day seminar entitled Treating Trauma with Chinese Medicine: Untying the Knot. We are so excited to have this internationally-renowned author and speaker as our educator for the weekend. At lunch we will conduct our annual meeting during which we’ll discuss important business and how we can build a stronger profession together in Colorado.
Looking forward to seeing you all in April, please stay tuned for registration information!
Stephanie Shober, L.Ac., Dipl. OM
Conference Committee Chair
ConferenceComm@acucol.com
---
Your Free Fall Issue of the Meridians Journal is Ready for Download!
The fall issue, v. 2 #4, of Meridians: The Journal of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine is now online! This and all issues of the peer-reviewed, Medline compliant journal are available free to you as a valuable benefit of being an AAC member. To access your download just click on “Register” to create a new account at their website and self-certify that you are a member of a State Association. You will be able to place an “order” for the zero-cost PDF downloads. You do not have to do this for each issue, just the first time. After initially registering, all you have to do is log in when a new issue is uploaded.
If you have any questions about access to the online issues, please feel free to contact the webmaster, Brian Smither, at webmaster@meridiansjaom.com. He will be happy to assist you so you can read this issue and all issues of Meridians JAOM.
---
In Memory of Fundraising Chair Sue West
For those of you who are not aware, it is with great sadness that we bring you the news that AAC board member Sue West passed away quite suddenly September 1st after a brief battle with stomach cancer. Attendance at her memorial on September 11th in Castle Rock overflowed the room. It was a moving tribute to an amazingly dedicated and compassionate woman, wife, mother, friend, practitioner and AAC board member. So many people spoke eloquently of how she had touched their lives and facilitated healing on many levels.
She was incredibly passionate about Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and devoted countless hours supporting our profession. For those of you who were lucky enough to get one of the AAC Acupuncture Presentation flashdrives at this year’s conference, you should know that this was just one of the multitude of projects Sue devised and coordinated. She would drive all over the state to talk with practitioners about what the association was doing and encourage them to get involved.
Sue's kind and caring presence will be sadly missed by so many. Those of us lucky enough to have served on the board with her recognize that she is irreplaceable. Her contributions to the AAC and our profession, her patients, family and friends are immeasurable. We have lost a true advocate and a shining light. Her family has informed us that in tribute to Sue, donations may be made to The Denver Hospice or Colorado Cancer Research Program.
Robin Schiesser, L.Ac., Dipl. OM
Vice President, AAC Board of Directors
VicePresident@acucol.com
---
AAC Membership
There are options to becoming a member of the AAC. You can make a once yearly payment or use our automatic monthly payment option. Click on the link below.
BECOME A MEMBER!
If you have any questions, please feel free to call Charissa Haines at the AAC Office at 303-572-8744 or email at info@acucol.com
---
Thank you for supporting our advertisers!!
___
AAC Membership
There are options to becoming a member of the AAC. You can make a once yearly payment or use our automatic monthly payment option. Click on the link below.
BECOME A MEMBER!
If you have any questions, please feel free to call Charissa Haines at the AAC Office at 303-572-8744 or email at info@acucol.com
