<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Happy New Year everyone! It doesn’t seem possible that the holidays are over, a new semester is beginning, and the 2013 OASFAA conference is just around the corner. This year’s conference will be held April 17-19 at the Renaissance Hotel in Tulsa and the conference committee is busy putting together what promises to be the best conference ever!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Most of you are aware that OASFAA always sponsors a charitable project during the conference and, as we’ve done for the past several years, this year we will again be supporting Citizens Caring for Children. It is a wonderful organization that assists foster children in a myriad of ways. They provide clothing, shoes, duffel bags, books, school supplies, mentors and other necessities to more than 3,600 foster children each year. The children served have been removed from their homes because of abuse and/or neglect with nothing but the clothing on their backs.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Last year we helped support their mentoring program and it was such a success that they have asked us to do that again. This year they are partnering with The Mentoring Project so they are hoping that the number of mentors in their program will grow dramatically. Mentors are individuals in the community who are paired with a foster child and commit to spending time each month with the child being mentored. The mentors are volunteering their time and resources to help provide a stable relationship for the child and one way of doing that is to take the child out for some fun activities. In an effort to help make that more affordable for the mentors we will be collecting gift cards at the conference that they can use on outings. They can use cards from restaurants, movie theaters, museums, the zoo…….just use your imagination! Since we all like a little competition we will be dividing into teams, with something “special” planned for the winner (or loser) at the dinner Thursday night. It’s usually very entertaining! You will receive more information on team captains soon.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>So now is not too soon to start picking up those gift cards while you’re out shopping, eating, or going to the movies. It might also be a good way to use some of those gift cards you got for Christmas! OASFAA has always been incredibly generous and I know this year won’t be any different. We’re doing it for the kids, our future college students. They are so worth it!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Nancy Vollertsen<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Program Chair<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Nancy Vollertsen<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Financial Aid Counselor<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>University of Central Oklahoma<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>100 N. University Drive<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Box 162<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Edmond, OK 73013<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>(405) 974-2379<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>