10/7/03 NAASE
News Release
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA - Oct. 7, 2003
ANCHORAGE HOSTS 800 NORTH AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION DELEGATES
The North American Association of Environmental Education (NAAEE) is in Anchorage for the 2003 Annual Conference Oct. 7 - Oct. 10, 2003. The 32nd NAAEE conference will have an estimated economic impact of $671,624 to Anchorage with between 800 - 1,000 participating delegates. The theme is "Thinking Globally, Acting Culturally."
Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB) has been working with Barb Eager, deputy director of NAAEE, and her predecessor, for more than 10 years to bring the group to Anchorage. Eager attended the ACVB Spring Fam in 2002 to secure Anchorage as the site and prepare for the conference.
"Anchorage beat Portland for the 2003 conference destination because of the unique location, the affordability of the destination, the excellent hotel rates, field trips offered to the delegates, and the support of the local chapter," said Joe Heimlich, president of NAAEE.
The local chapter, Alaska Natural Resource and Outdoor Education association (ANROE) has been instrumental in the success of the conference.
The annual conference will take place at the William A. Egan and Convention Center with several events overflowing to the headquarters hotel, the Captain Cook. The conference consists of workshops, field trips, author's corner with 19 local artisans and 28 local and international authors, silent and live auctions, strategic planning, graduate credit opportunities from University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA), Environmental Education (EE) Potlatch and other sessions.
"Our attendees are thrilled to be in Anchorage. We have had an above average number of spouses and friends accompany delegates and the service from the hotel, ACVB and the Alaska Destination Specialists has been phenomenal," said Heimlich.
The distinguished keynote speakers include; Kim Heacox, nationally recognized, published and well traveled, writer, photographer and former ranger / naturalist; Father Michael Oleksa, Th.D., known statewide for his extensive teaching in Alaska history, Alaska Native culture and for his insight regarding Native Alaska constituency; and Deborah Williams, executive director of the Alaska Conservation Foundation.
The NAAEE has a tradition of leaving something behind - a positive mark on its conference locations. For Anchorage, Nike, ENROE and Alaska Youth for Environmental Action (AYEA) are participating in Nike's Reuse-A-Shoe program in honor of the NAAEE conference. The program is a community service project that recycles athletic shoes. Skinny Raven will be donating about 100 pairs of shoes to those in need in Anchorage, and the others will be shipped to Nike headquarters and generated into materials for athletic tracks and tennis courts. The goal is to collect 2,000 pair of shoes and drop them off at the Egan Center. Volunteers will be at the Egan Center collecting and sorting shoes, Oct. 9 - Oct. 11, 2003.
NAAEE held its Board of Directors 2003 retreat in Anchorage earlier this year. A special offer to local teachers of three registrations for the price of two is being offered Friday and Saturday, Oct. 10 - 11, 2003. Teacher Focus Day is Oct. 11, 2003. For registration information, call Alaska Destination Specialists, Inc. at (907) 276-5550.
The NAAEE is a network of professionals, students, and volunteers working in the field of environmental education throughout North America and in more than 55 countries around the world. NAAEE uniquely combines and integrates both of these perspectives, and takes a cooperative, nonconfrontational, scientifically balanced approach to promoting education about environmental issues. For more information about NAAEE, the conference or keynote speakers visit www.naaee.org.
The Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau's mission is to attract and serve visitors to the Municipality of Anchorage. ACVB's marketing functions are funded by half of the bed tax collected by hotels. The other half goes to the Municipality's general fund. ACVB receives no state or federal funds. For more information, explore www.anchorage.net.
CONTACTS
Erika Biringer, Public Relations Manager
(907) 257-2331
ebiringer@anchorage.net
Explore www.anchorage.net
Nance Larsen, Director of Communications
(907) 257-2310
nlarsen@anchorage.net
Explore www.anchorage.net
