• Chapter Development and Membership
  La Porte Room

  These chapter basics will be discussed by Ross Marshall and Duane Iles.  Chapter presidents, all chapter membership chairpersons, and anyone interested in membership and chapter development should attend.  On the agenda will be discussions of how membership is handled locally and nationally, ways to improve the interaction between the chapter and the national office, strategies for increasing OCTA membership numbers, review of board actions as they pertain to the local chapters, and a review of all issues that involve chapters.

• Extreme Makeover: Prairie Edition
  Loveland Room

  From simply dressing in period style costume as a volunteer, to creating an in-depth living history character, this session offers suggestions and tricks-of-the-trade in establishing a strong foundation for costumed living history programs of the Oregon and California Trails.  The workshop is conducted by Jane Leche, John C. Luzader, and Mark Gardner.

  Come!  Learn the basics on the proper use of clothing, make-up, hairstyles, accessories, simple stage settings, music, sound systems, and much more!

  Jane is a public affairs specialist with the United States Forest Service.  She has been involved in theater and period music groups.  She enjoyed being an extra hand in “In Pursuit of a Dream" as “Ranger Jane.”

  John worked on the Interpretive Center in Baker City, Oregon, and is currently working on the Interpretive Center in Elko, Nevada.  He has been involved in living history for over 45 years.

  Mark Gardner is a respected historian with varied interests.  Besides having written guides and other publications for the National Park Service, he has received critical acclaim for an accurate portrayal of the music of the nineteenth century American Southwest.

   

• Helping or Hurting? - Issues for OCTA in Trail Archaeology
  Fort Collins Room

Join with other OCTA members in seeking ways to structure OCTA guidelines and future OCTA policies in regard to archeological finds, trail mapping, access, and data confidentiality.  Leslie R. Fryman, National Trails Preservation Officer, will preside during the discussion.  Leslie will be joined by OCTA Mapping Chairman, Dave Welch, and others, as they seek your knowledge and input in this critical phase of OCTA’s mission of trail preservation.

• National History Day
  Timnath Room

Learn about this way to promote student interest in history.  National History Day is a program throughout all 50 states.  Promoting National and State History Day and cooperating with participants is a way OCTA may connect with the youth throughout the United States.  Learn about the program and how to get your OCTA chapter involved in your state’s program.  The National, Wyoming, and Colorado program models will be explained.   This session will be moderated by OCTA Board member, Pat Fletcher.

Panelists include: 

• Dick Kean, Assistant Coordinator, Wyoming History Day

• Christine Sundberg, Colorado State Coordinator

• Partnering With Federal Agencies on Your Trail Projects
  Berthoud Room

Officials from the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, United States Forest Service, and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, discuss their work, their respective areas of responsibility, projects, and assets.  Included in this discussion will be ways in which assets and projects may be shared with volunteers from OCTA and other trail organizations.  This session will be moderated by Travis Boley, OCTA Association Manager.

Panelists include:

• Jay Banta - U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Utah

• Jude Carino - Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming

• Otis Halfmoon - National Park Service, New Mexico

• Aaron Mahr - National Park Service, New Mexico

• Susan Alden Weingardt - United States Forest Service, Colorado

• Gary Werner - Partnership for the National Trails System, Wisconsin

• Research in the Rocky Mountain Area
  Estes Park Room

This panel presentation will discuss research collections or special collections held by each library/archive and how to access this material.  Members of the panel include archivists and librarians from outstanding libraries, universities, and research facilities in the region.  This session will be moderated by OCTA Board member Barb Netherland, Director of the North Platte Valley Museum, Gering, Nebraska.

Panelists include:

• Rick Ewig - Associate Director, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming

• Tamsen Leigh Hert - Head of Special Collections, University of Wyoming Libraries

• Wendel Cox - Senior Special Collections Librarian, Western History & Genealogy Department, Denver Public Library 

• Johanna Harden - Archivist, Douglas County History Research Center - Douglas County Libraries

• Mike Landon - Archivist, Family and Church History Department, LDS Church, Salt Lake City, Utah

• Successful Conventions  
  Exhibit Room A

Jim Budde will give a short presentation on OCTA’s convention goals and review some of the critical factors that have contributed to the success of past conventions.  Attendees will be encouraged to participate in the discussions and raise questions.  Chapter members who have been assigned a convention, or those who are contemplating sponsoring a future convention, will find this workshop helpful in their planning.

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