The 2016 Pikes Peak Writers Conference: Getting Involved

EDITOR'S NOTE: We interrupt our normally scheduled blog dates and times to bring you this special invitation and request from Jason P. Henry, 2016 Conference Director.  Are you looking for ways to get involved? Here's your chance. 

By: Jason P. Henry

I have been involved with Pikes Peak Writers on some level for a few years now and it has been a fantastic experience. The people I’ve met, the things I’ve learned, the confidence I’ve built within myself, are all direct benefits from volunteering with an amazing group of people. As the current conference director, perhaps I am biased, but Pikes Peak Writers Conference is an amazing event every year. The reason is simple. There is a devoted and passionate group of volunteers who work their butts off to make it that way.

I love each and every person who is helping me with conference this year. But, the reality is that sometimes life's dictates are more important than volunteering. Jobs become more demanding, people move, some simply decide to take a break and focus on other things. These are all more than acceptable, but doesn’t change the need for volunteers to fill vacant rolls. In fact, bringing in new faces can be a great thing. They arrive full of energy and with new ideas that help keep Pikes Peak Writers moving forward and evolving with the times.

So, how do you get involved? There are many ways, but this is not where I direct you to the website and ask you to fill out a form. This year, we decided to make the chance to volunteer a little more personable. The 2016 Pikes Peak Writers Conference committee is inviting any person interested in volunteering to an open meeting.

At this meeting, we will discuss the many different roles within the Conference. You will meet some of the volunteers who are currently doing the work, get to ask questions to see where you might fit in, and I will try to help you find a path that is right for you. Even if it doesn’t happen for 2016, there is a conference every year that needs people to help make it happen.

We all started somewhere; in fact, my first role was with the A/V team. I helped set up projectors and screens in the workshops, and sometimes help find audio solutions. I changed Power Point slides for faculty and helped address any tech issues they may have. That role led to much more in the following years. I was faculty coordinator, programming director, and now I am the conference director.

Every job is important. Every person, no matter their role, is instrumental in making Pikes Peak Writers and Pikes Peak Writers Conference a success. Join us on September 18^th and find out how you can get your foot in the door. Whether you have volunteered in the past or are just now considering getting involved for the first time, we will welcome you with open arms. No, you don’t have to be at the meeting to volunteer. We are all busy and schedules don’t always permit us to do the things we want to do. So, e-mail me at  conference@pikespeakwriters.com and we will try to find a place for you. No matter how it happens, I look forward to meeting you and perhaps working with you some day.

Cheers to all,
Jason P. Henry
Conference Director

2016 Pikes Peak Writers Conference: Dare To Dream


About the Author: When he's not working with the dedicated and passionate people of Pikes Peak Writers, Jason P. Henry is lost in a world of serial killers, psychopaths, and other unsavory folks. Ask him what he is thinking, but only at your own risk. More often than not he is plotting a murder, considering the next victim, or twisting seemingly innocent things into dark and demented ideas. A Suspense, Thriller and Horror writer with a dark, twisted sense of humor, Jason strives to make people squirm, cringe, and laugh. He loves to offer a smile, but is quick to leave you wondering what lies behind it. Jason P. Henry is best summed up by the great philosopher Eminem “I'm friends with the monsters beside of my bed, get along with the voices inside of my head.” Learn more about Jason at www.jasonphenry.com.