Just a reminder that the WALC Conference brochure is up on the website – if you have colleagues that need a copy or have lost yours, just print it out.  The special rate at the hotel (cheaper than anything you’ll find on line) is guaranteed through February 9.  If you reserve a room after that date, please tell the hotel that it’s for the WALC Conference – there may still be rooms available at the special rate, and we get credit for all the reservations the conference brings in.  This helps to keep the conference fee low!  NEW - easy online hotel registration!

Next year’s conference will be held March 8-9, in Appleton again.  Brochure will be up on the website sometime in November (for those who need to request money before the end of the year) and mailed out after Christmas.  Speakers will be Nancy Mohrbacher, Karen Gromada, Nancy Williams, and Dr. Jen Thomas.  Plan to join us!

Best Milk is a children’s book intended to normalize breastfeeding for children and those who read it. This book demonstrates breastfeeding as the natural way to feed your baby. Best Milk will help your child prepare for what to expect when the new baby arrives. The beautiful illustrations make this book come alive and your child will want to read it time and time again.

This year we are offering Hale’s Medications and Mother’s Milk book to all our members at a discounted rate.  We are ordering at a bulk rate, so our price is about $10 less than the individual price.  WALC will cover some of the cost, but we are not giving away the book this year.

Members may buy up to 2 books for $20 each, and up to 5 more for $25 each.  The books can be picked up at the September and November meetings.  You can pre-pay for your books by sending your check directly to Kathie Russell, or pay at the meeting.  If you want them shipped, we will charge $5 per book to mail them.  No books will be shipped until payment is received.  Kathie’s contact information can be found on the member directory.  We will also have the books for sale at the conference in March.

The WALC board voted at the meeting on May 18 to contribute $500 to help our partner in Uganda, Josephine, get to the ILCA conference this year.  She is speaking at one of the talks and is trying to raise the money for her expenses.  She is still far from her goal.  For those that don’t know, there is only token payment for speakers at the ILCA conference; Josephine will receive $50 + free registration for the day she is speaking.  The membership voted to also solicit contributions from the members, and WALC will match all contributions up to another $500.  So please – consider making a small (or not so small) contribution – whatever you donate will double.  Please send your contributions to our treasurer, Kathie Russell, and put “Josephine” in the memo line.  Thanks.

Thanks for all who attended this year’s conference – we’ve had many positive comments.  We had 274 registered attendees this year, a slight increase from last year.  The silent auction raised $699.50 for the milk bank, Mothers Milk Association of Wisconsin.  The conference committee is already working on next year’s conference, so if you have a great idea for a speaker you’d like to have considered, let the committee know!  Also, we’re still trying to track down the thyme syrup recipe mentioned by Dr. Low Dog – it will be on the website as soon as we have it.

Happy New Year WALC Members!  Just a reminder that as of January 4 we will open up registration for the January meeting to non-members as well as members.  As of today there is still space available, so if you know a speech therapist, midwife, La Leche League Leader, etc., who might be interested, please let them know.  This is an opportunity to get the kind of clinical hands-on learning that is not possible to provide at our WALC conferences, at the bargain price of $20.  Since numbers are limited, if you come to the meeting without registering first, you may be turned away.  Registration information

Registrations are now being taken for our January 15 special workshop meeting.  Since the sessions are limited to 30 participants, there will be two sessions held.  The morning session will go from 8 to 11 a.m., we will have lunch available from 11-12 with an abbreviated business meeting, and then the afternoon session from 12 to 3 p.m.  There will be a fee of $20 to attend the workshop plus a small fee for lunch.   WALC will cover the rest of the cost to bring our three speakers from Florida.  You will receive 3 CERPs for attending.  This is a rare opportunity to learn from Debra Beckman; typical fee for this workshop is $75 – don’t miss out!  Registration information