2024 Member Meetings and KEMA Conference

2024 Spring Meeting

The PAVOAD Spring meeting was held in conjunction with the 2024 Keystone 6 National Mass Care Exercise, on Thursday, May 23, 2024., at Shippensburg University.  Routine business was conducted.  Photos and recent success stories of our work together were presented, highlighting the value of PAVOAD. Nick Stoops described PEMA’s new DRAP (Disaster Recovery Assistance Program). Michelle Ufner and Nick Stoops described a plan for the Annual Dinner and Meeting at the KEMA Conference in October.  They are asking members and partners to supply photos and information on success stories that will be added to a presentation to be shown at the October meeting.

2024 Summer Meeting – August 9, 2024

    Our annual summer meeting of the general membership of the PA VOAD was held on August 9, 2024 at 9 AM.

2024 Annual Meeting

The PAVOAD Annual Meeting was held on Sunday evening, October 20, 2024, at the Blair County Convention Center in Altoona, in conjunction with the Keystone Emergency Management Association Conference.  During the meeting a new video was introduced which helps to tells the story of the value of PAVOAD and the VOAD movement. Click here to watch the video.

The keynote speak was Zach Wolgemuth, the Church World Service Director of Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery.

The 2025 budget was adopted and at-large Board members elected: Adrian Grieve, American Red Cross, Michelle Ufner, Team Rubicon, and Denise Shelton, Eastern Conference, United Methodist Church.  Board members elected by their respective areas were introduced: Luke Rodgers, Salvation Army, Eastern Area; Glenn Beard, Lutheran Disaster Response, Central Area; and Jerry Lynn, Lutheran Disaster Response, Western Area.

PEMA leadership and PAVOAD President also made presentations. 

Luke Rodgers, Divisional Emergency Disaster Services Director at The Salvation Army, Eastern PA, was awarded the Shirley Norman Award.

Another highlight was the showing of a new PAVOAD slide show demonstrating the success of the past year.  The slide show will be available soon.