North Carolina Activity Professionals Association, Inc.

The North Carolina Activity Professionals Association (NCAPA)

Looking back and continuing to grow

Provided by Kathy Wright Moore, former Government Relations Chairperson

and Sheila Stovall, NCAPA Historian 2001 - 2004

 November 1980   Surveys were sent on the national level to determine the interest in organizing a national association.

 Spring of 1981    Letters were sent out by Margaret Hartman and Cindy Reynolds, from the Asheville area trying to organize a State association.

June 1981     Niles, Illinois, some 20 professionals from 11 states met and the National Association (NAAP) campaign began.

 Fall of 1982    October 26, 1982, 10 Activity Professionals met at Meadowbrook Manor in Clemmons, NC to begin the effort to organize a statewide  association.  For the record, organizational committee members were:

                    Shelby Cayton, Jacksonville          Kim Causby, Morganton

                    Betty Clayton, High Point              Peggy Grogan, Clemmons

                    Wilma Jarrett, Drexel                     Mary Keller, Winston-Salem

                     Lois Mitchum, Newton                  Elizabeth Reich, Biscoe

                     Betty Webb, Marion                       Kathy Wright, Durham

This group faced numerous challenges, but rose to the occasion. They fought hard for what they believed in and truly wanted to make their    dream become a reality by organizing a professionals association for activity professionals.                           

1)      Opposition from the NC Health Care Facilities Association who  wanted to assist with organizing but thought that only activity  professionals employed in nursing homes that were members of the NCHCFA should be allowed to join.  We thought differently. 

2)      Finding a location that could accommodate 600 attendees, should everyone that was mailed to showed up. We had no money so we couldn’t afford anything fancy.

3)      Speakers for the conference needed.

January 1983    The group met at Silas Creek Manor in Winston-Salem.  A cost-effective location for the first conference was secured, a $1,000 was loaned to the group, speaker was secured and conference brochure was being created.

 April 11, 1983  Durham, NC, Civic Center-organizational conference with 150 activity professionals from across the state.  Charter members will never forget  this historic day.  Bylaws were approved, Gayle Allen-Burket was the speaker and officers were elected.  First officers were:

               President:  Shelby Cayton    First Vice-President:  Betty Clayton

              Second Vice-President: Thelma Davis    Treasurer:  Lois Mitchum

               Secretary:  Kathy Wright          Chaplin:  Mary Keller

 April 29, 1983   First National Association of Activity Professionals (NAAP) conference held in Cincinnatti, Ohio.  Some 254 attended.  Sister Pat Murphy was elected as their First President and served for 4 years.

 Spring 1984     NCAPA conference held at the Ramada Inn in Burlington First Awards given for Administrator and Activity Professional

NAAP conference in Denver

 Spring 1985    NCAPA conference held at the Hilton in Wilmington.   First Distinguished Service Award given

NAAP conference in Buffalo, New York.  Many NCAPA members attended the NAAP conference for the first time.

 Spring 1986   NCAPA conference held in  Asheville   

                           NAAP conference in  Sacramento, CA. 

                National Certification Council for Activity Professionals (NCCAP) formed           

Spring 1987  First NCAPA workshop

                         NAAP in Chicago, Illinois. 

 Fall 1987      First Fall NCAPA conference held in Charlotte at the Adams Mark.  Active debate on the floor in an Open Forum regarding facility memberships.  New Award given for Domiciliary Activity Professionals

 Spring 1988   Conference held in Kinston at the Caswell Center. Horticulture Therapy, a  “hands-on” program with a pig pickin’ lunch.

NAAP in  Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

 Fall 1988      Conference at the Sheraton Crabtree in Raleigh.  New Awards given for Consultant of the Year and Member of the Year.

 Spring 1989   NCAPA hosted the NAAP conference in Charlotte.          

 Fall 1989       NCAPA conference held in Winston-Salem

Spring 1990  Workshop in Wrightsville Beach.

NAAP in  Seattle, Washington. 

Fall 1990      Conference in Boone.  Statewide crisis letter writing campaign began to the Division of Facility Services.  Nursing Home licensure regulations for activity professional qualifications  changed.  Members of NCAPA met with DFS officials.

 Spring 1991  NCAPA workshop in Charlotte

  NAAP in Kansas City, Kansas   A delegation from NC attended.

 Fall 1991      NCAPA Conference at the Outer Banks.  Awards ceremony moved to the luncheon instead of the banquet.

Spring 1992  NCAPA Workshop in Salisbury

 NAAP in Washington, DC 

Fall 1992      NCAPA 10^th Annual Conference held at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Research Triangle Park.  Attendance record set at 210.

November 1992, the NCAPA Board decided to pursue incorporating the association and declaring non-profit status.

Spring 1993  NCAPA Workshop in Raleigh at the Sheraton Crabtree.

 NAAP in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

Fall 1993       NCAPA in Charlotte

Spring 1994   NCAPA in Rocky Mount

NAAP in Reno, Nevada   The NAAP 90 hour basic training course.

Fall 1994       NCAPA Conference in High Point

Spring 1995   NCAPA in Pinehurst

 NAAP in Nashville, TN

Fall 1995       NCAPA in Asheville.  Gayle Allen-Burket returned to be a keynote speaker and presented several sessions.

Spring 1996  NCAPA in Charlotte

NAAP in Orlando, FL

NCAPA Awards Chairperson, DeVickey Whitfield introduced a new award for Board approval, the Gayle Allen-Burket Pioneer Award to be given to Activity Professionals with 20+ years of experience.  Why Gayle?  A  tribute to an outstanding professional with close ties to North Carolina, an honorary charter member  who NCAPA wanted to remember and honor.  Gayle died of cancer at age 43, two days before our Spring Workshop.

Fall 1996      NCAPA conference in Wilmington at the Hilton.   First Gayle Allen-Burket Awards given to 9 members

Spring 1997  NCAPA in High Point

NAAP in Buffalo, NY

Fall 1997      NCAPA Conference in Raleigh at the North Raleigh Hilton

Spring 1998  NCAPA Conference in High Point

NAAP in San Diego, CA

Fall 1998      NCAPA in High Point

Spring 1999  NCAPA in New Bern

NAAP in Louisville, KY

Fall 1999      NCAPA in New Bern, a few weeks after Hurricane Floyd.

Spring 2000  NCAPA in Charlotte

NAAP in Colorado Springs, Colorado

Fall 2000      NCAPA in Charlotte.  First Therapeutic Recreation Track of sessions presented by Dan Ancone.

Spring 2001  NCAPA in Blowing Rock in the snow storm/

NAAP in Burlington, Vermont

September 11, 2001  NCAPA in Asheville. 

Spring 2002    No Spring Conference

NAAP in Kansas City, Kansas

Fall 2002      NCAPA 20^th Annual Conference in Burlington

Spring 2003  NCAPA in Atlantic Beach

Spring 2003   NAAP in Gatlinburg, TN   

Fall 2003, Oct 8, 9, 10 NCAPA in Charlotte, again at Adam's Mark , "Activity Professionals In the Winners Circle".  It eventually took 3 ballots to determine new president out of four contenders.  Debbie Coggins was named NCAPA President.

(Spring 2004   NAAP in Scottsdale, Arizona)

Spring 2004  NCAPA in Burlington, NC.  Triangle District secedes from NCAPA to form Coalition of Activity Professionals

Fall 2004, Oct 6 - 8  NCAPA in Blowing Rock "NCAPA Is Reaching Higher Peaks".  First of NCAPA's certifications are awarded at Fall Conference

(Spring 2005   NAAP Conference Site Open for Bids.  Maybe it’s time for another NAAP conference in North Carolina.)    

Send mail to wstovall@carolina.rr.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2003 NCAPA