# Professional and Educational Organizations > Professional and Educational Organizations Discussion Forum >  What Organizations do you Belong to?

## Alvaro Cordova

I would like to know what organizations all of you (opticians) belong to. Also, if possible, state a reason as to why or why not you belong to it.

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## Fezz

Good question Al!

I belong to the OAA only.

I think that the OAA is the only group that has the potential to promote Opticianry.

I do not belong to my state's organization. There are many reasons for this, but I do not wish to provide them here. 

:cheers::cheers::cheers:

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## Senorwes1

I am a member of OAA, NAO, and the societies of two different states.  I am a member of OAA because one of the state societies includes dual membership in their annual membership fee.  I am a member of NAO because I order a lot of books, CD's, etc. and save some money by being a member.  I am a member of my state society to support my state and MAYBE one day be able to push for registration/certification/licensure for Opticians.  Without having adequate membership in your state society, the legislature won't even consider a petition.  My preference, in order, would be to join:  1.  State society  2.  NAO  3.  OAA.  
I would not be a member of OAA independently due to the fact that I don't know what my money is being used for and they will not provide their members or state societies with a financial statement, so I've been told.  From what I've seen, OAA spends a lot of money on sending their "people" all over the U.S.A. to do nothing but say they are from OAA at a state society meeting.  Maybe I've been misinformed ?!?!?

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## chip anderson

OAA, CLSA, UMC, MADO.  Suspected of belonging to several others.

Chip:idea:

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## Dannyboy

I belong to Professional Opticians of Florida. When I go to their meetings I actually do enjoy the courses. I had been members of many other associations and frankly never received anything in return. I am not sure if I came to that conclusion after the last threat to become an unlicensed state but POF is and will be the only association that my money would go to. If they ask for a raise I would not hesitate to give it to them. They seem to organized the front to protect the opticianry licensure very well.

The only thing I know is that Florida Opticians do get together when the threat to become unlicensed happens other than that is business as usual. Now, I am somewhat scared that they are becoming more complacent with the present status Q and do not want to be more proactive in expanding our scope of practice (That does not mean refraction) in any tiny way. The more scope of field we have the better we can serve the public and keep our profession strong.

Excellent speakers although their choice of convention sites sometimes are not to par (Cocoa Beach 2008)

Danny

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## Alvaro Cordova

Mods, I just realized that I need another category of "None" for those who do not belong to any organization.

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## icare

I know it's a little aside from the poll, but have many considered belonging to local community organizations such as the Lions Club?  It's not necessarily a professional organization, but they do concentrate a great deal of effort in sight conservation.

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## wmcdonald

> I am a member of OAA, NAO, and the societies of two different states. I am a member of OAA because one of the state societies includes dual membership in their annual membership fee. I am a member of NAO because I order a lot of books, CD's, etc. and save some money by being a member. I am a member of my state society to support my state and MAYBE one day be able to push for registration/certification/licensure for Opticians. Without having adequate membership in your state society, the legislature won't even consider a petition. My preference, in order, would be to join: 1. State society 2. NAO 3. OAA. 
> I would not be a member of OAA independently due to the fact that I don't know what my money is being used for and they will not provide their members or state societies with a financial statement, so I've been told. From what I've seen, OAA spends a lot of money on sending their "people" all over the U.S.A. to do nothing but say they are from OAA at a state society meeting. Maybe I've been misinformed ?!?!?


 
OAA provides statements openly at each and every meeting. I was at Leadership and got a complete report, as well as the national meeting.

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## OPTIDONN

None, I'm just too darn cheap.

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## HarryChiling

> I am a member of OAA, NAO, and the societies of two different states. I am a member of OAA because one of the state societies includes dual membership in their annual membership fee. I am a member of NAO because I order a lot of books, CD's, etc. and save some money by being a member. I am a member of my state society to support my state and MAYBE one day be able to push for registration/certification/licensure for Opticians. Without having adequate membership in your state society, the legislature won't even consider a petition. My preference, in order, would be to join: 1. State society 2. NAO 3. OAA. 
> I would not be a member of OAA independently due to the fact that I don't know what my money is being used for and they will not provide their members or state societies with a financial statement, so I've been told. From what I've seen, OAA spends a lot of money on sending their "people" all over the U.S.A. to do nothing but say they are from OAA at a state society meeting. Maybe I've been misinformed ?!?!?


You have been uninformed the OAA has recentl started to send people to other states to try and garner support and promote our profession, but it is on teh individuals dime, except fro the president I believe which is acceptable IMO, the others travel cheap and on their own dimes.  The idea is to rally the troops or make an attempt to anyway.  The reason fro doing this is that many like you felt that the OAA wasn't doing anything for them, so they reacted by trying to come out to states and support them.

As for the financials, everry meeting I believe they go over them and I believe I have a copy of the financials at home somewhere.  I am like you I like to see where my money is going and what it's doing, that's why I belong to the OAA and ROATx, the OAA is transparent but you do have to go to their leadership conference to get that kind of information or eve the ABO NCLE conference they will be going over the budget ther as well, contrary to what most people would tell you the meeting is open to all and I have sat in there more than once and so have a few others here that I have seen there.  We have even made suggestions to the board which was kinda neat since they did not have to recognize us and these suggestions became line items in that budget or the next one of course if they were a feasable idea.

So far they have been the most fluid group as far as listening to their members, but I foudn out that you do have to put some effort into it, a single phone call or a single e-mail is often meet with a canned response, but that's the same with all our vendors and all our organizations, it's when you let your presence be known that you become hard to ignore.  

PS - PM me your e-mail address and I will egt you out the financial report if you'd like, this year things were nice and easy since they handed out all the leadership informaton on a CD makes transmittal very nice.

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## HarryChiling

> I know it's a little aside from the poll, but have many considered belonging to local community organizations such as the Lions Club? It's not necessarily a professional organization, but they do concentrate a great deal of effort in sight conservation.


That's a great suggestion.:cheers:

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## Now I See

NCOA and the Lion's club.

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## hcjilson

OAA, NAO,& OAM. Also a sitting member of the MA Board of Registration of Dispensing Opticians and A Rotarian.

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## NgCognito

I do not belong to any societies.  I don't know how to begin or what to look for to get involved.  I am licensed in NC but that is about it.
:o

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## gemstone

> I do not belong to any societies. I don't know how to begin or what to look for to get involved. I am licensed in NC but that is about it.
> :o


 Did you et your licenses at Butner?  j/k :)  Join the NCOA

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