Big thanks to the FCA of Southern Arizona, all of our attendees and speakers, and the Viscount Suite Hotel for making our 2012 conference a hit! This time around we had the highest proportion of first-time conference-goers ever, and a surprisingly young crowd for a group that talk about death pretty much all the time. 

Not only did all of you entertain and inform all of us, but you showed your love for FCA by donating more than $4,000 during our closing banquet. We love you back!

Here's a round-up of events along with some of the presentations.

-All photos and audio kindly provided by Jim Null, FCA national board.
Karen Smith, FCA national board, hobnobs with Lisa Carlson at the banquet. Jane Hillhouse of Final Footprint displays a wicker casket. Funeral director Randy Garner tells the audience what consumer advocacy looks like from the industry side.

FCA's 2010 Conference was a hit! Author Robert Fulghum brought the house down, four prominent advocates introduced attendees to family-directed, undertaker-free funerals, and FCA's first-ever live fundraiser brought in $4,500 in donations from our generous members.

If you missed the conference, here's the next best thing. We've got audio recordings and handouts from presenters available for download below. If you don't see the recording or handout you're looking for, that means we don't have it; thank you for understanding.

Special thanks to Jim Null of the FCA of Western North Carolina for photographing our conference, and recording several presentations. You rock, Jim!

• Audio file (.mp3) of Dan Evans, CEO of Clarian Health, discussing the extraordinary cost of end-of-life care
• Audio file (.mp3) of author Robert Fulghum at the closing banquet, cracking everyone up with tales of funerals gone wrong
• Audio file (.mp3) of the home-funeral-guide panel (Jerrigrace Lyons, Karen VanVuuren, Nancy Ward, Susan Oppie)
• Audio file (.mp3) of FCA board member Jim Bates' class on creating a simple website
• Audio file (.mp3) of FCA exec. director Josh Slocum showing how to use price surveys to gain publicity and membership for FCA groups
• Download FCA Board member Nancy Petersen's Powerpoint on public presentations, "Picture Them in Their Underwear"
• Download fundraising expert Pamela Davidson's tips to make the contributions pour in
• Download Home Funeral Guide Sandy Booth's list of books, materials, and websites for DIY funerals