The journey continues of my first conference proposal - CFP
Tags: techtalks, beginners, conference
Published: 2020-02-26 22:17:21

So last year, I took my grandkids to a tech conference call [THAT conference](https://www.thatconference.com/wi). 
My granddaughter loved it so much, she wants to do a talk this year at it. 

Well, talk proposal's are due on Sunday, and me being the procrastinator that I am. :grin: and the twenty million talk ideas in my head have not started on mine yet.

Some of my procrastination is a lack of self-confidence and experience, this being my first conference talk proposal. 

## All about Last night

I was working with my grand-daughter on her talk proposal, which is on Google Suites.
She was also teaching me how to write since English is not my first language, and do an outline, along with setting up my proposal. :smiley:
While working on this proposal, I asked my grand-daughter if she wanted to attend another conference that we did last year, again this year. 
She, of course, asked if she could do a talk there also. 
Well in pipes my 6-year-old grandson, stating that he wants to do a conference talk also. 

so I am now scrapping my idea of doing Gitty-up with Git talk proposal since I do not have enough time to do all the research need to write it. 

My plans are to do one Microsoft LiveShare instead, but in the meantime, this is my first proposal that I have written for the family session of the conference.
 
Here is my first submission.
Now I need to covert this into a Google Doc. :smiley:
Guess I know who to go to for that. :grin:

## Title: Paracord Bracelets, it's not just a fashion fad

**Why do I want to present:**
I am currently going through a career change and my goal is to become a developer advocate.
One of the criteria is to do conference talks or presentations.
I attended last year with my grandkids, and they totally loved THAT camp, before we left my granddaughter had made
the decision that she also wanted to present.
She had a blast with the workshops that were presented by the other Geeklings.

**What am I going to present:**
We are going to explain to the kids how our men and women that serve our country use paracord.
We will also explain to them about Operation Gratitude.
Operation Gratitude is an organization that makes care packages for our men and women that are serving and protecting our country.

**What is it's the purpose:**
Here are some of the ways that our Men and Women who serve our country use these paracord bracelets. Secure camouflage nets to trees or vehicles Build a makeshift shelter* Extend a security strap or rope to reach and haul heavy objects Create a harness to extract an injured person from a bad location Make a sling

If you cut the paracord and remove the 7 to 9 nylon strands inside it, they now have Sewing thread to repair gear Emergency sutures to close a wound Fishing line Trip line to secure an area

**Why am I the best person to give this talk:**
Military Service is a very big part of our family. I grew up in the Army. Both of my sons have proudly served this country, two of my granddaughter's father's are currently serving our country. My sister-in-law is 17 months in a 18-month deployment at the writing of this article. My husband and I have been making care packages and bracelets for Operation Gratitude going on 5 years now. We love sharing about this organization, and the importance of what they do.

**Project details:**
We are looking at this being a 90-minute session. In the first 30 minutes, we will go over what paracord is, show some examples of its versatility. We will also give an overview of Operation Gratitude. If accepted we will try and either get a representative from Operation Gratitude, or a service person to help with this part.

In the second half, we will work with the kids/participants, with the pre-made kits that we will build over the summer. The participants will make two bracelets, one for themselves, and one for a service member to be sent via Operation Gratitude, along with a card.

**Project materials:**
550 paracord - We will explain why this is important 
paracord jig - We will provide 
clasps - We will provide 
Note Cards - so that the kids can send a note with their bracelets that they made for them. 

**Project resources:**

 [Operation Gratitude - Official Website](https://www.operationgratitude.com/)

[Operation Gratitude paracord bracelets Instructions](https://www.operationgratitude.com/express-your-thanks-group/paracord-bracelets/)

[Paracord Jig Instruction video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_pulvLVD-Y)