Saturday was the last full day of the conference and included a bit of everything… sessions, discussion groups, social events, and the first ever diaversary/birthday celebration. Sports Central was also open for much of the day, so both kids and adults could have one last go-round with the SC team! At the ‘front of house,’ CWD volunteers were busy with tear-down and move-out of the registration area, and Julia Mattingly and team were boxing up materials for Falls Church 2018 and Orlando 2019.

The morning program began with a FFL Town Hall meeting focusing on Diabetes Advocacy Issues. Later in the morning, back by request, the panel discussion “Being a Couple and Making It Work” was a forum for partners to share their strategies for positive problem-solving and everyday life. Next door, the Parents and Teens Discussion brought closure to the teen program and the experiences of the past few days. Finally, there was a screening of “Kara and the (not so) Dire Beastie,” followed by a Q&A dialogue with the creators of the animated series.

Later in the afternoon, kids age 8-12 were invited to share ice cream, paper airplanes, and Bingo at the event we called “Celebrate! The First Ever Kids Diaversary and Birthday Celebration.” This gathering featured NASA’s Ernie Prado teaching the kids how to make the best ever paper airplane (Ernie also is one of our amazing Teen staff – and he has type 1!). Some rousing rounds of Bingo – with prizes! – finished off the afternoon. Many thanks to CWD tween Logan for fund-raising specifically for this Saturday event. He had the vision, and he made it happen! Well done!

Saturday evening featured three great parties, with DJ Miles and his team providing the dance music for each. The Family Fun Night was a Super Hero Party, and everyone was encouraged to dress as their favorite. This party drew nearly 500 people, and was so much fun! The Tween social featured games, karaoke, dancing, and a ‘silent’ movie, i.e., the movie played on a big screen and the kids wore headphones. It was a great mix of activities for this age group. The Teen event was billed as a Red Carpet Party, complete with a red carpet runway and a photo backdrop. The teens looked red-carpet-wonderful, and we have the photos to prove it! Check it out! Many thanks to Medtronic for sponsoring this special evening with the Teens.

Thanks to all of the CWD age group staff who volunteered to spend Saturday evening chaperoning these parties and visiting with the kids and families. There were many positive comments, and everyone appreciated your extra time and energy.