A peaceful ocean view greeted those who visited the Texas Victims Services Association Conference last week at the Schlitterbahn Beach Resort on South Padre Island. The TVSA conference attracted over 200 victim services leaders from across Texas, as well as supporters like Aftermath. Rolando Barrientez, Aftermath’s Senior Manager of Law Enforcement Relations in Texas and Oklahoma, was on hand to visit with participants.
The Texas Victim Services Association (TVSA) was founded in 1997. The organization promotes professional care for crime victims, and offers
support,
education, and
recognition for victim service providers.
“At the conference, I was able to meet with all aspects of social services,” Rolando said. “Talking to them, many admitted that they did not know companies such as Aftermath were available to assist families. Armed with the information we provided, they can now speak confidently to their clients about crime scene cleanup and provide a referral if needed.”
Island (and Conference) Life
In addition to featured workshops and speakers, Texas First Lady Mrs. Cecilia Abbott attended as a special guest. Mrs. Abbott kicked off the conference with a speech and welcoming remarks. Mrs. Abbott is the wife of Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
From a vendor’s perspective, Rolando had this to share: “The TVSA was very attentive to their vendors. We were invited to all the socials, and snacks and coffee breaks were held in the vendor hall to encourage attendees to interact with us. There was one member of the conference who was assigned to each booth to make sure their needs were met, and she stopped by frequently to see if we needed anything. The TVSA President also came by in person to introduce himself and thank us personally for attending.”
Opportunities to Network for Advocates
The TVSA was an amazing experience from start to finish. In addition to good conversation, the attendees also enjoyed the many giveaways, including note pads, air fresheners, water bottles, and pens. Liliana Mendez, Crime Victim’s Advocate from
Cameron County District Attorney’s Office, even won a $50 Visa Gift Card!
Ocean views are great, but the best part about the biannual TVSA Conference was that it gave Aftermath a unique opportunity to speak to an audience that seldom hears our message, yet routinely works with families who need our kind of services. If you work in the field of victims services and are looking for more information on crime scene cleanup, Aftermath is happy to provide materials to your clients in need. Please
visit our marketing page or contact us for additional information. Our technicians are available to assist families nationwide.