Any Keystoner who has been to both a National Keystone Conference AND a Regional Keystone Conference will tell you that the regional conferences are like a mini-candy bar: All the same great taste, all the same fun but just a smaller version!

Well, the smaller but just as much fun regional conferences have been happening all over the place the past couple of weeks! The Pacific Regional Keystone was held in Phoenix, Ariz. over Halloween weekend while the Midwest Regional Keystone was held just this past weekend in Cincinnati!

Former National Youth of the Year Mona Dixon, a sophomore at Arizona State University, helped welcome over 400 Keystoners to her neck of the woods -- or desert, if you prefer! The teens visited ASU for tailgating and college info, did community service, banged away in an inspiring Drum Cafe, and of course, learned more about the principles of Keystoning over three fun-packed days!

Most impressively, spurred on by a fundraising challenge from Southeast Regional Keystoners, the Pacific Regional Keystoners raised more than $500 for the Keystone National Project, "After the Cameras Are Gone." 

Here are some highlights from the Midwest Regional Keystone Conference:

• Steering committee member Leah, who has been blind since birth, climbing the 40 foot rock wall with the support of her peers!
• Keystoners collecting $230 to donate to Red Cross Disaster Relief in support of the Keystone National Project.
• One Keystone Club donating an additional $200 from funds they raised to attend the conference toward the Red Cross Disaster Relief fund.
• Liza Billotti, advisor for the Don M. Reid Keystone Club from the BGC of South Oakland County, was named Advisor of the Year!

To borrow a line from a post on BGCA's National Keystone Program Facebook page: "I had the time of my life in Cincinnati! Who's ready for Fort Worth??"

OK, the 2012 National Keystone Conference -- triple the size and with all the flava! -- is March 22-25! But not let's get ahead of ourselves! The regional baton is passed along to the Northeast Regional Keystone Conference for what should be a great conference next weekend in Nashau, N.H.! Be sure to look for more great pictures and video here on myclubmylife.com!

Get it in, Keystoners!