This week we made a public service announcement!
The DePaul students came to the office and helped me work on a sixty second spot about how to make more people aware of Dyspraxia and how to get support for our organization. It was challenging because I had to try not to repeat things or say words in the wrong order. I was also worried about forgetting what I meant to say. We decided to write a script, and managed to come up with a great one in about an hour. The announcement is now on CD and will be sent to radio stations all over the country!
I also continued calling parent led Special Educational Support systems in the United States. Some were sorry they could not help and others really wanted to get involved. I spoke with the New Jersey chapter of SPAN (Statewide Parent Advocacy Network) and they told me they would link to our website! This helps make our website available to parents in other states. The director also gave me suggestions of ways to help our organization. I was so pleased.
I received a reply yesterday to a voice message I left for the CanChild Centre for Disability Research in Canada. The director told me she was so excited that there is now a Dyspraxia organization in the United States. She set up a meeting with me by telephone and has offered to help us network with international medical specialists who are knowledgeable about Dyspraxia. Medical support from around the world will help make Dyspraxia USA be taken seriously. I am getting very excited! I know things will take time, but people are speaking to me and taking the message to heart. It is time to make Dyspraxia a national issue in the United States!
Monday, October 29, 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Multi-processing
I have been very busy with two important projects during the past two weeks. The first project concerned the assessment of the organization by students from DePaul University. Two students came into my office to work with us on creating a strategic business plan for Dyspraxia USA. I was fortunate to have a member of the organization provide the students with information about Dyspraxia from the prospective of a parent. During the hour meeting we also kicked around ideas about how to get the organization off the ground.
The students came up with a great idea! We are going to be working on a public service announcement explaining what Dyspraxia is and how to contact the organization. The service announcement will get air time on the Chicago Radio Stations. I believe this is a great idea! And... it has an added benefit for me. The more I go out there and speak about the organization and Dyspraxia, the more I learn what should and shouldn’t be said. What a great learning experience.
I decided that although I might confuse words or put them in the wrong order, it was time to start using the phone instead of sending letters and emails. This week I chose to concentrate on Parent Led Special Educational groups. I used a service that provides information for special education in each state. I was a bit nervous at first. Would the Directors take me seriously? Would they understand what I was trying to say? I must say that so far it is going very well. I have been contacted by a number of these groups and chatted in depth with the directors.
I am learning the importance of patience, self confidence, and the ability to trust myself. If I did not believe in myself, I would not have contacted these people. Because I contacted them, I have been able to spread the word about Dyspraxia and our organization. Patience is needed because growth will be slow and there may be setbacks. But, we are making strides in many more areas and will eventually get there!
The students came up with a great idea! We are going to be working on a public service announcement explaining what Dyspraxia is and how to contact the organization. The service announcement will get air time on the Chicago Radio Stations. I believe this is a great idea! And... it has an added benefit for me. The more I go out there and speak about the organization and Dyspraxia, the more I learn what should and shouldn’t be said. What a great learning experience.
I decided that although I might confuse words or put them in the wrong order, it was time to start using the phone instead of sending letters and emails. This week I chose to concentrate on Parent Led Special Educational groups. I used a service that provides information for special education in each state. I was a bit nervous at first. Would the Directors take me seriously? Would they understand what I was trying to say? I must say that so far it is going very well. I have been contacted by a number of these groups and chatted in depth with the directors.
I am learning the importance of patience, self confidence, and the ability to trust myself. If I did not believe in myself, I would not have contacted these people. Because I contacted them, I have been able to spread the word about Dyspraxia and our organization. Patience is needed because growth will be slow and there may be setbacks. But, we are making strides in many more areas and will eventually get there!
Thursday, October 11, 2007
The First Step's a Doozy!
Last week was a very special week for me. One of our new members from California came to Chicago on business and arranged to meet with me as well. We chatted a few times on the phone and he and his wife seemed very keen to help with ideas about how to get our organization off the ground.
I was a bit nervous about his visit because it had been a while since a new member had come to the office to chat. Once he arrived, he told me about a meeting he had arranged with my local congress person to discuss Dyspraxia and Dyspraxia USA. I was so excited and nervous at the same time. I had no time to prepare for such an important meeting!
The next morning, we met for coffee and discussed how to present the information I wanted to get across to my representative. We divided the information by age, jobs, health, and articles regarding Dyspraxia from around the world. The whole point of this meeting was to make them aware of the condition and to get them involved in helping us spread information out about Dyspraxia.
We met with the Deputy District Director for Congressman Rahm Emanuel and provided information from a parent’s perspective and from my perspective as an adult. We both talked about how Dyspraxia affected us and our families. The meeting lasted over an hour, and the director appeared to almost be in tears at times.
Most people know that at least 10 million people in the United States have some type of cancer, but how many know that at least 6 to 10 percent of the population have Dyspraxia? We are trying impress people with the fact that this disability affects millions of children and parents in our country and they need our help. We are trying to get the word out not only to our community but to everybody!
We know this is just the first step, but what a first step it was! It was a doozy!
I was a bit nervous about his visit because it had been a while since a new member had come to the office to chat. Once he arrived, he told me about a meeting he had arranged with my local congress person to discuss Dyspraxia and Dyspraxia USA. I was so excited and nervous at the same time. I had no time to prepare for such an important meeting!
The next morning, we met for coffee and discussed how to present the information I wanted to get across to my representative. We divided the information by age, jobs, health, and articles regarding Dyspraxia from around the world. The whole point of this meeting was to make them aware of the condition and to get them involved in helping us spread information out about Dyspraxia.
We met with the Deputy District Director for Congressman Rahm Emanuel and provided information from a parent’s perspective and from my perspective as an adult. We both talked about how Dyspraxia affected us and our families. The meeting lasted over an hour, and the director appeared to almost be in tears at times.
Most people know that at least 10 million people in the United States have some type of cancer, but how many know that at least 6 to 10 percent of the population have Dyspraxia? We are trying impress people with the fact that this disability affects millions of children and parents in our country and they need our help. We are trying to get the word out not only to our community but to everybody!
We know this is just the first step, but what a first step it was! It was a doozy!
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