PROGRAM NOTES: December 2006

DEVELOPMENT: More Lasting Gifts This Holiday Season

In the spirit of the holiday season, United Spinal Association is calling upon all Americans to remember our nearly one million fellow citizens with spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, and or other disorders of the spinal cord.

“It’s a season of giving and we urge everyone to consider meaningful and lasting gifts,” said Executive Director Paul J. Tobin. “We can change an entire life forever with the gift of our time and our money to help individuals with spinal cord injury or disease.”

Nearly 60 years ago a group of paralyzed World War II veterans gathered to assert their fundamental civil rights to the same opportunities their countrymen enjoyed and they dedicated themselves to building meaningful, productive lives for all their paralyzed fellow soldiers. Through their efforts to secure better health care, accessible public buildings and transportation, and equal opportunities in the workplace, these veterans continued serving their country long after leaving the battlefield and today that legacy lives on in United Spinal Association’s expanded mission to serve not just our brave veterans but all Americans living with paralysis or other mobility impairments.

“United Spinal is proud to announce that we are the fastest growing organization dedicated to spinal cord injury and disease in the country,” Tobin said. “We ask our fellow Americans to bear in mind that the security and the comforts we enjoy this holiday season were—and continue to be—purchased by the sacrifice of our young men and women in uniform around the world. If the holiday season prompts a spirit of giving, there are few better causes than our veterans, and all of our fellow citizens, living with spinal cord injury and disease.”

To find out how you can make a lasting gift this holiday season, visit donations.unitedspinal.org.

MEMBERSHIP & OUTREACH: Associate Memberships Available

The Membership Department is now the Outreach & Member Programs Department with the incorporation of our Sports and Recreation program into our membership efforts; Bill Hannigan has been appointed the new Director of Sports and Recreation. Assisting Bill in developing our sports program into a national recreational powerhouse are Program Manager Patrick Donaghey, and Sports Coordinator Chris Zagacki. Dawn Gallino will provide administrative support to both Membership and Sports and Recreation. And overseeing the whole operation is Director of Outreach and Member Programs Marlene L. Perkins.

Membership has also introduced the Associate Membership program, which was rolled out in last month’s issue of Action. Associate Membership is available to any individual who makes $25 gift donation. Associate Members receive the United Spinal enewsletter and access to Able to Travel, United Spinal’s discount travel agency. The online application will be available at a URL soon to be determined. Or you can find it in the print issue on page 34.