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> I am sending this message to the PD list through my father, Harold Jones.
> I am responding to Michael Kramer's and Jack Chen's messages which my
> father had forwarded to me regarding a Parkinson's awareness pin
>
> The Maine Parkinson Society has adopted the tulip as our symbol of hope
for
> better lives and a cure.  The Parkinsn list influenced this decision.
>
> In February of 1998, I sent an introduction message to the PD list.  Many
> kind people responded to this message. One person was Judith Richards who
> sent me an enameled tulip pin.
>
> The Maine Parkinson Society recently had tulip pins made using the pin
> Judith sent me as a model.  These pins have an enameled red tulip edged
in
> white, with a green leaf.  The entire pin is edged in gold and they are
> very attractive. We are selling them for $5.00 a piece.  If anyone would
> like one of these pins, e-mail me at [log in to unmask]  Also, if your
> organization would like information on how to order these in bulk, let me
> know.
>
> Another person from the PD list who has been a tremendous help is Anne
> Rutherford.  Anne is our Parkinson tulip bulb consultant.  In June of
1999,
> the Maine Parkinson Society will be taking orders for the James Parkinson
> Color Tulip Bulb for the first time.  These tulip bulbs will be planted
in
> the Fall of 1999 and bloom for the first time during the Spring of the
year
> 2000.
>
> It is important to MEPS to raise awareness of Parkinson's Disease here in
> Maine.  Consistently using the symbol of a tulip in everything we do will
> help us do this.  People (with PD and without) that I have talked with
are
> very supportive of what we are doing.  Our hope is that everytime people
> see a tulip (especially a red one with white edges) they will think about
> PWP's and our struggle and hope for a cure.
>
> I no longer subscribe to the Parkinsn list.  Between working full-time
and
> being very involved with MEPS, I do not have time to read the messages.
> However, my father is on the list and forwards messages of interest to
me.
>
> Sending a message to the PD list last year started me on a journey that I
> never envisioned that I would take.  I met Ivan Suzman and Greg Leeman
> through the list and have become a PD activist because of my friendship
> with these two men.
>
> I was on TV with Ivan and my husband, Jon, last year.  Much to my
surprise
> and everyone else's, I actually talked and have not stopped since.
People
> appreciate the fact that I am willing to share what it is like living
with
> PD for myself and others.
>
> Greg invited me to join him in the start up of a new PD organization here
> in Maine.  I accepted and the Maine Parkinson Society was born.  MEPs is
> dedicated to improving the quality of life of Maine people with
Parkinson's
> Disease through education, public awareness and supplemental caregiver
> assistance.
>
> MEPS first big event is happening on April 10th.  MEPS and the Maine
> Chapter of the APDA are cosponsoring World Parkinson's Awareness Day in
> Portland.  Speakers include physicians and a humorist.
>
> Thanks to Greg, Ivan, Ann, Judith, and everyone else on the PD list, for
> the most part I have been able to deal with PD in a positive way.
>
> If anyone would like information about the Maine Parkinson Society, World
> Parkinson's Awareness Day, tulip pins, or our tulip bulb project, please
> feel to contact me.
>
> Karen Bardo (45/2.9)
> [log in to unmask]
>
>