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Taken from the Parkinson's Foundation Newsletter, August 18, 1994,
written by Jan Ozechowsky, Field Director.
 
"In the 1980's, milk cartons in Nova Scotia had the Parkinson's tulips,
and similar publicity appeared on Safeway milk boxes in Alberta and
British Columbia this spring.  Here's a superb story about the
Parkinson's message appearing on the bags used by an Ontario grocery
chain, all due to the efforts of Verna Shilson and Arlene Towle, two
volunteers who do the awareness and publicity for the Leamington,
Ontario group.
 
In winter, Verna had phoned to say she had seen Zehrs' bags with an
Alzheimer message and shouldn't we try for equal billing?  A member of
Arlene's family worked at one of the supermarkets, so with this single
contact, the two volunteers started to track down where the Zehrs
headquarters was located, who to contact, would I send them the proper
art-work, etc.  Mrs. Towle, who has Parkinson's herself, sent a
handwritten letter, figuring that it would stand out in the pile of
computer-generated requests large corporations get daily.
 
Well, never underestimate the power of a volunteer!  Last Friday, Mildred
Moore, president of the Barrie Chapter phoned me with the first sighting
of the Zehrs' Parkinson grocery bag.  Then I heard from Toronto Chapter's
Maggie Wheelock that the bags were circulating in Windsor.  On our way
home from the cottage, my husband and I dropped into the Orillia Zehrs
and there they were again.  I phoned the Zehrs' offices myself and
learned they had printed almost 4,000,000!  (Mind you, these will be used
up by the grocery chain within a month).  Talk about wonderful awareness!
 
Jan Ozechowsky, Field Director
Parkinson's Foundation of Canada"