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Hello fellow advocates, I just learned something incredible! Take a guess how many Udall postcards Barbara Schirloff has had printed, picked up from the printers 2 hrs away from her home, set up an assembly line putting her two children, husband and parrot to work counting, stuffing cards, labels and stamps into Priority Mail envelopes, and going to the post office to mail each package for $3.00. These past few weeks her life has been: filling the orders she has received from all of us eager participants in this mammoth mailing effort...?? BTW, she has NOT complained. Okay, I know the suspense is killing you: how does Twenty-Five Thousand and Four Hundred cards sound? Yes, 25,400!!! Before another order for 50K+ cards is placed, I think we need to evaluate the results of the first mass mailing effort. I understand that some of the PD organizations are now requesting 10,000(s) of cards. This wonderful development begs a couple of questions: (1) should we turn the whole kit and caboodle over to PDF, ADP, etc? They have a whole organization set up with $$ to pay for printing and mailing expenses. And (2) can we gather evidence of the affect these cards have had on the recepient House and Senate members? As we make our phone calls to the Members, let's ask if they have noted the receipt of MANY cards and whether it has made an impact in promoting discussion and consideration to co-sponsor the Udall bill???? We are acting as a group in this effort, so please offer your thoughts and suggestions. We need to make decisions now! Ofcourse, the steps in being a good advocate (see Cordy's 6/27 post) must be an on-going daily activity (just like our various PD symptoms), we just need to step back and evaluate the method(s) we use to BE NOTICED!! Jim wrote: "As we begin the final effort to pass the Udall Bill, we will be asking you to redouble your letter writing and phone contact with your legislators. Perhaps more important is for someone with Parkinson's to visit every Senators and Congressmen. Don't wait for someone else to make this personal contract. Surely it would be an awful feeling to see this legislation fall short by a few votes and to realize you could have made the difference. It is far better to have several visit than to have none. With both of these efforts we must continually emphasize WE ARE CLOSE TO FINDING CURE." Please post to the group with your thoughts as quickly as you can. Margaret Tuchman [log in to unmask]