At 08:38 PM 4/4/97 -0500, you wrote:
>Hi, I assist with running a PD support group in Blatimore. It has been
>running well for many years. We are in need of some fresh ideas for
>types of speakers or topics for next year. Please help! Thanks,
>Carol
>
Dear Carol,
You think you have a problem! You should try getting consistently good
programs in the boonies. Baltimore and Baltimore County have a huge
population. You also are near Washington with its million or so. You have
Johns Hopkins, Guillford Pharmaceuticals, University of Maryland Hospital
and Med School, Union Memorial, Mercy, GBMC, Church Home Hospital, and a
good many non-traditional medical sources. You are also near the NIH in
Bethesda. You also have many, many neurologists in private practice. You
can draw more high profile speakers because you can virtually guarantee them
a good sized audience. You also have psychiatrists who must be needed to
determine why the Baltimorons named their football team the Ravens. [a Poe
choice of names?] The other and prettier birds [Orioles] seem off to a good
start in the new baseball season.
I am one of your neighbors - if you can call being in the same state a
little over 2 hours distant. We are in a town of under 30,000. We draw from
about 150,000 population spread across the least populated portions of three
states.
Seriously, don't worry about repeating programs moderately often. Your
population turns over, and there are new people coming in all the time. What
may seem like "old hat" to you will be fresh information to most newcomers.
Also, the "old heads" like to hear what they already know because it gives
them a chance to brag that they already knew it.
Say "Hello" to Ed Blazek for me.
And here's to long "ons" and short "offs"
WILL JOHNSTON 4049 OAKLAND SCHOOL ROAD
SALISBURY, MD 21804-2716
410-543-0110
Pres A.P.D.A. DelMarVa Chapter
