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Hi Donna Testa I sent your idea into our parkinson's office and the response was met with enthusiasm. I think it's a great idea, and did mean to include it in our Newsletter, but let me know if it takes off, and then I will get the ball rolling down under -- or at least in Western Australia. I had an idea to suggest to our members,that if everytime we meet for seminars, social events, or such, we bring a piece of string, so we can start an Oz ball to send to you! . Re World Parkinson's Awareness Day Yesterday our Association launched our stick pin flags and the poster "Wave a flag: Help fight Parkinson's Disease" The stick pins have a little tulip surrounded by the words "Parkinson's Australia". We had the minister for health to launch them, and at least one tv station did a great cover on the news. They opened with a shot of M. Ali at the olympics, with some great text, then an interview with our President and his wife after they had filmed them walking along holding hands, with the PWP exhibiting very bad dyskinesias. They also got to talk about the effect of PD in their lives. Tomorrow, I with many others will be sitting in shops throughout Perth (and maybe in the country too) asking for donations for the flags, and no doubt doing lots of talking about PD. I have gathered some literature for my table, and will also be selling our all-purpose cards. I should say that we have the most amazing, energetic and skilful fund-raising Chairperson who deserves our thanks over and over. She is not on this List, but her name is Joyce Weinberg, so if any of you want to write to her via me, I'd be happy to pass on any letters. She would be most suprised. Joyce would love the idea of the ball of string, twine, etc too. Cheers to you all Joy Graham (CG Bob 57, 8+ years) >We are building a symbol for AWARENESS OF PARKINSON'S AROUND THE WORLD. >The symbol is a ball of, we hope, millions of feet of tieable material >to represent ONE FOOT AHEAD TOWARDS A CURE; INVISIBLE NO MORE. We want >to start NOW. If everyone would send one foot per person in their >family(e.g. so if there are 4 members in you family, it would be four >feet) of tieable material such as string, rope, ribbon, old necties or >fablic strips, etc, and mail it to the above address with your return >address. >The objective is to build the biggest ball we can imagine to represent: >Across the United States and around the world we are United (in this >effort) and will NOT BE INVISIBLE NO MORE!!!!!!!!!! >Our secondary purpose in our battle to fight invisibility is PUBLICITY. >We all know we need a gimmick: the ball is ours, and will become all of >ours with your help! When the post office box is overflowing with the >material you sent this will surely give us a chance to promote awareness >in a highly visible way. We hope to display this ball in a mall or >another highly visable place! >To recap, if you want to help: >l. Measure enough tieable material to equal l foot per family member. >2. Put in an envelope with your return address. This is very important, >we want to use this for everybody's benefit. We will keep a tally of >countries and states and include them around the circumference of the >ball. On request we will send you a copy of all publicity to help your >efforts. >3. Please pass the word along to your relatives, your support group, >friends, and anybody that wants to help in this effort. >We know this is diffrent but its worth the try, so please help us, we >have nothing to lose and a lot to gain from this. >Any questions?????? e-mail to [log in to unmask] >Donna Testa (caregiver to John 48/2)