Some time ago I was asked - and I've seen it asked here on this list also -
if I have some money to contribute to a Parkinson cause, which organization
should I choose. There are a bundle of them, all doing good in their own
way. It's hard to make a recommendation.
That's why I can't understand why NPF would risk leaving a bad taste in the
mouth of the 1500 people on this list by not lending a sympathetic ear to
Ivan. Despite the good that I am aware that NPF has done, there is
something wrong with an organization that would treat a person on
disability income the way Ivan has described.
Okay, I'll agree that the $3400 that Ivan has complained about is a bit
much. Portland, ME, to Miami, FL, airfare runs about $250 return if you
buy in advance and stay over Saturday night. A hotel room for three nights
should be under another $100 per night, a rental car less than another
$100, and incidentals, including a modest food bill for two, another $100.
For two people sharing the room and car, that's $1000. I'm sure that if
NPF wanted to bring Ivan and his friend back down to Florida, they could
arrange it for that $1000. That's not peanuts, especially compared to
Ivan's disability check, but neither is it $3400.
Perhaps it wasn't NPF's fault that Ivan got this treatment, but then who's
to blame? The secretary? - working for five doctors, she was clearly
overloaded. The doctor? - you might fault him for his managerial skills in
that he didn't have sufficient staff. What's the cost of another fifth of
a secretary compared to a doctor's income? Maybe it was in fact Ivan's
error. But whoever the finger eventually points to, it is NPF that gets
the bad name unless NPF sees that adequate restitution is made.
With 1200 listmembers from the U.S.A., each being able to control a $10
donation to the NPF - or maybe one listmember being able to control a
$10,000 donation - it would appear to be fiscally unwise for the NPF to
turn a deaf ear to Ivan. I think we'd all like to hear that NPF is not
acting like the "elephant in Barb Mallut's living room." And then we'd all
be comfortable when we recommend NPF for its good works.
Arthur Hirsch [] [log in to unmask] [] Lewisville, TX
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Always Remember This:
Happiness Is Right, So Choose Happiness
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