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Hi listfriends, Jim & Deborah Cordy invited me and my wife Faye to the special dinner organized by the Pittsburgh Chapter of the NPF. The committee did a great job, lead by Jim Cordy and supported by his wife Deborah. The other members of the committee of course also congratulated with the big success following their many hours of hard work! Many speakers spoke very positive words, but also warnings were said. Warnings that we must get the money for research and that is not just going to happen! We must work for it! The details are to be found in earlier e-mails and of course by the PAN. I met many friends from the Washington meeting July 1997, in Pittsburgh again. I enjoyed their company very much and made some new friends. Many of them invited me to Washington. I've taken time to get adjusted in Waco but now I'm ready to do all I can to be visible and to help to find the cure! After filling our stomachs with excellent food, we were surprised by the auction of a pair of Muhammad Ali's boxing gloves. A lady bought them for $6200, which was a bargain, I think. After the auction, Muhammad Ali lighted a torch and followed by the PWP's he left for the press-conference. I was one of the lucky few that was present at this meeting on which "The Champ" didn't speak himself. I was in the opportunity to give Muhammad Ali personally the poem I wrote for him. The Pittsburgh dinner-committee raised about a $100,000 for the good work for PD. But at least as important was the enormous publicity around this event. My guesses are that about 6 TV-camera's and 20 journalists were making notes and shots at the press-conference. When The Champ left the room, followed by his wife and helpers, he stopped and showed us an example of his humor. His eyes glanced when he let a handkerchief disappear in his sleeve. Little of the people realized that it must have been a great effort to do this with stiff and slow hands. Muhammad Ali is very slow in his movements and I haven't heard him say a word and he has tremor. Yet his wife told us that he will go back in training to get his body in a better shape. I'm very curious what he will do to get a better shape again, advised by people who have the knowledge how to get a person in good shape again. I do my best in my way, to keep my body fit. I want to be in good shape when the cure is there! Ready to continue my life where it stopped 9 years ago. Let's make Parkinsons Disease a bad memory!! Kees Paap 4301 Green Oak Drive Waco, Texas 76710 (254) 751 7619