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Hi, I'm in the San Francisco Bay Area, and I've been on the phone soliciting mostly chain-store merchants for Pennies for Parkinsons to accept the coin cans that I was able to order from a company in Chicago. I targeted mostly chain stores because they have multiple cash registers, which means more cans, fewer stores to service; I have had to meet with some of the more faint hearted who want to see the cans and some authentic literature, such as the brochures, but mostly I've been able to get authorization over the phone, so that starting this Friday when I receive the shipment of cans, I'll get the labels on the cans and start distributing them to the stores. So far, I'll need 53 cans. Some store managers are making donations or matching donations instead of taking cans. I'm fairly comfortable cold calling, but some people are not. However, if you use a "script" it is much, much easier to feel comfortable about picking up the phone. If anyone wants any help with scripts or info on getting cans (I also found out how to make them out of mailing tubes and end caps), or anything else, just e-mail me. My merchants were largely super markets, independant markets, drug chains, and books stores. But the possibilities are endless. Each person has to do what they're comfortable with, and what makes sense for them. For me, it was lots of cans in fewer stores, and that meant I had to have "real" coin cans so that they would take them. But many smaller stores will take more hand made varieties with the Pen for Park. label on them. Do you all know about the labels and brochures? Call Bill Turenne at 1-888-331-4673 at the Parkinson Alliance. Sorry if I'm repeating stuff everyone already knows or stating the obvious. Also, the NPF can provide literature to put in libraries for education during PD awareness month. I'll be putting packets in three of our libraries with a sign that they said they would allow me to display. Good luck, Ann (aka Charlotte) PWP, local support group volunteer, and new member of the Parkinson Alliance _________________ Jim Cordy wrote: > > I wish I knew what motivated people. This prayer by Tutu is great. There > seems to be a couple postings on the list every day. It has involved people > who do not regularily post. I'm thrilled to see the positive response of > people all over one by one contacting their local media. I hope to learn > from this burst of excitement on the list. To learn what turns PWP on > (besides Sinemet). I had sensed, apparently correctly from the response to > "spread the word", that there was a pent-up frustration among PWP. Tapping > into that energy source with a constructive nationwide campaign is the goal > of Pennies for Parkinson's program recently announced by the Parkinson's > Alliance. > > Pennies for Parkinson's has gotten off to a good start. I had been hoping, > and still do hope, that we will pick up the momentum that this "spread the > word" campaign has. My fantasy vision of this grassroots fund-raising > campaign is like the old March of Dimes when I was a kid. Where every school > kid would be saving Pennies for Parkinson's to help grandma or grandpop. > If we could do that, do you know what that would mean? Quite simply we > would cure Parkinson's and probably do it in the next five years they. > > I want to cure Parkinson's and soon. I want that with such intensity that > words can not adequately discribe. Furthermore, I know how to do it - > money. Finding the cure for Parkinson's is not a bottomless pit into which > we pour money. Its tantalizing the close. > > So my fellow list members, my brothers and sisters with Parkinson's, share > with me your thoughts. Give me some feedback. Tell me what needs to be > done in order to tap into that reservoir of energy that exists in shaking or > immobile bodies throughout this country and world. What can we learn from > this wonderful spiritual iniative that we can apply to motivate us in a more > pragmatic venue. I want to hear from all of you, regular posters and > lurkers who have never posted, anyone who has an idea as to how we light the > fuse to this time bomb of energy so that we can blow Parkinson's disease out > of our lives. That's the word I would like spread - that Parkinson's is > dead.