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Dear friends, I want to thank each of you who sent letters to me last night and this morning. After reading my post yesterday, it does sound like I got carried away by saying that I am quitting the list. I won't. I'll be here for the people who need me to help with web designs, their websites, attitude adjustments, etc. A bit of history: I am deeply involved in attempting to save a lot of horses from slaughter. It totally angers me that I have found no one in favor of killing them, each person I talk with is strongly opposed to their death, agree that what is happening to them is the most horrible thing in the world, yet only a very (extremely) small number have offered any financial help. In other words - they all agree that something needs to be done, but someone else can do it. Yesterday, after a hard day trying to find someone to donate fencing for 14 acres, I read the PD list digest. I lost it, I was that angry. I know a number of people in the Parkinson Alliance. I did their website for them, and I'm in the process of redoing it. I deeply admire those folks and their dedication toward the one thing that we are all centered around - the cure. The Parkinson Alliance isn't a scam organization. These people are serious about what they are doing. A lot of them, while fighting their own PD monsters, spend 18 hours a day raising money to fund the seed money program. I've talked on the phone with some of them when they are so worn out that they couldn't stand up. The point is - they are doing something for themselves AND us. They don't draw a salary, they don't drive a company car, they don't charge fancy dinners to the company credit card. After all the years I've spent involved with this list, this is only the second group of people who are organized and working. (The first being the wonderful people who worked so hard on the Udall bill). (There have been a number of individual efforts, there have been support groups who have done something, but I'm referring to an actual group from this list). I don't remember how far back it was when Barbara P started this list, but in the span of years from then till now there have been countless ideas about raising money/drawing attention to PD. Good ideas, workable ideas. I'm as guilty as everyone else for not taking up the idea and charging forward with it. The Parkinson Alliance is a working, fully functional plan to attack our enemy. They will, on this list, show an accounting for every penny collected. No one else will do that. "Show me the books!" people on the list demanded. They will. If you can't afford it, don't send it. All I'm asking is that, instead of putting their efforts down, show a little support, drop a note of thanks, and do what you can. If you know someone who knows someone who has an Uncle who works for a large company (Sears, Walmart, Barnes & Noble, Billy Bob's Garage), pick up the phone and call them. Ask if they will pass the word along that we sure do need a money donation to fund research for a cure. Notify one of the PA members if you get a positive response. They can handle it from there. If you can't support the Parkinson Alliance because you think they are a bunch of glorified thieves, then support someone else, start your own research lab. Stop waiting for someone else to do all the work. I had an LT scream at me once when my group was being chopped up by sniper fire. "I don't give a damn if it's wrong," he yelled. "But don't just stand there - DO SOMETHING!" If we can't back our own people, if we can't raise our finger to make a phone call, if we can't force a few words of encouragement out of our mouth, then PD has won both the battle and the war. Even if it's wrong - do something. Jerry -- Help us save the horses! Habitat for Horses, Inc. A lifetime home for abused, endangered horses. http://www.habitatforhorses.org/