Organization Highlights March 2002

Organization Highlights

By Steve Mallory

March 2002

Well, it’s March 1 and I’m happy to announce that our organization is getting very close to receiving non-profit status. We received our federal tax identification number about two weeks ago. Last week, my wife received a phone call from the IRS and was asked to fax them a corrected application for non-profit, which means that the application at least is where it should be. So, we have our Articles of Incorporation filed, the tax i.d. and now just waiting for final non-profit status approval. It looks like the April newsletter might be even better news!

☺ Were you a participant in the Quilt for Stroke Awareness Project? Were you wondering what ever happened to your quilt square and what happens if it has not been used in a quilt? I have been so busy this past year that it has essentially been impossible for me to follow up on the project and make sure that everything happens as originally planned. Over the last few weeks, I have revisited our goals here and am now in the process of making good on my plan to make the quilts be used to raise stroke awareness.

The existing quilts can be seen on our web page at http://www.strokeawareness.org/projects/quilt/. If you do not see your square listed there, please do not e-mail me and ask what is going to happen to it. We still have all the remaining squares and our quilt maker has volunteered to make as many quilts as necessary until all squares have been used. You can inquire about having a quilt sent to you for a display in your location by e-mailing Peggy Polczynski, our Stroke Awareness Manager, at mailto:PeggyP@strokenetwork.org. Peggy will make sure that the quilt is sent to you. Please help us with raising stroke awareness and become a part of our stroke awareness program. You might be preventing stroke from happening to someone else. The main stroke awareness site is http://www.strokeawareness.org/.

☺ The first recipes are posted. As you might know, we have had another one of our organization projects going on. We are collecting recipes from our members (from all over the world) and posting them on our web page. We have about 10 recipes posted right now and hopefully more to be in the near future. The recipes are located at http://www.strokenetwork.org/memberzone/, please visit our Members Zone web page and e-mail Peggy at Recipes@strokenetwork.org with your recipe.

☺ We have increased the responsibilities for Frank Ruby to be one of our Public Relations Officers. Next month he will be beginning a series in the newsletter to educate and inform you about our extensive web site. Each month Frank will be telling you about what this site has to offer.

☺ We will also be changing the face of the web site to a custom design just for The Stroke Network. Every site is going to have it’s own artwork. The change will be happening during March. This is not expected to interrupt our web site service but be sure to keep checking.

☺ One final note, Lisa Mikutis is our other Public Relations Officer and has a new job as Support Coordinator. She will be working to find experienced stroke survivors for our brand new stroke survivors. The intention here is to have someone mentor them about living with stroke. Please e-mail her if you are interested with either helping or being helped.

Ironically, Polly, one of the contributors to this newsletter, wrote an article for this newsletter covering that same subject. Lisa will also be coordinating all the stroke support activities for our organization. You probably have already received her reminder e-mails telling you about our scheduled chat sessions. Please attend one of them if you can.

The Stroke Network, Inc.

P.O. Box 492 Abingdon, Maryland 21009