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“Fighting “4” Us is an organization dedicated to
the awareness and promotion of and fundraising for a cure for the disease
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. We hope to educate our local global community
about RSD and its effect on people all over the world.”
This is the mission statement of Fighting “4” Us. It was written
at the very beginning of the creation of this group, and at that time I thought
that it summed up why Fighting “4” Us exists. Nearly two years later,
as I was going through the motions of running a non-profit organization, things
began to feel as if something was missing. I looked in all of our paperwork and
talked to all our members, but at the end of the day I still felt the same. Trying
again, I spent some time looking at other RSD organizations and spent even more
time on my own just thinking about that “missing piece.” “What
do I as an RSDer want out of a new non-profit organization dedicated to helping
people with RSD?” I wondered. Finally, after even more thinking and searching
I came up with the answer. What I and many other RSDers want is someone to talk
to, someone who reaches out and says “I understand.” Many non-profit
groups try to do this but often come up short of helping RSDers in the area local
to their group. That’s when I came up with the Fighting “4” Us
dream: to create a comprehensive non-profit organization that helps RSDers in
all aspects of their lives. But how does one create such an organization? And
it was with that question that I was finally able to go back to our paperwork
and find the answer was right in front of me in our Bylaws.
Now that I had found the missing piece, it was time to get on the ball and make
the dream come true. Looking at the Bylaws, I came up with the following three
steps:
- Put together a Board of Directors that would lead Fighting “4” Us
through the other two steps, and keep the organization going for years to come
once these steps were finished.
- Find and put together a knowledgeable and caring staff that would answer mail,
answer and return calls, and generally keep the day-to-day things that happen
in Fighting “4” Us in order.
- Finally, the Board of Directors and I would begin to put together what are
known as “Local Groups.” These groups will serve as the local connection
between RSDers and Fighting “4” Us. These groups will meet monthly
to plan such things as fundraisers and discussions with local doctors regarding
different aspects of RSD. More importantly, Local Groups will give Fighting “4” Us
what many groups are missing: a local connection to people with RSDers to help
them with all the problems that come with having RSD.
The steps in order, I took a look at where Fighting “4” Us is now,
versus where we eventually want to be. And, with only three people in the group
at the time of this article’s writing, it was obvious that we have a long
way to go.
And that, as of October 22, 2006 is where Fighting “4” Us stands.
Now the one thing missing from this organization is you.
You are the reason we began this organization, and you are the reason why we
will keeping it going. We need you, RSDers, caregivers, friends, and relatives
to join the group and make this dream possible. Don’t know how to get started?
Email me and tell me your name, age, and AOL IM screen name so that we may put
you on our list for our next online meeting. If you don’t have a screen
name, email us and we will show you how to get one. It’s that easy!
I truly believe this dream will come true, and with your help it will, and we
will beat this disease known as RSD. To read more about the beginnings of Fighting "4" Us
please click The Story of Fighting "4" Us.
Help us by making a tax deductible donation.
Tax deductible contributions can be sent to:
Fighting "4" US
P.O. Box 135
Bausman, PA 17504-0135
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All Content © 2007 Fighting 4Us.
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