Hi All,

I've been wrapped up in personal issues lately that are slam dunking me a wee
little bit, so I haven't been with you as I would like to have been.  I want
to share though, that I went to a conference primarily for parents who have
children with disabilities and service providers last Saturday.  It was the
5th annual "Circle of Support" conference sponsored by the ARC of Greater
Prince William County, Virginia.  I don't have my notes at my desk, so I'll
briefly share that I heard the first keynote speaker, Norman Kunc, who has
CP. He is a tremendous fellow if you haven't heard of him, and I'd like to
share his website with you just in case.

<A HREF="http://www.normemma.com/">Axis Disability Rights Website - Index.htm<
/A>

His speech was entitled "The Right to be Disabled."  He kept us in stitches,
but nearly everything he said hit home with me, and I think almost everyone
in the audience.

I'll just share a quick anecdote from Norman Kunc's speech, if I may.  He
said he happened along a Billy Graham crusade while staying in a hotel for
different purposes.  He went to the Crusade staff and asked if they had
suites reserved for those who came to be healed.  The guy he talked to
sheepishly said that he didn't know but would check.  He left, and when he
came back, he apologetically said that they didn't have suites reserved for
people who came to be healed.  Norman Kunc said, "Okay then. I'll just take a
regular room and stay the way I am."

I've been to this website, and I can safely say it's well worth a trip.  The
information is excellent and empowering.  Knowledge is power, as they say.
He and his wife, Emma, are people I wish I could meet personally.  I would
love to have commandeered him for a few minutes after his speech, but I would
have been one extra person pinging on him so I decided not to try.

The other website I would like to share about is one that I have become
involved with in the past couple of weeks -- I'm doing a little editing for
the developer of the site, Jim Hasse.  This site is called "Tell Us Your
Story," and I can say that it has personally been of tremendous value.  Jim
has CP, and wrote a book called "Break Out," which I've read.  His stores are
interesting and thought provoking.  The way this site works is that there are
a number of categories, such as advocating for yourself, feeling invisible,
or sibling relationships.  There are a ton of other categories, but the idea
is that you go to a category, read a story that was chosen as a "thought
starter," and then compose your own story that will be posted on the website.
 Of course, you don't have to read the thought starter story, but all those
that I've read have been worth the reading.  It really is a great site, and I
think it's a beneficial asset to the disability community.  You can post your
stuff for the universe to see, and read other people's thoughts and opinion's
too.  There is one category about the Chicken Soup for the Soul (ala
disability soul), and there are a ton of posts about that.  I posted
something on that one myself.  Anyway, this is the link if anyone is
interested:

 <A HREF="http://www.tell-us-your-story.com/">Tell Us Your Story Home Page</A>


I've been going to this site for about a year now, I think, and it's been
very cathartic for me.

Just sharing ... hope everyone is doing well,
Betty