December 1999

As we close out on 1999 I hope that everyone had a nice Holiday Season. I wish you and your family the best for the New Year.

I enjoy receiving and reading all of your newsletters. Everyone I read shows the dedication you all have for LPA and its membership. I know it's not said enough, but thank you for all that you do.

Over the past few weeks LPA has signed two hotel contracts for the 2003 and 2005 National Conferences. The Sheraton Hotel in Danvers, MA, will be the site for 2003. The rates are $97.00 for single, double, triple, or four to a room. The Hilton Hotel in the Walt Disney World Resort, Florida will be the site for 2005. These rates will be $98.00 for single, double, triple, or four to a room. We are looking at the Hilton Hotel in Reno, Nevada for 2004. This will be checked out this year with a possible signing. Mike Pileggi, our Meeting Planner, is going to be working on 2007 for Hawaii. This leaves us without a site for 2006. The possible places could be New New Orleans, Kansas City, St. Louis, Tennessee, or Kentucky. We are signing these contracts into the future because it guarantees the lowest rates we can get, plus we don't have to scramble at the last minute looking for a Conference site for the following year.

Angela Van Etten sent a letter out on November 27 regarding the lowering of ATM's, elevator buttons, public telephones, etc., from 54 inches to 48 inches. She requested that we all write a letter before March 15, 2000 to the Access Board in Washington, DC. to get this changed. Please share this with your members if you haven't already done so.

In the upcoming elections no one has officially announced for Vice-president of Membership. This is a very important position that deals with the Teens, Young Adults, Seniors, International, and the Data Base Administrator. This would be perfect for one of our younger members with new ideas for the new millennium. If you know of someone like this in your district or chapter please encourage them to run for the office or to contact me for more information.

There are potential new leaders out there that just need some mentoring, and we need to bring them into these positions. Heather Davis Povinelli who is our new LPA Today editor is a prime example of the younger members wanting to take on leadership responsibilities. They need to announce before March 30, which is 90 days before the Conference. Please have them contact me if they're the least bit interested.

As always if you have any questions or concerns please let me know.

Leroy Bankowski

Minneapolis will be here in a little more than six months. It seems like yesterday we were in Portland. The conference committee and Mike Pileggi are hard at work. My very first conference was in Minneapolis in 1969, and I remember the thrill of attending. I still get that thrill. It's wonderful seeing old friends and meeting new ones. It great to see the children change year by year. If that thrill leaves me, then I’ll find something else to do in July. My wish for next year is that members renew early. If as a chapter, district, or national officer you know of someone who due to financial reasons can't afford a membership, then let's work together. Let's encourage our members to assist one another by either contributing to the scholarship or to the Kitchen Travel Fund. By doing this we can assist each other.

Here's wishing each and every one of you a blessed and happy New Year.

I am concluding work on the 2000 budget. It will be mailed later this month to the Executive Committee, district directors, and committee heads for a final review. After your review, please submit a prompt response (within 5 days from receipt) to me if you have comments or questions. If I hear nothing from you, I will assume that you are satisfied with the 2000 budget proposal.

As was the case last year, not every district and chapter have submitted budget information so that we can prepare a consolidated budget for our organization. At the end of 1999, 5 out of 13 districts have not submitted budget requests and 25 out of 54 chapters have not submitted budget requests. Dues rebate checks will be retained for these delinquent districts and chapters until I receive this information.

My best wishes to all of you as we enter the year 2000!

Paul H. Hagen

Happy 2000!!! The newly revised applications for 2000 for the Bock Fund, Kitchens Fund and Scholarship Fund are on line and can be located by using the following addresses:

Bock Fund: http://home.sprynet.com/~dhblack/bocktrst.htm

Kitchens Travel Fund: http://home.sprynet.com/~dhblack/kitchens.htm

Scholarship Fund: http://home.sprynet.com/~dhblack/fndschlr.htm

Hard copies of each of these applications will be mailed shortly...if not already by the time you get this...to all Chapter Presidents and District Directors and Execs. Please make copies as needed...or refer people on line.

One new change on the Scholarship Application that should be noted is that a letter of recommendation from the applicants' chapter president or district director is required. I've enclosed a model letter of recommendation for you to use. Feel free to copy this and use the exact model or draft your own...but, please, include the information requested. If you have questions, please contact me.

Joyce Best

I am happy to announce that Robert Krulwich of ABC News will be the first recipient of the 1^st Annual LPA Award for Promoting Awareness if Individuals with Dwarfism at the 2000 conference in Minneapolis.

Preparations are underway for a media blitz for the conference. With Heather Povinelli’s help, we have a local media list to work from. I’ll be putting a national list together in the next month or so and also will prepare the media packet for widespread distribution.

Enclosed are the year end membership print outs for each of the District Directors and Chapter Presidents. There are three sets. One set includes every one on the database for your area. One set includes every one paid in 1999. One set includes all those not paid in 1999. In order to reduce costs, this is the last time three sets will be published unless there is a great demand otherwise. In the future only the complete listing will be published.

The old Washington, DC mailbox has been closed. Please do not refer to this address in the future. Also destroy letterheads and other papers that use this old address. From now own use the LPA, Box 745, Lubbock, TX 79408-0745 address.

Membership Renewal Forms (MRF's) went in the mail 31 December 1999. Please do not use the old generic MRF form from the past that references to old dues structure and any address except LPA, Box 745, Lubbock, TX 79408-0745.