EVENT REGISTRATION SUMMER 2006 REGISTER NOW! You can register online at www.nationalmssociety.org, by phone at 1-800- FIGHT-MS, by fax, or by mail to your local office. The fax numbers and mailing addresses for each of the offices within the North Central States Chapter are listed inside the front cover of this newsletter. NAME: ___________________________ HOME PHONE: _______________ ADDRESS: ________________________ WORK PHONE: _______________ CITY, STATE ZIP: ___________________________________________________ TEAM NAME: _____________________ TEAM CAPTAIN: ________________ YEARS PARTICIPATED: ____________ T-SHIRT SIZE: _____________ 2006 MS WALK DATES 2006 MS BIKE DATES Cedar Rapids (IA), September 24 Black Hills (SD) MS 150 Burlington (IA), September 24 Bike Tour, September 23-24 (Black Hills W.R.A.T.H.) Non Profit Org. US Postage PAID Sioux Falls, SD Permit No. 00684 National Multiple Sclerosis Society 3800 W Technology Circle, Ste 201 Sioux Falls, SD 57106 Toll-Free Number: 1 800 FIGHT MS Summer 2006 Chapter News 4 Programs 12 - 19 Volunteer Opportunities 5 Research 20 Tributes & Memorials 6 - 10 Development 21 - 31 In the Community 11 Volume 1 • Issue 2 North Central States Chapter Tri Chapter Education Conference, Promise 2010 Initiative hree Chapters of the innovative research into highly National Multiple Sclerosis promising areas and to improve Society came together MS patient care. This nationwide T to offer an excellent effort fueled by local chapters will educational program for raise at least $30 million by 2010 clients and professionals from to fund four targeted areas that FPO North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, hold great potential in the fight Minnesota and Nebraska. The Tri against the devastating effects of Chapter Education Conference, MS, but which have so far been Promise 2010 Initiative on July under-explored. 22, 2006 at the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Convention Center was a These four areas include: Nervous huge success. Many thanks to the System Repair and Protection program staff of the Minnesota, Initiative – investigating ways Nebraska and North Central to roll back the ravages of MS; States Chapters who have been Pediatric MS Centers of Excellence working on this conference for over – treating the youngest people with a year. MS; The Sonya Slifka Longitudinal MS Study – gaining a better The Promise 2010 Campaign was understanding of the impact of preceded by the Society’s successful MS; and The MS Lesion Project Research Challenge of Champions – determining if MS is more than campaign, which was introduced one disease. in 2000 to raise at least $20 million over five years to fund four high- The excellent presenters from the interest areas. The Promise 2010 Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and Initiative, the National Multiple the Home Office of the National Sclerosis Society’s latest campaign, Multiple Sclerosis Society in New cont. on pg. 2 was launched last year to encourage York brought a Photos: Dane Lenhard (see pg. 4), 2006 MS Walks (see pg. 26), Brenda Koppy (see pg. 4) CONT. FROM PAGE 1 Publication of the National Multiple new perspective to the research initiatives of Sclerosis Society, North Central the Promise 2010 Campaign. States Chapter If you were not able to attend the conference Des Moines Office but would like to see the four presentations 1300 50th Street, Suite 106 on the MS Lesion Project Initiative; Pediatric West Des Moines, IA 50266 MS Centers of Excellence; The Sonya Slifka Phone: (515) 270-6337 Longitudinal Study; and Nervous System Repair Fax: (515) 270-0337 and Protection, DVD’s will be available through our chapter’s lending library and for purchase Fargo Office by contacting your local North Central States 100 Fourth Street South, LL 14 Fargo, ND 58103 Chapter Office. In addition, the live taping of Phone: (701) 235-2678 those presentations are now linked to the North Fax: (701) 235-6358 Central States Chapter website and will be available for viewing for 90 days – approximately Rapid City Office through late October. 1719 West Main Street, Suite 103 Rapid City, SD 57702 Phone: (605) 718-5703 Fax: (605) 718-5703 Want to get involved? Sioux Falls Office Visit our website to find out more 3800 W Technology Circle about upcoming events and volunteer Suite 201 opportunities! Sioux Falls, SD 57106 Phone: (605) 336-7017 WWW. NATIONALMS SOCIETY.ORG/NTH Fax: (605) 336-8088 Board of Trustees Studies show that early and ongoing Dr. Scott Munsinger Chair treatment with an FDA-approved therapy Gary Mattson Vice Chair can reduce future disease activity and Dennis Galeazzi Treasurer improve quality of life for many people Tom Houle Secretary with multiple sclerosis. National MS Yvonne Ellinor Jennifer Helland Society medical advisors recommend that Brian Jans Lee Lewis people with MS talk with their health care Steve Lynch Bill Wright professional about using one of these medications and about strategies and Jennifer Kline Chapter President effective treatments to manage symptoms. If you or someone you know has MS, Patty Brooks Programs Director please contact the Society today at www. Mandy Petersen Development nationalmssociety.org or 1-800-FIGHT- Director MS to learn about ways to help manage multiple sclerosis and about current © 2006 National Multiple Sclerosis research that may one day reveal a cure. Society, North Central States Chapter Toll-Free Number: 1 800 FIGHT MS PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE WHAT CAN WE BE FOR YOU? For over 50 years, the National someone more progressed MS Society has been dedicated in disease symptoms. to ending the devastating effects of multiple sclerosis. To meet this challenge, we Though we have been a leader need to develop a variety in the fight against MS, we of programs and services. know there is always more we Please take some time over can do. the next few weeks and Under the leadership of a new think about what you’d CEO, the National MS Society like to see the National is looking to the future and MS Society be. What asking, “What can we BE for people services should we provide? What with MS NOW?” For the past year, we should our goals be in our research have come up with many answers – and efforts? How should we provide up- an aggressive fund raising strategy to to-date information? How can we help us implement them. engage volunteers and health care professionals in our fight against MS? The Board of Trustees and staff of our chapter are now reviewing this new Watch your mailbox in the coming national strategic plan and working months for a personal invitation to one hard to adapt it to our states. of these town hall meetings. I hope to hear from you. And we want to hear from you. With my thanks and commitment, This fall, I will be traveling around the chapter – joined by our Director of Client Programs and members of our Board of Trustees – to hold town hall meetings. Our goal is to hear from as Jennifer Kline many people as possible, gathering Chapter President input that will shape the future of our chapter. We recognize that our over 8,000 clients have different needs. What someone with MS living in rural North Dakota SPECIAL NOTICE: would like to see this organization be We’d like to inform you that all of our might be very different than a caregiver offices – Des Moines, Fargo, Rapid living in Des Moines, IA. And what City, and Sioux Falls – will be closed someone who has just been diagnosed September 5-7 for an all staff meeting. with MS would like this organization We apologize for any inconveniences to be might be very different from this may cause. 3 Visit our Website at: nationalmssociety.org/nth CHAPTER NEWS SUMMER 2006 New Employees Join the Chapter Staff WELCOME DANE LENHARD WELCOME BRENDA KOPPY We are excited to welcome Dane Brenda Koppy comes to the National Lenhard to the Des Moines office of the MS Society with 15 years experience National Multiple Sclerosis in human services. In her Society, North Central States most recent position, she Chapter. Working as the was the Program Director for Corporate Relations Manager, Lutheran Social Services of Dane is responsible for North Dakota. She supervised developing and maintaining and trained 40 staff that corporate sponsorships for the provided Restorative Justice MS Walk and MS 150 Bike programming to juvenile Tour campaigns as well as offenders, families, victims leadership events throughout and community members the North Central States throughout the state of Chapter. North Dakota. She has a number of years of experience Dane was born and raised in providing training to staff Omaha, NE, and received his and communities on a variety Bachelor of Journalism degree of different topics. She has in Advertising in 2005 from experience developing and the University of Nebraska implementing new programs – Lincoln, where he served on and working with other the Student Advisory Board community entities for the and worked on a major campaign for best interest of the client. the White House. Prior to Dane’s move to West Des Moines and joining the MS She is very happy to be given the Society, he was a Sales Executive and opportunity to work for the National the Game Operations Director for the MS Society as the Program Manager Sioux Falls Stampede Hockey Club. for the North Central State Chapter. “I am very excited to be able to be a Despite being a rabid Husker fan, part of the work and mission of the Dane is happy to be in Iowa and to call National MS Society. I am looking Des Moines home. In addition to his forward to coordinating the MS career, Dane is a big hockey fan, he programs in North Dakota. I hope that enjoys being outside on his bike, and I will be able to help MS clients obtain loves to barbeque.