Our President

I would like to use my space in the WIM this month to give a quick overview of a few things we have planned. We are working with the City of Deltona to do something about the parking abuses they seem to have escalating everywhere. I have met informally with the Mayor and delivered a prepared brochure explaining the issue and detailing how to turn it into a positive.

At our last Board meeting we passed a motion to donate a thousand dollars a year for the next five years to National PVA for research at Yale University and also for the production of clinical guidelines. Anything we can do to help find a cure for SCI/D we feel obligated and are willing to support.

One of our members, Kingston Lindblom, suggested that we write to request our name be placed on a list at the Amway Arena. We did, and if an event has an opening in the box seat area, we’ll get a call, and one or more of our members can attend. If we receive just one or two invitations, it will have been well worth the letter. (You may have spoken with Kingston; he’s voluntarily calling our members. If he hasn’t called you, he will eventually.)

Another idea we are promoting is a wheelchair checkup day. We have a very qualified Wheelchair Technician who will be coming by the office once a month. Rather than going through the hassle of scheduling an appointment and waiting an unknown amount of time, a member could just come by the chapter and he will look at your chair. If you need parts he can order them, and then work with the VA. Hopefully this will become an active and viable program. We have finalized a date; it will be the 4th Wednesday of every month. Depending on the response we can expand if needed. It will be in the Calendar as Chair Check Day.

I hope you all are as satisfied with the people we have at the Orlando VA as I am. I recently went there for some medical needs and found they are a great team. Richard Alexander was most helpful, before, during and especially after I saw Marcia Johnson. She was her usual competent self and got right down to business. Elinor Splitter followed up before I left the room to go for Labs. They all share a genuine enthusiasm for what they do and they are truly caring individuals who believe in giving their best to help us maintain our health.

You may have already heard about the MV-1 van. It’s a new concept that makes sense. Instead of taking a new van, removing the insides, and installing a ramp, this model comes out of the factory with the ramp already there. It is made here in the USA, and is being marketed through Volkswagen Dealers. I stopped by to see one and was impressed by the roominess. It is so new they didn’t have any information on it. When they do receive the information we hope to have them send it to us. There is a website: http://www.vpgautos.com and thanks for letting me serve you, our members.

Steve Kirk

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