July 1, 2010

Dear Friends:

The face of Tourette Syndrome Association of Greater Washington has changed.  In late 2009, with donations down, we were regretfully forced to discontinue our paid staff, due to financial constraints.  However, all is not lost!  Since then, a small, dedicated core from Board of Directors has been running TSAGW through totally volunteer efforts.  This is not a small job.  If TSAGW is to continue in its mission serving Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia, we must revitalize it with volunteers from our membership and clientele.  A small board of directors, all of whom have jobs, families, school, and personal lives, cannot do it alone.  We will continue to work and to lead, but we need your help!

To help us in our efforts to restructure and activate our volunteer pool, Dan Rostan, Vice President of Field Services for national TSA, will be traveling to our area to meet with all of those interested in continuing the mission of TSAGW.   A general meeting of all interested parties, with Dan, the Board of Directors, and former Executive Director, Sue Jacob, with take place on Saturday, July 24, 2010, at 10:00 AM., in the auditorium of Suburban Hospital, Bethesda, Maryland.  The discussion will focus on ways in which we can all support TSAGW, allowing it to continue without paid staff, for now.

If you are a member; if you or someone important to you has Tourette Syndrome; if you have reached out to TSAGW for information, support, or direct service; if you feel that our mission of educating about TS and supporting those affected by TS is important; then we ask you to take a precious Saturday morning to join us in effecting this transition.

What can you do?  The answer is anything and everything, a little or a lot.  Every contribution is important.  We are not looking for potential board members, though we would be happy to hear from anyone with that interest.  We are looking for numerous volunteers, each of whom will tackle specific tasks according to his/her talents, skills, and interests.  We are looking for individuals who will commit to specific jobs.  We have organized the functions which TSAGW must accomplish into category lists.  There is something for everyone.  We have tasks which are technical, IT, communication, clerical, outreach, artistic, development, etc.  If you have the basic skills, talents or interests needed for a job, but aren’t quite prepared, we will train you.  If you have a friend or relative with a skill set we need, ask them to help us.  There will be a full list potential ways to help at the meeting.  If you can’t attend the meeting, but would like to help, please contact us.

This is our organization.  It’s not national TSA’s.  It’s not TSAGW’s Board of Directors’.  It’s all of ours, all together.  We need to unite, and contribute in order to make it work.  Without the commitment of many, we cannot be a whole TSAGW.  Please join us at Suburban Hospital on July 24, at 10:00 AM, to learn where you fit in and how you can contribute.   Directions and details are on www.TSAGW.org. 

Sincerely,

Susie Edelson
President
Tourette Syndrome Association of Greater Washington