FALL 2012 PROGRAMS & SERVICES IN YOUR COMMUNITY

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

ADVOCACY

MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNTBY RENEE VANDLIK

Election Day 2012 is on the horizon, so get ready to cast your vote for who best represents the issues you care about. Here’s what you need to know to vote in the elections on November 6.

THE BIG PICTUREThis fall, Americans will cast votes for the presidency, every member of the U.S. House of Representatives and one-third of the U.S. Senate. What’s different? Since the 2010 census, 15 million Americans became eligible to vote and an anticipated 50 million more will vote this November due to stronger engagement in national campaigns. However, people with disabilities register to vote at a 16 percent lower rate than other Americans. And with 1 in 10 eligible voters having a disability, that’s a lot of

people whose voices aren’t being heard. Make sure yours is. National Voter Registration Day is September 25, 2012. Register yourself and learn how you can register others at www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Voting/Register.shtml.

PREPARE TO VOTEThis year, citizens in 30 states will have to comply with voter identification laws. Contact your local polling precinct ahead of time to find out what you’ll need.

Also ask about accessibility: you don’t want to show up, only to find out you can’t get in the door. Since 2005, The Help America Vote Act requires every precinct in the country to have at least one voting machine or system accessible to persons with disabilities, including those with vision impairments. Learn more at www.aapd.com/what-we-do/voting/.

If it’s difficult to vote in-person, plan to vote absentee. Learn more at www.longdistancevoter.org.

THE INFORMED VOTERGo to www.nationalMSsociety.org/advocacy to learn more about issues important to people with MS, such as health care, accessibility and medical research. Then find out where the candidates stand on those issues— www.yourcandidatesyourhealth.org is one place to start.

Renee Vandlik is the Society’s director of State Government and Local Government Relations.

PROGRAMS & SERVICES FALL 2012 REGISTER AT NATIONALMSSOCIETY.ORG/CAN | 1-800-344-4867

COGNIFITNESS: KEEP THE MIND MOVING CogniFitness is a fun and educational 7-week series that will help you keep the mind moving and develop new techniques to strengthen your cognitive skills. Realize your optimal thinking skills utilizing techniques that have everyday applications.

Learn to:

• Facilitate focus and concentration. • Improve memory using new strategies.• Improve organization, problem solving &

critical thinking skills. • Manage cognitive fatigue.

CogniFitness is availabe to you at these locations and times:

PetalumaThursdays, October 4 - November 15

10:00 -11:30 AM Petaluma Community Center

Conference Room 3 320 N. McDowell Boulevard

Petaluma, CA

EurekaOne Day Workshop! Saturday, October 27 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Lunch Included Red Lion Inn

1929 4th Street Eureka, CA

SRSLY? I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THE CHALLENGES OF MS

PRESENTED BY PFIZERTuesday, November 6, 2012

9:30 AM Breakfast & Program Red Lion Hotel 1929 4th Street

Eureka, CA

Ever use text abbreviations like “SRSLY” to try to save a couple of seconds in your day? We live in a fast-paced world. How can you find time to learn about multiple sclerosis (MS)? Attend “SRSLY?”, a unique educational series on managing relapsing MS with a busy schedule.

The upcoming presentation,“I Don’t Have Time for the Challenges of MS”, will cover common symptoms of MS, how they can impact your busy schedule, and some time-saving strategies to help manage them.

RSVP Information: Call 877-969-1722 or visit www.events.mslifelines.com/3655

*This program is not a program of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Please note that the Northern California Chapter is announcing this program opportunity as a courtesy to our members and to our industry partners. The Chapter is not responsible for content and the opinions expressed are that of the sponsoring company and its speakers and may not reflect the opinions of the National MS Society.

GIVE WHAT YOU KNOW AT MSCONNECTION.ORG

What if everyone living with MS could connect with one another? Or with those who research ways to stop, restore or end the disease? Or those who provide medical care or treat the symptoms of MS? What if everyone who cares about MS could join together in one place? Maybe, by connecting all of our knowledge, and hope, and experience, we can gain a new understanding of how to move forward.

Through MSConnection.org, launched in March 2012, all those who are part of the MS Movement are able to make meaningful connections - with easy access to the best content and resources the MS community can offer. You’ll find information about the topics that are most important to you, be able to share your experiences, connect with people you want to connect with, and have expert MS information and opinions right at your fingertips.

MIND, MYTH & MYELINATIONYou are invited to become part of a scientific research project investigating how consciousness may affect Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS). Become part of an international study that examines various aspects of those with PPMS in an attempt to uncover the roots of myelin dissolution. If you have PPMS and would like to be interviewed for this study, please contact: Hannah Zinn M.D. at 510-200-3746 or zinn.hannah@yahoo.de.

SELF-HELP GROUPS HUMBOLDT COUNTYEurekaAnn Louise 707-839-0177 or Kim 707-445-9803

MENDOCINOFort Bragg Alice 707-964-7850

MARIN COUNTYCorte Madera Vicki 415-892-7370 or Anita 415-892-5548

SONOMA COUNTYSanta Rosa Susan 707-544-9654 or Debbie 707-548-8437

Healdsburg Kate 707-433-9194 or Becky 707-303-5207

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PROGRAMS & SERVICES FALL 2012

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

CENTRAL VALLEYFree From Falls - October 2 (8-week series) Town Hall Meeting - October 24Newly Diagnosed Orientation - November 6Christmas at the Gallo Center - November 27

GREATER BAY AREAYoga for MS & Wellness - multiple dates & timesProgram for Stress & Pain Management - Starts October 9 Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction - October 11 (8-week series)Newly Diagnosed Orientation - November 7

SACRAMENTOCogniFitness - 2 locations & datesFall Prevention - October 13 & 27Music for Movement - October 13Healthy Cooking with Lia Huber - October 13Treatment Options & MS - October 16Cork for a Cure - October 19 Newly Diagnosed Orientation - November 1

SOUTH BAY AREAHorse Power: Living Strong with MS - October 4 (6-week series)Newly Diagnosed Orientation - November 5Trim the Tree - November 13

To view a complete listing of Northern California programs & services, please visit www.nationalMSsociety.org/can.

NEWLY DIAGNOSED ORIENTATIONSAre you newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis? A diagnosis of MS can create many unexpected emotions that leave you with a strong need to understand the changes you may be facing.

The Northern California Chapter is pleased to present two opportunities to address the most common concerns for people who are newly diagnosed. These orientations provide an excellent opportunity to have any questions you may wish to ask answered and learn more about the resources available to people living with multiple sclerosis.

ONLINE NEWLY DIAGNOSED ORIENTATIONThursday, November 8, 2012

6:00 - 7:30 PM

This web-based program will be conducted by Dr. Elizabeth Crabtree, Assistant Clinical Professor of Neurology at UCSF and Director of Patient Program Development at UCSF’s MS Center. A phone and computer with internet access will be necessary to join this program. Pre-registration is not required.

IN-PERSON NEWLY DIAGNOSED ORIENTATIONWednesday, November 7, 2012

5:30 - 7:00 PMFinley Community Center

Cypress Room2060 W. College Ave

Santa Rosa, CA

Join National MS Society Community Development Manager Ann Johnson to discover resources and get answers to your MS questions.

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