Holiday Greetings and Best Wishes for a Happy New

Holiday Greetings and Best Wishes for a Happy New Year The AMA Foundation has benefited from the generous donations of the following individuals to our joint ISMS/ISMSA Sharing Card. Pulse December 2008 James P. Ahstrom, Jr., M.D. Rodney & Jackie Alford Dr. & Mrs. Alejandro Aparicio Christopher Barbour, M.D. Peter A. Brusca, M.D. Catherine Carpenter Joan E. Cummings, M.D. Nancy Hoffmann Carlson Chris J. Dangles, M.D. Tony & Barb D’Souza Peter E. Eupierre, M.D. Edward J. Fesco, M.D. Dr. & Mrs. Jere Freidheim Alan & Beth Frigy These individuals serve on one or more of the following: Board of Directors and Committees, Illinois State Medical Society Alliance; Board of Trustees, Illinois State Medical Society; Board of Directors, ISMIE Mutual Insurance Company Board of Directors, Illinois State Medical Insurance Services, Inc.; Illinois Delegation to the American Medical Association John & Carol Gapsis Richard Geline, M.D. Dr. & Mrs. Donald Graham Robert F. Hamilton, M.D. Dr. & Mrs. Henri Havdala Anne Marie Hayes Miguel & Beny Hizon Jeff & Carol Holden Arled & Linda Izquierdo Jane Jackman, M.D. Bruce & Karen Jasper Harold Jensen, M.D. Kris Johnson Gail & Raymond Kacich Dr. Theodore & Patricia Kanellakes Bill & Carolyn Kobler Raj B. Lal, M.D. Muffy & Al Lerner Scott & Rae Long Cathy & Jim Milam Larry & Connie Nord Sandra F. Olson, M.D. Rodney & Dawn Osborn Dr. Robert Panton Wayne & Rita Polek Gary & Cindy Quinby Dr. & Mrs. Nestor Ramirez Vivian & Bob Reardon Gary & Terry Rifkin Ron & Bonnie Ruecker Fran & John Schneider Dr. & Mrs. Richard L. Sperling Tom & Mary Stoffel Pam Taylor Eldon Trame, M.D. Arthur Traugott, M.D. William N. Werner, M.D. Lany F. Wilson, M.D. President’s Corner Gifts of the Season M y Dear Friends, y Dear Friend y Dear Friends, I want to wish you and your families a Very Happy Holiday Season. I thank you for all you do to make our Medical Alliance a vibrant beacon for positive change in our families, communities and state. For many of us, this is a season of Benilda Hizon joy, reflection and lots of family gatherings. All of us, who volunteer and work in this wonderful organization in any capacity, harmoniously work together to create a peaceful and healthier world for all, not only during these holidays, but throughout the year. Today is a time to pause and look back, as well as to celebrate the power of our individual beings. Let us fill our hearts with the promise of love, hope, understanding and compassion to make a difference in the world. With my county visits, I have experienced the warmth, friendship, tireless efforts and an increased diversity in the faces of our Medical Alliance. When I reflect on this, I think of our Alliance spirit that illuminates our world in true sense of altruism. As we continue to light the flame within us, it’s been a year marked by great accomplishments and positive results. We are pleased to share with you news of our continued successes thus far: • Membership remains healthy and strong and membership grants were awarded to ten counties. • Through our healthy kidneys initiative, 360 community citizens participated in our Kidney disease screening. In addition, 500 free glucose meters were distributed to our alliances, families, friends and community health clinics. • The S.A.V.E. Poster Art Contest with the theme, “Friendship My Best Gift to the World”, continues to attract counties and schools to participate. • Membership grants were awarded to six counties. • The ISMSA was approved for a $500 health grant from the AMAA, so we can continue to promote our anti-violence initiatives. • The ISMSA was also the recipient of a $1,000 Screen Out Scholarship grant during the Leadership Conference last October. • There are 22 walkers in our Walk to Better Health initiative, and to-date, they have walked 3,469 miles in their cache. • ISMS Board of Trustees hopefully will help to defray the cost of our speaker for the upcoming ISMSA annual meeting in Oakbrook, April 23-25, 2009. Mark your calendars, this will be spectacular event! • County leaders and members continue to promote worthy projects and programs such as: free health clinics, immunization programs, screen out, childhood obesity education, nutrition, stress reduction, women's health centers, S.A.V.E. initiatives, fundraising drives, legislative advocacy, membership growth, IMPAC and many more. We stand tall and proud as our record of excellence is increasingly reflected in your dedication and support. My thanks to Barb Cady and Jaya Thakkar for sharing with us this snow capped mountain scene for our winter Pulse issue. It meant so much to me as your State President. I’ve always loved the mountain, it’s the sense of oneness and solitude I cherish the most. May you find solitude, support and hope in the ceremonies of the season; the quiet sanctuary in your home; the laughter and warm embrace of your children and family members; the light cast by the candles; and the majesty that celebrations bring a smile into your hearts. Maraming Salamat! At Manigong Bagong Taon! (Thank You! and Happy New Year!) Warmest Regards, Beny Hizon http://www.isms.org Inside this Issue: President’s Corner Health Promotions Join Our Alliance National Advocacy Conference Leadership Tools Changes in 2008-09 Board of Directors Musical Ambassador Sharing Cards County News Calendar of Events 2 3 3 3 4 4 5 5 6-7 8 Health Promotions By Jackie Alford, ISMSA Health Promotion Chair I SMSA is proud to announce 6 counties that received the Health Initiative Grant. They were Winnebago - Rockford Mental Health Awareness Project; Sangamon -I Can Healthy Project which includes Children's Supper Hour; Madison - SAVE Poster Contest; Peoria - Juvenile Diabetes; Williamson/Jackson - Project to Promote Family Friendship Fund is to provide emergency assistance for patients and their family members in times of crisis; Kankakee - SAVE Poster Project. In addition S. A.V.E. Art Poster Contest with the theme, “Friendship My best Gift to the World” is in progress. If you need information on how you can still participate, please let me know! The AMA Alliance has partnered with AMA National Advisory Council on Violence and Abuse and the Family Violence Prevention. An informational packet can be sent to each Health Promotion Chair by calling Jennifer West at 312-464-4498 or email at jennifer.west@ama-assn.org. The AMA Alliance has a Walking Challenge to make a difference in our health and support Screen Out! One step at time. For more information on this project, also contact Jennifer. Congratulations to our “Walk to Better Health” alliance members who participated this quarter. We have attracted a record number of 18 walkers in our quest for healthy life style initiative: Here is the list of walkers for this quarter. They are as follows: Kay Jurica (Kankakee) 50 miles (Her husband John also walked with her). Sue Webb - April 15.30 - 15.75; May 42.71; June 50.58; and July 14.61 Peoria County (13 Members) Walked a total of 2415. The names are Patti Bash 294, Julie Baylor 84; Carol Brody 164; Linda Couri 258.5; Diane Gravlin 56; Michele Marshall 115; Pete McClure 46; Sharyly Munns 629.5; Paula Rawlings 292; Patti Russo 85; Beth Sparrow 50; Donna Wilkins 245; and Rachel Woodland 96. Rebecca McGrady (St. Clair) 13.25. Anne Marie (Winnebago) steps 433,326 and total of miles (202.87). Terry Rifkin (Winnebago) 307.95 miles. Please let us all continue to promote Better Health For All! Join our Alliance? John Lovin, AMAA Director How Can We Convince More Male Spouses to Join Our Alliance? Remove barriers for male membership • Remove the barrier of “women only” meeting topics. Offer a few more diverse topics. • Remove the barrier of home meetings. Have some meetings in professional and not personal settings • Remove the barrier of invisibility. Stop referring to your audience as “ladies” or “ we women”. Remove the barrier of treating us as not merely different, but strange • Don’t do “guys’ night out” activities. Men don’t do those. Period. • Men who do go to activities together, do so for the activity, not the fellowship. • We are different, not strange. Well, some of us are a little strange. Give us a problem to fix • Turn our admittedly annoying tendency to always want to “fix things” to your advantage • Find out what our interest or skills are and ask us to use those to help you fix a problem. • Want to get a male spouse’s attention? Four words: “I have a problem.” Invite us to join once we are working on your problem. We are not all that smart, we won’t figure out that the “problem” was at least in part, merely bait to expose us to the great benefits of membership: 1. Fellowship with like-minded people 2. An opportunity to make a difference 3. Personal growth The following reference was inadvertently omitted from the article “The Top 10 Ways to Recruit Alliance Members” in the last issue of Pulse. “DuesLine: Give members a gentle reminder to pay dues,” Jean Howard, AMA Alliance Newsline, July, 2002, page 2. Pulse regrets the error. What this plan does not do is guarantee a dramatic increase in male membership. What it does do is give you an opportunity, a few men at a time, of exposing your great organization and its goals and opportunities to people who, once you get to know them, you will find, are more like you than either of you thought. CORRECTION. Sign up for National Advocacy Conference 2009 March 9-11 Join us March 9 -11, 2009 in Washington, DC for the National Advocacy Conference (NAC), sponsored by the AMA and the AMA Alliance. We’ll hear engaging national speakers, attend leaders’ seminars and visit with our legislators on Capitol Hill. Contact Gail Kacich at gkacich@comcast.net or Legislation Co-Chair Mary Ann Stoffel at mastoffel@aol.com if you’re interested in attending. Go to http://www.amaalliance.org/site/epage/42060_625.htm for more details Leadership Tools for Today, Tomorrow and the Future of Our Alliance Kathleen DuMontier T he Leadership Development Conference opened in Chicago October 5th with a presentation titled “Letting Go of What’s Holding You Back: Achieve Life Balance to Protect the Health of Your Medical Family” delivered by the dynamic duo of Dr Wayne Sotile and his wife Mary. The Sotile’s are not only entertaining but also informative. Here are a few more facts I can pass along. The average happily married couple carries around 12 unresolved issues. Regardless of whether children enter the marriage, intimacy levels drop in marriage 80% as disillusionment sets in after the first 2 years. The three passion killers in a relationship are 1unrealistic expectations, 2- inflexibility and 3- poorly set boundaries. It is the unrealistic expectation of normalcy that often will ruin a good relationship. According to our speakers, it is not the stress that is doing you in; it is the failure to recover. It may be time to reevaluate your coping style! Five County Delegates from Illinois, Three Past State Presidents serving at the AMAA level and two State Delegates attended sessions on membership recruitment and retention, health promotions, team building, computer skills, updates on legislation, meeting and strategic planning. Past President Gail Kacich now, serving on the Board of the AMAA and chairing the committee on Integrated Marketing gave a review of how to negotiate the AMA Alliance Website and access membership data during the Membership Marketing Workshop. “Faux Paw goes to the Games” is the new book about Faux Paw, who gets involved in playing too much internet reactive games. It is set in China involves the Olympic Games and uses a panda bear. It should be available very soon, check out the website at www.ikeepsafe.com. At the “Screen Out” update and rally tee shirts were distributed, Melissa Walthers encouraged everyone to boost endorsements from other organizations. Petitions and signatures are going well but endorsements have fallen behind in the time line. Secrets” is an essay project to challenge critical thinking about issues facing adolescents. It is intended to create a positive atmosphere for open communication between students and parents, educators etc...leading to an awareness of the idea that to “tell” is OK, is acceptable and necessary. Contact Kay Brada for more information at kbrada@sbcglobal.net. The Strategic Planning session included five generations of Alliance members giving often-passionate input on the focus and benefits of the Alliance for 2008-2009. Many eyes were opened to the emotion in the voices of members who strongly feel advocacy should be our number one priority. All agreed membership offered the opportunity to make a difference and for personal growth and development. The Illinois delegation enjoyed a delicious dinner at Café Iberico just a brisk walk from the hotel on a beautiful fall evening. Kathy O’Marro and Renee Oreshkov were sharing their excitement for trying a new tapas restaurant with the bartender in the very noisy lobby of the hotel. When the bartenders face showed an element of surprise unfit for spouses of physicians, they realized he must have misunderstood them to say topless and had a great laugh over the whole matter. Dr. Donald Palmisano an excellent speaker with many pearls of wisdom to share gave these words of advice that his father had given him, when he came home from Tulane Med School and wanted to quit after the first exam, “Do your homework! Have courage! Don’t give up!” ILLINOIS DELEGATES TO OCTOBER LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE: L-R: Sara Barnett, Renee Oreshkov, Terry Rifkin, Benilda Hizon, Kathleen Du Montier, Gail Kacich, Barbara Adams, Kathy O' Marro and Jennifer De Jong ISMSA President Benilda Hizon , St. Clair President elect Sara Barnett and St. Clair Vice President Jennifer DeJong. Changes in 2008-09 Board of Directors! Linda Izquierdo, Nominating Chair 2008-09 President Elect Kathleen DuMontier is unable to complete her term and has resigned from the Board of Directors for personal reasons. The ISMSA appreciates all her work for our organization. Therefore, the Nominating Committee, with Board of Directors approval, has chosen Past President Gail Kacich to fill the position of 2008-09 President Elect and Gail has graciously accepted. Gail will serve as Acting President Elect for the remainder of the Alliance year and will be installed as 2009-10 President at the April 2009 House of Delegates meeting. In addition, Northern Director Cindy Quinby has taken over as County President in Rock Island, replacing Rose Udehn, who is re-locating to the Washington, D.C. area. Cindy has decided to focus on her role as county president and has stepped down from her position as Northern Director The Nominating Committee has selected Anne Marie Hayes to complete Cindy’s term as 2008-09 Northern Director. Anne Marie is currently serving as Winnebago County president and has demonstrated strong leadership skills in our county. Musical Ambassador L ike most of the professional musicians I know, I grew up original group, Elliott Golub and I, enjoyed the experience of in a musical family and started playing my instrument at music performance and exotic travel and founded Trio Chicago an early age. I started piano lessons at age five and violin in 1996 as a not for profit organization. Since then we have at seven. After college and grad school, I started my professiontoured countries in the Middle East, Africa, Far East Asia, al career in Chicago. I won seats in the Lyric Opera orchestra South America, and the Caribbean as musical ambassadors and in Grant Park Orchestra. I was part of everything from the sponsored by the US State Department. Our trips have consisted Joffrey and NYCB to The Carpenters and Barry White. I was of daily concerts and teaching master classes at music schools also a regular substitute in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and conservatories. and took part in Solti’s historic Mahler recordings In the course of 12 years we have made 20 trips with the CSO. When Music of the Baroque and visited 15 countries. Highlights might was founded in 1972, I was part of the include: In Timbuktu, Mali, we played a first orchestra. concert, rode camels, met the Imam, After I moved to Kankakee I conand toured the famous ancient Islamic tinued with MOB, and became conlibrary, the oldest in Africa. We certmaster of the Kankakee Valley played in Hanoi and in Saigon Symphony. After I left Lyric and (HCMC). We played in Ankor Wat Grant Park orchestra’s, I became very and toured the famous ruins. We took active as a studio musician. I enjoyed the jeep trips to the Pyramids in Cheops and challenge of walking into the studio with a The Treasury in Petra, Jordan. We played in group of musicians, sight-reading the charts, and in Beijing on Chinese Radio International to a potential Marlou Johnston one hour, producing a polished product ready to be one billion listeners. We played in Heili Selassi’s on the air. During the 80’s and 90’s, Chicago was a prime palace in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and we took pictures of the center for music for TV ads. I played on the whole series of golden Buddhist temples in Myanmar (Burma). We experiGershwin themed United Airline spots. We did music for enced the somewhat ungracious Russian hospitality in Marlboro ads to be shown in South America. We put down Vladivostok when Kim Jong II and North Korea detonated a sappy, syrupy tracks for Hallmark cards. There was also a nuclear device a scant 100 miles away. I was honored to be thriving business in R&B music recording and the occasional part of George Ryan’s 1998 cultural/trade mission to Cuba movie sound track. There really are violins in R&B. Curtis where Fidel Castro kissed my cheek. Mayfield and Ramsey Lewis were Chicago based and freOver the years I have preformed a number of major concerquently used violins. tos as a soloist with KVSO. As part of the symphony season, In the middle nineties, I had the opportunity to travel with a each spring I have organized and played a chamber concert, small ensemble to Shanghai, China to play with the Shanghai often with Trio Chicago. In May of 2008, Trio gave a wellSymphony. Lee Quo Chang, a graduate of the Shanghai attended benefit concert for the Kankakee County Medical Conservatory and violist in the Chicago Symphony, largely Society Alliance. Please check out the Trio Chicago & Friends spearheaded that first trip. Two of the musicians from that on the web at www.triochicago.com Sharing Card Jaya Thakkar, AMA Foundation Chair ach year, in support of the AMA Foundation, the Illinois State Medical Society Alliance sponsors a Holiday Sharing Card in conjunction with the Illinois State Medical Society. Thank you all who have generously donated to this worthy project. There’s still time to make a donation. Check should be made payable to the AMA Foundation. They should be sent to the ISMSAlliance, c/o Kris Johnson, Suite 700, 20 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60602. This year we have chosen a card that was painted by one of our Rock Island County Alliance members, Barb Cady’s late Father. This mountain scene depicts power, peace, strength E and unity. It also represents compassion and serenity in every Alliance heart, yet it shows that we are unique. The height makes us aware that there’s the Almighty who we all belong, and most of all it conveys love by its inviting nature. Through our efforts on this project of Sharing Card last year, we were able to award $1000 scholarships to the following medical students. Mr. Brock Daniels, Northwestern University, Mr. Scott Yang, Northwestern University and Ms. Yuk Yee Yau, Northwestern University. We hope that your donations this year will provide even more scholarships to deserving medical students. Our People Making a Difference Adams County’s first Alliance meeting was at Spring Lake Country Club with good attendance. The 2008-2009 budget for the year was approved. Our membership continues to grow. Karen Dieckhoff is chairing the Alliance "Healthy Student Grant" project. Regular meetings are on third Friday of the month. ISMSA President Beny Hizon was our guest during the Alliance October fall meeting. We enjoyed the fall decor, warmth, sharing fun times, and meeting new members as well, which was held at the beautiful home of V.P. Heather Kim. Madison County have sent out letters for the county sharing card and $860 was received so far. Our program was taking the box of archives for the members to look through and they had a really good time. They even suggested that we bring them to the annual meeting for display! We are planning to sell our cookbooks at the Alton Memorial Hospital Health Fair on November 15. We continue to gradually raise funds for scholarships. McLean County Medical Society Alliance had their annual "Welcome Lunch" at Destihl on October 10. We had a nice turnout and everyone enjoyed catching up after a busy summer. We have a few new members so it was fun to have them mix with the veterans. We have also begun our fall fundraiser through Sally Foster. Our next task is organizing the winter events including our Christmas party. We look forward to having the state medical board meeting here in Bloomington on October 23rd. Peoria County Alliance continue to grow, prosper and with new energy in the leadership of county President Pete McClure. The Alliance’s recent fundraiser, "Cook's Tour", was once again a success. The 20082009 budget was presented and approved during their August board meeting. The October meeting was very much well attended with a speaker on "Mental Health". In addition, members enjoyed meeting with ISMSA President, Benilda Hizon. The Peoria Medical Society Alliance hosted the Cook's Tour of Peoria on September 25, 2008. Attendees were given the opportunity to visit five spectacular kitchens. The event raised funds to support the educational and charitable endeavors of PMSA. Pictured are event chairs Ann Kube and Elaine Buhs. Members of the Adams County Medical Society Alliance. Kankakee County held their Membership Tea at the home of Beny Hizon on September 17th. We have been very busy with our membership drive this Fall. We have reached our goal of increasing our membership by 10% with new members and working hard to retain our present members for 100% retention. KCMSA continues to collect signatures for the AMA's "Screen-Out" Program. We have collected over 1000 signatures! We also welcomed Pam Taylor, ISMSA's legislator, to our General Membership Meeting in October. She enlightened our members with the process of Political Bills and how they are passed in our State. I feel it was a very important meeting for our members before Election Day. Everyone enjoyed having Pam. We also welcomed the Kidney Mobile into our community on September 20th. We screened over 250 people in our community. It was a great sight to see! In December, KCMSA will have a Community Day at our local Azzarelli Clinic. This is a clinic that provides healthcare to the uninsured in Kankakee. We are dedicating a day to help and collect supplies for this clinic. KCMSA wishes Happy Holidays to everyone and the best health and happiness for 2009. Members of the Kankakee County Medical Society Alliance Macon County is taking a different approach due to struggles with recruiting new younger members, nonparticipation of regular members and challenges in leadership roles. The Alliance’s focus this year will be more social events. We will continue providing support and good will towards our members who are in need. Further efforts will continue to enhance the membership of both organizations. The MCMSA will remain alive in some shape and form. Rock Island County is gearing up for a terrific fundraising season! We will be hosting President Beny Hizon and President Elect Gail Kacich at our November 11 meeting. We all look forward to welcoming them to our county to hear all the rumblings of event planning! Our next meeting will also be a "shelter shower" to benefit the Lydia Home. Members were given a short list of much needed items to help stock the shelter home and pantry. We have a Wine & Cheese fundraiser scheduled for November 14. A percentage of the wine sales is targeted for our general fund which primarily benefits nursing scholarships. This event has proven to be a fun social mixer enjoyed by physicians and spouses. In February, we will hold our new annual fundraiser called "Martinis & Manicures". This event helps to raise money for the Children's Therapy Center of the Quad Cities. We have so much fun getting this together, working the event, and sampling all the delicious cultural foods prepared by our members. The Carmel Apple and Lemon Drop martinis aren't bad either!! On behalf of the Rock Island County Medical Society Alliance have a safe and happy holiday season. From Farm Party Membership Drive: Yvonne Constantinou, Barb Cady, Mary Ann Stoffel, and Dr. Linda Tong Sangamon County: On S. A.V.E. day, October 8th, Rae Long and Vicki Potter along with many Alliance members and their children spent time at Ashbury Children’s Supper Hour. There were many food stations with healthy food for children to try. Assembling their own fruit kabobs and making their own snack mix with healthy treats were big hit. There was face painting and fun physical activities outside to teach children cooperation by playing games. It was a fun Alliance member Vicki Potter at Asbury’s time for everyone. In addition, Children’s Supper Hour. there will be holiday shopping trip to Chicago. In November, the Alliance will have their annual Holiday Boutique fundraiser at Panther Creek Country Club partnering with the medical society on a woman’s forum for female physicians, sponsoring the blood mobile for Doctor’s day, and making sure the mini internship program is a success. We are helping the community by assisting the Sangamon County Department of Public Health to register uninsured women for free mammograms. We continue to update the website by adding new links to community events, members only tab and working on to the ability to pay dues on line. Vermilion County hosted a joint dinner meeting with the Vermilion Medical Society at the Vermilion Country Club. The meeting was well attended with guest ISMS Pres. Dr. Shatri Swaminathan and ISMSA President Benilda Hizon. During the meeting signatures were gathered for the Screen Out support. open children’s bed locally. We are actively looking into providing transportation for needy families to visit their children in Chicago. We will be working with The Mildred Berry Center in how they can support in this program and gather ideas for fundraising tips in the community. Monthly mental health topics will run in our alliance newsletter. Membership Update Rae Long, 1st Vice President, Membership Chair I L-R, Radha Rao,Farida Tazudeen, Sonal Bavishi,Koeli Goel and Dipa Rakalla Winnebago County President Anne Marie Hayes and member, Robin Roegner, met with three local health system physicians recruiters to increase membership and assist with retention of new physicians and their families, and identified target groups eligible for membership. They are male physician spouses, single female physicians, and other new physician spouses with specific needs, who are looking for community connections. A membership brochure will be created with an identifiable logo for Winnebago County. We will use them as part of our welcoming packets for new physicians and their new families. Barbara D’Souza will be making a presentation at the Hospitality Brunch to new physician spouses about Screen Out! Each individual will receive three copies of petition letter to be filled. S.A.V.E. Chair Karen Zussman sent out 47 letters to area schools both public and private for participation in the S.A.V.E. POSTER ART contest with the theme, ”Friendship , My Best Gift to the World”. Bullying bookmarks were distributed to area libraries which can be used by children locally. The alliance monthly social lunch bunch was expanded and includes the Birthday of the Month celebration. In addition, the mental health program will be our continuing project. We will be working with area hospital to a m so pleased to report that 10 of our organized counties applied for the grants provided by the ISMSA for membership initiatives. The grants were fantastic and full of great ideas. The following is a brief report on what each county plans to do with their $100 grant. Adams - Providing child care for their members at their monthly meetings. More members could attend if child care was available. Kankakee - Printing costs for an alliance brochure and postage costs. The brochure could help recruit new members. Macon - Holding a “Welcoming” cocktail party for new members and having the grant help with the expenses. McLean - A luncheon to welcome all new potential members to the county. The grant will help with the costs associated with the luncheon. Peoria - Planning an event and will use the money to help print and mail “Save the Date” postcards which they hope will raise attendance at the event. Rock Island - Holding an event to attract new members, looking for ways to lower the costs of the meal and invitations. Saint Clair - Providing baby sitting at the meetings so that members with young kids can attend, especially helpful to new families who have no family in town to watch the kids. Sangamon - Grant money will go towards the printing and postage costs for another round of renewal letters and dues forms, membership continues year round. Williamson/Jackson - Newsletters are a great way of communicating and the grant will help with printing and postage costs associated with their newsletter. Winnebago - Creating a logo and new alliance brochure, the grant will help with creating both and postage for the mailing of the newsletter. Another great year of grants. I am proud to be your membership chair and wish you great results as you try to increase the membership numbers in your counties. Please contact me with any membership issue. I am here to serve you! NEWS FLASH! 2009-2010 Slate of Officers The Nominating Committee presents the following slate of officers for 2009-2010, during the Fall Board Meeting in Bloomington, Illinois: President Gail Kacich, Sangamon, Central Region President Elect Jackie Alford , Kankakee, Northern Region 1st Vice President of Membership Beth Frigy, Macon, Central Region 2nd Vice President of Strategic Planning Rae Long, Sangamon, Central Region 3rd Vice President of Health Promotions Diane Gravlin, Peoria, Central Region Recording Secretary Tanya DeSanto, Sangamon, Central Region Corresponding Secretary Michele Marshall, Peoria Central Region Treasurer Julie Baylor, Peoria Central Region Northern Director Barbara Youssef, Kankakee, Northern Region Central Director Pete McClure, Peoria, Central Region Southern Director Cheryl Boyd , St. Clair, Southern Region Each individual on this new leadership team brings unique talents and skills that will complement and strengthen the entire team. Please send a congratulatory note to each of these members who have stepped forward to assume a leadership role. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to a very special group of individuals that worked together in an open, honest and sincere manner and gave careful deliberation in choosing our candidates. Members of the Nominating Committee are as follows,: MaryAnn Stoffel, Barbara Youssef, Cheryl Boyd, Karen Jasper, Michele Marshall, Diane Gravlin and Gail Kacich. I thank you for your careful analysis and thoughtful deliberation as we faced a few more challenges than usual this year. I am proud to have worked with you! Calendar of Events December 2008 December 19 December 25-31 January 1 January 22 January 30 ISMSA Board Reports due Christmas (State office Closed) January 2009 New Year’s Day (State Office Closed) ISMSA Winter Board MeetingSpringfield ISMS Office Deadline for submitting application to AMAA Belle Chenault Award for Political Participation. See www.amaaalliance.org for Application February 2009 February 1 Couri February 1 Humanitarian Award deadline to Linda Deadline for submitting Resolutions and Bylaws Amendments to ISMSA office for ISMSA Annual Meeting ISMSA Project Bank Catalog Submission due to Jackie Alford North Central States Meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana Presidents Day (State Office Closed) February 1 February 6-8 February 16 March 1 March 13 March 9-11 March 30 March 2009 ISMSA Membership Dues deadline Deadline to submit all Annual Meeting reports to ISMSA office National Advocacy Conference in Washington D.C. Doctor’s Day April 2009 Join us for an exciting ISMSA Annual Meeting APRIL 23-25, 2009 OAKBROOK HILLS MARRIOTT OAKBROOK, ILLINOIS Linda Izquierdo Immediate Past President and Nominating Chair The Pulse is published four times a year in June, September, December and March. The Pulse is distributed to all members of ISMSA. Copy deadlines are the first day of the month prior to publication. Submit to: Rellie Arguelles, Pulse Editor 2935 Lewallen Pl. Decatur, IL 62521 fortarguelles@yahoo.com Illinois State Medical Society Alliance 20 North Michigan Avenue Suite 700 Chicago, Illinois 60602 312/782-2099 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Pulse Presorted Standard U.S. Postage PAID Springfield, IL Permit No. 75