OPAF Thanks

OPAF Thanks

Jeff Reznick

6/3/2002

June 3, 2002

To: Members of the O&P Community, and especially members of the Midwest
Chapter of the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists

From: Jeffrey S. Reznick, Ph.D., Director, Orthotic and Prosthetic
Assistance Fund, Inc. (OPAF)

Thank you all for your support of OPAF during the course of the Midwest
Chapter's meeting in Milwaukee last week. As we extend these thanks, we
do so especially to Marty Kacen, CPO and Midwest Chapter President, and
to every member of the Midwest Chapter. Their support made possible the
great success of our Fitness for Everyone and OPAF-National Amputee
Golf Association (NAGA) First Swing clinics.

Fitness for Everyone brought together nearly 60 individuals, including
15 physical therapists, 9 PT students, and 32 amputees and their family
members/supporters for an inspirational day of learning and growing. The
Midwest Chapter supported Fitness for Everyone through providing the
event space and lunch for all attendees. We are deeply grateful for
these contributions and for the Chapter's continued support of the Fund
and administration of Fitness for Everyone. Of course, thanks are also
due to Endolite North America and to all of the following organizations
for their sponsorship of Milwaukee's Fitness for Everyone:

Actra Rehabilitation Associates Inc.
Farrell Prosthetics
Hanger Prosthetics and Orthotics Inc.
Kempfer Prosthetics Orthotics Inc.
O&P Associates Inc. - Orthotic and Prosthetic Services
Midwest Chapter of the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists
Power Belt - Auxiliary Suspension Belt
Reichert Prosthetics and Orthotics

We also extend our thanks to Dennis Oehler and Todd Schaffhauser for
their commitment to a program that continues to mean so much to so many
amputees and their families, as well as to therapists and practitioners.
At the same time, we would like to thank Sarah Noonan, PT for
volunteering her expertise during last week's Fitness for Everyone,
and Kim Axelrod, who is a student of physical therapy, for her
contributions in promoting the clinic during the run-up to the event.

The OPAF-NAGA First Swing clinic in Milwaukee was also a great success,
thanks both to the support of the Midwest Chapter and to our partnership
with NAGA. Joel Kempfer, CP, FAAOP and Midwest Chapter Treasurer secured
the driving range for the event and arranged lunch for all clinic
participants. For his hard work and dedication we are especially
grateful. Thanks also to NAGA representatives Dan Cox, Bud Sanders, and
Don Zommer, all of whom shared their very special gifts with the nearly
25 individuals who attended the clinic, including 9 therapists (ranging
from physical and occupational therapists and an exercise specialist)
and 13 amputees and their family members/supporters.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Bob Wilson,
Executive Director of NAGA, for his generosity and his willingness to
partner with OPAF to bring the First Swing program to more individuals
around the country. I am pleased to say that our work together in this
capacity will be expanding very soon. Please stay tuned for details.

Pictures from last week's Fitness for Everyone and OPAF-NAGA First
Swing will be available shortly on our web site: <URL Redacted>

Thanks also to the Midwest Chapter for their $500.00 contribution to the
Fund through donations collected during the course of their golf outing
at Morningstar Golfer's Club in Waukesha, WI. We have earmarked every
dollar of this contribution to benefit future OPAF programs that engage
directly the O&P community and the individuals they serve. And thanks,
too, to the Chapter for inviting me to offer a presentation on the
recent activities of the Fund. My work in this capacity, as I mentioned
during my presentation, is part of my commitment to offer to the O&P
community regular updates on the growth of the Fund. A complete schedule
of my presentations is available at:
<URL Redacted> speaker These talks are
formally part of the OPAF Speaker Program, an initiative we intend to
expand in the future to involve members of the O&P community who wish to
support the Fund through their experience and expertise.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to extend thanks to my
colleague Tamara Bibby for her hard work and dedication to the mission
of OPAF. The OPAF Board and I appreciate Tamara's contributions in every
respect. It has been a pleasure realizing with her the enormous
potential of OPAF to reach so many individuals within and beyond the O&P
community.

Thank you again - everyone - for your generous support of our mission to
enable individuals with physical disabilities - especially those served
by members of the orthotics and prosthetics community - to enjoy the
rewards of personal achievement, physical fitness, and social
interaction.

Sincerely and with all best wishes,

Jeff

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Jeffrey S. Reznick, Ph.D.
Director and Senior Research Fellow
Orthotic & Prosthetic Assistance Fund, Inc. (OPAF)
330 John Carlyle Street, Suite 200
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Tel 571.431.0818
eFax 415.534.1857
Email <Email Address Redacted>
Web www.opfund.org

Support OPAF through our web site
www.opfund.org/support/