FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER 1. Rot Your Brain I. Viewing At A Step Ahead
2. Rot Your Brain II. Surfing At A Step Ahead
3. Stop Rotting -- Start Running!
4. Fame Spreads For Gold and Reinertsen
5. The Singing Support Group
6. The Non-Singing Support Group
7. McGill Leaving A Step Ahead (for 2 weeks)
8. A Step Ahead's Emergency Hotline
9. 2003 ACA Convention ROT YOUR BRAIN I. Missing your talk shows, Springer, soaps, Geraldo, business news, ESPN, and Nikelodeon when you come to A Step Ahead? No more. Stepping boldly into the 1950's, A Step Ahead now has working TV in the gait area. A Step Ahead's President, Erik Schaffer, noted that obtaining satellite TV was critical because he does not have the time or inclination to read. Executive Director David McGill also supported the decision to add a video element to the patient , noting that the previous policy of viewing the same Otto Bock videotape of people walking lost its appeal for most clients by the 37th viewing. We encourage you to come in and sample the TV, as well as to suggest what it is that you would like to watch, as Jennifer Thomas' reliance on the "Wayne Brady" morning show is threatening to disrupt the peaceful and happy climate normally associated with our facility. ROT YOUR BRAIN II. SURFING AT A STEP AHEAD If sitting in front of a TV screen is too passive a process for you, we are also pleased to announce that A Step Ahead now has a working, wireless router that permits you to access the internet from anywhere in the facility. (Provided, of course, you have a laptop computer with a wireless card in it.) Erik Schaffer noted that obtaining wireless internet access was critical because he was bored surfing the net only in his office, and was now looking forward to accessing the web in the plaster room while modifying molds. David McGill also supported the decision to add an internet element to the facility, stating that "the internet is an invaluable tool for education and for creating a new kind of e-community, breaking down the barriers of distance that have separated peoples of different geographic, ethnic, and social backgrounds. And music. I heard that you can get downloads of everything from kazaa.com." In any event, you can now bring your laptop with wireless card to A Step Ahead and enjoy all that the internet has to offer! STOP ROTTING -- START RUNNING! Emerging from the claws of the horrific weather of the past month, ASPIRE will be holding its monthly running/exercise clinic on March 1, 2003, at 10:00 AM, at the Jericho High School Track. Run by David Balsley, trainer of elite amputee athletes, the clinic focuses on running, walking, strengthening exercises, and also presents a wonderful opportunity to meet other amputees in a non-clinical setting. When informed by David McGill that the February Clinic was actually taking place in March, Balsley blamed the Month of February for "not being tough enough" to last a full 30 or 31 days, recommended an intensive training regimen for February so that it could tolerate an additional 2-3 days, and advised it to show up on March 1 at the track for an official timing. In addition, mark these dates on your calendar: April 15, and September 14 -- the ASPIRE 10K Road Race and the Ocean-to-Sound Relay, respectively. Both of these races raise valuable money for ASPIRE, and we hope to have a strong turnout at both races this year. A Step Ahead sponsors the A Step Ahead Running Team in each race, making a donation in every team member's name directly to ASPIRE. For information about becoming an A Step Ahead Running Team member, contact Erik Schaffer or David McGill. FAME SPREADS FOR GOLD AND REINERTSEN Congratulations to Max Gold, 11, who was recently pictured on page 4 of Long Island Newsday. The large photo showed Max with his faithful canine companion, Langley II, who assists Max with certain tasks. Max was also featured on a local TV station recently. Langley declined to comment for reporters, referring all interviewers to his agent (Max). Sarah Reinertsen also showed up in the press again, this time in a Self Magazine (Christina Applegate cover, January edition) article focusing on female body image. The only thing more inspiring than the several paragraphs of text next to Sarah's photo was the photo itself, showing her magically levitate 14 inches off the ground. Rumors quickly spread that Sarah had been equipped with the first anti-gravitational prosthesis, but were later discredited by Erik Schaffer, who noted that Sarah seemed to move around just fine with both feet actually contacting the Earth. THE SINGING SUPPORT GROUP Lauren Peters' next support group meeting moves from the staid surroundings of her West-side apartment to Tribeca. The purpose of the new location? To see the talented Theresa Sareo sing at the Bubble Lounge. Theresa is a recent hip disarticulation amputee who has made a remarkably quick return to the stage after being struck by a car in Manhattan. Theresa will be singing from 8 pm to midnight on Tuesday, February 18. The Bubble Lounge is located at 228 West Broadway in Tribeca (the 1/9 train to Franklin Street, for those of you subterranean travelers). Lauren is also pleased to announce that she has selected a name for her support group, sifting through thousands of suggestions to arrive at YNCA (Young New York Club for Amputees). Rejected names included "Lauren Peters' Support Group", "Lauren's Support Group", and "Peters, Lauren Support Group". In her first official act as the founder of YNCA, Lauren asked us to give you all the following description of the group: It's fun to hang at the Y-N-C-A! For all amputees who are young in mind and spirit . . . Please join the Young New York Club for Amputees. We meet on weekday evening a month in midtown New York City for a light dinner where we discuss different aspects of being an amputee, prosthetics, sports, cosmetics, health, etc. It's really just a casual way to meet other amputees where we share information, ideas and resources on prosthetic or limb issues. YNCA is a convenient way to hear about the latest news and events relevant to the local amputee community. Past guest speakers have included: amputee triathletes, physical therapists, sport coaches, prosthetic manufacturers, prosthetic insurance experts, etc. The dynamics allow for group as well as individual conversations. The meeting agenda is very unstructured and driven by the attendees, so it's up to you to bring your ideas and questions! Try joining us one time! It's a few hours out of hour life and you might learn something, meet a new friend, and it might even be a good time. Feel free to contact Club Pres. Lauren Peters if you have any questions @ laurenapeters@hotmail.com or (212) 664-9304. THE NON-SINGING SUPPORT GROUP Charlie Steele has no singers appearing at the ASPIRE support group meeting, which will take place on February 26, 6:15 pm, at the Hospital for Special Surgery. There will be no one there talking about singing, no one there attempting to sing, and Charlie has indicated that CD's of other people singing are banned from the meeting. However, rapping will be permitted. McGILL LEAVING A STEP AHEAD (for 2 weeks) David McGill will be out of the office from Monday, February 17, through Friday, February 28. If any of you do have an insurance emergency, he will be calling into the office regularly to provide necessary assistance. In addition, please do not hesitate to speak to Erik and Janet MacQueen about any insurance issues confronting you during that time. A STEP AHEAD'S EMERGENCY HOTLINE As we have noted in previous newsletters, clients confronted with an emergency situation can always call into our main number after hours and follow the prompts to leave an emergency message for Erik Schaffer. We have experienced some problems with this system in the past, although we believe they have all been resolved. However, we encourage any clients utilizing the system to call back -- repeatedly if necessary -- if they do not hear from Erik within 1 hour of making their first call. 2003 ACA CONVENTION Mark the date and time -- July 4th Weekend in Boston -- and reserve your room for the Amputee Coalition of America's annual convention! Headed by A Step Ahead patient Paddy Rossbach, the ACA is the only national organization for amputees and their families. The convention doesn't often come to the Northeast, so this represents an unusual opportunity to meet other amputees, see the latest prosthetic technologies, and attend programs that promote client education on a variety of issues. For more information about the convention, check out http://www.amputee-coalition.org/annual_meeting_about.html.
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