MS Awareness Week - March 11-17, 2013
The Utah-Southern Idaho Chapter is embracing MS Awareness Week this March 11-17, 2013. We all can grow awareness. What will you do? Do you have connections in your community to help get the word out and paint the town orange?
Take advantage of MS Awareness Week and use it as a great opportunity to tell people about multiple sclerosis, to attract new team members for your Walk MS or Bike MS team, to host a community fundraising event or to get involved by volunteering or advocating for MS issues. Start making plans and help make a bold statement!
Connect With Others
Make meaningful connections - when, where and how you want - with easy access to the best content and resources the MS community can bring you through our new online community. Visit MSconnection.org today!
Wear Orange
Orange is the signature color for multiple sclerosis. Wear orange throughout the week and people will take notice! You’d be surprised but you just may have several items in your closet like a tie, a shirt, a scarf or a Walk MS/Bike MS shirt. You also can make a simple orange ribbon to wear on your lapel or shirt and pass out to friends throughout the week. Here are simple directions with a supply list to make your own ribbons.
Educate About MS
Awareness and education go hand-in-hand and it’s easy to do. Help educate your friends, family, schoolmates, co-workers, Rotary Club, church group or any organization you belong to. How can you do this?
- Email out or post on Facebook a fact about MS each day during MS Awareness Week. Here is a fact sheet with several bullet points you can use or send the Chapter’s 2012 Annual Report
- Include a note about MS in your company newsletter
- Host an information table at your office, school or another place and encourage people to do the activity – “Try on MS”. This program helps to educate people about some of the symptoms people with MS incur. See the program in action in this video. You can download the “Try on MS” tool kit here.
Paint the Town Orange
Not literally but maybe your office, local government or school can do something bold like light-up the exterior in orange, gather and spell out MS or place orange flags in a park. Please get permission from the correct authorities before decorating any facilities.
Share Your Story!
What does MS= mean to you? How has multiple sclerosis impacted your life? How have connections with others helped you? Your story may inspire others to share their experiences and inspire hope for people impacted by this unpredictable disease.
- Tell at least 10 people what multiple sclerosis is and ask them to tell 10 people and so on
- Write up your personal story and send it to Juliann.Fritz@nmss.org for the Chapter to use publically in promotional materials
- Send a “Letter to the Editor” to your local newspaper or other media outlet explaining your story
Sign-up for Walk MS or Bike MS
This is a great week to tell people why you are participating in Walk MS or Bike MS and ask for their support either by joining your team or supporting you and your friends by donating and spreading awareness. It all makes a difference in helping to fund critical research and support local programs and services for people impacted by MS. Walk, ride or make the commitment to volunteer at one of these fun events!
Spread Awareness through Social Media
You can use the web in many different ways including by simply joining our Facebook community by "liking" our page or also by following us on Twitter. Feel free to leave comments and upload photos on these sites.
Throughout the Week you also can donate your status update and profile picture on Facebook to MS Awareness Week. Post one of our digital downloads, tell people what MS is, post an MS fact a day, encourage people to participate in Walk MS, Bike MS, volunteer with the Society or anything else that inspires you.
Become an MS Research Champion NOW
The National MS Society has committed to raise $250 million for MS research through the new campaign – MS NOW (No Opportunity Wasted). Join MS Ambassador and Research Champion Phil Keoghan of “The Amazing Race,” by becoming an MS Research Champion today. Watch the “NOW MS Research” video and take the online mini-training module to receive your certificate of completion. Learn more here. Then ask your friends and family to do the same!
Learn More About the Chapter
There are many resources available to people impacted by MS and for people who want to do something about MS. Take a tour and find something new including the “Chapter Calendar”. It lists the various programs either hosted by the Chapter or community organizations. There is sure to be something you’d be interested in attending.
Read up on the latest happenings in the MSConnection, the Chapter’s quarterly newsletter, or see what was accomplished in the Chapter’s 2012 Annual Report: The Power of Connections (a good resource for tell people about MS and the Chapter).
Use these ideas to come up with a creative idea of your own. We look forward to having you join us in embracing the Week and spreading awareness. Please share with us how you plan to recognize the week by posting it on Facebook or emailing Juliann Fritz. And, if possible, please send us a picture!
Idaho on May 2
