Up Front

By Douglas G. Franklin
MSAA President and CEO

Douglas G. Franklin

Spring is in full bloom and summer is just around the corner! Here at MSAA, our signature fundraising event, Swim for MS, is gearing up for Summer 2012 with a new program, the Swim for MS Pool Party.With a goal of collectively raising $100,000 in 100 days from swimmers across the country, the Swim for MS Pool Party allows you the freedom to customize your own special swim event. Just select a date, register, and host your "party" between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend. You can be as creative as you like. From simply swimming laps in your community pool, to organizing your own backyard "cannonball" or "Marco Polo marathon" fundraiser, the Swim for MS Pool Party has something to offer everyone! To register to host your "party," or for more information about the Swim for MS Pool Party, please visit www.msaapoolparty.org or email msaapoolparty@mymsaa.org. Dive into action to make a difference for everyone affected by MS!

One of the cornerstones of MSAA's mission is bringing the best resources to the MS community. I am pleased to announce that MSAA has launched My MS Resource Locator, a unique database of information specifically geared to the MS community. Accessible at resources.mymsaa.org, My MS Resource Locator contains listings of national, state, and where appropriate, local resources to help connect you to the information and services you need. More information on this exciting initiative can be found in the "Program Notes" section of this edition of The Motivator.

In other programming news, our mobile phone application My MS Manager™ was honored by the Web Health Awards | MOBILE with a Merit Award in the category of Mobile Application (for) Chronic Disease Management. To receive such an award for our first-ever mobile phone initiative is a great accomplishment!With this news, I am excited to announce that My MS Manager will soon be available to the Android market. Please check www.mymsaa.org for its official release.

Doug Franklin joined MSAA as President & CEO in 1999. He has a distinguished career in nonprofit leadership and is a former national trainer in strategic planning for the Peter Drucker Foundation. A published international expert in social marketing and corporate social investment, he is a graduate of four universities. He currently serves on the National Board of the Key Philanthropic Organizations Committee of the American Society of Association Executives; on the Executive Committee of Health First - America's Charities Board in Washington, DC; and as President of the Multiple Sclerosis Coalition.

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