Dear Colleagues:

Happy New Year to all. I hope you all had a chance to view my you tubed video during the holidays. Since I received such positive responses watch for further videos.

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. My message comes to you right on the heels of the Board of Directors meeting held this weekend. Your Board members were kind enough to give up their first weekend after New Year's to work on FDA business. The main focus of our meeting was addressing the financial issues confronting our association. In addition, developing sources of income to further strengthen our association was an important issue on the agenda.

What threatens the financial stability of our Association is membership. If ADA membership declines then FDA membership reimbursement from ADA also declines. Thus one of the single most important issues confronting our association is membership. Member recruitment will be an ongoing message from the FDA BOD.

Have you recruited a new member or a colleague that has opted out of ADA. If so the BOD would like to hear about it? Send me your story at lbeseler_fnc@bellsouth.net ..

March is a great month for a mini get away. Mark you calendars for an exciting Mid year meeting in Cocoa Beach at the Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront. The program will include:
A three hour Nutrition Care Process workshop by the staff of the University of Michigan Health Systems.
A two hour interactive workshop by Healthy i on conversation maps. A must attend for those working with Diabetics. I attended this presentation in Fort Lauderdale and I am glad I did it was great! New innovative way to conduct diabetes group education and you get a great goody bag.
A two hour session on DHA in the life cycle presented by Dr. Karma Rabon-Stith.
Plus door prizes, a chance to win a registration to the FDA annual symposium for July 19-22,2008 at Boca Resort and Club.

The room rates at this oceanfront Hilton hotel are only $125.00 single/double. All this and 6.5-7 CPEU's. Registration on FDA web site will begin shortly.

December was still a busy month for our members even with the holidays.

Nadine Pazder our President-elect is at it again with her tireless energy and determination. She represented FDA on a ADA conference call Dec. 12th on Governance and Board Structure.

Molly Gladding immediate Past President was the author of an exceptional article featured in the December JADA on Volunteerism. Molly described how FDA has been successful in recruiting and keeping our volunteer colleagues. Molly continues to work hard for FDA.

Remember we have an FDA candidate on the ADA ballot please vote for Linda Lockett Brown. Clara Augustine is also on the ballot for a position voted on by the House of Delegates.

Kathy Nelson Member at large is working on a member survey please watch your email for this and share your ideas, comments, and compliments for FDA.

Peggy O'Neill Chair of District President's has been working on the issues that are confronting our districts. If you have ideas on the problems facing our districts please feel free to contact her at schaferrd@hotmail.com ..

The deadline for submitting an article or picture to next issue of Focus is Jan 10th. Please email Elizabeth Beasley at ebeasley@nemours.org . Do compliment her on the last wonderful issue of Focus.

The FDA ballot will be available next month. Please vote and spread the word to colleagues. Let's get out a great vote.

Looking for Money? FDA scholarship information will be available shortly on the web site. There are a few surprises that will help you recruit new members.

Lastly, I have been working on a fundraiser for Debbie Wasserman Schultz with the invaluable assistance from members of BCDA and MDA.

The reason I am getting involved with this project:
1. First I think it may be important to highlight why we all need to be involved in the political arena. The more we are involved at the local and state level the better it is for our entire profession and the citizens we serve. A legislator will only help groups that they know about. It is evident to many of us that consumers and legislators alike do not know who we are and what our role in health care. I received an example from ADA Washington Headquarters of what problems non action can cause. I was informed of a state who has never been to PPW, nor have they been active in their state. When ADA Washington staff went to visit this legislator to get support for an MNT bill the legislator of that state told the staff member that she would not co-sponsor our MNT bill because no RD has ever reached out to her or her staff. In that state our profession has been hurt. That member of Congress will not acknowledge our profession and therefore that is one more person that will not support legislation that will increase the RD's role in many federal programs.

2. Local events are great for getting to know a member of Congress. This is an avenue where you can really be heard and the member is more likely to remember you because it was in his/her home district.

3. Having a connection to a legislator can lead to that person contacting you for your expertise on an issue. Say a member is interested in supporting a bill, but doesn't know if the requirements for nutrition are good enough. You can be that person that the member will reach out to. Or your relationship with the member could lead him/her to contacting ADA because of your relationship.

Why did FDA choose to support Debbie Wasserman Schultz?
Debbie Wasserman Schultz is someone who we need to pay attention to. She is in the House of Representatives District 20 which encompasses South Broward and North Miami/Dade. Congresswoman Schultz is a rising star and is very likely to be in a leadership role in the House or even in the Senate in the next ten years. ADA has invested in her because we believe in her and her future, and we encourage our members to do the same. She is a good friend and we want to keep that relationship as she goes up in the ranks. She has first hand knowledge of the invaluable help an RD can provide to the public
Special thanks to the following for their time and dedication and assistance in planning the event: Ruth Toiba President of BCDA, Darlene Moppert, Chair of FDA Awards Committee. Special thanks to the following colleagues that manned the phones to raise money: Raquel Cordoves, Michelle Stewart, Michelle Nichols, Susan Shapiro, and Barbara Truitt. Thanks to Jeanna Roulhac and Teala Liebernini for their event planning assistance.
It will be held on Jan 14 6-8PM. It is going to be held at the Marriott Courtyard Fort Lauderdale Airport and Cruise Port 400 Gulf Stream Way, Dania Beach, Fl. 33004 (954)342-8333. I would be thrilled if you could attend and lend your support

How can you help? Your generous support is necessary through a contribution to this event. Any contribution will help. Members that contribute $100.00 or more can attend the fund-raiser to be scheduled on Jan 14, 2008 at the Marriott Courtyard in Dania Beach. You can raise $100.00 from friends and family members. All checks must be made out to the Debbie Wasserman Schultz Campaign. They can be sent to my office at Family Nutrition Center 5901 Colonial Drive #108, Margate, Fl. 33063. Any contributions are greatly appreciated. Please send a donation today or call me personally at 954-614-7403 with a credit card.

Nutrition professionals are generous and caring individuals. Please contribute to strengthening your profession. A strong profession means better jobs, salaries, and the ability to reach out and help our citizens.

I will be happy to report on the event in next month's President's message.

Thank you for your continued support of FDA.

Respectfully submitted,
Lucille Beseler
President Florida Dietetic Association