Tic With It	December 5, 1999
Tourette Syndrome Association, Inc.		President's Page
Detroit-East Michigan Chapter

From the President's Desk
Art Abbott

I realize that I always become a little reflective at the end of the calendar year. It's really just the mid-point of the TSA year, but I canšt help it. As the year winds down and we prepare for the holidays, I have to take stock of our Chapter activities. In the support area, things are very busy. Our speaker at the September 8 Oakland meeting, Dr. Bernie Travnikar, drew an audience of 60 Tourette families. The I.E.P. program at the October meeting played to a total of 65. We may have to get a larger meeting room soon.

Kathy Kane, organizer of our new support group in Port Huron, has generated a great deal of excitement in St. Clair and Sanilac Counties. Debbie Hilvers and the Wayne County group have contributed some items to the auction.

Speaking of the Grand Evening At The Auction, chairperson Michelle Bumbalough reports that we almost reached a point of S.R.O. (Standing Room Only). I am pleased to publicly eat a little crow. When a Tourette family from St. Clair Shores volunteered the services of a French-trained gourmet chef and the restaurant, Le Metro (Read that French Bistro) as a site for our annual auction, I was very skeptical. My first reaction was "It's too small," "It won't accommodate enough people." "We need a large hall." Well, we accommodated everyone and we did not have to remove the tables and describe it as "cozy." The auction took place as planned and it truly was a Grand evening. My compliments to the chairperson and to the chef, Eric Horlacher, who prepared our hors d'oeuvres. For the details, read Michelle's report on the grand affair.

In the Education area, Barb Schmatz is busily preparing for our Chapter's long sought after goal, an educators seminar, now set for April 7, 2000 at the University of Detroit's Ward Conference Center.

Carl White and the Public Awareness Committee have designed a new brochure to tell the story of Tourette and the Association's services, etc. This is something we've needed for a long time. When it is produced in quantity, Abby Grimmer, of St. Clair Shores, would like some help on the distribution committee which will then start placing them in doctor's waiting rooms all over the metro area and Eastern Michigan. If your doctor doesn't already have pamphlets on Tourette Syndrome in the waiting room, please offer to supply him/her with a small quantity. Then call us at 248-577-0872 with the doctor's name, address and telephone number and we'll ship them right out. Actually, it would be better if you would deliver them. Once established, the committee will track re-supply to the offices on an ongoing basis.

Yes, we are very busy.