Down Syndrome Awareness - American Express Project

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THIS IS IT!!!!

PLEASE VOTE!!! This is so huge I need all of you who have American Express Cards to take a few seconds, and it is only a few seconds to log on and vote ASAP!!!!

AND FORWARD TO YOUR FRIENDS TOO!!!!!

Thank you!!!!

Sandra

Dear Friends,

The National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC) has an exciting opportunity and you can help us secure it to the benefit of all people with Down syndrome and their families.

We have been notified that an NDSC initiative has been named one of 50 finalists as an American Express Members Project. (NDSC/DSAOC member Sandra McElwee approached the NDSC about the project; NDSC Board member David Forney wrote the successful entry). You may have seen commercials on TV.

If we succeed in the selection process, we may be awarded up to $5 million to promote Down syndrome awareness.

To get to that, our project must make its way through three rounds of voting by American Express Card Members.

The first round begins today, July 3.

You will find a description of our project below.

If, after reading the description, you agree this project is worthwhile you can help in 2 ways:

1. If you are an American Express card member – Go on line to

http://www.membersproject.com/intro.htm and following the instruction to vote for the NDSC project titled: Awareness Can Build a Family

2. You can help us even more by forwarding this email to all the people on your contact list – to other family members, friends and associates. Send it to everybody you think might care about people with Down syndrome and ask them to vote for Awareness Can Build a Family.

With your help, we can mobilize thousands of people and, in the end, gain essential funding for our campaign to make the world aware that people with Down syndrome are “more alike than different.”

That is the theme of our campaign and here’s the way it is described with American Express:

Awareness Can Build a Family

Yearly, thousands of women are tested to determine if the child they carry has Down syndrome. A positive answer often portrays a bleak future in which their child will impose terrible burdens and dreams die.

Many medical professionals have scant knowledge of Down syndrome and are unable to comfort or educate.

Their messages tag people with Down syndrome as having no value, implying there is no place for them in our world.

The tragic result: an astonishing 90% of pregnancies involving diagnosis of Down syndrome are terminated.

In fact, there is much to celebrate. Children with Down syndrome excel in school, participating in sports and graduating. As adults they live independent, rewarding lives. Ask a parent – you will hear of joy, fulfillment.

Our Members Project, “Awareness Can Build a Family,” would use public service television, ads, booklets and more to tell that people with Down syndrome are more like all of us than not and are of priceless value.

If you agree with all of that, please vote as soon as possible – the first round closes July 15, 2007!

Please go to: http://www.membersproject.com/intro.htm Click on Vote Now. Find Awareness Can Build A Family. Read it. And vote!

Together we can make build awareness. Thanks for your support!

Best regards,

Kristi Golden

Program Director

Down Syndrome Association of Orange County

151Kalmus Drive, M-5

Costa Mesa, CA 92626

(714) 540-5794

kgolden@dsaoc.org

www.dsaoc.org

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