by Becky Bruce

On January 11, 2002 another semiannual regional representative meeting was held at the Amputee Coalition office in Knoxville. All of the regional representatives were in attendance, with the exception of Karlene Kaufmann (Region C), who was unable to attend. The meeting started Friday morning at 9 a.m. and continued through the day until 4 p.m. There was a lot to discuss on many different subjects and a large amount of material to get through in a short amount of time. The objectives of the meeting were to review new peer training materials; to review the processes for the training of peer trainers; to clarify roles and responsibilities; to identify problems, needs and questions; and to enhance the communication between staff and the representatives and among the representatives themselves.

One of the first topics discussed was the changes that have been implemented in the National Peer Network and the revisions made to the Peer Training Seminar format. It was important for the representatives to know how their roles would change, what responsibilities would remain the same and what would be passed to the certified visitor. With the changes that have been made, we hope to be able to promote a closer relationship between the regional representatives and the certified visitors within their regions. The representatives were pleased and very excited about the revised format. Several suggestions were made and incorporated into the new training materials. It was a unanimous vote that all future attendees will be very pleased with the quality of the presentation and the resource materials provided. Kathy Spozio has written an article detailing the changes and the upcoming sessions in the Peer Visitation Corner of this issue.

Other areas that were discussed were the new Youth Activities Program (YAP). This program is specifically targeted to youths, ages 18 and younger. There are many different programs and activities within YAP. YAP Central Station is featured on the Amputee Coalition web site and provides information about the youth programs and services available through the Amputee Coalition (http://www.amputee-coalition.org/youth_camp.html). Included is information on the Amputee Coalition Annual Youth Camp and the newest program addition, bio - fit. It was important for the representatives to know about these programs, as they will aid the YAP program in identifying children within their Regions for participation in these activities.

Here is what some of the representatives said about January's meeting.

Joyce Arthur - Region D - "The regional rep meeting was so full of new information and new programs that my head was reeling at the end of the day. The exciting new YAP programs for the youth are fantastic. The new peer training course and training of the trainers are designed to give more credibility and certification for the peer visitors to present to the hospitals, rehab facilities, etc. New networking with several other organizations (e.g., Diabetes, Heart, and Cancer Associations) and the list continues to grow. There are people working very hard in Washington D.C. to get laws passed and/or changed to improve the lives of all amputees everywhere. The Amputee Coalition is moving on the 'fast track' . . . . . Onward and upward!"

Denny Spencer - Region L - "I was very impressed with the reps. I know they are very caring and loving people. I like the new ideas from the staff and feel that the Amputee Coalition is heading in the right direction for the next decade. I was impressed with the commitment of everyone and it will help me work harder to help the people in my own region even more."

Karen Gardner - Region J - "As a regional rep, I value the opportunity to visit Amputee Coalition headquarters and stay in touch with staff and programs in several ways . . . meeting and sharing experiences and insights with the staff and other reps. Especially important as representatives of the NPN was learning about changes to the program and the peer training seminars, including having the opportunity to review training materials and give input; and getting first-hand updates on Amputee Coalition programs and projects in general is very helpful toward being knowledgeable about things I want to be able to share with folks from my region."

Ed Collum - Region I - "Thank you for another great regional representative meeting. The outreach program "LLEAP" is going to be excellent. Amputee Coalition has outdone itself again..."

Charlie Steele - Region A - "Thanks to the Amputee Coalition I am personally convinced that peer visitation, counseling, and support are the most important early interventions we can provide to a person experiencing limb loss. I am impressed at the vision of the Amputee Coalition staff on the continuing evolution of peer visitation training. They keep repeating over and over again that ' a peer visit is not about you; it's about the person you are visiting.' That's why support group leaders need to arrange training for their members. There is a certain percentage of untrained peer visitors out there who can potentially do more harm than good or no good at all."

It was an extremely busy day and worth every minute. We all established a better understanding of how generous each representative is with their time and energy and the level of dedication each brings to their position as a volunteer. They do a great job and are committed to serving the amputee community by providing support, education, and resources and by spreading the word about the Amputee Coalition and it's programs. The Amputee Coalition would like to thank each and every one of our outstanding regional representatives and encourage you as support group leaders to build a strong relationship with your representatives and help them stay up to date on your group activities.