Your Committee Writes:

10 December 2000

l As Editor Jacqui wrote in July 1999: ‘It has been a long-held dream to produce a newsletter for people with Fibromyalgia in our Auckland and North Shore areas. It was our intention then to produce a semi-annual issue every six months and we asked for donations to support this plan.

l We were offered generous financial support for postage from APS Therapy N.Z. Ltd, which basically allowed our plan to proceed.

l The Auckland Division of the Arthritis Foundation also assisted us by offering us use of their single-sided photocopier for a small charge.

lIn July 1999, we put out our first 10-page issue with a 2-page insert from North Shore Fibromyalgia Support included.

l At the October 1999 Conference for the Arthritis Foundation NZ Inc., a copy was distributed to all delegates and they were asked to pass it on to Fibromyalgia groups in their areas.

l Christmas 1999 saw an 8-page issue go out throughout New Zealand for the first time with a few people generously supporting us with donations.

l In 2000, we expanded our readership to approximately 750 copies of our semi-annual ‘Positive Living’ throughout the country - mainly by word of mouth, and our thanks go to the hard-working Field Officers of the Arthritis Foundation who support us.

l May 2000 saw us struggling with an older, single-sided photocopier, resulting in a poor quality production for Auckland people. The copies for the rest of New Zealand were contracted out, again with the support of a generous donor.

l During Winter 2000, our committee worked on a website for people with Fibromyalgia, seeing this as the way of the future. We will have the ability to reach more people at less cost, particularly those who are searching for knowledge on the Internet.

l Our website is now ready to go online in January 2001 at

l We have begun obtaining special discounts for people with Fibromyalgia. These apply to people reading the web page, receiving the monthly online newsletter and to readers of the postal or surface mailed ‘Positive Living’.

l Our online newspages are into their third issue this month and free to anyone who sends their email address to

jacqui.communicator@xtra.co.nz

l For this 12-page, December 2000 issue and following issues, Jacqui does not have the physical ability, after her surgery in May, to handle the Foundation photocopier and we have contracted out all production. This has resulted in substantial costs.

l Until now, these newsletters have been free upon request. However, please remember we are a small voluntary group of (unwell) people who donate our time, energy and effort to help all people with Fibromyalgia, their friends, relatives and caregivers to understand the condition better. This will continue.

l We find we must ask for a small yearly subscription from readers to help ‘Positive Living’ continue to support people with fibromyalgia and their families. This has been set at $10.00 per year and includes postage & packing.

l Issues are published in May and December. Remember to write to us before May 2001, including $10 per year subscription and your name will be kept on the mailing list. Those people who have made donations over the past two years will receive the first-year, 2001 subscription free.

l We will also appreciate donations of stamps and Telecom talking points. (See details below). Next year we intend running a raffle to keep your subscriptions low and donations of Stamps & Talking Points will help provide excellent prizes. Donations are rewarded by an appropriate free subscription to ‘Positive Living.’

l Subscriptions to the online newsletter remain free at present, as does reading the website. People with fibromyalgia may use computers anywhere, their own, those in libraries, owned by friends, businesses or cafe rooms, for downloading material from these sources. Send us your email address.

and Jacqui.

s top

The account is in the name of J.F.LEEDEN

at telephone number 09 529 1595

Account number 266 379 676
Our secretary will keep a full record of donations and will receipt these.

To begin the account: Jacqui has donated 670 points

And already we thank Jill Wyman who has donated 570 points as a Christmas gift.

We now have a total of 1240 points.

This enables you to receive a year’s free subscription to ‘Positive Living.’

s top

‘Positive Living’

P.O.Box 28-552

For collections: we have personal access to one of the top stamp dealers in New Zealand who will value your gift and recompense NZ Fibromyalgia Information appropriately.

For used stamps: at present we have several means of dispersing these donations. We will investigate further and decide the most appropriate way of realizing top dollar for these donations. When these avenues have been examined, we will let you know how we intend handling your donations.

Sizeable donations will enable the donor to a free subscription to ‘Positive Living.’

s top