Question:
Some members of the boards decided it might be nice if we could present some awards to recognize those who try to make a difference for us
At the conference we presented two “awards” to the founder of the NPF Beverly Foster and the NPF Staff. I presented the “awards” along with PJ Leary and MikeK I have had a number of requests for the text of the speech and thought I might as well post it here for all to see. I certainly hope I found the right words to capture how everyone feels about the organization.
In keeping with the theme of the conference I did this while wearing a wetsuit. Well here is the text.
F.M.
Here is the speech
For those of you who don’t know us This is the indomitable PJ Leary, Mike Kammer aka MikeK and I am FlakeyMatt who is called that for a lot more reasons than my skin.
We are up here to present for the lack of better words, two awards. However, they are not really awards they are thank yous to some very deserving recipients. I am going to refer to these awards as the ITCHEYS. Now you ask why the ITCHEYS? To which I reply that you have P and you need to ask?!?!?!?!?! In reality, I will call these tributes the ITCHEYS because it stands for the International Trying Caring and Helping Everyone Stars.
Now, as I frequently tell my DW, Lauren sit back, relax and don’t worry this won’t take long……………………….
In order to commence, it is only fitting and proper to begin at the beginning and the beginning for us is Beverly Foster. For those of you who don’t know the story, Beverly Foster, who passed away since the last NPF conference was a Psoriasis patient. In 1966, her husband ran a small add in an Oregon newspaper reaching out to other psoriasis sufferers. The response was overwhelming. Evidently, we people like to communicate with one another. This led to the establishment of a local support group in 1967 and in Aug of 1968, with Beverly Foster in the forefront to the creation of the NPF.
To paraphrase the vivacious Isabel Esteviez aka bella247, Before finding the NPF, many of us felt feel like fish out of water. Thanks to Beverly Foster’s dedication and courage we no longer need suffer in silence, breathless. Beverly Foster created the waters which have helped so many of us breathe free.”
Beverly teaches us an important lesson. How often in life have we been told one person does not make a difference? She shows us this is not the case. Even the mightiest avalanche begins with one snowflake! Beverly Foster helped create the NPF, which made a difference in all of our lives. Beverly Foster marched us up the steps of Capital Hill the past May and Mrs Fosters actions led us to this very spot this evening. She started a mighty avalanche and it continues to cascade gaining momentum
Now, in a moment I am about to dedicate this Itchy and I would ask the NPF which does so much for us already to do one more thing on our behalf. TO reach out to Beverly’s family and offer them the following choice. They can keep this plaque as a momento of our eternal gratitude or if they so desire the plaque can be kept in the NPF offices as a token of our covenant to carry on Beverly’s legacy of advocacy for Psoriasis patients everywhere.
NPF staff
If we recognize Beverly Foster then it is only fitting that we also acknowledge the NPF staff. . Gail Zimmerman and her colleagues toil on a daily basis for our benefit. you have They have made a difference thru advocacy, patient services, dissemination of information and funding of research. This research funding has led to a better fundamental understanding of our disease and to improved treatments. These treatments have helped many and offer the promise of help for many more. I know at times to the staff it may seem like we don’t appreciate their efforts. We can criticize and complain but the NPF’s are not unheralded. One of the least appreciated effects of P are the feelings of isolation, helplessness and hopelessness that it can create.. Thru your efforts we have been able to band together, bond, teach, learn and hopefully heal. Furthermore, the NPF maintains something called chat and the boards, which a few of us post on from time to time. To quote from the movie The Shawshank Redemption “Hope is a good thing, perhaps the best of things.” The NPF gives us hope and additionally they provide us the instrument by which we can feel empowered and that is priceless. Therefore, the second Itchey we dedicate to the NPF staff and members.
And you did a masterful job of giving the speach in front of everyone.
And another thanks to all you NPF staffers for all you do for us!!!
Nicely done my Friend,
David
PJ, Mike, and of course the MC...Matt
Really shined in arranging the dedications. Thank-you guys for taking the time out to do that. I cried, I am not going to lie, it was very moving!! Once again a usually "flakey" person--showed us his softer and more sincere side and did it perfectly!!
Great job guys!!
Bella
I'm sure it was awesome!! :)
Thank you all for sharing your experiences with us.
It was indeed a lovely gesture - very well articulated and delivered in a wet suit I might add.
It sounds like everyone had a great time. The speech is wonderful and yes God bless Beverly Foster for her tenacity in getting this all started and the NPF for keeping her vision alive.
I know I missed out this year but hopefully I will meet up with some of you in the not so distant future.
Marie
Hey Matty-
I have been waiting for this thread. This was your "baby" to announce. The speech you made and the gesture you all made on behlaf of the Members of the NPF makes me so PROUD!!
It is because of people like you folks that keep the recognition going, the momentum growing and the drive strong.
It was a proud moment for Beverlys family and a moving moment for us. The Members. The people who she was driven to help, who with each new member, each new connection each new trial, test and study given brings us closer to a better understanding of our disease.
I thank you all for your thoughtfulness with this dedication.
It was beautiful in spirit and an excellent reminder if what really brought us all together.
Thank you all.
MelissaLynn
Matt,
You are one impressive man, along with PJ and MkeK. The minute I saw you wearing short pants at the conference, I knew you were showing your P as a badge of honor. That strong display of self-confidence, I'm sure, defines you rather than your visible P. Hopefully, many will follow your example when they return home.
Thanks for giving us a head up on all these exceptional NPF organizers and the exceptional member who started it all - Beverly Foster.
eric
What a great idea to start with, and followed by a terrific speech... I really wish I could have been there to see you guys do such a terrific thing on behalf of us memebers. Thank you for your thoughtfulness and eleoquence in saying what we all feel.
...the very poignant closer you made...
I don't want to quote it because i don't want to butcher it...can you add it to this post Matt?
thanks!
Diana
I can only paraphrase here, but this is what we three agreed upon:
The poignant close to the speech was that Matt made it clear that we wanted the Foster Family to be presented with a choice. That choice, entirely up to them, would be to either accept the plaque to have as their own, or to choose to present it to be displayed at NPF HQ in Portland.
I think that covers your request, Diana, until Matt can come and write from his notes.
We undertook this with the heavy yet humble responsibility foremost in our minds of representing not just our own sentiments, but those of more than 40,000 members. Matt deserves the full credit for actually writing that most eloquent speech. While Mike and Matt and I all agreed on what needed to be said, Matt alone composed it and delivered it with as much aplomb as could ever be mustered by a man wearing a wet suit.
Cudos to Matt for a job superbly done.
ok...so i'll butcher away...
something like....
"how great it is to be in a room and not feel different..."
is that how it went Matt?:rolleyes:
Originally posted by cordiod
ok...so i'll butcher away...
something like....
"how great it is to be in a room and not feel different..."
is that how it went Matt?:rolleyes:
awww that gave me goose bumps.
I would of cried on that alone.
Originally posted by PJ Leary
Cudos to Matt for a job superbly done.
Kudos to the three of you for again going the extra mile and representing all of us. You should be very proud of what you did!
THank you so much for all of your kind words and thoughts
More importantly Thanks for everyone here that makes this such a gre4at place that brings so many of us together
Eric You are right my P is a badge of honor! While I may not be happy with it all of the time, it has made me who I am More importantly it has brought us all together.
The pain of P canNOT compare to the strengths of the bonds we have made!
DIANE My precise closeing statement after Gail Zimmerman accepted the plaques was very impromptu but I will never forget saying it!!!!!!!
"DAMN, it's great to be in a place where we don't have to feel different"
With all my heart FlakeyMatt
What an excellent speech, and very enlightening for me since I didn't know Beverly's story. I hope I can go to the conference next year.
When are you guys going to post conference pictures?? WE WANT PHOTOS!!! :D :D :D
And believe me there will be plenty more to come!!
Get those rolls developed people!!
:D
Bella
I had the pleasure of hearing the speech at the conference. It was absolutely great. It moved me to tears... and that's a good thing. :)
Jennifer
Hi Matt,
You are the best!
Bump
At the conference we presented two “awards” to the founder of the NPF Beverly Foster and the NPF Staff. I presented the “awards” along with PJ Leary and MikeK I have had a number of requests for the text of the speech and thought I might as well post it here for all to see. I certainly hope I found the right words to capture how everyone feels about the organization.
In keeping with the theme of the conference I did this while wearing a wetsuit. Well here is the text.
F.M.
Here is the speech
For those of you who don’t know us This is the indomitable PJ Leary, Mike Kammer aka MikeK and I am FlakeyMatt who is called that for a lot more reasons than my skin.
We are up here to present for the lack of better words, two awards. However, they are not really awards they are thank yous to some very deserving recipients. I am going to refer to these awards as the ITCHEYS. Now you ask why the ITCHEYS? To which I reply that you have P and you need to ask?!?!?!?!?! In reality, I will call these tributes the ITCHEYS because it stands for the International Trying Caring and Helping Everyone Stars.
Now, as I frequently tell my DW, Lauren sit back, relax and don’t worry this won’t take long……………………….
In order to commence, it is only fitting and proper to begin at the beginning and the beginning for us is Beverly Foster. For those of you who don’t know the story, Beverly Foster, who passed away since the last NPF conference was a Psoriasis patient. In 1966, her husband ran a small add in an Oregon newspaper reaching out to other psoriasis sufferers. The response was overwhelming. Evidently, we people like to communicate with one another. This led to the establishment of a local support group in 1967 and in Aug of 1968, with Beverly Foster in the forefront to the creation of the NPF.
To paraphrase the vivacious Isabel Esteviez aka bella247, Before finding the NPF, many of us felt feel like fish out of water. Thanks to Beverly Foster’s dedication and courage we no longer need suffer in silence, breathless. Beverly Foster created the waters which have helped so many of us breathe free.”
Beverly teaches us an important lesson. How often in life have we been told one person does not make a difference? She shows us this is not the case. Even the mightiest avalanche begins with one snowflake! Beverly Foster helped create the NPF, which made a difference in all of our lives. Beverly Foster marched us up the steps of Capital Hill the past May and Mrs Fosters actions led us to this very spot this evening. She started a mighty avalanche and it continues to cascade gaining momentum
Now, in a moment I am about to dedicate this Itchy and I would ask the NPF which does so much for us already to do one more thing on our behalf. TO reach out to Beverly’s family and offer them the following choice. They can keep this plaque as a momento of our eternal gratitude or if they so desire the plaque can be kept in the NPF offices as a token of our covenant to carry on Beverly’s legacy of advocacy for Psoriasis patients everywhere.
NPF staff
If we recognize Beverly Foster then it is only fitting that we also acknowledge the NPF staff. . Gail Zimmerman and her colleagues toil on a daily basis for our benefit. you have They have made a difference thru advocacy, patient services, dissemination of information and funding of research. This research funding has led to a better fundamental understanding of our disease and to improved treatments. These treatments have helped many and offer the promise of help for many more. I know at times to the staff it may seem like we don’t appreciate their efforts. We can criticize and complain but the NPF’s are not unheralded. One of the least appreciated effects of P are the feelings of isolation, helplessness and hopelessness that it can create.. Thru your efforts we have been able to band together, bond, teach, learn and hopefully heal. Furthermore, the NPF maintains something called chat and the boards, which a few of us post on from time to time. To quote from the movie The Shawshank Redemption “Hope is a good thing, perhaps the best of things.” The NPF gives us hope and additionally they provide us the instrument by which we can feel empowered and that is priceless. Therefore, the second Itchey we dedicate to the NPF staff and members.
Answers:
And you did a masterful job of giving the speach in front of everyone.
And another thanks to all you NPF staffers for all you do for us!!!
Nicely done my Friend,
David
Answers:
PJ, Mike, and of course the MC...Matt
Really shined in arranging the dedications. Thank-you guys for taking the time out to do that. I cried, I am not going to lie, it was very moving!! Once again a usually "flakey" person--showed us his softer and more sincere side and did it perfectly!!
Great job guys!!
Bella
Answers:
I'm sure it was awesome!! :)
Thank you all for sharing your experiences with us.
Answers:
It was indeed a lovely gesture - very well articulated and delivered in a wet suit I might add.
Answers:
It sounds like everyone had a great time. The speech is wonderful and yes God bless Beverly Foster for her tenacity in getting this all started and the NPF for keeping her vision alive.
I know I missed out this year but hopefully I will meet up with some of you in the not so distant future.
Marie
Answers:
Hey Matty-
I have been waiting for this thread. This was your "baby" to announce. The speech you made and the gesture you all made on behlaf of the Members of the NPF makes me so PROUD!!
It is because of people like you folks that keep the recognition going, the momentum growing and the drive strong.
It was a proud moment for Beverlys family and a moving moment for us. The Members. The people who she was driven to help, who with each new member, each new connection each new trial, test and study given brings us closer to a better understanding of our disease.
I thank you all for your thoughtfulness with this dedication.
It was beautiful in spirit and an excellent reminder if what really brought us all together.
Thank you all.
MelissaLynn
Answers:
Matt,
You are one impressive man, along with PJ and MkeK. The minute I saw you wearing short pants at the conference, I knew you were showing your P as a badge of honor. That strong display of self-confidence, I'm sure, defines you rather than your visible P. Hopefully, many will follow your example when they return home.
Thanks for giving us a head up on all these exceptional NPF organizers and the exceptional member who started it all - Beverly Foster.
eric
Answers:
What a great idea to start with, and followed by a terrific speech... I really wish I could have been there to see you guys do such a terrific thing on behalf of us memebers. Thank you for your thoughtfulness and eleoquence in saying what we all feel.
Answers:
...the very poignant closer you made...
I don't want to quote it because i don't want to butcher it...can you add it to this post Matt?
thanks!
Diana
Answers:
I can only paraphrase here, but this is what we three agreed upon:
The poignant close to the speech was that Matt made it clear that we wanted the Foster Family to be presented with a choice. That choice, entirely up to them, would be to either accept the plaque to have as their own, or to choose to present it to be displayed at NPF HQ in Portland.
I think that covers your request, Diana, until Matt can come and write from his notes.
We undertook this with the heavy yet humble responsibility foremost in our minds of representing not just our own sentiments, but those of more than 40,000 members. Matt deserves the full credit for actually writing that most eloquent speech. While Mike and Matt and I all agreed on what needed to be said, Matt alone composed it and delivered it with as much aplomb as could ever be mustered by a man wearing a wet suit.
Cudos to Matt for a job superbly done.
Answers:
ok...so i'll butcher away...
something like....
"how great it is to be in a room and not feel different..."
is that how it went Matt?:rolleyes:
Answers:
Originally posted by cordiod
ok...so i'll butcher away...
something like....
"how great it is to be in a room and not feel different..."
is that how it went Matt?:rolleyes:
awww that gave me goose bumps.
I would of cried on that alone.
Answers:
Originally posted by PJ Leary
Cudos to Matt for a job superbly done.
Kudos to the three of you for again going the extra mile and representing all of us. You should be very proud of what you did!
Answers:
THank you so much for all of your kind words and thoughts
More importantly Thanks for everyone here that makes this such a gre4at place that brings so many of us together
Eric You are right my P is a badge of honor! While I may not be happy with it all of the time, it has made me who I am More importantly it has brought us all together.
The pain of P canNOT compare to the strengths of the bonds we have made!
DIANE My precise closeing statement after Gail Zimmerman accepted the plaques was very impromptu but I will never forget saying it!!!!!!!
"DAMN, it's great to be in a place where we don't have to feel different"
With all my heart FlakeyMatt
Answers:
What an excellent speech, and very enlightening for me since I didn't know Beverly's story. I hope I can go to the conference next year.
When are you guys going to post conference pictures?? WE WANT PHOTOS!!! :D :D :D
Answers:
And believe me there will be plenty more to come!!
Get those rolls developed people!!
:D
Bella
Answers:
I had the pleasure of hearing the speech at the conference. It was absolutely great. It moved me to tears... and that's a good thing. :)
Jennifer
Answers:
Hi Matt,
You are the best!
Bump
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