Good news for those with Guide Dogs:-)

Hey, Suzy!
I just got done making my reservation at the
hotel for my mom and I. I told them that I'd have
a guide dog in my room and the lady asked me
if I'd like a dog bed in my room! Did you know
that the hotel will provide dog beds if we want?
Too cool! Bach is very spoiled and always wants
to sleep on a dog bed. He will be a happy camper!
See you in July!

Jacque

Coming soon to Facebook. . . .after receiving this today!

"This would be great on Facebook.com "

Group:
Retinitis Pigmentosa Support Group

New Website

That Larry~
He's a Wiz if ever a Wiz there was. . . .
No have our official website now at http://www.rpsocial09.com

Pam and Jim's son was helping us out but he was generous to step in until we could get a more direct link to the RP community.
Check it out. There are also links to this blog, the registration form and a schedule of events will be the next feature.
We are so ready to meet this man from Northern California who is arriving for his first RP Social ever!
Way to step it up
and I think he's single ladies :-)

The RP Social 2009 T shirts are ready! And I have the distinct honor of modeling the first one off the press. I would like to get an interview from the artist Larry Marcum. . . ."
When I volunteered to create a logo for our Social this year, I did it blindly, pun intended, since I have not been to a RP Social before. Once upon a time I worked in the printing industry, so now when I get the opportunity to work on a project like this, it is pure fun.
I wanted to try to exhibit the sense of Portland and our beloved RP. Never being to Portland, or any part of Oregon yet, I selected a graphic which shows water, mountains, sky and sun, beauty all around. In looking at the sun in the graphic, I thought why not put an eyeball in the middle of the sun since the eye, for better or for worse is what links us all as friends and travelers together in this life with RP.

Suzy reminded me that Portland is the city of roses, so that was a challenge to incorporate roses into the scene, so why not plant a bouquet of roses at the top of the scene? I chose a type font that is bold and a colorful but simple graphic that as many of us as possible could see.

In the heat transfer process that I use to print the shirts, you can at least feel the images on the shirt when you get them, until you wash it a couple of times, the image does not fade away but the feel does, sorry! By the way, be sure to wash your shirt inside out the first time, which might be difficult to do with you dog's bandana , but it should be ok.

I truly hope that you like the design and I am very excited about meeting you all soon in Portland.
".
Larry will be attending our Social (his first) from Northern California.
He was so kind to send me one. And I love it Larry!

Megan writes (as a former RP Social hostess from Toronto):
"Another really important thing is to market the social, talk about the outings, talk about the attractions the city has to offer, talk about the hotel facilities - if it has a pool, an exercise room, or any other special features, talk about the dinner and dance plans, make it sound interesting and exciting. Another thing that is important to consider, is keep an updated list on the website of who is attending (with permission from people to have their names on the list). In the past, people would go to the attendee list and see who else is coming and be more interested in coming themselves if they knew who would be there."
Well folks here is one of two pools. This one is inside and there is a spa in the corner of the pool. The other pool is an outdoor pool, next door. . . a short distance across the parking lot.
And yes you may be inclined to work out each day in this lovely space.
The Sheraton is a spacious and handsome well lit hotel. We are scheduled doe the best time of the year, July is Always beautiful and warm. I so hope you will be able to attend. Words are inadequate to describe how much fun these Socials have been in the past. I wouldn't have volunteered to host otherwise.
Love, SuzyG

Guests. . . .
So After a proposal from an anonymous source, The Committee decided not to make the Social a scientific symposium. I will however invite an O and M specialist and also Genetics staff from Casey Eye Institute to join us for the dinner Buffet on Saturday the 25th of July.

You can download the registration form here. Click on the download arrow on the right to download the form.

Inviting Dr. Richard Weleber and his staff from Casey Eye Institute~
in January, it seemed like a good idea to tell my Doc about our RP Social. He seemed very interested and wanted to be invited to the dinner dance. I asked another doctor~
"Dear Suzy,

I think it's a great idea! So what if we have to be somewhat dignified for a
few hours? It will be well worth having him there.

Here is another idea. Back in the days when we had the Social in Salisbury,
NC, we actually had an educational program on Saturday. Once we had a
demonstration from a guide dog school, another time from couple of O&M
instructors, and I was asked to give an update on what was hot in RP
research -- this was before there were so many other resources on the web
and everywhere.

So I'm wondering, would it make sense to have an education session on
Saturday afternoon from, say, 4 to 6, with these doctors and researchers as
speakers, followed by the dinner dance? If they don't feel like staying till 3
a.m. that's totally up to them, but I think they will at least stay for a while,
especially if you invite them to bring their spouses.

So you certainly have my vote, and you should feel free to tell them that I
support the idea."

I began having second thoughts about 'being studied' at a Social. And I ran two ideas past the Committee composed of past social hosts and it seems like
1. A unanimous 'No' to having a panel present on RP Topics. ( It is a Social :-)
2. But 'Okay' to invite the docs to enjoy an RP Social and informally discuss RP.
My intention was to show off how highly skilled we all are and how much love and friendship all share.
Still not sure about the formal invitation. . . .

"Sign here. . . .",the teller said.
To be perfectly transparent Dan and I opened a bank account today in which to deposit the registration checks. We now have two hundred eighty eight dollars towards stocking the hospitality room, the dinner buffet and Larry's t shirt expenses.
We will have a debit card and checks so we can make purchases at Costco and the liquor store, ferreting out fantastic deals when we can.



This is an actual scene from the Los Angeles Social in 2006. Nice Job!