Around the Bay In LPA

Around the Bay In LPA
official newsletter of the
San Francisco Bay Area Chapter
Little People of America
Vol. 9, No. 1
Chapter founded in 1962
TRIBUTE TO JOAN CECIL HARE
BY ANN CUPOLO-FREEMAN
H
ello. I’m Ann Cupolo-Freeman. I’ve been a friend of Joanie’s
for more than 23 years.
Somehow, along the way, I’ve became like an unofficial---maybe
adopted, or even assigned---Godmother to Joannie’s beautiful
daughter, Rebecca----who I fondly call Becca.
Joannie was a very good friend to me. We would call each other
to talk about our latest joys and troubles. We would commiserate
together, oftentimes about the men we were dating. We would
just hang out or have sleep over parties. We had a sister kind of
relationship.
Joannie was one of those people who could always make you
laugh. She liked to laugh, and could find humor in just about
anything.
She was a leader in the disability community and had served as
president of the local Little People of America chapter. I don’t think
there’s an LPA convention she missed since I’ve known her. She
came into LPA at 16 as a young woman, and saw that she could
make a difference in people’s lives.
That’s actually where I met Joannie, at an LPA convention in
Reno. It was my first LPA convention, and I remember that I met
this beautiful redhead, freckle-faced, energetic and intelligent
young woman.
She was very welcoming. As it was my first convention, I was
like a deer in the headlights. She adopted me as a girlfriend right
away. Joannie was the kind of gentle woman who would look for
someone at the LPA conventions who wasn’t talking to anyone.
She’d sidle up next to them, get them talking and laughing, and
pretty soon they would be part of her extended family.
She was very funny, very warm. And then, of course, she had
that adorable little girl who thought she was grown up by the
time she was 8.
Joannie was very comfortable in her own skin. She accepted who
she was. She was very comfortable with herself, as a dwarf, as
a woman. She helped to make me feel more comfortable about
being in my own skin. She accepted her disabilities, probably better
than many. She used her disability to help younger generations to
empower other people. Her disability wasn’t personal for her, but
it was a teaching tool. (continued on page 2)
March, 2006
THANKS TO THE FIGONES FOR YEARS
OF BRINGING IN THE
HOLIDAYS PARTIES
O
n November 5 , the Figones hosted their last Bringing in the
Holidays party. They have graciously hosted these parties for
years, and almost everyone from the Bay area has attended at one
time. The 5th was a beautiful fall day. People sat outside visiting
and eating the delicious smorgasbord of food. The children did
crafts outside and played in the bounce house. The Figones had
rented a large bounce house, much to the joy of all the kids, who
spent hours bouncing and rolling around in the house. When the
young kids weren’t in the bounce house, the teens were hanging
out in there.
(continued on page 10)
Chapter Calendar
MARCH
18 SAN JOSE CHILDREN’S DISCOVERY MUSEUM,
25 2006 TEEN ROCK AND ROLL BOWLING,
DALY CITY
APRIL
28-30 REGIONAL CONFERENCE,
SAN JOSE AT THE WYNDHAM
MAY
1
SPORTS DAY IN PLEASANTON
JUNE
4 PARENTS MEETING IN SAN JOSE,
10 TILDEN PARK PICNIC
JULY
2
ANTIOCH WATER PARK.
AUGUST
8 – 13 PAINTED TURTLE CAMP
25 – 27 SAMUEL P. TAYLOR CAMPING
(continued from page 1)
AROUND THE BAY IN LPA
All the young kids called her mom, she was so caring. They all
loved her.
OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE
SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA CHAPTER
As a young woman, Joanie knew she wanted to work with disabled
students. She knew that she had experiences that other youth
could relate to.
OF THE
LITTLE PEOPLE OF AMERICA
PUBLISHED QUARTERLY AND AVAILABLE ON-LINE
WEBSITE: WWW.LP BAYAREA.ORG
Joan worked at the College of San Mateo for 25 years. She started
out as a student assistant in the counseling program and worked
her way up to the position she coveted, director of the disabled
students program. She went back to college in 1992 and earned
her Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Counseling from the
College of Notre Dame and became the director of the Disabled
Students’ Program in 2000.
ALL ARTICLES REP RESENT THE OP INIONS OF THE AUTHORS
AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REP RESENT LPA,
IT’S M EM BERS, OR IT’S OFfiCERS.
NATIONAL LPA
1-888-LPA-2001
WWW.LPAONLINE.ORG
She was very good at crisis intervention. I remember her telling
me about her first day on the job as the director. She had a student
with significant mental health disabilities who was threatening to
kill himself. In that gentle little way of hers, she looked at him and
said “You don’t want to do that.” The student looked at her and
asked why not. She looked at him with that smile of hers and very
disarmingly said “How would it look if you killed yourself my first
day on the job” to which he said “you have a good point.”
Joannie was a giver. She was always giving of herself, of her time,
of her energy and enthusiasm, of her friendship. She was a good
Christian, a practicing Catholic.
JOE FOOS—PRESIDENT
4837 BLACK AVENUE
PLEASANTON, CA 94566
(925)484-4251
FOOSGROUP @M AC.COM
ETHAN CROUGH—VICE PRESIDENT
443 Seventh Ave. #4
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118
(415) 845-6515
[email protected]
She carried on an idea that her grandparents instilled in her and
her brothers and sisters. For her, there was always room at the Inn,
always a place at the table, always a bed or couch to sleep on.
She was never beyond staying late at school for a student. She
would drive downtown to meet with her students. She would spend
hours helping fight with Vocational Rehabilitation or IHSS to make
sure her students could get services they needed.
SUSAN LARKIN—SECRETARY/NEWSLETTER EDITOR
1352 OLYMPIA AVENUE
CAMPBELL, CA 95008
(408)369-9518
[email protected]
LINDA PETERSON—TREASURER/TEEN COMMITTEE
6425 COCKRILL STREET
PETALUMA, CA 94952
(707)664-9421
[email protected]
Joannie has always been a role model for me. I’m going to miss
her very much. She was always asking my husband and me what’s
new and exciting. She loved to learn what was new and exciting in
other people’s lives. I think it’s because for a long time she didn’t
have much new in her life as she was taking care of her ailing
mother, going to school, or taking care of her father.
There were things Joannie longed to do and never got the chance
to do. She talked to Bec about going to Ireland. The Alaskan cruise
was something she always dreamed about taking.
As you know, Joan Cecil Hare leaves 7 loving siblings---- Mary
Ann, Bill, Chuck, Dena, Pat, Ann, and Roberta----and a slew of
1st, 2nd & 3rd cousins.
She also left a wonderful 26-year young daughter, Rebecca. She
was very proud of Bec and her work in Washington. At 51, she’s
been taken from us way too soon! I’m going to miss her terribly.
We’re all going to miss you Joan!
I heard that Joannie had a “Wam It” doll. She loved that “Wam
It” doll. She used that “Wam It” doll to help her students through
their troubles, and often herself. Well, Joannie, where’s that “Wam
It” doll when you need it????
I
NATIONAL CONFERENCE PLANS
CHANGED ?
f you have a room reservation with the Hilton in Milwaukee and
decide not to go, please let the Fooses know before canceling
your reservation. There are many who would love to have that
room before it gets randomly distributed to the next person on the
waiting list. We will keep a list of our own Bay Area Members
needing a room.
[email protected]


Around the Bay In LPA / March, 2006
2
TEENS! TEENS! TEENS!
R O C K & B O W L I N D A LY C I T Y
MA RC H 25, 2006 – 3 PM
Wow, we had a great holiday season so let’s continue the fun. There is a great group that loves getting together
so it’s time to plan another get together!
Last June everyone had a great time bowling so we are going to do it again. Serra Bowl in Daly City has Rock
and Roll bowling and lanes have been reserved for you.
The time to be there is 3:00 for 3:30 bowling on March 25, 2006. Lanes have been reserved for us so we need
to know who is going to be there. After bowling you can check out the arcade and have something to eat.
Bring money for the arcade and food. The chapter will pay for the bowling.
Please let Linda Peterson know if you want to join in this teen only event. E-mail at [email protected]
phone at (707)-664-9421.
There will be a responsible parent there. You need to plan on being a responsible teen so more fun events can
be planned for you.
Call your LPA friends and make this a fun time!
Serra Bowl
3301 Junipero Serra Blvd.
Daly City, CA 94014
650-992-3444
From the South:
Take 280 North Take the Mission / Pacifica (CA-1) Exit
Stay right at the fork toward mission Go straight at the light on to D st.
Left at the next light Left into the parking lot
From the North:
Take 280 South. Take the Eastmoor Avenue Exit. Right onto Sullivan, Right onto Washington, Right onto
Junipero Serra Blvd. Left on D. Street. Left at next light (Hill) Left into parking lot.
Definition of a Teen: Almost 13 up to 19 years old.
Around the Bay In LPA / March, 2006
3
FAMILY FIGHTS AN HMO FOR 4-YEAR-OLD’S LIFE
BY C.W. NEVIUS
REPRINTED FROM THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, NOVEMBER 5, 2005
S
omewhere in a corporate office at Health Net Inc. is someone
who needs to meet Jack Zembsch. Jack is 4, he loves SpongeBob
SquarePants, and he is going to die.
One doctor in the country just might be able to save Jack, but the
nation’s largest HMO won’t let Jack see him because the doctor is
not within its network.
Jack, who lives in Moraga with his parents, Mark and Kim Zembsch,
has an extremely rare form of dwarfism called metatropic dysplasia,
or MD. It leaves his bones extremely soft, and before long, they’ll
simply stop growing even as his body continues to get bigger. Eventually, his lungs will be so constricted by his ribs that breathing will
become a chore, and an infection could kill him.
That is, if his spine doesn’t simply snap from something as simple
as a fall.
“There is literally only one metatropic kid born in this country each
year,” Mark Zembsch says. “Jack fits into the category of you-can’tbelieve-it rare.’’
HMOs never want to hear about rare diseases. And the news that
only Dr. William Mackenzie, the nation’s acknowledged expert in
health care advocate and co-author of “Making a Killing,’’ a book
on the health care system. “It is the M.O. of health care providers to
deny access to expensive treatments. They give you the runaround
and hope you go away.’’
We all know about that. If we haven’t been through it, we know
someone who has -- the automated telephone merry-go-round, the
paperwork snowstorm, the mind-boggling protocols that must be
followed to the letter. With weary resignation, we fight and complain
and yell until -- grudgingly -- the insurance company pays up.
But, see, this is different. This is a 4-year-old boy. And if he can’t
have a series of difficult and touchy operations -- by the only doctor
in the entire country with the expertise to perform them -- his spine
will bend his body until it either crushes his lungs or snaps.
Jack is just a few degrees from that point now.
His parents have told the story several times, but it isn’t just another
long, sad tale of how health care is screwed up in this country. Mark
Zembsch gets most of the way through it, but his voice tends to
get hoarse, and he’s prone to running his hand through his hair and
looking away.
“You just keep thinking that you are going to wake up and it is all
resolved,’’ he says. “It is so clearly the right path for Jack. I keep
thinking I am going to get the letter from some guy saying, ‘Sorry,
he fell through the cracks. We will get this done.’ ‘’
That isn’t going to happen. It didn’t happen when the Zembschs’
primary-care physician, Dr. Jane Hunter at Alta Bates Medical
Center in Berkeley, wrote a note to Health Net saying “it is
imperative’’ that Jack see Mackenzie.
It didn’t happen when Health Net sent Jack to the highly regarded
UCSF medical center to be treated by Dr. Mohammad Diab, a
surgeon who is in charge of pediatric orthopedics. Diab told the
family he essentially had no experience with the surgery Jack
needs and wrote to Health Net that Jack should see Mackenzie
immediately. “The door is closing, if not closed,’’ Diab wrote.
It doesn’t get any plainer than that. Jack needs an operation. He
will die without it. “I thought it was a no-brainer at that point,’’
says Arnold Levinson, a San Francisco health care insurance
attorney.
JACK ZEMBSCH
MD, who works at the Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in
Delaware, has any chance of saving Jack is unlikely to make them
any happier.
I tried repeatedly to get someone, anyone, at Health Net to comment,
but they wouldn’t return any of the messages I left on Friday.
But it doesn’t come as any surprise that Health Net would drag its
feet.
“When you have to fly a patient out to the East Coast, it is the fundamental HMO no-no,’’ says Jamie Court, a Santa Monica-based
Apparently not. In all there were four appeals. Some were filed
twice. In every case, Health Net took the entire 30 days allowed
by law to respond, then came up with another rejection or roadblock. Finally, on Oct. 12, Health Net ruled that Jack should go back
to Diab. So after eight months of appeals, pleas and medical forms,
the Zembsch family had gone in a big, pointless circle.
It was maddening. But that isn’t what keeps Kim Zembsch up at
night.
“Dr. Mackenzie said he could be walking one day and fall on his
bottom,’’ she says, “and his spine could snap, just like that.’’
Instead of being beaten down by this runaround, they decided to step
up. They contacted Levinson, who is not to be trifled with.
(continued on page 11)
Around the Bay In LPA / March, 2006
4
YOUTH SPORTS CLINIC AND SWIM IN PLEASANTON
SUNDAY, MAY 21ST, 12:00-4:00 PM
AQUATIC PARK, 4455 BLACK AVE., PLEASANTON, CA
The Foos Family is hosting a sports clinic to encourage dwarf youth to participate in a positive and caring
athletic environment where they can learn and compete side-by-side with other dwarfs.
People should bring a their own picnic lunches, chairs, mats, or blankets to sit on, and swimming suits and
towels for swimming in the Aquatic Pool after the clinic.
We will toss balls, throw Frisbees, and play team games such as soccer and baseball.
Directions:
From Hwy 580:
Exit Santa Rita Road south, follow for about 1-2 miles past 6 or more lights, turn right on Black Ave. after
Valley. The Aquatic Center is on your right. Turn right at the second driveway, which allows you to drive
behind the Aquatic Center. Follow the driveway all the way around to the park area.
From 680:
Exit at Stoneridge Ave., 1 exit south of the 580 interchange, and head east. Follow Stoneridge for 2 or 3 lights
until Hopyard Ave., and turn right. Follow Hopyard past 2 lights (West Las Positas and Valley) and turn left
at the next light, Black Ave. Follow Black Ave. almost to the end. About 200 yards before Santa Rita Road,
look for the Aquatic Center on your left,turn into the parking lot and go behind the Aquatic Center to the park
area.
RSVP: Foos Family at 925-484-4251 or at [email protected]
DALLAS MILAT MEMORIAL
SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SKELETAL
DYPLASIA CLINIC
T
he Northern California Skeletal Dyplasia Clinic, held at the
Kaiser Oakland facility, offers a comprehensive medical
evaluation for l.p.s. Their team of specialists includes geneticists,
radiologists, orthopedists, neurologists, Head and Neck Surgeons
(E.N.T), psychologists, and nutritionists, from both Children’s
Hospital Oakland and Kaiser Permanente.
During the two-hour appointment individuals from the team rotate
into the exam rooms. After the patients leave, the providers come
together as a group to discuss each patient and devise a treatment
plan. If you would like your child to be seen and you have private
insurance, then you need to contact Summer Segal at Children’s
Hospital (510) 428-3885 ex. 2351.
If you are a Kaiser patient, regardless of age, you need to call Ericka
Okenfuss at 916-614-5177. If you want to know more about the
history of the program and what to expect if you go, then call Ginny
Foos at (925) 484-4251.

L
ittle Joe Palomino stands head and shoulders above the
rest.
Twelve year old Little Leaguer Joe Palomino was awarded the
prestigious Dallas Milat Memorial Sportsmanship Award at the
closing ceremonies of the San Ramon National Little League
Baseball League. The award, inspired by Dallas Milat, who passed
away in April 2004, is the most coveted Little League award as
it focuses on attitude, teamwork, dedication and sportsmanship.
Jose was unanimously selected by his team and garnered by votes
by other team members around the league. The award includes
the trophy as well as a $500 scholarship to a sports or leadership
camp of his choice. Jose’s father and mother were particularly
proud of the award as it focuses on attitude and sportsmanship as
opposed to finishing first. Dallas Milat was a perennial all-star in
both baseball and football for many years and had the universal
respect of coaches and teammates. Dallas lost his life in a bicycle
accident, but his spirit lives on through this award. 
Around the Bay In LPA / March, 2006
5
CHRISTMAS PARTY
BY JOE FOOS
T
his past December, the Bay Area Chapter had another excellent
holiday party, attended by over 100 people in San Lorenzo. A
lot of work went into planning for this event, and once again Linda
Petersen and Tony Winkelman were instrumental in helping us
all enjoy this excellent event! This family did all the hard work:
planning the event months ahead of time, buying all the food and
drinks, bringing most of the decorations and fun furniture, and set-
ting everything up hours ahead of time. This year we also got a lot
of help from some of Renee Wittmeier’s church friends who really
helped us with hanging all the lights and other decorations around
the room. We also got some help from Kathy Hawes and her 2
girls, Rachel and Kayla, thank you ladies. Where were the rest of
you? The Foos family brought the PS2 game system for the kids
to play and a laptop to run the photo slideshow. Daniel Margulies
brought a projector and speakers. Alex Foos and Willem Winkelman brought all their music and a couple of teens brought their own
iPods and other digital music players. The adults still complained
about not having any music they could dance to ... bring your own
iPod next time!
Well, everyone was supposed to show up for the party around
4pm, but we had a lot of stragglers ... where were you all? Little
kids headed off to the Arts and Crafts area setup by Shari Weiser,
where they could make tree ornaments and other fun stuff. Teens
headed off into the Chill Zone that had comfy chairs, bean bags,
chess games, and the PS2 game machine. I even saw certain
non-teens playing on that PS2, it must have been so much fun.
The adults all brought their own side dish and helped wherever they could in the kitchen or in the dining room. Don
Coolidge setup and manned the bar area, thanks Don. I saw
tons of people cutting vegetables and bread and all kinds
of stuff in the kitchen; no wonder the food was so good!
Dinner was served and everyone ate too much. We had turkey,
we had ham, we had potatoes, we had salads, we had bread, we
had juice, we had more. Beer, wine, punch, eggnog, it was all
there. Casserole dishes, gravy, dressings, stuffing, yams, sweet
potatoes ... it was like every cookbook in the world had been
opened and used that night. I ate enough food to last a lifetime.
About an hour later than we should have started (see above note about
latecomers), we got the Christmas Carols going and sang so loudly
we had to go outside. That noise attracted the attention of a certain
jolly old fellow all
dressed in red, who
rolled up in a fire
truck with several
bags full of toys!
Man, we should do
this every weekend,
if we’re going to
get toys like this.
A n y w a y, S a n t a
Claus sat down in a
comfy chair and had
trouble getting back
up an hour later. He
must have had some
extra dinner or dessert the night before! He had presents for everyone, and each one of them got to sit on his lap for a great photo.
This jolly old fellow left the same way he came, but this time the
firefighters were taking bags of toys back onto the truck??? What
gives? These were the presents our group had brought for the
Toys for Tots program. Even thought it is hard to imagine anyone
needing extra presents, some kids never have the opportunity to
experience all the fun and excitement the rest of us do because of
poverty or other difficult family situations. Our little contribution
was very well received by the local fire station and they really
appreciated our efforts to help the needy kids in that neighborhood.
During this time, we also started the Adult White Elephant Gift
Exchange. Ethan Crough helped lead this effort and everyone loved it.
I hear someone got a 2004 LPA National Conference shirt as a whiteelephant gift; didn’t we get rid of all those items already? There were gift
cards from every retailer imaginable; there were all kinds of fun gifts.
Once the wrapping paper was finally all stuffed into the trash cans,
we got the dancing started. Alex Foos and Willem Winkelman ran
the show; they brought out all the kids onto the floor with new hits
from the hottest stars. Ben and Samantha Bromley-Coolidge helped
make some music choices as well, and Basil Sougi also helped punch
a few buttons as well. (continued on page 7)
Around the Bay In LPA / March, 2006
6
TEEN ICE SKATING
(continued from page 6)
Some of the adults got a little
rowdy when they couldn’t
hear their oldies and we kept
looking for alternatives on
those darn iPods, but there
was nothing good in all those
thousands of megabytes! One
lady was heard to exclaim
“this darn iPod is awesome
the way it holds all your songs
in one place and can be organized into playlists and all
that, but why can’t I find anything I like in these 4500 songs ?”
After the party was over, Sami Ferris’ mom invited all the teens
over to their house for a sleepover, she was crazy! Then again,
Vickie Ferris probably holds the title of “coolest mom” amongst
the hip teen crowd in the bay area. All reports claim it was a great
after-party party, as evidenced by the very sleepy teens that got
dropped off for breakfast around 10am the next morning. Last
but not least, the Hilton Garden Inn was our home away from
home for many of us who spent the night. Simone Shuttleworth
arranged everything for
us and it was great. We
all met up for breakfast
the next morning and
more fun times together,
including swimming
in the pool and sweating in the hot tub.
All in all, a great time
was had by all. Tons of
people came from far
away (Ryland and his family from Fortuna, Finn and his family
from Fort Bragg, and many others). It was great to see Esmeralda
and Roland from San Francisco, we had not seen them in ages !
The question is “Do we want to do it again?” We really want to
know whether most of you like this party enough to try and do
it again this year or would prefer to go back to the separate kids
and adults parties from years prior? Send me a quick email and
I’ll collect the results: [email protected]

BY SAMI FERRIS
O
ne weekend during December I got together with some of my
LPA buddies. We made plans to go to San Francisco and go
ice-skating and do some Christmas shopping. It was me, Sami, Julia,
Lucy, Dasha,
Willem, Ben,
Alex, Chris,
and Basil. We
had an amazing
time. Being
around with my
friends from
my chapter
has made me
more social and
outgoing.
Anyway, when
we first got to
the outdoor rink it was closed. We hung out and talked while we
waited for it to open. When it opened we got our skates and skated
for two hours! We were laughing watching other people fall down.
We were wild, laughing, talking, yelling, chasing each other and
having a great time. We witnessed a very exciting event, a proposal!
A man asked us to move to the side of the rink. He got down on his
knee and proposed to his girlfriend. We girls thought it was really
sweet but the boys thought it was stupid. Figures!
After we were done ice-skating we went to Pier 39. We took the
trolley. We all got massages in a water-massage machine. We went
to an oxygen bar and inhaled pure oxygen. Then the guys went to
the arcade while the girls went window-shopping. A few of us went
on this magic carpet ride that had a Christmas theme.
We a l l m e t
back up to say
good-bye and
head home.
It was a good
day. A lot of
fun was had by
all. Let’s do
it again really
soon.

Around the Bay In LPA / March, 2006
7
SHOW GETS INSIDE
VIEW OF DWARFISM
BY JIMM OTT
FROM “INSIDE BAY AREA,“ SEPTEMBER 2, 2005
W
hen Joe Foos was growing up, big kids would sometimes pick
him up, just to be mean. Why? Because he is a little person. A
dwarf. In fact, he and his wife Ginny and their three children were
all born with a genetic condition called achondroplasia, the most
common form of dwarfism.
But while the family is short-statured, they’re just like everyone
else — if you don’t count being filmed for a documentary on the
Discovery Health Channel.
“Ginny and I love the opportunity to tell our story to educate people,
especially kids,” Joe said. “The film crew followed us to baseball
games, school and to film Ginny as she was substitute teaching.”
The production company found the Foos family, which lives in
Pleasanton, after doing a Google search, Ginny Foos said. “They
found a Tri-Valley Herald article written four years ago and contacted
us in April. They were here filming in early June and even joined
our family in July in Orlando as we attended the annual conference
of Little People of America.”
Little People of America, or LPA, is a nonprofit organization founded
in 1957 to support dwarfs through education and other opportunities.
The crew returns to Pleasanton this week to gather additional footage,
including filming Joe in his role as sales director for Livermore-based
Lanlogic.
Filming for the documentary is expected to wrap up in December.
It does not yet have an air date. “This isn’t reality television,” Joe
said. “They don’t stick a camera in our faces without asking.” Rather,
Joe and Ginny are working with the production team to ensure an
accurate portrayal of the life of a family of little people. As president
of the Bay Area chapter of LPA, Joe will distribute 500 copies of the
production to the 50 LPA chapters across the United States.
“We hope the project will lead to production of other dwarf stories
around the country to educate people about little people,” Joe said.
Central to that message isthat dwarfs enjoy relatively good health,
have normal life spans, are as intelligent, funny, spiritual, and, yes,
as normal as everyone else. The only difference is their size.
According to LPA’s Web site, people with achondroplasia have short
arms and legs, but an average-sized trunk. The condition affects one in
every 26,000 to 40,000 people, and occurs equally in men and women
and within all races. Experts estimate that 10,000 little people live in
the United States, with 150,000 to 230,000 worldwide.
“We can count on two hands all the dwarfs in the Tri-Valley, and that
includes the five of us,” Joe said.
Limited contact with other little people is one reason the family is
active in the local LPA chapter. The three Foos children get to interact
with other youngsters who share the challenges of growing up smaller
than almost everyone else.
“When you get a handful of dwarf kids together, all of a sudden they
are not the only ones being stared at or teased,” Joe said.
Similarly, dwarf children benefit from role models, Joe said. “Kids
need to see themselves five or 10 years down the road so they can
feel happy with themselves, instead of depressed about being the
only one in the town or the only one at school.”
While Joe had few role models growing up, his parents, though
average-sized, instilled in him strong self-confidence, he said.
Born in Los Angeles in 1966, Joe was 2 when his family moved
to Lebanon. He lived in Beirut during the country’s civil war and
eventually moved back with his family to the United States to enroll
at the University of Santa Barbara.
He completed his degree at the University of San Francisco,
which brought him to the Bay Area, where one day in 1987 he was
approached by an attractive 22-year-old woman at a BART station
in Oakland.
“I was looking at a map when someone tapped me on the shoulder,
Joe said. “I looked into the face of a cute gal who asked if I was
lost. We spoke for only a moment because our trains
were arriving, and then she handed me her business card. It was
pretty much love at first sight.”
Like Joe, Ginny moved to the Bay Area because of college. Born to
average-sized parents, and with a brother over 6 feet tall, she grew
up in a small town near Boston and found her way to Mills College,
where she first earned a degree in communications and later obtained
her teaching credential.
Joe and Ginny had their first child, Alex, 13 years ago. Two years
later, in 1994, they adopted then 3-year-old Dasha, who is mildly
autistic, from Russia. Ben, now 7, followed a few years later.
The Foos children are fortunate to have two dwarf parents, said
Joe, because mom and dad understand the challenges the kids face
everyday.
“Parents who have a dwarf child without having dwarfism
themselves will never know what it’s like to be teased in school
or chosen last on a team on the playground, or to have to spend
15 minutes using the restroom when everyone else is finished in a
couple of minutes.”
Fortunately, LPA can teach average-sized parents what they need to
know about raising a dwarf child, Joe said. And LPA connects new
parents with those who already have been through the experience.
Yet in spite of the challenges growing up little, the Tri-Valley is a
good place to raise dwarf children.
“People’s responses to our situation vary based on educational
and socioeconomic factors,” Ginny said. “How the public reacts
to us here in Pleasanton is very different to how it is in the inner
cities.”
Joe agrees. “In this country, and especially in the Bay Area, our kids
have more doors open to them than I ever did. Part of that is because
society is more accepting and the Bay Area is open-minded.”
Much of that open-mindedness comes with education, which is one
reason Ginny enjoys substitute teaching. “In any given week, I am
in front of 300 kids, indirectly teaching them not to judge a book
by its cover,” she said.
Sometimes, however, the education is more direct.
(continued on page 14)
Around the Bay In LPA / March, 2006
8
TILDEN PARK ADVENTURE
SATURDAY JUNE 10 • 12:00 - 4:00
TILDEN PARK NATURE AREA, BERKELEY
INDIAN CAMP PICNIC GROUNDS
Come have fun, picnic, chat, play, and visit farm animals with us. Our Sixth Annual Tilden Park picnic is
coming up in June, now brought to you by the families of Talia Greenbaum and Charlotte Boyle.
Date: Saturday, June 10th
Time: 12:00 - 4:00 P.M.
Place: Tilden Park Nature Area, Indian Camp Picnic Grounds
(Near the Little Farm.) phone (510)525-2233
www.ebparks.org, select “Tilden” from the menu at the top of the page
This is a pot-luck, so please bring picnic food to share. Also bring celery (to feed the farm animals),
blankets, lawn chairs, balls, frisbees and other outdoor games. We will be outdoors. We will provide drinks
and desserts. The “Little Farm” is free of charge.
R.S.V.P. by June 3rd to Caroline Jones & Devon Boyle: (415) 626-2152
From the South: From either Highway 24, or 880 Freeway take 580/80 North towards the city of Berkeley.
Turn off at the Buchanan Street Exit. Turn right at the stop sign onto Buchanan Street. After you cross San
Pablo Avenue, Buchanan turns into Marin Avenue. Proceed forward on Marin Avenue a few miles up towards
the Berkeley hills to the Circle. Travel half way around the Circle and turn right on Marin, straight up a very
steep hill. Turn left on Spruce Street (stop sign). Follow Spruce Street all the way around until you get to
Grizzly Peak Blvd. Summit Reservoir is on your left. The entrance to Tilden Park Nature Area is on your
left across Grizzly Peak on Canon Dr. Look for Nature Area, Pony Ride wooden sign. Cross Grizzly Peak
and immediately turn left onto Canon Drive. Proceed down Canon Drive. Turn left at the bottom of Canon
Drive. Look for us at the picnic tables or on the grassy area on your left. There is plenty of parking. Blue
“Handicap” parking is on the right at the end of the parking lot.
From the North: Take 80 South, turn off at the Albany Exit. Turn left at stop sign onto Cleveland Avenue.
Remain on Cleveland (Cleveland veers left and under an overpass) Continue on Cleveland until you reach
a stop sign. Turn right onto Buchanan Street. After you cross San Pablo Avenue, Buchanan turns into Marin
Avenue. Proceed forward on Marin Avenue a few miles up….(Follow directions above)
From the West (Richmond/San Rafael Bridge): Take 580 East and exit left at the Albany/Buchanan Street
Exit. Continue forward under the overpass and turn left at stop sign onto Buchanan Street. After you cross
San Pablo Avenue, Buchanan turns into Marin Avenue. Proceed forward on Marin Avenue a few miles up….
(Follow directions above)
There are other ways to get to the Tilden Park Nature Area. We suggest you call the park at 510-525-2233
to get those directions. If it rains we will cancel The Tilden Park Adventure event.
Around the Bay In LPA / March, 2006
9
LPA TEEN NEW YEARS PARTY
(continued from page 1)
At the end of the party, Joe Foos, as president of the Bay Area
LPA, presented the Figones with a TIVO in appreciation of their
years of service to LPA. Susan Larkin has agreed to host the next
Bringing in the Holiday party at her house in Campbell with the
help of the Figones.
BY WILLEM WINKELMAN AND ALEX FOOS
T
hanks to Lucy Williams who had this great idea for this awesome
New Years party. We want to give special thanks to Lucy’s mom
and Dad, Judd and Ann for giving us this very special New Year’s
Eve. They hosted a New Years Eve party at the Embassy Suites in
Burlingame for the Teens of SFBAC.
A bunch of teens showed up on Saturday, December 31st around
4:00, swam in the pool, and ate some munchies. Some major events
of the evening were the “silly string” fight, the “shaving cream” fight,
and just hanging out with confetti. It was an amazing party with food,
fun, and friends. On new years day some of us swam at six in the
morning, ate and swam and ate and swam then went home. We really
appreciate Judd and Ann who set this up and hosted this party.
Thank you Emily Bromely and Don Coolidge who helped chaperone
and helped out with set up and clean up. Thank you again Judd
and Ann for organizing this whole thing and Lucy for the amazing
idea.

SHIRLEY FIGONE, GRACE SU, JOHN BENSON
At this party, we also elected the chapter officers for the next
two years. Joe Foos
was elected as president
again. Ethan Crough, a
relatively new member
of the Bay Area LPA,
was elected as vice
president. Susan Larkin
was elected as secretary
and newsletter editor,
and Linda Peterson
was elected as treasurer
again.

LPS/OVER 21/YOUNG ADULTS NIGHT
OUT ON FEBRUARY 4TH
POMEGRANATE MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE RESTAURANT
IN
BERKELEY
I
t was on, it was off and then it was on again with a whopping 3
people!! But, it’s not the quantity that’s important, it’s the quality.
Harold and I had the pleasure of spending a wonderful evening dinner
talking with Carolyn Bourse.
She is well traveled in Europe, bi-lingual, enjoys singing, camping
and she knows her wines. Caroyln sometimes uses a scooter to get
around and it’s obvious that does not hold her back in the least. The
company, food, service and ambiance was delightful.
Hope we see you at the next get together. (I found this place as I
usually do looking at www.restaurantrow.com for ideas. The Foos
family and Josh Greenbaum also recommended it).
ETHAN CROUGH

HELENA, EMMA, JULIE WITH PLAYDOUGH
Around the Bay In LPA / March, 2006
10
(continued from page 4)
In 2003, he won the 10th-largest verdict in California history, $32
million, in a disability insurance case. That might get Health Net’s
attention. The lawsuit will be filed Monday. You want a fight, Health
Net? Better suit up. Jack’s coming after you.
HMO AGREES TO PAY FOR ILL
BOY TO VISIT SPECIALIST
C.W. NEVIUS
Reprint San Francisco Chronicle, Nov. 6, 2005
Little Jack Zembsch, the 4-year-old with an extremely rare bone
condition whose parents have been feuding with their HMO, will
get his trip East to see a specialist.
Responses to a Saturday column on the little boy’s plight were
dramatic. E-mails of support poured in as well as offers of cash
donations.
Among the calls was one from a Health Net spokesman, saying the
medical insurance company would cover the cost of a visit to see Dr.
William Mackenzie, the Delaware specialist at the Alfred I. duPont
Hospital for Children that Jack’s parents, Mark and Kim Zembsch,
want to treat their son.
“We will be ready, maybe as soon as Monday, to pay for Jack to
see Dr. Mackenzie,” said David Olson, senior vice president of
communications for Health Net. The HMO had been saying that a
doctor at UCSF could perform the delicate surgery Jack needs to
prolong his life.
As encouraging as that news was, however, it is unlikely to settle
the contentious disagreement between the Zembsch family and the
HMO. Health insurance attorney Arnold Levinson said that he will
file a lawsuit Monday and that he was not impressed by Health Net’s
offer Saturday.
“We appealed this four times,” Levinson said. “Why are they all of a
sudden approving it now? All they are going to say is that they will
fund one consultation with Dr. Mackenzie. We asked for a standing
referral so Jack can be under Dr. Mackenzie’s care. That’s the legal
issue.’’ Olson said the funding would, in fact, “be for consultations.
Surgery will be a separate matter.”
statements, and also with the idea that he would be a good choice
to perform the surgery.
“The first thing I would ask is how many of these surgeries has Dr.
Diab performed?” Levinson said. “Because the answer is zero.’’
Mackenzie, a recognized authority on metatropic dysplasia, has
“been doing this (for) 15 years,” Levinson said. The attorney also
disagreed with Olson’s characterization of Diab’s interest in treating Jack himself.
He referred to Diab’s report, which Olson faxed to The Chronicle.
In it, Diab says that the Zembsch family wanted to see Mackenzie,
“which I believe is reasonable as he has the most experience in this
problem in this disease.” Levinson concedes that Diab said, “I would
be happy to participate” in treatment, including surgery, but will
argue that is a far cry from giving Jack the best available care.
But he also believes it is not the best option for the Zembsch family.
“We could have a surgeon go in there and do his best,” Levinson
said. “But they deserve a specialist.’’
Olson also said Diab never indicated that Jack’s condition was so
dire that he needed immediate treatment and suggested that Levinson
was presenting it in that way to build his case.
Olson called the statements that Jack is in imminent danger “a typical lawyer ploy. There is nothing in the record that indicates that
something has to happen right now.’’
But the Zembschs say Mackenzie warned them that as Jack’s spine
continues to curve, the risk of it snapping or pressing down on his
lungs increases. Kim Zembsch says she’s been told Jack’s spine is
“within a few degrees” of the point when surgery will be an emergency, not an option.
Levinson responds by pointing to a section of Diab’s report where
he says, “The patient’s (spine) is becoming very rigid. While he is
young I recommend at least a discussion about (a surgical procedure).
I worry that the door is closing, if not has closed, because the spine
is becoming so rigid.’’
Olson also maintained that the Zembschs should have gone to the
Independent Medical Review, a panel of doctors who rule on matters
of care and are not affiliated with any health insurance company.
Patients can take disputes about treatment to the state panel, whose
decisions are binding.
But he added that funding for an operation would not be a problem
if it was determined that it is what Jack requires. “It’s in our interest
to see that this kid gets what he needs,” Olson said.
Levinson called the panel “totally inappropriate for this situation”
because it is used to rule on experimental procedures that may not
have been approved.
The real issue of contention is whether or not Jack could get the care
he needs from Dr. Mohammad Diab, who is in charge of pediatric
orthopedics at UCSF. Olson insists that Diab was willing and qualified to do the rare and complex surgery, even though Jack’s condition,
metatropic dysplasia, makes his bones soft and extremely delicate.
“Dr. Diab said, ‘I can do this,’ “ Olson said. “ ‘I can take care of this
kid.’ If we had seen a letter from him that said, ‘I can’t treat this kid,’
it would have been a slam dunk (to send Jack to Mackenzie).”
But Levinson disagrees with the company’s interpretation of Diab’s
Editor’s note
The Zembschs decided themselves to put Jack under the care of Dr.
Mackenzie at the A. I. duPont Hospital for Children. They have filed
a law suit against Health Net, and Health Net has filed a petition
for arbitration. The Zembschs have expressed their thanks to LPA,
which has been “very supportive” during this entire process. We
look forward to hearing a successful outcome of this case.

Around the Bay In LPA / March, 2006
11
MEET JOHN FARLEY
YEAR END TREASURER’S
REPORT 2005
BY SUSAN LARKIN
H
ave you met John Farley, an LPA member from the South
Bay? John is a 19-years old opera singer. He started taking
piano lessons at 10 and voice lessons at 11, when his mom and
church-choir director encouraged him to take voice lessons. Starting
off as a soprano, he switched to bass when his voice changed.
However, after showing his voice teacher how high his range was,
they agreed this year that he was still a soprano, a male soprano.
John is, therefore, one of the few male sopranos in the opera world.
Male sopranos were very popular in the early classical music of
the 16th through 18th centuries. John mainly sings works by
Mozart and Handel, and especially likes singing Handel. He is
currently studying voice at the Opera Institute of California at Le
Petite Trianon Theater in San Jose, where he has been studying and
performing since 2002. John usually performs in student recitals at
the school every few months. He hasn’t had an opportunity to be
in an opera since the operas with parts for male sopranos are rarely
performed in entirety.
Every few months, Bill Vendice from the LA Opera comes to the
school to critique the students. He has confirmed that John is a
male soprano and has suggested that he work on his rhythm and
his transition from low to high range. John is working on building
his repertoire and hopes to join his school in performing in Palm
Springs. In the future, John would like to perform in operas. He
hopes to take acting lessons since acting is also a part of opera. He
has already been bitten by the theatrical bug, having auditioned for
the movie Simon Birch when he has 12.
John’s musical talent is not limited to opera. He plays piano and
composes original pieces for the piano. He has performed some of
his pieces in the Annual World Peace Concert organized by Eddie
Gale, a well known jazz musician, at the San Jose Martin Luther
King Library in November 2005. He also plays keyboard and sings
solos with an African Drumming group and recently played and
sang at Mission College for their Kwanza celebration.
The totals for the year 2005 are as follows. We need to still
look forward to coming years and consider how we can help
to support our chapter.
Beginning Balance
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds
Deposits
Total
E-Scrip
Membership Dues Rebate
Conference Distribution
Other Income
Total Deposits
Expenses
Clinic Support
Donations
Gifts
Holiday Parties
Meeting Expenses
Miscellaneous Expenses
Newsletter
Sunshine Committee
Tee Events
Total Expenses
Ending Balance
Unrestricted Funds
Restricted Funds
Total Cash Balance
If you would like to see John Farley perform, you can look for the
notices of the Opera Institute of California’s performances in the
Arts section of the San Jose Mercury News.
$11,499.05
$ 782.64
$ 12,281.69
$ 175.65
$ 868.00
$ 600.55
$ 474.00
$ 2,118.20
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
81.25
200.00
216.49
569.92
120.78
254.20
957.34
92.84
84.00
$ 2,576.82
$11,140.43
$ 682.64
$ 11,823.07

DIRECTORY UPDATES
W
e are currently working on a new phone directory for the
chapter. We use the information from the National Data
Base. We hope this is complete and up-to-date but we know there
can be many changes during a year that don’t get to national.
If there are any changes or additions that you want included in the
directory, please contact Linda Peterson at [email protected]
or by phone at 707-664-9421 as soon as possible. We would like
to produce as complete and accurate a directory as possible.

Around the Bay In LPA / March, 2006
12
AN OLD MESSAGE WITH A
NEW MESSENGER
BY ETHAN CROUGH
A
t first glance, an email asking me to meet a visitor from
Turkmenistan sparked the question, is this spam?
Then more questions arose. Who is visiting and why? After
corresponding with Bay Area Chapter officers, I found out our visitor
came to the United States under the auspices of the Department of
State’s International Visitor Leadership Program.
This group visited organizations and government offices across the
country to discuss American views on the rights of the disabled and
handicapped, immigrants, refugees, women and minorities. That
was when LPA came in.
Following several emails between myself and the local officers, my
wife, Emily, and I scheduled a meeting. Vice President of Public
Relations, Dan Okenfuss, helped with talking points and sent me
material from the national office to share with our visitor.
We met with Ms. Natali Anikina and her U.S.-based Russian
interpreter Greg Burnside at the Institute of International Education
in San Francisco.
Anikina leads SAHY (translated as “kindness”), a non-governmental
organization that provides free legal consulting for the low-income
city population of Ashgabat. SAHY organizes seminars on legal
issues for the disabled, under-retirement and retirement age
people.
She has three awards from the Democracy Commission Funds for
advocacy and public awareness activities related to the right of
people to education, equal opportunities in employment, family
conflict and contract law.
From her we found out that, in an area slightly larger than California
with a total population of approximately 4.95 million, Turkmenistan
has an active group of about 180 little people.
in Washington. They also met with officials and experts to discuss
the U.S. foreign policy and its human rights component as well as
regional issues regarding Central Asia and Turkmenistan.
Coming to California helped them understand aspects of ethnic
diversity and the concerns of minorities in the U.S., being a state
with a large Hispanic population.
Anikina brought several pictures of the group, including one photo
showing the different types of dwarfism represented in their country.
The pictures also showed the computer center the organization put
together to help the little people or “Lilliputians” as her interpreter
said, receive more education and access to the Internet.
Anikina questioned where LPA gets its money and how it is funded.
In Turkmenistan, the little people receive a pension from the
government every year. The country has an estimated unemployment
of 60%, so it’s no wonder she is anxious to help these folks get
ahead.
She asked how we organize on the local, district, and national level.
She expressed interest and admiration for the amount of legislation
and advocacy that we are continuing to accomplish to help people
with dwarfism.
I talked, she wrote notes, and Emily sneaked off to turn on a computer
in the building so Anikina could see LPA’s Web site, including the
medical resource and adoption pages.
Our organization impressed her a great deal and her interpreter Greg
told us how much she liked the self-confidence and esteem both
Emily and I possess. Self-confidence is a concern of hers for little
people in Turkmenistan.
I’ll be in touch with her again and will send her a copy of this article.
Though it is said that Turkmenistan’s economic statistics are state
secrets, at least now Little People of America has a chance to become
common knowledge there.

Bordering the Caspian Sea, Turkmenistan is between Iran,
Afghanistan and Kazakhstan. It was annexed by Russia between
1865 and 1885 and became a Soviet republic in 1924. Upon the
dissolution of the USSR in 1991, it achieved independence; the
president retains absolute control over the country and opposition
is not tolerated.
The broad goal of SAHY is to support efforts in Turkmenistan for
protecting human rights and to help citizens continue developing
democracy.
Before they arrived in California, Anikina and her colleagues met
with government officials and non-governmental organizations that
work to protect civil and human rights and promote equal opportunity
Around the Bay In LPA / March, 2006
13
SAMUEL P. TAYLOR PICNIC AND CAMPING TRIP
AUGUST 26 — 28
The annual SFBAC Camp trip has been booked at Samuel P. Taylor in Marin County. For those who like sleeping
in tents, eating meals alfresco and enjoying the great outdoors, camping starts on Friday, August 25, 2006 for two
nights. For those who are less adventurous, plan to join us for the day on Saturday, August 26.
Samuel P. Taylor is located in the redwoods of Marin County. There is a great creek for the kids and adults to
get their feet wet (or a little more for the brave ones). There are great walks around the area and lots of time to
visit with everyone.
Camping reservations are on first come first served basis because space is limited. Camping fees are $40.00 per
family plus car fees payable at the park. We all enjoy the community meals for Saturday and Sunday breakfast
and Saturday dinner so this is again the plan.
Reserve your camping spot early. Send your payment made payable to SFBAC, number of people in your
family and which meal you would like to help with. If you would like more information contact Linda Peterson
at (707) 664-9421 or e-mail: [email protected]. Send reservation information to Linda at 6425 Cockrill
Street, Petaluma, CA 94952.
Picnickers, the day to be there is August 26, 2006. Be sure to bring your food and drinks for the day. Barbecues
are available in the park, be sure to bring coals and starter if you feel ambitious. Arrive early to enjoy the area.
Swimsuits and a change of clothes for the kids is a great idea. Also don’t forget chairs, towels, sunscreen, kid’s
bikes, roller skates, water shoes (great for the creek if you have them), squirt guns, comfortable shoes and a
sweater just in case.
Picnickers please plan on dropping off everything at the camping site and moving the car to the day use area, as
parking is limited where we will be.
Directions: Take 101 to San Rafael. In San Rafael take the Central San Rafael exit. Follow Third Street west
for about two miles until it runs into Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. Bear right onto Sir Francis Drake Boulevard.
Drive about 13 miles on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard to the park entrance.
(continued from page 8)
“It’s OK to ask questions,” Ginny said. “We often see a child in a
grocery store ask their mom ‘How come she’s so short?’ Often the
parent will yank the pointing arm nearly out of its socket, and run
away hoping they won’t run into us ever again.”
Ginny encourages parents to use such moments to acknowledge that
the little person does look different, but then point out how the person
is the same as everyone because he or she is shopping or going to
school or walking downtown.
“The parent should then make eye contact with the little person,”
Ginny said, “and see if the person has time to answer any
questions.”
Over the years, Ginny and Joe have answered many questions:
Can dwarf couples become the parents of average-size children?
Is dwarfism a disability? Has the gene that causes dwarfism been
discovered? What do dwarfs think about such films as “Snow White
and the Seven Dwarfs?”
For curious readers, LPA’s Web site has answers at http://www.
lpaonline.org.
One question that often comes up is whether “midget”is an
appropriate term for a dwarf.
“Back in the days of vaudeville, midget was synonymous with
clown,” Ginny said. “Today the term is considered derogatory, since
little people work in all segments of society, including as doctors,
lawyers, sports announcers, teachers, business people — really in
every walk of life.”

Around the Bay In LPA / March, 2006
14
DAAA NEWS, UPDATES,
& SPECIAL REQUESTS
JIMMY LOYLESS, PRESIDENT
T
he purpose of this message is to give you some news and updates
about DAAA and to enlist your support through several special
requests. I urge each of you to think very carefully about some way
you can be of assistance to DAAA and its official family this year as
you read this message.
MEDICAL PAYMENTS ASSISTANCE FUND
FOR JANET BROWN
In October of 2005, Janet Brown was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Since then, she has been undergoing chemotherapy treatment designed to
reduce the tumor. To date, the five treatments are successful by causing
the tumor to considerably shrink; three treatments remain.
The costs of the treatments are high and not covered by her health care
plan. So far, the treatments are in excess of $15,000.
DAAA’s Executive Board unanimously approved establishment of a
fund to assist Janet with these medical payments. Several athletes have
asked for ways to assist Janet and this is one way that you can.
Should you wish to help with financial support, you may do so in several
ways – by payments directly to Janet or through the medical assistance
fund established by DAAA. Your financial support along with your
thoughts and prayers for Janet’s speedy and complete recovery will
certainly be appreciated.
20TH NATIONAL GAMES, MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN
It is just a few months away until our 20th National Games to be held
in conjunction with the Little People of America (“LPA”) National
Conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The schedule for the week is
posted on our website at www.daaa.org
.
Sites for this year’s events include the Milwaukee School of Engineering,
Marquette High School, Marquette University, and the Western Lakes
Golf Club. We will have track & field, basketball, volleyball, badminton,
soccer, swimming, boccia, powerlifting, and golf. Registration
information will be included in the LPA Conference packet which you
should be receiving in March.
In addition to the planned sports competitions, we will be celebrating our
“20th” at the LPA banquet. We will recognize many who have contributed
to DAAA’s success in its first twenty years – our Paralympians, athletes,
parents, volunteers, founders, and leaders. We trust you will join us for
that special occasion.
FUNDING FOR OUR FUTURE
As many of you know, we are no longer funded by grants from the
United States Olympic Committee or United States Paralympics. For
nearly fifteen years, we received substantially all of our funding from
grants from either the USOC or USP.
The USOC/USP funding ended in 2004. Fortunately, your Executive
Board in the past saw this as an eventuality. We established a separate
endowment fund to start accumulating financial support outside of the
traditional grants we had received.
Thanks to the efforts of our former President and one of our founders,
Brian Morris, an annual source of funds has come from the Michigan
Chapter of the International Association of Expo Management. For the
past six years, IEAM-MI has supported DAAA with proceeds from its
annual golf tournament.
Also, in 2005, we received financial support from golf tournaments
hosted by Barry Ginn and Ginn Resorts in Orlando, Florida, and by
Adam and Julie Brown in Flower Mound, Texas. The proceeds of the
Orlando tournament supported both LPA and DAAA.
Other sources of funds that have gone into the endowment fund are
direct contributions by DAAA athletes, family members, or friends.
Also, in past years, we have been able to place net revenues from our
operations into this fund.
Due to the loss of the USOC/USP funding, DAAA had a net operating
loss in 2005. We used some of the set aside funds in 2005 to support
our operations and to fund the costs of sending the team to the World
Dwarf Games in France.
We anticipate continuing to use the endowment fund for our 2006 plans
and beyond. The fund balance is now less than $35,000.
In addition to seeking out new sources of funding, we have trimmed our
operating expenses, including reducing the salary and employee costs of
our Executive Director. To the extent possible, we have also eliminated
certain expenses that were necessary to support the administration of
the grants from USOC/USP.
Both Margie Wilde and Janet Brown are working very hard to enlist
financial support for the 20th National Games. They have contacted
numerous foundations, corporations, organizations, and individuals in
the Milwaukee area who may be able and willing to assist us with the
costs of our national games.
To date, we have one successful partnership – Midwest Airlines will
be providing discount airfares for those attending the games. Please
see our website (www.daaa.org) and convention section of the airline
website (http://www.midwestairlines.com/MAWeb/travelPlanner/
travelPrograms/registeredConvention.aspx) for details on how to obtain
this travel discount.
We need your support, too, in seeking out successful sources or providing
sources of funding for the future of DAAA. I have provided several
examples of how that can be done. I trust that many of you can help.
If not, the current DAAA Executive Board will have no other choice
but to start developing plans to wind down the operations, as we have
known them. Possible options in those plans would be operating without
an Executive Director and National Office, substantially increasing
participation fees to fully cover the costs of the National Games,
eliminating the annual audit of our financial statements, or turn over the
delivery of the national games to someone else. One option we do not
have is elimination of liability insurance, a requirement of the venues
where we hold our events.
I trust that we do not have to ever have to make the choices I have just
outlined. We have some wonderful memories of DAAA events and have
some wonderful success stories at regional, national, international, and
Paralympic competitions.
Do we want to continue to provide the same opportunities for DAAA
athletes in the future? It is up to each of us to answer that question.
Should you like to discuss ways you can help, please contact Janet
Brown, any Executive Board member, or me. We look forward to
working with you to provide a foundation for DAAA’s future. 
Around the Bay In LPA / March, 2006
15
San Francisco Bay Area Chapter
LITTLE PEOPLE OF AMERICA, INC.
1352 Olympia Ave.
Campbell, Ca 95008
Address Service Requested
First Class Mail
Around the Bay In LPA / March, 2006
16