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A few months ago Support Group Leader SuzanneOConnellandCo-LeaderJuanitaGillespie found themselves pondering new challenges and projects for their support group to undertake. They already lead a thriving support group that brings fifty people together each month to gain information encouragement and friendship. They hold dinners parties special events and fundraisers throughout the year. However they feltreadyforabiggerendeavor.Theybrainstormed and bounced ideas back and forth. The group had a long list of speakers that wantedtopresentattheirsupportgroupmeetings. They wondered if there was a way to host all of them at once. Suzanne thought about the kind of eventsinwhichshelikedtoparticipateexplaining The only way I can really attend and enjoy functions is to have it under one roof without a lot of running aroundwith certain needs met like food and a place to rest. I figured if I was that way other people must be that way too. A popular annual activity in the Roanoke area is a retreat held each year at a camp over the course of a weekend. Suzanne and Juanita started to wonder if they could create a similar experience for their local MS community. Slowly but surely the beginnings of the MS Wellness Conference and Mini-Retreat began to take shape. Suzanne and Juanita didnt have a blueprint to follow but worked together to think through the organization process. Suzanne said We did not know the steps but knew we needed the means to pay for conference space food etc. I have been retired and out of the business world for over twenty years but knew what I liked asked others what they liked and worked with a vision. Theymadephonecallstovariouspharmaceutical representatives in their area to see if they would each be interested in sponsoring an educational program and meal during the days events. They then contacted different professionals in the area and asked them to volunteer to speak and give presentations. Along with the content of the conference accommodations and a location needed to be decided. Suzanne knew that she wanted the conference to take place in a hotel so attendees would have everything they needed under one roof. They were already familiar with a hotel where Suzanne frequently stays when she goes into town so they negotiated a special group rate for conference attendees and discussed their conference meeting room needs. They secured the best rate possible by asking the hotel what its lowest volume weekend over the next six months would be and then chose the conference date based on that information. They also requested late checkouts for all attendees and other necessary accommodations. Six weeks prior to the conference date Suzanne and Juanita held a meeting with other group members to discuss their progress and request further assistance. A dozen key support group members stepped up to help really pull the event together in six weeks. The beauty of it is that we have a group that is in it together Suzanne said. Organizing an MS Wellness Conference Roanoke Valley MS Support Group Roanoke Va. 2