6 What We offer If you are thinking of starting a support group in your area or affiliating your support group with MS Focus, there are benefits of which you can take advantage. One of the benefits is personalized one-on-one phone and email support to group leaders and co-leaders to answer questions, brainstorm, help resolve problems, supply information, and provide guidance. For those of you who are interested in starting a group in your area, you can get help getting started. Maybe you are unsure how to get started – that is where the support groups team comes in. Contact us if you have questions about what it means to affiliate your group with MS Focus, or if you just have questions in general about starting a support group. MS Focus offers support to our leaders and co-leaders while allowing affiliated support groups to maintain their independence. For more information, contact Kathryn Bradbury, Support Groups Coordinator, at kathryn@msfocus.org. This past March, in honor of National Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month, some of our support groups and Ambassadors reached out to local newspapers in order to spread awareness and publicize upcoming events. This is an easy and free way to reach an audience you might not be able to on your own. We got in touch with some loca newspaper correspondents to find out the best practices for getting your story featured in local media. Your first step should be to plan out your pitch. Be clear and honest about the story you want to feature. If the paper agrees to write an article based off your pitch, changing the focus may lead to the story being dropped from publication. Once you have a pitch, get in touch with an editor. They decide whether or not to cover a story. Phone numbers or email addresses are often found within the publication, or on their website. If the editor agrees to feature your story, theywill assign a correspondent to it, who will then get in touch with you. If your story is about an event, this may take place at the event or shortly before it. This could be done in person or over the phone. It will depend on the correspondent, schedules, and timing. Correspondents are sometimes paid by word count and not by the hour, or must meet very strict deadlines, so always be respectful of their time. Do not keep them longer than needed. Make yourself and others available for them to ensure that any interviews get done in a reasonable time. Local media is a small industry, so following these simple guidelines is important. Getting your story featured in a publication is both a gratifying experience and helps spread awareness. So, the next time you plan an event, be sure to reach out to local media for some extra coverage and a good boost to your message. “What can I Do”