Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 6866 msfocusmagazine.org Camaraderie, Fun, Focus of Social Group By Alissa Ayden MS Focus Activities When Manoj and Annie Joseph moved to Wellington, Fla., they wanted to create an upbeat and empowering place for members of their new MS community to gather. “When we realized that there was no active group in our area, we thought it would be an awesome opportunity to start a positive group,” the couple shared. So they started the Our Lives With MS Social Group in May 2015. Manoj and Annie’s group is unusual in that it’s a social group instead of a support group. While support is certainly offered to all members, it is delivered primarily through camaraderie and fun. “Each and every person who comes to the meetings has a story that makes them special, but we are united by our optimistic and resilient attitude,” the couple said. “If you need a shoulder to cry on or ears to vent to, we are there, but we won't allow anyone to dwell in their negativity. As a group, we will lift each other up.” A recent meeting featured a guest speaker – MS Focus AmbassadorJeff Segal, a certified personal training specialist. Jeff discussed the importance of movement and exercise, and illustrated how even simple household objects can be used in exercise. Manoj and Annie said, “Jeff wanted the group to see that no matter what limitations you have, you can still exercise.” Jeff showed the group how to perform different exercises, while also explaining how different parts of the body benefitted from each one. In addition to his demonstration, Jeff also motivated the group bysharing his philosophy of “giving it your all” every day. “Telling us about his experiences inspired the group and helped our members relate to him since he also has MS,” Manoj andAnnie said. “We have members with various limitations when it comes to mobility. Understanding that they can still move around and exercise, even if it may not be in a conventional manner, is empowering.” The Our LivesWith MS Social Group meets on the second Saturday of each month from 2-4 p.m. at the Palm Beach Library Wellington Branch, 1951 Royal Fern Drive,Wellington, FL33414. Please contact Manoj and Annie at 561-602-0002 or allaboutms101@gmail.com for more information. The MS Focus Independent Support Group Network welcomes these new groups: • Free Spirits MS Social Group, Smithtown, N.Y. • Mountain Empire MS Support Group of Bristol, Bristol, Va. • MS Champs Byron Center Support Group, Byron Center, Mich. • MS Champs Muskegon Support Group, Muskegon, Mich. Please visit our website at www.msfocus.org for the meeting dates, times, and locations or to find the support group nearest you.