LPA Declares October National Dwarfism Awareness Month
© 2009 LPA

Dwarfism Awareness Month Press Release
Dwarfism Awareness Flyer

In an effort to be proactive in encouraging public awareness of positive stories of the dwarfism community and in keeping with our mission LPA has declared October National Dwarfism Awareness Month. © 2009 LPA

Mission of LPA
"LPA is dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with dwarfism throughout their lives while celebrating with great pride Little People’s contribution to social diversity.  LPA strives to bring solutions and global awareness to the prominent issues affecting individuals of short stature and their families."

Hundreds of health-related observances have been declared and are celebrated each year, like Autism Awareness Month (April), Breast Cancer Awareness (October), and the Red Ribbon Campaign (October) along with many lesser known medical conditions.    It is time for LPA to celebrate our community as well!

How you can help
We are asking each chapter to do these tasks, and your chapter will need your help to make them successful:

1) Hold an event of some kind.  Celebration of Dwarfism Awareness Month can be tied in to an already planned event or Regional.     Some examples are: a bake sale, a pizza night at a local restaurant, a mini-golf championship, a 2K or 5K walk or a simple park get-together..

2) Attempt to have an article or television piece published.  The article could be about the fundraiser that the chapter is holding; a piece on the oldest member; a piece about the dwarfism movement and the FCC complaint; or about the local high school student who plays on the football team or is the local Xbox champion.  

3) Contact local state legislature and get October declared National Dwarfism Awareness Month in their state.   The ultimate goal is to have the US Government declare October NDAM but first it needs to be declared at the state level.   

Each area of the country has a Regional Coordinator who will help oversee Dwarfism Awareness Month Events and information.   Please contact your local regional coordinator if you have any questions.

Regional Coordinators:
    
Darlene and Jimmy Korpai
District 1, 2 and 3
lpa40@hvc.rr.com
  
Joanna Campbell
Districts 13 and 4
joanna.lpa@earthlink.net
  
Debbie Playford
Districts 5 and 6
debplayford@hotmail.com
  
Krista Gesche
Districts 9 and 7
kgesche@cox.net
  
Gail Blackburn
Districts 8 and 10
AZlpa@cox.net
  
Lisa Lofquist
Districts 11, 12 and 14
lpa.oregon@gmail.com


News Stories from National Dwarfism Awareness Month
Nineteen year old college student speaks at elementary school about dwarfism.  A very nice article.

Size Doesn't Matter on the Valhalla Football Team
LPA member and high school junior Zachary McKay is profiled in this video.

Article published October 7 in the Columbia (Missouri) Daily Tribune. Click to read here.

Article from the Telegraph Herald - Dubuque, Iowa, about the District 6 and District 9 Regional Meeting, featuring April Brazier, District 6 Director.

Here is another great article from the Telegraph Herald focusing on the DAAA events at their Regional Meeting.

Bill Russell, from WA, was named by the Navy and Department of Defense Disabled Employee of the Year...read more.