What's My Position

I received a phone call yesterday that blew my socks off. I have been serving on the board of directors for Idaho Parents Unlimited, Inc. for about a year now. They are a non-profit organizatin that provides advocacy and education for both children and adults with disabilities. It's been challenging being in a board room with executives who hold Master's Degrees in a variety of subjects when I am simply a high school graduate that has self educated through reading and research. At first I felt like a "red neck" at a conference of university professors. Fortunately, my fellow board members are wonderful down to earth people that have welcomed and encouraged my talents as a parent of a child with a disibility.

Last week I was asked by the board president to be the chairman of a committee. I respectfully declined because I didn't feel I had the experience, but agreed to serve as Co-Chairman, if there arose a need. The phone call I received yesterday was from the Executive Director. She was impressed with some editing I helped with a few months ago and my ability to write and has asked me to write a series of position statements for the organization. The issue we will be addressing is a change in the rulings that the Idaho Health and Welfare Department has recently issued. This ruling is changing the way our children receive their services and has the entire disibility service community in an uproar. She felt that I would be able to write from the heart, something the "formally educated" members may not be able to do. Completely humbled and overwelmed by this offer, I accepted the challenge.

Now, I feel like I'm going to be sick. What the heck was I thinking? These position statements will be seen by parents and professionals all over the state of Idaho. They will also be torn apart by the board of directors in the editing process and have to be rewritten several times. UGH!

So, I got on my friendly internet and did the research and came up with some ideas on how to write an official position statement. Wish me luck!


On another note, or perhaps the same one, I don't know . . . here is a quote I found that is so true.

Premature editing
doesn't make writing dull;
it makes it dead.