Many of you now know how important industry advocacy is to me and I have been asking you to get involved in grassroots lobbying efforts. Some of you have taken that challenge, and we are seeing a substantive increase in support for HR 4491 on the Hill. To those who have made that effort, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

A few months ago, I was in Virginia visiting with the Virginia Association of Durable Medical Equipment Companies and had the opportunity to meet Pam Clark. As Ms Wheelchair Virginia, she spoke to the conference about how her life’s course was altered by a spinal cord injury. She talked about her goals, obtaining her doctorate, and shared stories of others in the Ms Wheelchair Virginia pageant. I was impressed by her spirit to educate and motivate.

I came home, got involved in our Ohio pageant, and have met more incredible ladies such as Stacey Hubbard, our state coordinator, and Dr Rosemarie Rosetti, Ms Wheelchair Ohio. At Medtrade, I met Juliette Rizzo, Ms Wheelchair America. Each of these young ladies pays for much of her own travel expenses. The pageants are often run on total volunteerism, and many communities are totally unaware of their efforts.

This is a tremendous opportunity for our industry. Our state and regional associations can not only help promote their local pageants, they can help with sponsorships. AAHomecare is contacting the national pageant to see how we can partner to support its efforts. You can help locally by distributing brochures and encouraging new participants to get involved. I am guessing you won’t have to look too far to find candidates with the heart and spirit that the pageant embodies.

Our business is all about making a difference in people’s lives. The Ms Wheelchair Pageant is also about making a difference, and motivating others through information and education. A good friend of mine, Wayne Sale, has literally led the charge over the past few years in promoting and supporting the Ms Wheelchair America Pageant. It has become our mantra that the three steps to positive change in this industry are educate, advocate, and legislate. Simply put, we must educate our legislators about the value of home care products and services. If we get them educated, they will become advocates for addressing the issues that affect our industry. The Ms Wheelchair Pageant is an opportunity we simply cannot afford to overlook. Go to www.mswheelchairamerica.com today to find out more.

Tim Pontius, RRT, is chairman of the American Association for Homecare.