UCPeople Year in Review: May 2008

UCPeople transitioned into the UCPeople blog, with benefits including:

• » Interactive Dialogue - two-way communication with affiliates (via the "Post A Comment" feature) that allows for feedback on each story;
• » Surveys - No more challenges with answering a survey because a particular e-mail service disables surveys;
• » Easy Post Sorting Feature - Now you can sort posts by "Tags" to find similar stories based on keywords used in identifying the blog post;
• » Media Content - The ability to post pictures from affiliates, and embed playable videos right on the front page without having to go to another page to view it;
• » Archived Issues and Resource links will always be available;
• » Best of All, the UCPeople Blog will not clutter your e-mail inbox - You can check the blog at you leisure and you won't risk accidentally deleting it.

On October, 28^th, 2007, Neil Sauter, who has cerebral palsy, completed the Grand Rapids Marathon on stilts in record time, helping raise awareness and funds for UCP Michigan. Beginning May 5^th, 2008, at New Bedford Academy in Lambertville, MI, Neil continued his fundraising campaign for UCP Michigan by walking across the state of Michigan - an 830-mile journey from the Southern border of the state to the Western edge of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, all on stilts!

Source: Time Magazine

Two people with disabilities were among Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People this year. Oscar Pistorius, a South African double amputee Paralympian athlete who runs on carbon blades, and Jill Bolte Taylor, a neuroanatomist professor at Indiana University School of Medicine and author of A Stroke of Insight, who studied her own stroke and reported on her personal experiences.

United Cerebral Palsy of New York City (UCP/NYC) held its 7^th Annual Women Who Care Luncheon on May 8, 2008, which celebrated women whose outstanding achievements have distinguished them in their professional and private lives. More than 500 guests assembled at Cipriani 42^nd Street to honor six extraordinary individuals and raise more than $550,000 to support UCP/NYC's extensive network of more than 75 individual programs serving over 13,000 children and adults with disabilities and their families. Actors Susan Lucci, Linda Lavin and Connor Paolo, veteran New York Jets star Greg Buttle, and journalists Perri Peltz and Dan Rather were among the celebrity guests and award presenters. Donna Hanover served as Master of Ceremonies.

Easter Seals UCP North Carolina received a large strategic grant from the Microsoft Corporation totaling $1,658,919. The grant award, comprised of Microsoft products Microsoft Office, Microsoft Windows OS, Microsoft Server OS, Microsoft Encarta, Microsoft Math, and many Backend Software Licenses, served to bring the organization into full compliance with all Microsoft software licensing requirements and enhances its ability to serve individuals with disabilities and their families.

Bonner Paddock, United Cerebral Palsy of Orange County (UCP-OC) board member and a man with cerebral palsy who climbed Mount Kilimanjao in September, reached 40% of his fund-raising goal of $250,000.

We created a flickr photo sharing group for UCPeople, in which anyone from any affiliate can contribute.