The Cerebral Palsy Network

Join the Regional Director Yahoo Groups , you'll receive an email from Yahoo Groups welcoming you in. Please confirm your subscription and set up how you wish to receive your mail at the member center.
Once you've signed up you will receive a form from Yahoo Groups that I have saved there for you to receive. Please fill it out as completely and honestly about yourself. Please allow your personality to shine through your answers. If you're not sure what to do please check out the RD directory to get some ideas. When you have finished please send it to us at cerebralpalsynetwork2003@msn.com along with a current picture of yourself if possible. Smile we all are doing it. LOL
Your next step will be to get to know the other RD's. Post a hello message to the Yahoo Groups addy and say hello. You'll find some of the most terrific and supportive folks there. They will help you with what we do and how we found resources for our states and ABOVE all else can help you make your CPN RD page.
Ok so now you have your resources all found, What next? You will want to surf the net to find yourself some graphics. If you use other peoples graphics that they have made for use to others, please remember to practice good netiquette and follow their directions carefully and be sure you give them credit for their graphics on your page.
Your next task will to be to find a home for your page. Check with your server and find out if you're provided free web space on your server and how you will need to upload your page to the server. Or you may choose to use someplace like Geocities or Tripod to host you pages. That is great too. Once again be sure that if you do, you follow the regulations of the free hosting site you choose. As a CPN RD you are representing CPN and need to practice professionalism with a personal touch at ALL times and be an outstanding citizen in your net community. If the hosting site requires you to place a banner on the top of your page please do so if they have a filter option please use it so that you can be target specific so the site only shows, like medical or support type of pages this will help keep your page professional as well. As a regional director it is your responsibility to understand that you represent and reflect CPN. We ask that you not place banners for any other groups or sites other than the one required by your host to help your site look professional as possible. If you have a site you feel might be of interest to CPN to link to or support, please email it to CPN so it can be placed in the appropriate area which is our Cerebral Palsy Links or National Links. CPN will try to at least every once in awhile help a site get off the ground by putting their banner on our front page if it is a cause we feel we can support.
You've now gotten all your information, your web space and tips from other RD's and html sites or books. Maybe you even downloaded an html editor to your computer. How do you want this to look? The best format is by category. School issues, disability issues, support groups in your state etc. Feel free to look at other RD pages to get some ideas of what you might want your site to look like. Remember the other RD's are only an email or MSN messenger away if you need our help. If you get frustrated with your page just walk away from it for awhile. Getting frustrated with HTML and web design only makes a person a little bonkers. We have a number one rule for our RD's, Family comes first. Don't let being an RD take over why you are here. Take some time away before the frustration begins with your family is an excellent relief tool snuggle up to your angel and tell them just why you love them, before you know it your inspiration will return.
Now you're excited, you just emailed everyone and told them you did it you're all done come see what I did!! Congratulations! Be sure to email Dena and let her know we have something very special for you to show your appreciation for all you are doing for CPN.
Ok ok I did that now what??? Its time to meet those members who live in your state. We are currently working on a letter template for you to get an idea of what you might want to say to that member. You'll want to let them know you're there and that they matter to you. As new members join from CPN you will receive a letter from Dena telling you whom they are. This information is Confidential and may not be shared with others or used for any other purpose than CPN. If this information is used for any other purpose than CPN business this will result in your immediate termination as a RD. We take pain staking effort to insure our members this confidence and as a representative of CPN you need to do the same. If you have a member whom could benefit from a being a part of a seizure group for an example don't give their information to that group but rather ask that member would they like some links to groups in their area or on the net that they might learn more about seizures. Remember its their choice where they go to obtain additional help. You are the vessel that helps them find it.
Now that you've met your state members and have gotten to know them better maybe you would like to meet them and offer them more than net support. That is terrific and one of our goals. We are hoping to set up what we call Land RD's just meaning people whom deal with the public in person as well. You might consider a get together at the park or a disability training conference, what ever the case may be. Please feel free to do so. Let the other RD's know you are planning this. Maybe if they are in a sister state you can plan one together. =0). Smile this is one of the most fun and enjoyable positions here at CPN and the hard work you have done thus far will pay off tremendously by the joy you bring others when they realize they are not alone on this journey we all share together.
As time goes by and we get our RD's section more organized we will offer some pretty neat things for our RD's like time management, taking time for yourself. Oh the list goes on. Love you all Dena

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Last updated 03/24/03

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