On September 9, 2003, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski introduced resolution (S. Res 220) to the U.S. Senate which asks the President of the United States to designate Sept. 9th as National FAS Awareness Day.
Press Release: http://fasday.com/S220PR.htm
Resolution: http://fasday.com/S220.htm

Nathan Bergerbest
Senior Counsel to US Senator Lisa Murkowski
(202) 224-6665
nathan_bergerbest@murkowski.senate.gov

Bells of Hope rang at the Cathedral at 9:09. Representative Linda Lopez read a poem written by a parent of children with FASD. D'Anne sang "Baby Mine" to Baby Cody (1-year-old star of the local parent support group). After a "BreakFASD" of coffee and muffins, a group gathered at the FAS Center for a song fest and story telling session, with pizza and prizes.
FASDAY Flyer: http://fasday.com/AZFASDAY2003.htm

Teresa Kellerman
Director
FAS Community Resource Center
Tucson, Arizona

FAS Day in Flagstaff began with a tornado warning-- a tornado was actually observed 20 miles west of town. I rang the bells at the Church of the Epiphany and we had an information display. Dr. Cindy Beckett at our local medical center arranged for a front page article on FAS in our local paper, which you can view at the Arizona Daily Sun

Bob Schacht
Flagstaff, Ariozna

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Day in Illinois raised some eyebrows. On 9-9-2003 we were on ABC News. Senator Welsch, Christine Schmitt, (State of Illinois Fetal Alchol Syndrome Rep), Kristy, Dad, and myself had a great day. The new anchor lady used a picture of a glass, baby, and mom. She also went to the Dr. office and had an ultrasound of a pregnant mother, and went to a tavern showing them pouring beer adn tied all this with her story. Here is a rough draf from the station: http://www.hoinews.com/ and scroll until you see Fas Awareness. She made it her top story on the 6pm news. I was schocked. Thank you all for your support I couldnt have done it with out all you Fas moms behind me.
Vivian,
Peoria, Illinois

Kayla and I accepted today at city hall the proclamation from Wichita Mayor Carlos Mayans. This played on cable city channel 7 live, and will be shown numerous other times in the next week. Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius also issued a proclamation this year, but I was not able to accept it in person. We have had a state proclamation every year since the first FAS Awareness Day in 1999.

Our personal FASD website: http://www.geocities.com/jdkjbrown2000/FASD.html
Kansas Kids on Kansas Public radio 8-minute program on FASD: http://www.kansaskidshealth.org/archived.asp
Family Health Channel 1-hour talk show we did 3 years ago: http://familyhealthchannel.com/main.html

Dayna Brown
Wichita, Kansas

The FASD Center for Excellence had a table in the lobby of our office building which houses both the Center for Substance abuse Prevention and the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. The table provided fact sheets, posters, brochures, our Town Hall reports, a display of our soon to be posted new website, balloons, snickers bars, etc.

The staff hosted an educational lunch event back in their office to the staff of Northrop Grumman Information Technology. (Northrop has many federal contracts for health promotion efforts that could all benefit from understanding the public health epidemic of FAS and its connection to the social and health problems they are adressing.)

The Center's largest event to conmemorate Awareness Day, however, is the Women in Recovery meeting in Baltimore where we will bring in over 200 women currently in substance abuse treatment for a first ever event. Very exciting!

Annie Acosta, CSAP

I just wanted to tell you all We had a small meditation meeting. I am so proud of you all. and the great sounds of awareness that echoed off all corners of the earth. I am starting early for next year. I have some great ideas. I am moved by every one of you. May your family and Friends know how blessed they are to have each and every one of you?

With Truest of Admiration,
Annie
Las Vegas, Nevada

Governor Perry issued a proclamation for FAS Day and a copy of the Proclamation is posted in the office of the Texas Office for the Prevention of Developmental Disabilities.

Diane Pina of San Antonio invited Texans to an event called "Por el Amor de los Niņos" ("For the Love of Children"), a project of the University of Texas Health Science Center Houston, School of Public Health, San Antonio Regional Campus. This event included poster displays and a PowerPoint presentation on FASD. Claudia Barker of Austin and her daughter gave a speech at the dinner.