Usher our politicians to their own blueball grandstand
What is an Usher?
- (n.) An under teacher, or assistant master, in a school.
- (n.) An officer or servant who has the care of the door of a court, hall, chamber, or the like; hence, an officer whose business it is to introduce strangers, or to walk before a person of rank. Also, one who escorts persons to seats in a church, theater, etc.
- (v. t.) To introduce or escort, as an usher, forerunner, or harbinger; to forerun; -- sometimes followed by in or forth; as, to usher in a stranger; to usher forth the guests; to usher a visitor into the room.
WE need you to become a virtual USHER for our blueball events and campaigns – in fact to the very idea of our new blueball brand in general. We are building our champions circle, those willing to support Duchenne Foundation with their skills and wherewithal, but we want our politicians to sit in a grandstand reserved just for them and we want you and your family to usher them to their seats, sit them down and give them a birds-eye-view of life with DMD and your involvement in Duchenne Foundation.
Why have a grandstand just for politicians?
Following our successful Save our Sons campaign, many State and Federal politicians have asked to be kept apprised of our efforts. They wish to follow our progress and perhaps if the occasion warrants, do a little grandstanding on our behalf. But we can’t do it without you. Why? Because you are a constituent whom your chosen politicians represent. They took an oath to serve you and are interested in you and answerable to you for re-election. Thus they will be more interested in the lives of someone in their own electorate but you will also represent all Duchenne families across the nation.
Who can be an Usher?
Ushers are mums and dads, grandmas and grandpas, young men with Duchenne, siblings or wider family members, therapists, doctors or friends.
What does an Usher do?
An usher makes contact, ideally with both a Federal and a State politician and tells them about DMD. You may meet with them in their electoral office or speak with them over the phone. You may only have time to flick them an occasional email or letter about DMD or tell them about the latest blueball event or research announcement. Or you may wish to invite them to your house for coffee, or to meet your family to get to know them better. From time to time, we may ask you to disseminate questions or requests as we continue to lobby for our children. Your relationship or your thoughtfully worded concern, may be a catalyst for change. Your “guest” in the politician’s grandstand may be moved to act on your/our behalf. Some have even been known to do some grandstanding of their own! I recall that one politician upon speaking with a new parent after our 2004 conference, stood up and gave a speech in parliament soon after. Certainly, with regard to our Save Our Sons advocacy, many of us have touched both local and geographically distant politicians to act on our behalf.
Who can I Usher?
Ideally your own local Senator and MP regardless of political party. But as many of us live in the same electorates, you might like to choose a politician further afield or one that has a portfolio in an area of interest to you?
How do I start?
Choose your politicians and then contact us to make you their official “usher”. Then call or write your guests to introduce yourself and ask them whether you can impart some of our “doings” to them from time to time so that they will be virtual spectators to our social, economic and medical progress in their own special blueball virtual grandstand? Simply cut and paste announcements, invitations to blueball events, etc. into your correspondence to them or update them as you see fit between times about the good news as well as the things that concern us.
Contact us to check that no one else has your guest covered and start right away. There is a list of all State and Federal MP’s and Senators in our advocacy pages or simply Google him/her. If you need any help just blow your whistle!
We hope you enjoy ushering your guest(s) to the blueball grandstand and explaining the progress of the game from time to time.
