EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT Mary Werderitch, IFSA Executive Director

From the May 2007 newsletter...
It never ceases to amaze me at the reenergizing impact that attending the ABA conference has on each individual, especially me, who attends it and our organization. Everyone that attended the conference has provided what they feel they gained by attending. Each and every one of the articles is excellent and I would encourage you to take the time to read them, learn from them and renew your passion for prevention. I was honored to represent the IFSA by presenting our “A Momentary Touch That Will Last a Lifetime” A Sparkler Story DVD at the ABA. It was very well received by those that attended and we’re still receiving calls for copies.

The 4th of July is not that far away. If you have not received your copy of the DVD, please give our office a call. We would love to have local access cable channels showing it during the 4th of July holiday. What dollar value can you put on saving a child and their family from the trauma of this type of burn from a sparkler?

Remember the old “Showcases” that were held in Springfield? The IFSA has partnered with the Office of the State Fire Marshal to hold one in 2008. We’ve formed committees and are well on our way to bringing back the old “Neighbor to Neighbor” approach to learning. The date has been set for September 19 and 20, 2008. We’ll keep you posted. If you have a program you’d like to present, please let us know. There will be no registration fee for this conference. As you can imagine there will be costs to us to provide it, but the goal is to make this affordable to the attendees.

We are very excited about the unveiling of the kiosk that we partnered with Health World on. Please be sure to read the article and take advantage of using it at your open houses and safety fairs. It’s an outreach program that we were privileged to be an integral part of as yet another means of delivering fire and burn prevention lessons.

In August, we will have our day at the Illinois State Fair. If you’d like to help us make a difference in educating the youth and families in Illinois on Fire Safety, be sure to complete the sign-up sheet provided in this newsletter. It’s a great day of fun and knowing you have helped in a very worthwhile effort.

It’s now 13 years since the IFSA office was opened in the basement of my home. The number of Fire Safety and Burn Prevention programs our organization has made available since then has at least tripled. Even though our organization continues to grow in what we provide, we have been responsible in keeping down our administrative costs and making sure your donations go to all of our prevention programs. We appreciate your continued support in our efforts and please know you have made a difference!

Mary Werderitch
Executive Director, Illinois Fire Safety Alliance