Daily we face challenges in our personal and professional lives. A challenge may be as simple as deciding what to wear to dinner or as complex as determining what is going on with a patient. We have a simple challenge for you! The NAON Foundation's challenge (mission) is to raise funds to provide scholarships and grants for NAON members to advance orthopaedic nursing practice, research, and leadership. YOU are a major resource as the NAON Foundation Board of Trustees works to meet our challenge!
The Foundation Trustees challenge you to help us. Will you help us meet the challenge? Here are some suggestions:
* Chapters can participate in the "Fill The Brick Chapter Challenge" commencing on September 1, 2012, and ending April 30, 2013. Chapters are divided by size for competition with a prize given to the chapter in each group raising the most money during the challenge.
* Members-at-large (MAL) you can help as well by participating in the MAL Challenge, which will be conducted by time zones during the same period as the Chapters are being challenged.
(More information on the two challenges is provided in our e-news and on our website http://naonfoundation.org.)
Here are some fundraising ideas as you accept the challenge whether you are a chapter member or MAL:
* Chapters use your brick (provided a few years ago) or clever container (is there a chapter contest here?) such as a plastic bone with a slit to collect change (you can encourage bills and checks as well!) at each chapter meeting, workshop, or place on your unit at the hospital. You will be surprised how fast the change adds up! MALs you can collect change too on your unit or in your office.
* Approach your doctors to make a donation (change and checks). Remember that the NAON Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization by the Internal Revenue Service; therefore, donations are tax deductible.
* Have a bake sale or other fundraising activity (feel free to be creative), make sure that you acknowledge the cause as being for scholarships for orthopaedic nursing through the NAON Foundation.
* Don't forget about family and friends as donation sources, they know you and your commitment to orthopaedic nursing and most likely be willing to give to the cause. Just think if everyone of you approached gave at least change how much could be raised!
* Do you have a piggy bank, jar, or some other type of container, you can sit in a prominent place at home to drop in your change at the end of the day? If we all get in the habit, how easy it will be to meet the challenge not only for now but in the future.
* 2012 is rapidly coming to a close so it is time to consider making a charitable donation for tax purposes, or begin planning your budget for 2013. All individual or business owners making a donation will receive documentation from the NAON Foundation to be used for tax purposes.
* Have you thought about participating in our Automatic Recurring Credit Card Donation program? You designate the amount to be automatically charged to your credit card monthly and we do the work. For example, if you instruct us to bill your credit card $83.34 per month, you will have donated $1000.00 over 12 months, $41.64 per month will provide a donation of $500.00 over 12 months or $20.83 over 12 months equals an annual donation of $250.00. The authorization form can be found on our website http://naonfoundation.org.
* All donations of $50.00 or more whether by chapters or by individuals will be included at the appropriate level in the Foundation Club and noted on our website.
The Foundation Trustees have a wish list of educational opportunities for you, but to be able to bring the wish list to reality, it will take funding. Just think what we can do to provide scholarships and grants if every NAON member gave a donation!!!
* Online donations can be made via the "Donate" button at http://naonfoundation.org.
* Checks can be mailed to the NAON Foundation at 390 North Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009.
Will you meet the challenge? We're counting on you!
Melinda S. Mock RN, ONC, CLCP
President & CEO
NAON Foundation