W.B. Yeats once wrote, "Education is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire". As 2007 comes to an end it is time to reflect and ask ourselves, are we lighting the fire to advance the art and science of orthopaedic nursing through education?

When heat is added to fuel a gas is produced, when gas hits oxygen in the air it burns creating a fire. NAON members and friends of NAON are the heat producing the fuel and when combined creates the gas which provides the oxygen needed for the development of the NAON Foundation's fire (scholarships and research grants). There are many ways you can become the heat which results in the lighting of the fire. Shortly, it will be time to renew your NAON membership, add a donation to the Foundation. Why wait to make a donation? With the end of the year approaching, it is also time to think about tax deductions; take time now to go to http://www.naonfoundation.org and click on "Online Giving" to make a credit card donation. Searching for something on the Internet? Start using the Yahoo search engine, http://www.Goodsearch.com; by entering the NAON Foundation in the "Who Do You Goodsearch For?", the Foundation will receive a penny for every search. If you like to shop online you can go to the same Goodsearch site and click on "Who Do Shop For?" to benefit the Foundation as well. For individual financial planning, other considerations are provided on our website under "How To Give." For NAON chapters, why not make the Foundation a fundraising project for 2008 or simply pass the hat for change donations at each meeting, or both for that matter!!

The Trustees of the NAON Foundation have plans for many fires in the form of new scholarships and the desire to support research initiatives. However, without your kindling these fires will not be built. Include the NAON Foundation in your end of year gift giving or financial planning for 2008.

Will you be lighting the fire to advance the art and science of orthopaedic nursing education?