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DECK
THE HALLS!!!
IT'S CAM DAY 2004 AT THE CAPITOL!!!
By
Cheryl A. Burney
Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa la la la la la la la la
la! Yes, my friends, tis the season. It is CAM Day at the Capitol!
Every year for the past seven years, the members of the Complementary
Alternative Medical Association and a handful of citizens have
gone to the Capitol on CAM Day to stand and be counted in a show
of support for what CAMA and CAMAction stand for - education in
natural healing and health and the freedom to choose our own health
care providers whether traditional, allopathic, or complementary
alternative. Like the Maytag repairman, CAMA's mission can
sometimes feel like a lonely one! And so, we graciously invite
and encourage everyone (and their brothers, sisters, family, and
friends) to hand in hand and arm in arm, join CAMA at the Georgia
State Capitol for a great cause. Let's deck the halls, the
walls, the rooms, and even the corridors and rafters with people
who want to support a great cause and have a bit of fun at the
same time.
Be Part of the Solution: Support HB 1040
Minnesota, Rhode Island and California all passed Freedom of Access
Legislation putting the right to choose CAM (Complementary/Alternative
Medicine) in the hands and hearts of consumers. Shouldn't
we all have those same rights? Georgia has joined in the national
movement to protect our right to choose alternative health care
by introducing HB 1040, the State Planning for Increased Consumer
Access Bill, during the last day of the 2004 session. In order
to get HB 1040 passed, we must be ready with the numbers and strength
of concerned, active, responsible and informed consumers and practitioners
to usher in Freedom Legislation in Georgia. Our opportunity to
show our concern and support is on CAM Day 2004, which will be
held on Monday, January 26, 2004, from 9-4 in the Georgia State
Capitol rotunda. The purpose of CAM Day is (1) to educate the
visiting public and legislators about the advantages of and facts
about alternative medicine; (2) to educate CAMA members and the
public about the political process; and (3) to show our legislators
the level of support freedom of access legislation has at the
practitioner as well as at the grassroots level.
Mix Business with Pleasure
Who says supporting a good cause can't be fun! Let me share
with you some of the possibilities of spending an absolutely marvelous
day at the Capitol while supporting something you believe in.
Plan on making a day of this with your family, visitors, and/or
friends. There is so much to do downtown and with a group of folks,
well, there's no telling what kind of fun you could get into.
• You could begin your adventure by taking the train downtown
and leaving the driving to MARTA! No parking or traffic hassles
there! You can get off at the Georgia State Station on the east
line and walk one block to the Capitol building.
• Teachers, this is a great day to bring your class to the
Capitol and see democracy in action!
• What a great outing for senior citizens who reside in assisted
living facilities.
• Experience alternative health care first hand via a session
with a CAM practitioner (e.g., hypnosis, reiki, acupuncture, massage,
etc.
• Sign up for a tour of the Capitol and learn about the building
and its history. This is a wonderful service that the staff at
the Capitol offers.
• Sit in the gallery of the Senate and/or House and see your
representatives at work.
• Allow one of the many CAM Day volunteers to escort you
to your representatives' office or show you how to call them
out of session so you can tell them you want them to protect your
right to choose your own health care providers.
• Have lunch at one of the many wonderful restaurants downtown.
• Call the Historic Preservation Society ahead of time and
schedule a walking tour of the Fairleigh Poplar District. It is
an exciting, informative, and fun way to spend some time in the
City of Atlanta.
• Visit Underground Atlanta, another fun activity.
• Check the Internet for other current events downtown and
plan your day accordingly.
And more...
Whether you can attend and participate in CAM Day or not, here
are some more things you can do to protect your right to choose:
• Write your State Senator and Legislator in support of HB
1040.
• Mark your calendar and make CAM Day at the Capitol an annual
excursion.
• Join CAMA and CAMAction by visiting our web sites www.camaweb.org
and www.camaction.org or
calling 404.284.7592.
• Learn about natural healing and health by attending our
monthly educationals that are open to the public. Visit www.camaweb.org
to see the calendar of events.
Cheryl A. Burney, a certified hypnotherapist, serves on the
board of CAMA and CAMAction as the membership team leader. You
can call her for additional information at 770.640.5036.
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Politics
