Dear Friends,

On May 27^th this year, Carmella Barker of Abingdon, Virginia emailed me:

                        “I visited The Jason Foundation website shortly after we spoke.  On behalf of myself, my family, and each and every TBI survivor……THANK YOU for your inspiration, unconditional willingness, desire and motivation to make life better for those of us who are struggling each and every day!”

            We are pleased that this foundation has made additional strides this past year to “make life better”:

-          Most recently, we worked diligently with our offspring Brain Injury Services of SWVA to bring the first case manager to assist people with brain injuries and their families in Carmella’s own Abingdon area, beginning this month.

-          The Jason Rooker Memorial Endowed Scholarship in Music Therapy at Radford University has produced therapists who worked this year with clients of BIS of SWVA, improving the manual dexterity of one senior adult client, increasing the vocabulary and expressive communication skills of a toddler, and improving the academic skills of a student – to name a few successes.

-          The Jason Foundation Rehabilitation Programs Endowment at RU is being established to fund rehabilitation services in recreation therapy for people with brain injuries as well as other disabilities, through faculty and students of Waldron College’s Clinics.

-          We served again this year as a Major Patron for the “Transcending Brain Injury Conference for SWVA”, which continues to be a main venue for education and awareness for survivors, family members, medical and rehabilitation professionals, and students.

-          A scholarship fund for students pursuing a master’s degree in speech-language pathology, who wish to work with students with acquired brain injury, is being developed with Longwood University.

-          We are currently holding discussions with out-of-state providers of residential and neurobehavioral treatment programs, in hopes of bringing these critically lacking services to our state.

-          We sponsored a team in the fifth annual SWVA Invitational Golf Challenge fundraiser for Brain Injury Services of SWVA.

-          And, throughout the year we continue to advocate for families by educating our state legislators and leaders on brain injury issues, and the need for funding of core services.

As we strive to make life better for people with brain injuries and their families, we ask that you keep us in your thoughts and prayers.  Please share our news with those who may need us, and those who may wish to support us.  Let them know that their gifts are tax deductible, and most sincerely, appreciated.

May blessings continue in your lives!

Fran Rooker, President