Federally Employed Women’s (FEW) National President and I, as Vice President for Membership and Chapter Organizations, challenge all members to join us as we commemorate and celebrate FEW’s 50th Anniversary in 2018. For 50 years, FEW has maintained inexpensive membership dues in order to reach a broad base of members and to provide a cost-effective organization for anyone who supports the mission and vision of FEW.

FEW currently has three membership levels: Regular ($45 annually), Lifetime (one-time fee of $300) and Diamond Lifetime (must have paid the Lifetime membership fee and then an additional one-time fee of $200). As many of you heard during the 2017 National Training Program’s Closing Luncheon, we have already gained 50 new members. We want to encourage 50 current members to consider upgrading their membership to Diamond Lifetime membership. National President, Wanda Killingsworth, became the first Diamond Lifetime member under the new membership cycle (July 1, 2017 – June 1, 2018). Let’s add 49 more in the coming months so that we have yet another proud investment to announce during our 50-year celebration.

You may upgrade your membership by logging onto the FEW website at www.few.org, then clicking on My Account. If you’d rather upgrade your membership by mail, please fill out the Lifetime/Diamond Lifetime Application by clicking here.  Follow the instructions for where to mail the completed application along with your check or money order. On page two of the application, you will find an explanation of the eligibility for Lifetime and Diamond Memberships. If you have any questions, please contact Suzi Inman, Vice President for Membership and Chapter Organization, at membershipVP@few.org.

We look forward to your continued investment in FEW!

Diamonds Are Forever!

Wanda V. Killingsworth
National President
Federally Employed Women

Suzi Inman
Vice President for Membership and Chapter Organizations
Federally Employed Women

We are in the middle of hurricane season which will not end until November 30.  Keeping that in mind it important now, more than ever, to be prepared to do what you can for those in affected areas.

The news is still reporting daily on the damage, the ongoing flooding, and on people helping people. The Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and many other organizations are on site doing what they can to help. And every organization, when asked how people can best help, has the same answer: Money. They have the bodies. They have the procedures. They simply need cash to provide whatever is needed at any given time.

The Federal Employee Education & Assistance Fund (FEEA) is endeavoring to raise funds to send along to aid southern Texas. You can Donate Here to add to that pool.

The Red Cross is always a good selection, and they are set up to take donations Here, as well as via iTunes and wireless text.

 

 

Give to other major organizations by clicking their logo below:

 

 

 

Every dollar helps. Consider how you can best help with the recovery.

On Women’s Equality Day, we honor those courageous, relentless, and dedicated women who had marched, advocated, and organized for the right to cast a vote; that precious right has reinvigorated generations of women and galvanized them to stand up, speak out, and let their voices be heard across this great nation. Today, as we celebrate the anniversary of this achievement and pay tribute to the trailblazers and suffragists Federally Employed Women is commitment and dedicated to continue to advocate for equality for women and girls. We must continue to advancing forward on our journey towards equality and investing in our future!

Women’s Equality Day commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, granting the right to vote to women. The amendment was first introduced in 1878. In 1971, the U.S. Congress designated August 26 as Women’s Equality Day.

Women’s Equality Day is a day set aside to commemorate the passage of the 19^th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which granted women the right to vote.  In 1971, the U.S. Congress, at the urging of Rep. Bella Abzug (D-NY), designated August 26^th as the first Women’s Equality Day.

The intention of Women’s Equality Day is not only to recognize the right of women to vote, but to bring attention to the ongoing efforts of women to achieve equality. Federally Employed Women’s mission is to continue the march toward equality for women by focusing its efforts on legislation impacting women in federal service.

National Women’s History Project

 

From https://www.yoursightmatters.com

With a large number of states beginning the school year earlier, August is the new September! Along with school supply shopping and purchasing those back-to-school clothing items, it’s time to make comprehensive eye exam appointments for the kids. Conveniently, August is designated as Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month!

A good rule of thumb is to have your children’s eyes examined during well-child visits, beginning around age three. Your child’s eye doctor can help detect refractive errors such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism as well as the following diseases:

• Amblyopia (lazy eye)
• Strabismus (crossed eyes)
• Ptosis (drooping of the eyelid)
• Color deficiency (color blindness)

If you or your doctor suspects that your child may have a vision problem, you can make an appointment with your local ophthalmologist for further testing. There are some specific warning signs that may indicate that your child has a vision problem. Some of these include:

• Wandering or crossed eyes
• A family history of childhood vision problems
• Disinterest in reading or viewing distant objects
• Squinting or turning the head in an unusual manner while watching television

Keeping your children’s eyes safe is another part of maintaining healthy vision. Eye injuries are the leading cause of vision loss in children. There are about 42,000 sports-related eye injuries every year in America, and children suffer most of these injuries. Help prevent your child from being one of the more than 12 million children who suffer from vision impairment by remembering a few basic rules of safety:

• All children should wear protective eyewear while participating in sports or recreational activities
• Purchase age-appropriate toys for your children and avoid toys with sharp or protruding parts (Source: HAP).

Help your children have a successful school year by scheduling a comprehensive eye exam and taking safety measures to ensure their eyes are free from injury.

Why is an Eye Exam so Important?

Many of us believe that if we can see well, we don’t need to visit an eye doctor. While good vision is clearly important, an eye exam does more than just test your vision. In fact, your eyes can be portals that offer a glimpse of your overall health. In fact, many diseases show early signs in the eyes, including cardiovascular health and diabetes. So a comprehensive eye exam can help you at any age:

• Vision and learning are closely linked. Children don’t know what ‘normal’ vision is like, so they may not know to complain. Children’s eyes change rapidly as they grow, so eye care is important.
• Around the age 40, most of us have difficulty reading due to Presbyopia. A natural part of the aging process, presbyopia makes it harder to read small print. Computer monitors become more challenging as well. While “drugstore readers” may help, your eye doctor offers a range of options to fit your lifestyle.
• Many eye diseases, including glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, have no symptoms in the early stages. If left untreated, the vision loss is usually irreversible. Seeing your eye doctor on a regular basis can protect your vision through early treatment.

A comprehensive eye exam, offered only by an ophthalmologist or optometrist, looks at both eye health as well as your vision. Your doctor will check for:

• Refractive error: nearsighted, farsighted or astigmatism
• Focusing problems, including presbyopia
• Other vision problems, such as strabismus, amblyopia or binocular vision
• Eye diseases, such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy
• Other diseases, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol, can often be detected in an eye exam

While tests will vary based on your doctor and your medical history, most comprehensive eye exams include the following:

• Visual Acuity to assess the sharpness of your vision, usually using the “Big E” or Snellen chart.
• Visual fields test, to determine if you have blind spots or peripheral vision issues.
• Cover Test, which can identify strabismus or binocular vision problems.
• Retinoscopy, autorefractor or aberrometer, to approximate your eyeglass prescription.
• Refraction, to fine tune the final eyeglass prescription using a phoropter.
• Slit Lamp exam to detect common eye diseases and conditions. The instrument allows your doctor to examine the structure of your eye to assess its health.
• Glaucoma test, known as tonometry, measures the pressure within your eye.
• Dilation of the pupil and ophthalmoscopy to examine the optic nerve, retina and blood vessels.

PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault.

It’s normal to have upsetting memories, feel on edge, or have trouble sleeping after this type of event. At first, it may be hard to do normal daily activities, like go to work, go to school, or spend time with people you care about. But most people start to feel better after a few weeks or months.

If it’s been longer than a few months and you’re still having symptoms, you may have PTSD. For some people, PTSD symptoms may start later on, or they may come and go over time.

What factors affect who develops PTSD?

PTSD can happen to anyone. It is not a sign of weakness. A number of factors can increase the chance that someone will have PTSD, many of which are not under that person’s control. For example, having a very intense or long-lasting traumatic event or getting injured during the event can make it more likely that a person will develop PTSD. PTSD is also more common after certain types of trauma, like combat and sexual assault.

Personal factors, like previous traumatic exposure, age, and gender, can affect whether or not a person will develop PTSD. What happens after the traumatic event is also important. Stress can make PTSD more likely, while social support can make it less likely.

What are the symptoms of PTSD?

PTSD symptoms usually start soon after the traumatic event, but they may not appear until months or years later. They also may come and go over many years. If the symptoms last longer than four weeks, cause you great distress, or interfere with your work or home life, you might have PTSD.

There are four types of symptoms of PTSD, but they may not be exactly the same for everyone. Each person experiences symptoms in their own way.

1. Reliving the event (also called re-experiencing symptoms). You may have bad memories or nightmares. You even may feel like you’re going through the event again. This is called a flashback.
2. Avoiding situations that remind you of the event. You may try to avoid situations or people that trigger memories of the traumatic event. You may even avoid talking or thinking about the event.
3. Having more negative beliefs and feelings. The way you think about yourself and others may change because of the trauma. You may feel guilt or shame. Or, you may not be interested in activities you used to enjoy. You may feel that the world is dangerous and you can’t trust anyone. You might be numb, or find it hard to feel happy.
4. Feeling keyed up (also called hyperarousal). You may be jittery, or always alert and on the lookout for danger. Or, you may have trouble concentrating or sleeping. You might suddenly get angry or irritable, startle easily, or act in unhealthy ways (like smoking, using drugs and alcohol, or driving recklessly.

What other problems do people with PTSD experience?

People with PTSD may also have other problems. These include:

• Feelings of hopelessness, shame, or despair
• Depression or anxiety
• Drinking or drug problems
• Physical symptoms or chronic pain
• Employment problems
• Relationship problems, including divorce

In many cases, treatments for PTSD will also help these other problems, because they are often related. The coping skills you learn in treatment can work for PTSD and these related problems.

What treatments are available?

There are two main types of treatment, psychotherapy (sometimes called counseling or talk therapy) and medication. Sometimes people combine psychotherapy and medication.

How can Veterans cope when current events cause distress?

Below is a list of tips to manage distress for Veterans with or without PTSD. Use them to help you cope when traumatic events affect you.

To help yourself

• Consider limiting your exposure to news on television. While media coverage may draw you in, increased viewing can raise stress levels. Watch yourself for signs of anger, rage, depression, worry, or other negative feelings. Take a time out from the news to let yourself recover from these feelings.
• Keep up with daily schedules and routines. Try to include more pleasant activities in your day, even for brief periods of time.
• Keep up with your body’s needs for exercise, food, and sleep.
• Feel what you feel. It is normal to feel a range of emotions. Having these feelings is to be expected. How you deal with them is most important.
• Slow down. Give yourself time and space to deal with what has happened. Remember that people have their own pace for dealing with trauma, including you.
• Count on feeling angry, but balance your actions with wisdom. Try to stay calm. Avoid reacting with sudden anger toward any group or persons.
• Talk with someone close to you who might understand what you are going through.
• If you do not feel like talking, writing in a journal may be helpful for dealing with intense feelings.
• Do not avoid other Veterans even if they remind you of your military past. Seeking support along with other Veterans can be very helpful when stress is high. You can find other Veterans through the VA, Vet Centers, and Veteran’s Service Organizations.

If you need help

Get help from your doctor or a mental health provider who is skilled in working with survivors of trauma if:

• You are having any symptoms that are causing high levels of distress, problems in relationships, or problems at work.
• You are abusing alcohol or drugs.
• You cannot get relief using the tips listed above.

Resources:

http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/community/index.asp
http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/types/war/terrorism-war-affect-vets.asp

Since 2012, May has been recognized as National Mobility Awareness Month, sponsored by the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association (NMEDA). Driven by the theme “Life Moving Forward,” NMEDA members and industry partners team up to organize an international campaign that works to highlight and celebrate the ways in which people living with disabilities persevere and triumph over their physical challenges while bringing attention to the many life-changing mobility solutions available to make independence more accessible.

People with disabilities constitute the second largest minority in the United States. In the United States and Canada, over 18 million people have mobility issues, six million of whom are veterans. NMEDA wishes to draw awareness to the fact that there are mobility equipment manufacturers, dealers, driver rehabilitation specialists and other professionals in every community dedicated to improving the lives of people with disabilities. Automotive mobility solutions are available for people with disabilities enabling them to enjoy active, mobile lifestyles.

Resources:
http://www.nmeda.com/mobility-awareness-month/
https://www.facebook.com/pg/NationalMobilityAwarenessMonth/about/
http://mobilityawarenessmonth.com/