Your Help Is Needed!

[Guest guest]

Many of us have benefited from the ministry of Rick Hahn who began this support

group for those with spondyloarthropathy diseases many years ago. For most of

that time Rick has supported the ministry out of his own pocket. A few years

ago a bequest to RISG was made by a member. Along with that financial

contribution and the donations of a few others the support group ministry has

been able to continue to now.

We had enough funds to continue for another month or so and were planning to

appeal to you for financial contributions. However, due to identity theft, that

appeal is being made sooner than expected. In short, someone stole the RISG

bank account information and frauded the bank out of a couple of hundred dollars

of RISG funds. Rick and I have made the appropriate reports to the bank

contesting the withdrawal of unapproved funds from our account. Though it will

take time, I am sure those funds will ultimately be returned to us.

In the meantime, Rick, out of his own kindness, has once again gone to bat for

RISG and donated enough money to keep us going. That's just the kind of man

Rick is. He won't let this valuable ministry that has helped so many of us

discover that we are not alone, but share our pain and discomfort with others.

For me, just the discovery that there were hundreds of others with the same

problems and pain I experienced daily was a great relief. My problem wasn't

'psychological' but real.

I must ask that you consider the value of this ministry to yourself. We need

financial support in order to continue the ministry costs involved: phone,

computer, computer link time, software, office supplies, accountant time, lawyer

time, and everything else that is involved with maintaining a non-profit

organization. Financial statements are available if requested.

Please go to www.risg.org and read about our joint ministry efforts to bring

solace and support to those who suffer from Reactive Arthritis/Reiters Syndrome,

Ankylosing Spondylitis, Psoriatic Arthritis, IBD with arthritis,

Undifferentiated Spondyloarthropathy, Juvenile Spondyloarthropathy, etc. You

will also find information there on how you can make direct contributions to

RISG through Pay-Pal, as well as the address to send checks directly to.

Pay-Pal may have to be discontinued because of the costs of maintaining it and

the fact that few have used this opportunity to support the ministry.

Hats and Shirts with our logo are available for purchase. These have been paid

for all ready. Purchases will offset those costs and provide you a way to share

with others our ministry website as well as stimulate some great conversations.

My grandfather used to say, " Ask God. Tell the People. " Pray for the success

of our ministry efforts. Consider what you can do to financially support the

coninuation of the ministry.

If you have other suggestions as to how we can sustain the costs of our

non-profit organization, and even extend it to other areas beyond information

and the support list, please do so. You can reach Rick privately at

Rick@.... You can reach me privately at ray@.... We eagerly wait for

your questions and your contributions.

Ray Neal, moderator and retired Baptist pastor.