This is a departure from my usual writing about project management, but I’d like to tell you about something else I’m doing.
You may not know I’m active in advocating for people with disabilities. I volunteer often for different organizations and was appointed by the Governor of my state to our state’s Council on Developmental Disabilities. I’m also graduating next weekend from South Dakota Partners in Policymaking, a wonderful program that has been both educational and exhausting at the same time. 
My wife Tamara and I are also walking on June 9, 2012 to raise money for Autism Speaks, a wonderful organization who knows how to apply resources appropriately towards research. There are a lot of organizations out there I would classify as ‘crackpot’ too, so it’s great to have one that does a good job.
Recent studies have shown that 1 in 88 children (8-year olds) in the US have autism, and while numbers vary this is a world-wide challenge. It’s critical that we discover causes so preventative measures can be taken for the children of the future. We also need to continue to improve and understand the effective therapies and adaptations so individuals with autism can reach their full potential in our societies.
Tamara and I have three wonderful boys: Mazaryk, Draven, and Ryker. They are awesome children with all of the pleasures and challenges a 7, 5, and 3-year old provide, with some additional challenges. All three have developmental disabilities, the younger two with autism.
So you can see why this is important to me; why I’m “interrupting the scheduled broadcast” for this message.
If you would like to support Autism Speaks with me, please consider donating by sponsoring me using the link below.
http://www.walknowforautismspeaks.org/southdakota/jnankivel
And please leave your name when you donate, I’d love to thank all of you who helped me reach my fundraising goal!
Thank you!
- Josh
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Thank you for taking an important step in the fight against autism.
Donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
Autism Speaks 501 (C)(3) Tax Id #: 20-2329938
Matching gift program: Many companies provide their employees with matching gifts. Please consult your employer on its matching gift guidelines and attach matching gift forms accordingly.
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