FSMTA Chapter Newsletter

Keepin' in Touch

FSMTA Central Florida Chapter

Newsletter

June 2008

Highlights...

Chapter Picnic News

Website Update

2008 Chapter Meeting Schedule

June Meeting Recap

Save Gas & Money Every Month

Job Opportunities

Greetings! !

Welcome Summer! June 21st, known as the Summer Solstice, is the longest day of the year and marks the first day of the season of summer. We wish everyone safe, happy and memorable summer vacations!

Welcome new Members! Please welcome the following LMTs, students & businesses to the FSMTA and our Central Florida Chapter:

Judith Anderson	Larryon Cooper	Lalainia Miller
Rebecca Ashton	Harry Elden	Ashley O''Bryant
Sheri Barbery	Carole Feltner	Kevin Pierce
Rosita Benitezsantiago	Mary Flanagan	Carolyn Rhodes
Trisha Berryman	Pamela Hunter	Kara Rojahn
Joy-Irene Bouchard-Thompson	Cheavon Jackson	Elke Salgado
Francheska Carballo	Joanie Jackson	Jania Shinhoster
Brianne Carroll	Robin Johnson	Francis Squire
Jessica Chavez	Emilce Karpiuk	Cicily Tomlin
Jennifer Clouse	Stuart Kester	Julianne Tordsen
Steven Cole	Jackie Meier	Celestial Wallace
	Christine Meredith	Ruby Wilson

We hope this issue of Keepin' In Touch is a useful and entertaining way to keep you up on all that's happening in our Central Florida Chapter.

In Health & Happiness,

FSMTA-Central Florida Chapter Board

Sharon R Zack, President

Stephanie Engel, First Vice President

Sam Campano, Second Vice President

Debbie McIntyre Kirsch, Secretary

Evelyn Bishop, Treasurer

MEETING REMINDER

We do NOT have a Chapter Meeting in July due to the FSMTA Convention. See you in August!
(and hopefully in Boca for our Convention!)

ADDRESS, PHONE OR EMAIL CHANGE?

Remember to update your contact info to stay in touch with the Association & Chapter. Need to make a change? Go to Update Contact. You'll need your logon info and passcode to make this change. If you don't have or can't remember your logon info, please call the Central Office at (407) 628-2772 and they can help you with this. Thanks!

Chapter Picnic Update...

Mark your calendars and get ready for an awesome event!

October 12th (we haven't set a time yet for food & entertainment)
Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake (check it out at TurkeyLakePark; all-day admission & activities will be included)
Catering by Bubbalous Bodacious BBQ
Music by our own Julie Vazquez
Games, prizes, giveaways & raffles

We're still working on the amazing details & will continue to update you, so "stay tuned" ...

What's New on the Website?

We've just added forms for Employers & Event Coordinators to notify us when they have opportunities for our members! Check it out at Chapter Website. If you know an employer who is looking for an LMT or an event that is looking for Sports or Chair massage, please refer them to the website! We'll continue to post jobs & events in the Newsletter until we bring the Members Only section "live."

We hope you are pleased with our progress so far and we welcome your comments, suggestions and ideas on how we can make our website work even harder for you, your practice and our profession. Please send comments to president@fsmta-cfl.com. And don't forget to visit the website often ... we're adding more info every day, increasing your membership benefits!

CHAPTER MEETINGS

Florida College of Natural Health

2600 Lake Lucien Dr., Suite 240

Maitland, FL 32751

6:00 pm: Dinner
6:30 pm: Business Meeting
7:00-9:15 pm: *Speaker

Chapter meetings, dinner & *2-CE presentations are a benefit of your membership in the FSMTA; there is NO FEE for FSMTA members to attend chapter meetings.

Guests who are not FSMTA members are always welcome to attend our meetings. There is a $20 fee to cover dinner and the *2 CEs. If a guest chooses to join the FSMTA at the meeting, this fee is applied to their membership payment.

2008 PRESENTER SCHEDULE

* REMEMBER: To receive CEs, you MUST be present for the entire 2-hour presentation. CE registration is available only until 7:00 pm. We follow State Convention CE guidelines.

July

No Meeting -- Convention In Boca Raton

August 4

Structural Collapse Syndrome for the Elderly; Don McCann

September 9

(2nd Monday due to Labor Day holiday)

Every Vote Counts: Let's Talk Elections & Massage-Friendly Candidates; Ron Frers, FSMTA Legislative Chair

(this is not a CE presentation)

October 6

Exploring the Spa World; Matthew Howe

November 3

The Muscular Contribution to Bulging & Herniated Discs;

Mark Bigelow

December
TBD

Recap from June's Chapter Meeting

They Didn't Teach Me that in School,
Business 101 for LMTs

Speaking to 75 therapists and students at June's chapter meeting, Matt Michaud challenged us to grow our business and thrive in these trying economic times!

Candid, innovative, humorous and with a can-do approach, Matt suggested many tried-and-true examples for ways we can think like business owners. He gave all of us the green light to move forward and grow our businesses, enjoy our profession and make good money for many years to come:

Don't model after another massage therapist.

Learn savvy ways to do business, survive and thrive from other unrelated business people.

Dress and talk in the language of the people with whom you want referrals and respect.

Don't give your work away.

If you give it for free or offer lots of specials, people looking for bargains will be your main customers.

Don't waste time with clients who want to waste your time.

Applying these principles, Matt charges a somewhat higher price than most and maintains a full practice. "People will often pay more to get what they really want!" he said, "Earlier this year, I was stressing that I might not make it due to the economy. So I rethought my big picture, took a chance and hired additional therapists for my Jacksonville practice." It's been a few months since then and he's still seeking even more therapists to meet the growing demand!

From this energetic, genuine speaker, we are encouraged to think outside the box, called to step up to the plate and think more like business people, market ourselves with pride and true value for the quality of what we know and the services we are capable of delivering!

Congratulations!

Sharon Stephens and Heather Scram, our June Raffle Winners, are shown here with Matt Michaud. Each won a Home Study CE program for our 4 required courses for biennial license renewal: Florida law, medical errors, ethics and HIV/AIDS. Thank you, Matt, for your generous donation to our monthly raffle!

SAVE GAS & MONEY

Interested in saving gas, saving money, making new friends, reconnecting with old friends? Why not carpool to our monthly Chapter meetings! We're putting together a list of interested members, so send us an email at:

president@fsmta-cfl.com

Be sure to include your name, best phone number to reach you, email and zip code. We'll send you a list so you can contact others in your local area to set up your carpool.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS ON FSMTA.ORG!

FSMTA Career Center

FSMTA THERAPIST LOCATOR SERVICE NOW AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC

As an FSMTA member, you are automatically listed in the Therapist Locator Service. Members of the public can search for therapists in their area by zip code and/or modality.

Verify your contact & modality info at Member LogIn. User Name & Passcode required; call Central Office at (407) 628-2772 if you don't have or can't remember your passcode.

To view what the public sees when they use this service, visit

FSMTA LOCATOR SERVICE

Aromatherapy Certification Course

Last chance to register! Save $100 for FSMTA members (enhance your skills and your practice) !!!

Date: June 28 & 29
Time: 12:00 to 6:00 pm
Location: Best Western Mt. Vernon Inn, Winter Park

CEU's: 12

Tuition: $425 regular
Tuition w/ FSMTA discount $325

Hold seat with a $50 deposit and the balance due June 18th

Class includes: 50 pg. manual, Essential Oil Kit, bottles, jars and all project matierials and certificate

To regiser please call Katie Haley at 407 760-8214 or email at katie@cosmicflower.com

One of our members is in need of your help!

Chapter member, Dianna Rivers, was exposed to lead and urethane. After being treated with high-dose Kelation therapy she was left with a mineral deficiency that caused muscle atrophy and loss of strength. She is now taking IV mineral therapy and her muscles are beginging the rebuilding process but she is still confined to a wheelchair and suffers from a muscle imbalance in her arms causing spasms and limited use.

Dianna needs massage therapy to help stimulate and strengthen her muscles. She is also looking someone who can help her with a variety of daily activities and is offering a place to live in exchange for this help. If you know someone (a college or massage student perhaps) that could help Dianna in exchange for free housing, please contact her ASAP. Therapists trained in both stimulation and strengthening for muscles who are willing to give some time to Dianna would be most greatly appreciated.

Dianna lives in Winter Park and you can best reach her by phone at (407) 672-0672.

Let's all keep Dianna in our prayers and send our collective healing energy out to her!

Job Opportunities...

This section is available to FSMTA Central Florida Chapter members only. Not available in online Newsletter.

FSMTA Members Save 10% with minimum $25
purchase

Mention
this ad for discount

450 North Lakemont Avenue, Ste A

corner of Lakemont & Aloma

Whole Foods ShoppingPlaza

Winter Park, Florida 32792

407-673-6776

Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00am-6:30pm

Our bookstore stocks a wide variety of supplies for massage school students and other massage professionals including textbooks, wall charts, massage oils, lotions and creams, massage sheets, aromatherapy oils, clothing, bolsters, a wide selection of books and cards from Hay House, and many other items.

We always carry a large selection of products from Biotone, Soothing Touch, Biofreeze and Bon Vital.

We have several used tables (with head rest) for sale $275 each

We now carry CosmicFlower Essential Oils (limited selection)

Stop by and check out our newest products from SacredEarth Botanicals, no chemicals or preservatives, and get a free sample package (while supplies last).

Offer Expires: July 31, 2008

Latest updates for Sam Campano & Ginny Edwards...

Sam is making great progress and WILL be attending Convention! We'll see you there!

Ginny sent this note last week: "Just a short update (they do not change much "thank God" ). I am doing well, did go to church (yeah!) yesterday and afterwards stayed for the program, really theraputic. I thank all of you for the prayers for Sue and I-- they definitely are felt. I know Someone(?) is with me all the time and on those special times I know Jesus is there. Not anything I can really put my finger on, just feel the mighty presence. Love to all, Ginny"

Medical Insurance Billing Issue Notification

from Vivian Madison Mahoney