Speaker Stephen Machnik, a brain injury survivor, who is a spokesman for the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts 
 
 
Announcements:
  • Purple Pinkie Day: We have raised $1,600 to date. Monday was not a good day for in-school fundraising; we should remember this for next year. Last year our club was in the top three contributors in the district; we predict even highest this year.
  • Razia’s Ray of Hope: Razia received a USAID grant, and  Ray is working on our grant to see how it fits.
  • Malawi Project: The Lilongwe club has purchased all the equipment and spray necessary for malaria eradication, and it’s going forward.
  • Bolton Snow Angels: The volunteer sign-up was lost, so please sign up again, to deliver a bucket of sand from the DPW to seniors.
  • Veterans Day Breakfast: Set-up will be next Thursday evening. No regular meeting will be held Thursday evening.
  • Stop Hunger Now: November 12 the district-wide food packaging event will run from 11-2, in front of J.C.Penney’s. Last year we packaged 20,000 meals; our goal this year is to do even more.
  • Holiday party: The date this year is December 15; stay tuned for details.
  • International Art Show: Fatima has organized an international art show, to be held at her house. Proceeds will go to Polio Plus.
  • Book Drive: A book store in Waltham run by young people who have had difficulties in their lives is collecting book donations. Leigh will be taking donations of books, DVDs, and CDs in the next couple of weeks.
 
Happy/sad fines:
  • Alina: happy the Cubs won the World Series; and happy she’s going to Florida next week to see her aunts.
  • Carolyn: happy about the weather yesterday; and glad a house foundation is going in.
  • Carol: was in Pennsylvania last week.
  • Howard: happy to be here, and glad for the Cubs.
  • Mary Ann: seeing American in Paris tonight; and has her fiftieth high school reunion on Sunday.
  • Catherine: her daughter is in the soccer playoffs.
  • Karin: her age matches the year she was born (58).
  • Richard: happy for Howard, our newest member; also grateful for DVSN, which our club helped out, which sent someone immediately to help an acquaintance in a domestic violence situation.
  • Nanci: it’s good to see everyone here today; and is hoping that we have a robust year.
  • Brian: participated in Miles and Smiles, a 3.2 mile walk in Hudson in memory of Michaella Libby.
 
Program:

Our speaker was Stephen Machnik, a brain injury survivor, who is a spokesman for the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts (BIA-MA). Stephen was injured in a skiing incident in 1995. He has had many setbacks, as well as triumphs, related to this unfortunate accident many years ago. 
 
BIA-MA is a private nonprofit, whose members are survivors of brain injuries, their families, and the professionals who serve them. The organization was founded some 30 years ago by mothers whose children had brain injuries. The mission is to create for survivors a better future. The programs include Think Ahead, a school program with age-appropriate messages of prevention, and Brains at Risk, a court program for at-risk youth which addresses the devastating effects of brain injuries. There are also social opportunities, allowing for dining out, corporate events, and just getting to know one another.
 
Every 13 seconds someone suffers a brain injury. This year in Massachusetts, some 67,000 will suffer a traumatic brain injury (an injury caused by an outside force).
 
My life changed dramatically. I worked for a software company now part of IBM, earned a great salary, had opportunities to travel the world. I ran and biked for charity. I can neither run nor bike now. I gained 60 pounds before deciding to lose it. I also played guitar and sang, but now my left side coordination is off, so playing guitar is difficult. My accident took place in 1995 while skiing. I wasn’t wearing a helmet—that looked stupid. I went after a lost ski, and will never know exactly what happened then. I was in a coma for two weeks. Since then I lost my job, my wife divorced me, and I’ve worked for 12 different companies.  My life has settled down since; I’ve remarried, and have a condo in Ashland, and continue to make progress. Even so, there are things I just can’t do or shouldn’t try.
 
This brain injury has changed my life in so many ways, most of them not for the good. A brain injury can’t be reversed. It can, though, be prevented. We need to take advantage of modern technology: wearing seat belts, wearing helmets, making good use of car seats. For more information, see our web site: www.biama.org.