Spring is dollars and cents time at ECAC. This is traditionally the time each year we ask you to support our fund raising efforts during the annual ECAC Phon-a-thon. But this year we want and need to do some things differently.

• We want you to have this special edition of News Line. These new regulations will and already have had an impact on education in North Carolina and it is important that you know about these changes. This costs money.
• Our Parents Together manual needs to be revised to reflect all the changes in IDEA and the new regulations. This costs money.
• We want to print and distribute as many copies of Parents Together as possible, and this costs money.
• We usually send you a Phon-a-thon mailing to request donations, but this costs money, even more money than in past years with increased costs for printing and postage.

      So this year we are doing our fund raising a little differently. We will still have our Phon-a-thon, but instead of the separate mailing you usually receive, we are including, in this special edition of News Line, an envelope for your tax deductible gift to ECAC. As you know, ECAC provides North Carolina parents of children with disabilities and interested professionals with information, individual assistance, a lending library, workshops, conferences and the support of other parents. All of our services are provided at no charge to families and we need your help to continue this policy.

      If you have given to ECAC in the past, please think about "digging a little deeper" and increasing your donation for this year. If you have never donated to our organization, we would greatly appreciate your support. Remember, you received this newsletter free!

      As in the past, we will conduct a drawing from all envelopes received before May 1st for prizes that include a free week at a Hilton Head condo donated by a long time friend of ECAC. This is our way of saying "thank you" to all of you that value and financially support the Exceptional Children's Assistance Center.

      We hope you will consider this appeal for your financial support. Please return the envelope in the inside of this newsletter with your tax deductible gift to ECAC. We need and appreciate your support.

For more information on how to contribute, contact ECAC at (704) 892-1321 or e-mail us at information@ecac-parentcenter.org.