Goodbye 2010... And Thanks

As of February 2011, ERCA will have been open two years! Looking back , I realize how thankful I am to have this clinic. I've gotten to know many great people along the way-- and I'd like to spend a little time telling you about some of the great people that I am thankful for. Let's start with my trusted friend and fellow-needler, Christine Chang. She can be found here in the evenings, usually dressed to the 9s. She's stylish, knowledgeable, skilled and has the ability to make you feel like you are floating on puffy clouds while she gets rid of the pain. As I sit here with a pacifier in my pocket, I realize that Christine has made it possible for me to have this place operational while I carry on a crazily busy life with 2 little boys. My oldest son, Zev, loves coming here and playing with the highlighters, clip-boards and charming the folks in the waiting room. Even baby Leor is getting familiar with the scene here at ERCA. A huge thanks to my incredible team of volunteer receptionists: Jay-Ar, Rose Marie, Cindy, Rebeca, Marta, and Martha. You all add so much to my life and to the clinic. I look forward to spending my days with you. It's really so much fun having you around. And, finally, thanks to all of you, our patients--without you, we couldn't survive. Thank you for instilling your trust and confidence in ERCA which we hope feels like home to you. We look forward to another year. We will continue to serve and carry out our mission of delivering affordable and quality healthcare for the masses.

And before I forget...

Some changes to note for 2011:

1. Earlier hours on Thursdays (beginning in February)


2. Our minimum price for treatments has increased by $5. Sorry, folks, but it's expensive running this place


3. Community events in our space-- book club, knitting, classes, etc.. Let's find more uses for this comfortable space. I'm open to suggestions!

10 Little Fingers, 10 Little Toes, And Now She's Back

Hello to all of you fans of affordable acupuncture, abundant qi and comfy recliners. I hope all is well with you this warm October. As you may have noticed back in July , I left the reclining position and traded it for a rolling hospital bed. On July 11, my second son, Leor, was born. He's plump and pink with a crooked smile. He occasionally makes an appearance at ERCA and has been known to enjoy a feeding in the tan faux-leather recliner.
Anyway, I have missed doing acupuncture tremendously. Thankfully, Christine and Jenny have done an amazing job of holding down the fort. Also, I owe a HUGE debt of gratitude to my great crew of volunteers who have been like family to me.
I am planning to be back on Tuesdays 11-3, some Wednesdays 3-7, and alternating Fridays and Saturdays 10-2. It's a little tricky making hard and fast commitments while I am juggling 2 little ones, but this schedule is my plan until the end of 2010. Once I am back into the groove, I will likely make my schedule permanent. Jenny will be taking off after this month, and we will all miss her. Please let her know how great she has been at ERCA. Christine and I will be running the show and trying our best to get all of our chairs filled with happy customers. See if you can help us by bringing in some of your friends and family.
I am so pleased to be coming back and would love to see you again. Go ahead and schedule online , call, or do a walk-in.

Wednesday Evenings--We're All Yours

Starting in June, ERCA will be open on Wednesdays from 3-7 pm!
You've demanded more hours, and we couldn't deny you any longer. The A/C will be cranked, you'll be wrapped in your favorite blanket, eye pillow in place, as you heal yourself in your favorite recliner. The sun will still be shining when you leave. Ah..the lazy summer evenings.
So, now we're open 5 days a week.
Our hours are as follows:
*Tuesday: 11-7
*Wednesday: 3-7
*Thursday: 2-8
*Friday: 10-2
*Saturday: 10-2
Please let your friends and family know--THANKS.

Now Open On Fridays!--by popular demand

We are pleased to announce our newest shift at ERCA!!

Fridays 10:00 a.m - 2:00 p.m.

Here at ERCA, we are always trying to find ways to make acupuncture more accessible to everyone. We look forward to being open every day of the week in the very near future. BUT what we need before we can do that is a commitment from our patients to spread the word and bring in your friends and family! Not sure if most of you know this, but we have promotional postcards in our waiting room which entitle you guys to bring in a new friend (i.e., not an existing patient) for a free acupuncture treatment when you come in for a (paid) treatment. It's a great way to get a friend to try it - they have nothing to lose.

Ask us for a stack of these postcards to bring to your workplace, favorite café, yoga studio, kids' school, etc..
Another thing you can do to encourage friends and family to use our clinic is to post a review on yelp.com. We have a profile set up already with a few great reviews. We sure would love more of those!

We are also open to your suggestions, especially when it comes to marketing to a group which you may be a part of (such as teachers, hairdressers, restaurant workers, musicians, tennis players). We have had free acupuncture events and plan to do more of them. Let us know if you are part of a community that we could plan a free acupuncture event for. By doing this, our goal is to attract new patients. Of course, we are happy to give free treatments to our existing clientele, but please consider bringing in a prospective customer when you come to enjoy your freebie. We really appreciate it!

We are making every effort to keep our prices where they are ($20-$40 sliding scale). We can only achieve that if we have a steady influx of new patients. So, if you are low on funds and can't contribute more than the minimum payment of $20, then please consider "tipping" us with a referral. See ya on Friday.

We Made it onto the 10:00 News!

Remember when I told you that the news came by one night in late October, 2009? Well, I waited and waited for KCAL to finally air the news piece on us. I can't say that I waited patiently, because that's not possible with my genetic makeup. Anyway, I think KCAL did a nice job, and they edited out the parts where I rambled on and made unusual analogies. I hope to see all of you in 2010. Let's enjoy a new decade of health together!
And, now for your viewing pleasure.....

Community Acupuncture Provides Good Therapy

http://cbs2.com/video/?id=123923@kcbs.dayport.com