On Thursday, February 12, 2009 more than 1000 nurses from across the state gathered at the State House in Montgomery to raise awareness of the looming healthcare crisis in Alabama and garner support for action to address this crisis. The Alabama Association of Nurse Anesthetists started the day with an early Legislative Breakfast to honor Representative Sanderford and present him with our annual Healthcare Leadership Award. Following the breakfast, we joined the rally at the State House, where we heard addresses from the nursing leadership and from many of our friends in the legislature. In all, the event was a tremendous success. Organized nursing has come a long way in recent years in Alabama but we still have much to accomplish. Making our presence and our issues known in the legislature is just one part of the overall solution. Participating in an event like this sure makes me proud to be a nurse!