function validate() {
  var e = document.dispatch_form.email;
  var message = "Please correct the following:"
  if ((e.value == null) || (e.value == "") || (isBlank(e.value)) )
				{
					message += "\n You must enter an e-mail address to continue.";
					
				}
									
									//check the format of the email address
				if (e.name == "email")
				{
					var pos_at = e.value.indexOf("@");
					var last_dot = e.value.lastIndexOf(".");
					//alert (pos_at);
					//alert ('last dot' + last_dot);
					if ((pos_at == -1) || (last_dot < pos_at))
					{
						message += "\n Please verify your email address (example email: name@domain.com)";
					}
				
					 
				}//end if
									
	
	if (message != "Please correct the following:")
	{
		alert (message);
		message = "Please correct the following:"
			
	} else {
		
				document.dispatch_form.submit();
	}
  }
  
  function isBlank(string) {
  		for(var i = 0; i < string.length; i++) {
  			var c = string.charAt(i);
			if ((c != ' ') && (c != '\n') && (c != '')) return false;	
		}//end for	
	
		return true;
  	}//end isBlank