Update on the movement

This is an email update that was sent out on March 17^th (and mailed to those without email). If you want to be on the email list, please send me an email at stevefredlund@gmail.com.  Thanks so much for your engagement.

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Greetings Our Response folks… there has been a whirlwind of activity with a number of people doing different things so I wanted to send you off a quick update.  I’ll just give you some bullet points so feel free to let me know if you have any questions or want more info — honestly there is more than this – it’s just all I can remember!  Hang out – lots of great stuff happening (my apologies if I’ve forgotten anything or anyone):

 * Sponsorships now at 86! Encourage you sponsors to write letters to your sponsored kids. 

* We are going to be holding our “Spring Info & Update Gathering” on Saturday, April 24th from 9-11am at the Cambridge Intermediate School.  Please invite everyone you know!  Thanks to Carol Lex for her work in setting this up.

* We are hoping to do shorter, more informal meetings in the communities of Braham, Pine City, Princeton & North Branch the week leading up to the Spring larger gathering.  At this point we have reserved space in the East Central Energy building in Braham for 6:30-8pm on Tuesday, April 20th.  We will be ordering pizza to arrive about 7:30.  Invite all you know in Braham to this.  We will promote that peope at these meetings also try to attend 4/24 to get connected with the broader group.  Thanks Carol Lex for also setting up this meeting.  If anyone knows of good spots in Pine City, Princeton or North Branch, please let us know.

* We are looking into doing as much free broad marketing as possible through radio, billboards & newspaper.  Thanks to Kriste Erickson of the Haven Center for sending us the contact information and Robin & Shawn Wetther for trying to set these up.

* We are looking into all the possible events we might be able to have a presence at and how to make that happen. Thanks to Tom Yotter!

* On September 24th, the Fish House in Isanti is hosting Tim Hawkins in concert at the Cambridge-Isanti High School Performing Arts Center as a fund raiser.  They are allowing Our Response to have a table at this event to promote our activities.  Thanks to Shannon Lynch for making this happen and Howard & Jill McCray for their generosity.

* We are in the process of creating our logo, brand, and overall design and applying that to a new website.  Thanks to Jesse Gillespie for his logo/design work (looks great so far) and Chris VanAnda for volunteering his website skills.

* We are starting to develop quality & clear marketing brochures to equip each of us to share about Our Response much easier.  Thanks to Shannon Lynch for her leadership on this.

* We are looking to create “event kits” that can be used at whatever events we participate in; to have high-quality engaging booths or information set-up.  Thanks to Shannon Lynch, Mark Radeke and Joanna Johnson (World Vision) for your involvement here.

* We are still looking into a specific project in Kivuruga to support (thanks to Joanna at World Vision for digging into)

* The funds from the 30-Hour Famine done by New Hope Community Church will be dedicated to Kivuruga

* Received a very generous donation from the Pregnancy Resource Center toward our efforts with Our Response (thank you Gina Kennedy and the crew there)

* Have had a volunteer step up to help us film, edit, and create high-quality videos (thank you James Paine!)

* Have received several emails from people with great ideas from bumper stickers to concerts to Golf Tournament fundraisers – keep the ideas coming – awesome!

* Had our first official board meeting as a 501(c)3 non-profit; what a great group of leaders – thank you Bob Jonsson, Mark Radeke, and Mark “Homer” Holm

* Are looking into creating financial giving options beyond just sponsorship that will help others participate in this movement (thanks Melody LaBeau)

* We are looking into options for being able to get available sponsored children’s pictures on-line to make it easier for people to select a child to sponsor.  If anyone wants to take on this project, that would be great… need a scanner, editing capability, and then post files to the web (or send us the file(s) via email/disk).

 Phwew!  Thanks everyone!  Can’t wait to spread the word throughout April and have the meetings at the end of the month.  Our website – our-response.org now points to the blog site until we get the new site up & running.  Feel free to send this to whoever you think might be interested; if they want to get on the email list, please have them send me a note.  Thanks.

 Steve Fredlund — Director, Our Response —stevefredlund@gmail.com  — Cell: 651.57.5435 —

www.our-response.org