Douglas, Tom and I discussed the November action, which is to talk to members of Congress about the economic stimulus package. Douglas noted that Congress decided not to bail out the American automobile manufacturers after the three CEOs flew in private jets to DC, at a cost of $20,000. A first-class ticket would have been $800. Douglas mentioned that you don't wear a fur coat to beg for a loan.
We talked about fundraising and I reported that Cedar Rapids is looking at $700 profit on November herb bread. That's over the goal we had set of $600, so RESULTS will be pleased. We've collected about $500 so far. I'm still waiting for funds from Peoples Church and about 10 customers from Christ Church to pick up their bread and pay.
A sailor and a pirate go into a bar and start drinking and talking. The sailor notices that the pirate has a peg leg, a hook on one arm and an eye patch. The sailor asks, "How did you wind up with a peg leg?" The pirate answers, "I fell overboard into a pool of sharks. As my shipmates were pulling me back onboard, a shark bit off my leg at the knee." "Wow," said the sailor. "And how about that hook? What happened there?" "We were boarding an enemy ship and fighting with swords and one of the enemy took his sword and cut my hand clean off." "Wow," said the sailor. "And how about the eye patch?" "One day," said the pirate, "a seagull pooped in my eye." "And you lost your eye to bird poop?" asked the sailor. "Well," said the pirate, "it was my first day with the hook."
Have a wonderful thanksgiving!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Global Call November 19
There is only one legislative push right now: the Senate World Bank letter. It is worth it to keep working on World Bank letters this week as long as able to reach someone in the office. Next week is a lost cause because people are on break. We sent letters to both Senate offices Monday night. I will call Friday to follow up on the letters.
We talked at length about fundraisers. Allison agreed that I need to get some help on bread buttering. Joyce Conley has volunteered, as has Vikki Waller. Kate Rose has volunteered to put the labels on the ID tag for the outside of the bags. I have sent the task list to Leslee Sandberg and am thinking about what tasks for December can be delegated. One thing that will help is that we have the kitchen on Monday, December 8 at 4 p.m. through Tuesday night. That will make butter preparation easier! Working with frozen butter is very difficult and time-consuming.
Preparing herb bread with the proceeds going to fight hunger and poverty is a very meaningful activity!
We talked at length about fundraisers. Allison agreed that I need to get some help on bread buttering. Joyce Conley has volunteered, as has Vikki Waller. Kate Rose has volunteered to put the labels on the ID tag for the outside of the bags. I have sent the task list to Leslee Sandberg and am thinking about what tasks for December can be delegated. One thing that will help is that we have the kitchen on Monday, December 8 at 4 p.m. through Tuesday night. That will make butter preparation easier! Working with frozen butter is very difficult and time-consuming.
Preparing herb bread with the proceeds going to fight hunger and poverty is a very meaningful activity!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
A New Project
I got an email today from Marna at the Muslim American Society. She is a flood victim and is looking for some guidance on getting federal flood relief funds out of the Appropriations Committee and onto the Senate floor for debate. I'm going to meet with her Friday at 2, after prayers. I may go to prayers. Haven't been since summer before last. The quiet is very refreshing.
The flood relief effort is not a RESULTS campaign, but I got clearance from Douglas Lichtermann to work on it with Marna. I don't know how much help I'm going to be, but I'll do my best.
The flood relief effort is not a RESULTS campaign, but I got clearance from Douglas Lichtermann to work on it with Marna. I don't know how much help I'm going to be, but I'll do my best.
Domestic Call November 6
Paul from Minneapolis talked about the recount in the Senate race in Minnesota. He said it may take a month. Less than 500 votes separate the incumbent Coleman (R) and challenger Al Franken (D). I'm so glad there was no disputing the presidential race. My brother in Texas was concerned about the violence that might erupt in Grant Park had the results not been what they were. I must be really naive -- that thought never occurred to me.
The conference call this week, Saturday at 11:30 a.m., is going to be about the new Congress coming in January.
The Senate is coming back on the 17th and will be in session for three days. We'll be sending our Senate microcredit letters at exactly the right time, as we will meet on the evening of Monday, November 17, and I'll fax our letters that night.
The conference call this week, Saturday at 11:30 a.m., is going to be about the new Congress coming in January.
The Senate is coming back on the 17th and will be in session for three days. We'll be sending our Senate microcredit letters at exactly the right time, as we will meet on the evening of Monday, November 17, and I'll fax our letters that night.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Global Call November 5
Allison started the calling asking what our feelings were about the outcome of the elections yesterday, especially related to our RESULTS work. I realized how new I am to RESULTS in that it has finally become clear to me that poverty and hunger can be ended in my lifetime. I imagine you already feel that and that I'm coming late to the party. But I'm finally here.
The Enzi-Brown World Bank microcredit letter in the Senate has four signers right now -- one Democrat and three Republicans. Allison seemed surprised when I said we were going to work on not only Senator Harkin, but Senator Grassley as well. Pleasantly surprised.
John and Polly Ely were the RESULTS group in Cedar Rapids for years. And I feel like this is our opportunity to honor them, since they were such fans of microcredit, to work on getting our Members of Congress to sign on to the World Bank letters. We've finally made inroads with Congressman Loebsack; his signature on the House letter was the first time he's responded to global poverty requests from us. And now it's time for us to move on to the Senate letter.
The conference call this Saturday will be about the outcome of the elections and how it affects our work as RESULTS volunteers; it will also be about the World Bank letters in the House and Senate. And it will be about fundraising. The global call is at 1 p.m. this Saturday at Christ Church.
The Enzi-Brown World Bank microcredit letter in the Senate has four signers right now -- one Democrat and three Republicans. Allison seemed surprised when I said we were going to work on not only Senator Harkin, but Senator Grassley as well. Pleasantly surprised.
John and Polly Ely were the RESULTS group in Cedar Rapids for years. And I feel like this is our opportunity to honor them, since they were such fans of microcredit, to work on getting our Members of Congress to sign on to the World Bank letters. We've finally made inroads with Congressman Loebsack; his signature on the House letter was the first time he's responded to global poverty requests from us. And now it's time for us to move on to the Senate letter.
The conference call this Saturday will be about the outcome of the elections and how it affects our work as RESULTS volunteers; it will also be about the World Bank letters in the House and Senate. And it will be about fundraising. The global call is at 1 p.m. this Saturday at Christ Church.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
I am so proud of them
We had our final training session tonight. You should have been there to witness the Muslim American Society group do the RESULTS Basics test! I was so proud of them I could bust. And we had a gentleman sit in on the training who before the night was over asked to join RESULTS. His name is Fousseni Assoumanou and he is originally from West Africa. Then after the training Mona Elkhaldy introduced me to Dhuha Tawil and we talked about microcredit and we talked about lobbying and she wants to be part of RESULTS as well! I am so excited for the November 17 meeting when everyone gets to meet everyone.
I have learned a lot from our newest activists. Kelly Soliman works at HACAP and sees poverty and hunger every day. Idris Abdul Hafiz is an engineer and has an engineer's organization that he would like to collaborate with on RESULTS issues. Aisha Nichols is interested in early childhood education as she runs the daycare at MAS. Mohamed Soliman is a genius at graphic design and wants to work with the media. And Mohamed Taha wasn't able to make it tonight but I saw him before the training session and he is so enthused about working with RESULTS.
I am just so grateful to God for growing our RESULTS group this way.
I have learned a lot from our newest activists. Kelly Soliman works at HACAP and sees poverty and hunger every day. Idris Abdul Hafiz is an engineer and has an engineer's organization that he would like to collaborate with on RESULTS issues. Aisha Nichols is interested in early childhood education as she runs the daycare at MAS. Mohamed Soliman is a genius at graphic design and wants to work with the media. And Mohamed Taha wasn't able to make it tonight but I saw him before the training session and he is so enthused about working with RESULTS.
I am just so grateful to God for growing our RESULTS group this way.
Domestic Call October 30
Lois and I were the only group leaders on the call with Douglas, so it was a quick call today. We talked about the October action of writing letters to the editor about healthcare for all. And Douglas asked about fundraising -- how we were coming with our "bread bake-off," as he lovingly called it.
Meredith Dodson had her baby -- about eight days after her due date. But both mom and baby are doing well. They haven't named him yet as they are waiting a little bit to see which of the names they've picked fits his personality. You can see his pictures at http://rookieindc.blogspot.com/.
I reported that tonight is the final training session for our activists at the Muslim American Society and that in November they would be joining the rest of the Cedar Rapids group, who are quite excited about them joining in. Lois and Douglas were both very pleased indeed.
Douglas is going to help people in St. Petersburg, FL get to the polls on Tuesday. Lois is going to work in her Congressman's office to help people in Baltimore get to the polls. I'm going to work as a greeter in my precinct, welcoming people, getting them to sign the roster for the poll watchers and directing them to the correct line. Then I'll thank them for coming in after they've voted. My mother is going to come to my apartment in the afternoon to feed Piphi her lunch. I don't want her to go hungry as I have to be gone from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Piphi hisses at Mom, but she takes it in stride; she just says, "Don't bite the hand that feeds you."
There was an older man who lived in Idaho and had always planted potatoes in his garden. But he was getting older and feeling too weak to go out and plow the garden. So he wrote to his son, Bubba, who was in prison. So he wrote this letter.
Dear Bubba,
I'm feeling too old to plow the garden for potatoes this year. I'm afraid without you here I won't be able to do it.
Love,
Dad
Dear Dad,
For heaven's sake, don't plow the garden! That's where I buried the bodies!
Love,
Bubba
The next day a group of agents from the FBI came and dug all through the garden looking for bodies, but found none. They apologized to the old man for the damage they had done to his property and left. The next day the man received a second letter from his son.
Dear Dad,
Now you can plant your potatoes. That's the best I could do under the circumstances.
Love,
Bubba
Meredith Dodson had her baby -- about eight days after her due date. But both mom and baby are doing well. They haven't named him yet as they are waiting a little bit to see which of the names they've picked fits his personality. You can see his pictures at http://rookieindc.blogspot.com/.
I reported that tonight is the final training session for our activists at the Muslim American Society and that in November they would be joining the rest of the Cedar Rapids group, who are quite excited about them joining in. Lois and Douglas were both very pleased indeed.
Douglas is going to help people in St. Petersburg, FL get to the polls on Tuesday. Lois is going to work in her Congressman's office to help people in Baltimore get to the polls. I'm going to work as a greeter in my precinct, welcoming people, getting them to sign the roster for the poll watchers and directing them to the correct line. Then I'll thank them for coming in after they've voted. My mother is going to come to my apartment in the afternoon to feed Piphi her lunch. I don't want her to go hungry as I have to be gone from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Piphi hisses at Mom, but she takes it in stride; she just says, "Don't bite the hand that feeds you."
There was an older man who lived in Idaho and had always planted potatoes in his garden. But he was getting older and feeling too weak to go out and plow the garden. So he wrote to his son, Bubba, who was in prison. So he wrote this letter.
Dear Bubba,
I'm feeling too old to plow the garden for potatoes this year. I'm afraid without you here I won't be able to do it.
Love,
Dad
Dear Dad,
For heaven's sake, don't plow the garden! That's where I buried the bodies!
Love,
Bubba
The next day a group of agents from the FBI came and dug all through the garden looking for bodies, but found none. They apologized to the old man for the damage they had done to his property and left. The next day the man received a second letter from his son.
Dear Dad,
Now you can plant your potatoes. That's the best I could do under the circumstances.
Love,
Bubba
Global Call Oct 29
News is spreading about Congressman Loebsack signing on to the World Bank letter. Allison said she's telling everyone about it. This is his first time in responding to a RESULTS request for global issues, and trusting he's going to be reelected, I'm looking forward to working with him more in the future. He is so sensitive to domestic poverty, I am tremendously encouraged that now he is looking at global poverty with the same heart.
Our next job is the Senate World Bank letter. It's only open until November 19, and our meeting is November 17, so we will be writing letters that night. I'll have your letters to Loebsack from the October meeting that you can use as a template if you like. Also, the activists from the Muslim American Society will be at our November meeting and will share the letters they wrote at their last training session.
Our next job is the Senate World Bank letter. It's only open until November 19, and our meeting is November 17, so we will be writing letters that night. I'll have your letters to Loebsack from the October meeting that you can use as a template if you like. Also, the activists from the Muslim American Society will be at our November meeting and will share the letters they wrote at their last training session.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
