Open letter to BonaResponders

This is from me to all BonaResponders. It is actually a direct copy of what I sent to those on the last trip, but since it applies to everyone, I will make it available to all:

Hi Everyone (and James),

First and most importantly I wanted to personally thank you for the great trip! It exceeded my high expectations in almost every way. So thank you all for your efforts.

As I said on the bus, please stay active in BonaResponds. Remember that we are much more than just going to the Gulf. In our fall newsletter (http://bonaresponds.org/BonaRespondsnewsletter1.html) we laid out our goal of being a world class organization:

"..develop BonaResponds into a world-class organization to help people and to build better leaders and better communities "---

-http://randomtopics2.blogspot.com/2006/10/comments-on-volunteering-and.html

We will need more leaders and more help to reach these goals. I have no doubt that we will all step up to achieve this. Already Emily and Jason (both new to BonaResponds) are helping to generate publicity and sending out press releases, Anthony is revamping the website, and many others have come forward with great ideas how we can do even more.

So, please be active. If you see a better way to do things, let us know.

To stay in touch with coverage of BonaResponds (and also more essays on our trip) remember to check out BonaResponds.blogspot.com. Hundreds of pictures of our trip are already available (and more to come) at http://www.flickr.com/photos/financeprofessor/sets/72157594568421026/

Also remember we are trying to put together a book and video on BonaResponds. To do this we need more pictures and more essays/reflection pieces!

Please turn your digital photos (on CD). You can either put them in my mailbox (in Murphy) or give them to Anthony. (Anthony will make all the photos available to others (including the pictures that Bob gave us at Bible Fellowship of immediately after the storm). Remember most people do not have facebook and uploading them there is not enough! SO PLEASE TURN IN PHOTOS :) Thanks!!

Relection pieces/essays can be on pretty much anything from why you decided to go on the trip, to what you did on the trip, to what it meant to you, to a specific event, to what you felt it meant to the people we were helping. They should be submitted electronically. (If things go as planned they will be put on the Blog and the best will be included in the book).

I realize you are all busy, but the sooner we get this the better the book will be! So please find some time for this! :)

And finally some upcoming BonaRespond events:

(dates are somewhat tentative)

1. Fundraising--we will be selling sweatshirts and other merchandise. Stay tuned.
2. Local service day/BBQ --we have been asked to do some work on the trails that we worked on in the fall, around campus and others sites. (April 21) (Stay tuned)
3. There is talk of a BonaResponds relay team for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life.
4. The May Gulf trip is almost a definite go. The dates depend somewhat on the when the sites can take us. Probably third week in May. Stay Tuned.
5. Some from the trip want to do small local service days. I am 100% in favor of this. If you need help from BR or me, please let me/us know.

We need leaders for all of these projects as well as for the book and many other things, so PLEASE step up and help!

Summary

1. GET INVOLVED

2. SUBMIT PHOTOS

3. SUBMIT REFLECTION/ESSAYS

4. BE A LEADER!

THANKS!!

JIM