Lessons from a 3rd Grader

Back in December, we heard about a website called DonorsChoose.org which has the goal of helping teachers fund projects for their classroom. The concept is rather simple:

1. Teachers ask for materials and supplies for a project
2. Donors log on and give to projects they find compelling
3. Students learn and provide personal feedback to the donor.

During our search, we found a class of local 3rd graders that needed a few hundred dollars for storing their supplies. The project was already partially funded, so we decided to top it off.

Today, we received a thank you packet in the mail from the class. I say "packet" becuase it included not only a letter from the teacher, but also each of the kids. They told us how much they appreciated our donation and explained how helpful the jabberwockies (that's what they call them) are. Even better, our thank you note was the first letter that these kids have ever typed on a computer.

We think that's pretty cool.

If you're interesting in experiencing something like this for yourself, there are several teachers in Rochester that are looking for funding right now. Searching for a project is easy as you can search by state, school, grade, subject, and much more. Check it out.

WalkAmerica is now March for Babies

As you may recall, my wife and I had a son born 15 weeks premature in June of 2006. I'm happy to report that he is doing great, walking and even starting to talk. However, every year thousands of babies are born premature and they do not achieve such a positive outcome. Our son, Carson, spent several months in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Mayo Clinic and we had the chance to meet other families dealing with prematurity.

Last year, my wife and I agreed to be the "Ambassador Family" for the 2007 WalkAmerica Walk for the March of Dimes. This year, they have renamed the walk to "March For Babies" and we're proud to be there again as a symbol for the advancements made by the March of Dimes. Without their research, many of the lifesaving technologies used on Carson would not have been available.

We have been blessed with a healthy child and want to give back both emotionally and financially. We have set a goal to raise $2000 this year as "Team Carson" and would love for you to join us. We would like for you to either walk with us or make a donation towards this great cause. If you're a customer of CWS, this year we'll again provide a credit to your account for 50% of your tax-deductible donation (up to $500 maximum per client). For example, if you donate $100 to the March of Dimes through the link above, we'll issue a $50 credit to your account.

Please join us Thursday, February 28th at 6PM for the official Rochester March for Babies 2008 Kick-Off! It will be held at the Best Western Soldiers Field. Food will be provided and there will be music by classic hits 107.7 KLCX thanks to generous sponsors.

Thank you for supporting the mission of the March of Dimes and we look forward to seeing you on Feb 29 (yes, Carson will be there) and walking with you on April 26th!

My First "Live" TV Appearance

Today I had a nerve-racking experience, a live TV interview on KTTC. I have done several interviews in the past, but none of them were "live". The "non-live" interviews didn't bother me too much, because I knew they would take the footage back to the studio and edit my mistakes. No worries, right?

But this was LIVE.

There is no editing when you're done. There is no chance to insert words back into your mouth. You can't say "sorry, can we do that again?" So, I was a bit nervous from the start about this interview. When I arrived at the studio there were lots of bright lights, scrolling teleprompters, cameras, microphones, etc. The lack of direction and unfamiliar setup only added to my paranoia.

I had no idea what questions she was going to ask or what answers I might construct. There was no script and the teleprompters were dark.

In short, I had to wing it. For those of you who know me well, I'm more of a "details" kinda guy. I don't like to "wing" anything if I don't have to. You be the judge on how it turned out:



I did my best to pretend like I had done this before and think it went pretty well (after seeing the results). I must admit, however, that my wife is making fun of me for saying "I'm just like everyone else, living and breathing in Rochester." OK, I'll admit that wasn't the best choice of words (living and "working" in Rochester?), but I didn't see her volunteering for the job.

It was a fantastic learning experience and we've increased awareness about the March of Dimes "Walk America" walk on April 28th. I encourage you to join us with supporting a great cause and getting involved by walking with us or making an online donation.

Walk America Kick-Off

As you probably know, my wife and I had a son born 15 weeks premature last summer. I'm happy to report that he is doing great and progressing at an exponential rate. However, every year thousands of babies are born premature and they do not achieve such a positive outcome. Our son, Carson, spent several months in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Mayo Clinic and we had the chance to meet several families who are still struggling.

My wife and I have agreed to be the "Ambassador Family" for the 2007 Walk America walk for the March of Dimes. We're proud to be the "face" for this event and a symbol for the advancements made by the March of Dimes. Without their research, many of the live-saving technologies they used on Carson would not have been available.

We have been blessed with a healthy child and want to give back both emotionally and financially. We have set a goal to raise $5000 as "Team Carson" and would love for you to join us. We would like for you to either walk with us or make a donation towards this great cause. If you're a customer of CWS, we'll even provide a credit to your account for 50% of your tax-deductable donation (up to $500 maximum per client). For example, if you donate $100 to the March of Dimes through the link above, we'll issue a $50 credit to your account.

Please join us Thursday, February 22nd at 6PM for the official Rochester WalkAmerica 2007 Kick-Off!! It will be held at the Eagle's Club at 917 15th Ave. S.E. (formerly the Elk's Lodge). Hamburger's will be provided and there will be music by classic hits 107.7 KLCX thanks to generous sponsors.

Thank you for supporting the mission of the March of Dimes and we look forward to seeing you on Feb 22nd (yes, Carson will be there) and walking with you on April 28th!