Valentine Cards

Yesterday was Valentines Day and I hope you had a lovely day. I think a total of 342 people may have had a more special day because of what many people did for them.

We had a drive for homemade Valentine Cards for our area to get cards to the residents of rest homes and assisted living facilities. We received 342 cards we took them to 12 facilities and 45 of those cards also went to some soldiers in Iraq. The 4-H clubs in Hamilton County in Nebraska had made cards for the soldiers. The extension office was able to get them to me to send to our soldiers. A great site to go to if you have something you would like to send some things to our soldiers is AnySoldier .

A big thank you goes out to the 4-Her's, all those who made the cards, church groups, & girl scout troop in Harvard, NE and around our county. Also to Connie Baum for taking cards to the residents in the nursing home in her area.

This is something that all can do for your area and if you are interesting in knowing the details let me know and I would be glad to get a white paper to you that will give you the details.

Renita Farrall

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and a wonderful prosperous New Year to you.

It is a white Christmas in a large area of the country. The kids can go sledding and then enjoy a cup of hot chocolate the gifts are unwrapped. Christmas is a fun time of the year, but for many like our soldiers it is a lonesome time being away from family and friends. This year we were able to help 526 men and women have a part of that brought to them by sending them Christmas cards made by Sunday School children, Girl Scout troops, Sororities and school students.

This year we received 526 cards and thanks to a friend on Twitter we found a Website called www.anysoldier.com that has names and addresses of soldiers. The soldier that list his name on the Website sends in periodic updates as to what they have been doing and what their needs are. If you are in need of a project for your group check out this Website www.AnySoldier.com . On their site they tell what to do to prepare the boxes and how to send them.

I do not receive anything for you doing this.

The families of the soldiers that I talked to about sending their loved ones cards are elated that we do something like this for their son/daughter and their unit or platoon. Remember there are soldiers that never receive anything from home so a simple card sure helps.

On the home front we are providing the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University Course. We did a class August through November and will be starting another one on Jan. 13, 2009. If any of you that live in the Harvard, NE area are interested you certainly are welcome to come an attend. We will have a preview class Jan. 6 at 7 pm at the Harvard Public School. The course will then start on Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. at the Harvard Public School. Would love to have you come. If you have already been to one and would like a refresher course please bring your workbook, that is your free ticket to attend the class. Hope to see you there.

Just a heads up Valentine's Day is fast approaching and we will be doing another drive for homemade cards also. I have cards to send to the soldiers for that also. A 4-H group has done cards for that already. If anyone wants to add to that collection you are certainly welcome to, but normally our Valentine Cards go to area nursing homes.

Blessings to all,

Renita Farrall

Creating Press Releases

Have you done any press releases? I never did until this past 2 weeks and a friend of mine got me started and it is mind boggling but it is fun and fast.

I have done 3 press releases now and for some reason I am surprised by the hits I got. Why I don't know but it just surprised me I guess that anyone would be interested in what I am doing.

If you would like to take a look at them I will leave the web links to them at the end of this post.

Why would we want to use a Press Release? Doing press releases has always been the standard method of communicating any newsworthy announcement to the media. This amounts to free publicity.

Large companies have always used press releases as one of the most effective forms of their marketing methods. So why shouldn't we.

This form of marketing can help to launch your new products, or in my case as a non-profit we can announce fund-raising events and activities, and entertainment companies use press releases to promote the release of everything from games, books, music, and films. So I would say we need to follow what the big boys do, right?

What I am understanding is if the large companies know about this maybe we should follow suit and learn from them, if they get publicity why shouldn't we? Isn't that the best publicity?

Here are the links to the press releases I wrote

Renita Challenges You to Step Up to the Plate
Financial Peace University Come to Harvard
Renita Farrall Guest Speaker at Center City Chamber of Commerce Luncheon

I now challenge you to go out and try a press release for your business.

Have fun writing,

Renita Farrall

Oh No, I have 2 Imperfect Granddaughters

This weekend we made a trip to Southwestern Iowa, Imogene for short, the home of the Imogene Hub, my sister-in-laws newspaper. If you want an enjoyable paper to read this is the one. Imogene is a small town near Shenandoah, Iowa. I think all that is there are a tavern, the local grain elevator and the big Catholic Church and maybe a few residences.

My brother and sister-in-law live on a beautiful little farm with a few cattle and horses near Imogene. For the last 5 years or so they have been brave about inviting Neil’s extended family to the farm for a day of food and getting caught up on family news as well as horseback riding. A few years ago when this all started the old timers, my brothers and sisters and me all had to refresh our memories of riding horses in our younger days. But this year I noticed only one of us, besides my brother who owned the horses, even got near one.

I was able to ride around with my sister-in-law in her golf-cart. I tore the lisfranc ligament in my right foot this summer; I am on the mend with it and on crutches yet. Veronica gave me a ride in the golf-cart to see what the grandkids and others were doing. That was great together time and we were able to catch up on what was going on in each other’s lives.

Every one had a good time and came home very tired.

Well, I thought everyone had a good time, but as I was writing up the article to put in the local newspaper for the entire world to read I had to call one sister to find out what her son’s address was that was there so I would have the town correct (heaven forbid if I would get that wrong). We was visiting about the weekend and how much fun it was when she dropped the bombshell, I have 2 imperfect granddaughters. Oh, my goodness. I would never have dreamt that in a minute.

To be kind to my sister she was much kinder then that, but I need to have you read this post, right?

Anyway what happened is these 2 nine year olds HOGGED the horses they were riding. They thought they owned them. They would not get off of them and let anyone else ride them. It just happened that one of the horses was the lead horse and whatever that horse did the others did. So if it went to the barn because the person controlling the steering didn’t know how to steer, then the rest of the horses followed much to the dismay of 2 teenage cousins who couldn’t be in control.

This made me think of our lives. Isn’t that what happens in real life. If we aren’t in control of our destiny we complain to someone (our mother in this case) who can’t do anything but tell the next person (the grandmother in this case) who can’t do anything but chose to relay the message onto the fathers or the man in charge of the horses (my brother) who by next year will have forgotten the whole thing.

What is the right thing to do? Should the teenagers have complained immediately to the next in line (fathers) or gone up the line to the person in charge of the horses (my brother)?

What happens in your case? Do you keep your mouth shut until you get home and expound to the person there or do you go directly to the person in charge that could resolve the problem immediately? Most of the time we do the keep quiet thing and then blow up at home and hope the people that messed up know we are upset and then we let it fester and nothing gets done until it is to late and everyone is mad at each other.

It is interesting to see how we all do the same unless we are taught differently. It doesn’t matter if it has to do with horses and kids or business and adults it is all the same.

Just a little something to think about. Have a great day and start to develop your Legacy .

Renita Farrall

Moving Forward

Is it the Law of Attraction or what? I hope so, I don’t know about all of that, but what I do know is that right after I posted my blogspot post for Christmas Cards for our soldiers I received a phone call.

I have been kind of draggin’ for the last few months not seeming to get anything accomplished (I felt) and this last week it was like I really need to do something, I need to get something moving and now today seems to be the day.

I read and listen and watch trying to figure this Internet thing out and nothing seems to make any difference, but when I give it up and tell myself I need to start moving forward even if it is just one small step then things start to open up.

So what happened today? Well I had been challenged to get something on my blog and send out an email to my list, because of the calls and emails I have received about doing the Christmas Cards and deciding this would be a perfect time with a sort of lag in the calendar for people to get an early start on making their cards, I received a call from the Central City Chamber of Commerce asking me to speak at their luncheon.

I had been to their craft fair a year ago and Nancy, who was in charge, was so impressed with what I was doing that she wanted the Chamber to invite me to one of their luncheons! What perfect timing! This will be good to get their juices flowing with ideas and how they can help.

Oh, now I need to decide what to write and what to say. I am not the best at either so my friend Connie says to come from the heart so I think that is what I will do.

Check out our website http://www.make2tell2.com

Have a Glorious Day,

Renita Farrall

TV Spot Spurs Action from Viewer

It has been a long time since you have heard from me and many things have happened since the last writing. But the thing I want to share with you today is that with kids back in school and everyone back at work, there maybe some extra time for you do something worthwhile now.

What am I talking about? Well, it is the middle of September and it won’t be long before the holidays show up on our doorstep. So, while you have a few days yet I thought it would be a good time to get this email out and let you know that this would be a great time for you to start making those Christmas Cards for our soldiers. I have already had a few emails and phone calls asking if I was still doing this and the neat part was a woman called me, because she was getting together with about 4 other ladies in her small town and they were trying to think of a reason to make cards.

Lois remembered seeing me on the local TV news station. She wrote my name and information down (smart lady). Lois decided this would be a great project to do. She called to get the details and she even knows of a soldier that she can get me her name and information so we can send the cards to. Did I say Lois told me maybe 4 times in our conversation how she loves to make cards.

Can you do something like that? Do you have some neighbors or friends that would welcome the idea of getting together for a time of getting reacquainted and doing a good turn at the same time?

Another organization emailed me and asked me to come visit them when they work on their project in Oct. They have done several projects for me in the past and I would love to see them and have some faces to put to the names. Also enjoying a cup of coffee and friendly chat is always fun.

So see what you can do. Get together or do your own and send them to me at :

Make 2 Tell 2
991 Road 325
Harvard, NE 68944

Also, round up some soldiers names and addresses and how many is in their troop. I always need names. Be sure and let the family members know that we will take special care of those names and not give them out.

Have a fun day,

Renita Farrall
Executive Director
That's It, I'm Going to Grandma's!
http://www.make2tell2.com

　

Share Your Experience

Have you ever thought about volunteering?

Have you done any volunteering?

How did it feel?

Was it worth the time?

Please share with us your experience and thoughts in the comment box.

My latest experience with volunteering has been with the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services. I was blown away when I received a letter and certificate from Governor Dave Heineman and the NDCS Director Robert P. Houston, for supporting the TSCI Self-Betterment Club.

I have been going down to Tecumseh, NE to the state correctional facility to visit the men in the Toastmasters Club and found myself being a volunteer. The blessings that have come from doing this small act are to many to mention. I have learned to love these men that I thought could never be loved and learned that they are as human as the rest of us. They all have feelings and hurts just like us and they appreciate being honored, they want to do good and grow just like we do. They have made mistakes and now are paying the price and some of them are willing to learn and make corrections in their ways so that they can give back when they get out.

To answer my questions:

Have you ever thought about volunteering?
Yes. As far as I knew I was doing it for That's It, I'm Going to Grandma's! but it has been a real blessing to the men and myself. How it backfires is totally amazing.

Have you done any volunteering?
I never thought I did until I recieved the letter and certificate yesterday, but as I think back I have done a lot of it at church by being on boards, helping with meals, going on a mission trip to Russia, helping at school when my kids were in school, working at Vacation Bible School now with my grandkids etc. It can go on forever I am thinking.

How did it feel?
I always seem to enjoy it. I grow and learn new things that I can do. With the prison thing I have never felt so good, even thinking about it now puts a smile on my face and a bounce in my step.

Was it worth the time? Yes, even though with all the other stuff I think I need to do at the time, I can see the growth in myself as well as what I was able to do for the other people involved at the time.

Some volunteering can be as simple as making a card for the soldiers overseas. That time is coming real fast to get Thank You cards send to them by the 4th of July. So get out your paper and crayons and make those cards and send them to me at:
Make 2 Tell 2
991 Road 325
Harvard, NE 68944

Feel free to click on Make 2 Tell 2 to learn more about how you can help send cards to the soldiers overseas.

We look forward to hearing about your experiences.

Many Blessings,

Renita Farrall