Help Get a $15,000 Donation for Woman 2 Woman

We have an opportunity to earn a $15,000 donation to Woman 2 Woman through the Harlequin Books More Than Words program (http://www.harlequinmorethanwords.com/about).

I am planning to submit a nomination for Kim Spangler for this award.   Not only will she be recognized nationally for her contribution to women’s issues, W2W will receive $15,000 if she is selected as a recipient.  And a book may be written about her.  I believe the program selects 3 recipients a year.    

The nomination deadline is July 6 so time is SHORT.   The submission includes a couple of questions about how the nominee inspires others to get involved.   I need your input for that.  I want the submission text to be so compelling the Selection Board won’t think twice about whether she’s worthy.   She is sooooooo worthy!!!

After her selection as a finalist, there's another phase where we have to get people to vote for her.   This is where our extended tribes come in.   But we'll save that process and the instructions for when we need it after finalist selection in October.   For those of you who want to know more about the program and contest, here's a link to the official rules.  http://www.harlequinmorethanwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/2013-More-Than-Words-Contest-Rules.pdf

But now....

These are the 6 questions on the nomination form.   I am very interested in your input on any or all of them, but especially the last 2 which sorta have more to do with all of us than with Kim.  Remember that Habit 6 is Synergize.  This means that together we're going to submit a much better, stronger, more compelling nomination form than if I tried to do it alone.   Please help me do that.

1. What is the Charity's mission or vision statement?
2. How is the Nominee involved in the Charity's work?
3. What motives the Nominee to help this Charity?
4. How are you inspired by the Nominee?
5. How does the Nominee inspire others to get involved?
6. What impact could this award have on the Nominee, the Charity and the community they serve?

So, please, either comment here on the questions above (and follow this blog by e-mail while you're at it) or, if you're more comfortable giving your input to me privately, e-mail it to me at w2wmentor@gmail.com.   Or any other e-mail address you have for me....I get them all. 

Again, PLEASE HELP W2W garner a $15,000 donation from this program.  It starts right here, right now. 

We're a Tribe!

Computers and the internet have given rise to a language of their own.  In many cases, common terms have been hijacked for cyberspace use.   Lots of folks under the age of 30ish can't write anything that doesn't look something like this: 

funny hw u just broke down and got a real facebook w your name, I was just reading your blogs last night bc I checked my email my yahoo acct n which I haven't done in awhile. I will msg u more later

By the way, that is a real facebook message (not even a text message because I don't have texting) I got a couple of days ago from my niece.  Drives me crazy that it's come to this.   I've had to defriend several of my nieces because they frustrate me so.  But I digress. 

Back to words before the computer.   There's a good illustration above.

One of my favorite new computer words is one I learned as I've been researching blogs and how to make them effective.   Around 2003, when blogs were first starting to gain popularity, someone started calling their followers their tribe.  Wikipedia (there's another weird internet word hijacked from encyclopedia I suppose) says the term tribe is used as a slang term for an unofficial community of people who share a common interest, and usually who are loosely affiliated with each other through social media or other internet mechanisms.  

So, I guess, because we're connected by this blog and we share the common interest of Woman 2 Woman, we've become a tribe.   

I don't know why, but I think that's funny.   So, how do we make this tribal affiliation work to W2W's benefit.   Any ideas?

Forget the Need to Remember the Blog

I can't remember a dang thing anymore. I speak from experience. So I try to write down anything I need to remember. The problem then becomes that I have to remember where I wrote it down. I have so many things to remember it often seems like a losing battle. So I make a real effort to remember what I need to for the really important stuff and don't care much anymore about the rest. It's not ideal, but it's working.

When I heard from many of you that one of the issues is trying to remember to check the blog and the forum regularly, I could certainly relate to that concern.

To make it easier to keep up with it I put a subscribe gadget over to the right. When you put your e-mail in the box and click submit a message will be sent to you via e-mail whenever there's a new update to the blog. I don't think this includes whenever someone posts to the forum. Once you're at the blog though, you will remember (I think) to check the forum.

One of the most frustrating things about blogs for me is checking back often and there's no new material. This should eliminate that frustration for everyone.

I can't test this easily since I'm the blog "owner". Please try it and let me know what you think. Does the subscribe function work? Does it make it easier to keep up with the blog?

Bambi, dear.... by Kim Spangler

Many of you know that I've been ill with high fevers for about 2 weeks. I've roller-coastered between self-pity and angry frustration at my enforced exile.

Many of you also know that Camelot Estates, where I live, is truly a deer preserve. So....I have many dear deer families with baby Bambi's on my property. I complain that they enjoy a gerbera and geranium buffet at my expense, but during my illness I received a gift from one Mama doe and her still-spindly-legged baby:

Every morning at 7:30 Mama brought Bambi to a resting place under the deck by my bedroom window. I would sit in my recliner and watch the drop-off and the later pick-up in the afternoon. During this time, Bambi obediently stayed put except for yesterday when she ran from a noise and ended up in my carport unable to figure out how to leave....'soon solved when Mama came to the rescue. I have even watched Mama bathe Bambi and really enjoyed each moment of this experience!

All of that Disney aside to say this: my dear deer days have truly been a gift in the middle of my gripe! These moments have been like prayers and His presence...surrounding and gifting each day with a living object talk of love and care! For deer and for Kim. Hmmmmm. There is ALWAYS a gift in the down times. 'A good reminder for all!

Thanks to all who checked on me, transported me and prayed for me...and for keeping W2W right on track without me!!


Kim

Mentor Discussion Recap

After the training last Thursday I asked the mentors who attended whether they thought this blog and forum was valuable. The discussion was interesting.

It appears that two issues affect whether mentors are using this tool. First is time and remembering that it's there and available. The second is that they didn't know how to actually use the comment function on the blog or the forum.

In both cases, you need to register or set up an account to post a comment. The blog is public, the forum is private. I admit that it can be a bit intimidating to create an account, but it only needs to be done once and when you finish muddling through it, you'll be remembered and won't have to do it again (although you might have to sign in again).

Making a habit of checking in with the W2W Mentor blog is one of those things that no one but you can make happen. As I stress to you as mentors, no matter what the clients say, their actions tell the real story of whether or not they want to take the actions necessary to make what they say they want to really happen.

What about it? Are you willing to make an effort to have this blog and forum become valuable to you in your role as a W2W Mentor?

If you need help creating an account or registering or signing in or understanding the whole thing, contact me. You should all have a Thinking 2 Steps Ahead card with my phone number and web site. Or, call the W2W office. They'll give you my number.

Laurie