Around the office

This week is week 2 of a little plan I’ve declared our ‘Fundraising Assault’! We are working hard to unite our Festival Committee members into active planning and have been chugging away ourselves. There are a lot of details to get in order for the first annual Liberian Peace & Cultural Festival, scheduled for the last week of February 2008 and not much time. Big thing we’re focusing on now, in addition to lighting a fire under our committee members, is to get some money raised so we can actually do this event! We made a list of local companies that might be interested in sponsoring; I established some documentation about AYDAP and outlining the Festival (we will have workshops for youth in areas of drama & film, music, volunteerism, leadership; a peace symposium; kick-off parade; 3 night’s of concerts including cultural troupes, secular groups and gospel performances) as well as sponsorship levels. We made a couple appointments at places where we had contacts, but mostly we’re just going in cold. It’s quite fun actually! James and I just show up at a business and before we know if my white face gets us in to meet with a manager or marketing guru. We’re thorough and efficient – explain AYDAP, highlight the Festival, detail sponsorship reciprocation and shake some hands. After our third meeting last Wednesday morning James said, ‘now i know why you called it an assault!’ I’m not messing around here folks, we’re in, we’re out, they don’t know what just hit them but they liked it...and hopefully in a week or so we’ll start reaping the benefits!

In household news, Nelly has really taken to playing show and tell with pictures of my family! Thanks to my Aunt Paulette and her creative genius, i have a journal with photos of the Ewell tribe on the inside covers. Nelly thinks it is a great book and has asked me to get it out a couple times when different friends were over so she could point and explain who everyone is to her company. It really cracks me up! And tonight, she put sea turtle meat in the soup! Which i ate, and decided it tastes surprisingly like pot roast! Haha similar color and texture..still disturbing but tasty!